Three-dimensional printing system, control device for three-dimensional printing apparatus, and control method for three-dimensional printing apparatus

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10464301-B2
Application number	US-201615258177-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 7, 2016
Priority date	Sep 10, 2015
Publication date	Nov 5, 2019
Grant date	Nov 5, 2019

Abstract

A three-dimensional printing system includes a reservoir, a feeder, a solidifier, and a controller. The reservoir is configured to store powder, the powder being to be solidified inside the reservoir to form a three-dimensional object. The feeder is configured to move the powder from a predetermined location in a predetermined conveying direction, thereby feeding the powder to the reservoir. The solidifier is configured to perform a process of solidifying the powder in the reservoir in accordance with a control signal. The controller is configured to generate the control signal so as to form a first auxiliary object between the three-dimensional object and a wall surface of the reservoir, the wall surface being at a position downstream from the three-dimensional object in the conveying direction.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A three-dimensional printing system comprising:
a reservoir configured to store powder, the powder to be solidified inside the reservoir to form a first three-dimensional object, the reservoir including a build stage;
a feeder configured to move the powder from a first location in a first conveying direction, thereby feeding the powder to the reservoir;
a solidifier configured to perform a process of solidifying the powder in the reservoir in accordance with a control signal; and
a controller configured to generate the control signal so as to form, based on a threshold condition, a first auxiliary object between the first three-dimensional object and a wall surface of the reservoir and separate from the build stage, the wall surface being at a position downstream from the first three-dimensional object in the first conveying direction, the first three-dimensional object being an intended three-dimensional object and the auxiliary object being an object for reducing a displacement of the first three-dimensional object.

2. A three-dimensional printing system comprising:
a reservoir configured to store powder, the powder to be solidified inside the reservoir to form a first three-dimensional object;
a feeder configured to move the powder from a first location in a first conveying direction, thereby feeding the powder to the reservoir;
a solidifier configured to perform a process of solidifying the powder in the reservoir in accordance with a control signal; and
a controller configured to generate the control signal so as to form a first auxiliary object between the first three-dimensional object and a wall surface of the reservoir, the wall surface being at a position downstream from the first three-dimensional object in the first conveying direction, wherein the controller generates the control signal so as to form a second auxiliary object between a first part and a second part, when a clearance between the first part and the second part is larger than a threshold value, the first part and the second part being adjacent to each other in the first conveying direction and belonging to the first three-dimensional object.

3. The three-dimensional printing system according to claim 1 , wherein when the first three-dimensional object and a second three-dimensional object adjacent to the first three-dimensional object in the first conveying direction are to be formed, the controller generates the control signal so as not to form a second auxiliary object when a clearance between a part belonging to the first three-dimensional object and a part belonging to the second three-dimensional object is smaller than a threshold value.

4. The three-dimensional printing system according to claim 1 , wherein the solidifier solidifies the powder by ejecting, onto the powder stored in the reservoir, a binder liquid that joins the powder.

5. The three-dimensional printing system according to claim 1 , further comprising a compressor that compresses the powder in the reservoir.

6. The three-dimensional printing system according to claim 1 , further comprising a vibrator that vibrates the powder in the reservoir.

7. A control device for controlling a three-dimensional printing apparatus including
a reservoir configured to store powder, the powder to be solidified inside the reservoir to form a three-dimensional object, the reservoir including a build stage,
a feeder configured to move the powder from a first location in a first conveying direction, thereby feeding the powder to the reservoir, and
a solidifier configured to perform a process of solidifying the powder in the reservoir in accordance with a control signal,
the control device comprising a unit configured to generate the control signal so as to form, based on a threshold condition, an auxiliary object between the three-dimensional object and a wall surface of the reservoir and separate from the build stage, the wall surface being at a position downstream from the three-dimensional object in the first conveying direction, the three-dimensional object being an intended three-dimensional object and the auxiliary object being an object for reducing a displacement of the three-dimensional object.

8. The three-dimensional printing system of claim 1 , wherein the reservoir includes a feed chamber and a build chamber and the controller is configured to generate the control signal so as to form the first auxiliary object between the first three-dimensional object and a wall surface of the build chamber.

9. The three-dimensional printing system of claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to generate the control signal so as to form a second auxiliary object after initialization of the formation of the first three-dimensional object.

10. The three-dimensional printing system of claim 9 , wherein the controller is configured to generate the control signal so as to form the second auxiliary object during the formation of the first three-dimensional object.

11. The three-dimensional printing system of claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to generate the control signal so as to form the first auxiliary object before the formation of the first three-dimensional object.

12. The three-dimensional printing system of claim 1 , wherein a height of the auxiliary object is less than a height of the reservoir.

13. The three-dimensional printing system of claim 12 , wherein a height of unsolidified powder and the height of the auxiliary object together equal the height of the reservoir.

14. The three-dimensional printing system according to claim 1 , wherein the controller generates the control signal so as to form the first auxiliary object when a clearance between the first three-dimensional object and the wall surface is larger than a threshold value.

15. The three-dimensional printing system according to claim 1 , wherein the controller generates the control signal so as to provide a threshold clearance between the first three-dimensional object and the first auxiliary object.

16. The three-dimensional printing system according to claim 1 , wherein the controller generates the control signal so as to provide a threshold clearance between the first auxiliary object and the wall surface.

17. The three-dimensional printing system according to claim 1 , wherein the controller generates the control signal so as to position a lower end portion of the first auxiliary object closer to a bottom of the reservoir than a lower end portion of the first three-dimensional object is.

18. The three-dimensional printing system according to claim 17 , wherein the controller generates the control signal so as to provide a threshold clearance between the lower end portion of the first auxiliary object and the bottom of the reservoir.

Assignees

• Sakura Shozo
• Ricoh Co Ltd

Inventors

• Sakura Shozo

Classifications

• B29C64/393

  for controlling or regulating additive manufacturing processes · CPC title

• B22F10/30

  Process control · CPC title

• B22F10/14

  by jetting of binder onto a bed of metal powder · CPC title

• B22F10/73

  of powder · CPC title

• B29C64/165

  using a combination of solid and fluid materials, e.g. a powder selectively bound by a liquid binder, catalyst, inhibitor or energy absorber · CPC title