Three-dimensional shaping device with nozzle flushing operation

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12415319-B2
Application number	US-202117381748-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 21, 2021
Priority date	Jul 23, 2020
Publication date	Sep 16, 2025
Grant date	Sep 16, 2025

Abstract

A three-dimensional shaping device includes: a shaping table; a layer forming unit configured to form a powder layer on the shaping table; a head configured to eject a liquid containing a binder from a nozzle to a shaping region; and a control unit configured to control movement of the head with respect to the shaping table and driving of the head by applying a voltage. The control unit changes an execution condition of a flushing operation depending on whether an idle running time during which the head is moved without ejecting the liquid is less than a threshold value or equal to or greater than the threshold value.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A three-dimensional shaping device, comprising:
a shaping table;
a layer forming unit configured to form a powder layer on the shaping table;
a head configured to eject a liquid containing a binder from a nozzle to a shaping region of a three-dimensional shaped object on the powder layer; and
a control unit configured to control movement of the head with respect to the shaping table and driving of the head by applying a voltage, and to control the head to execute a flushing operation at a flushing position which is a position different from the shaping region, wherein
the control unit changes an execution condition of the flushing operation depending on whether an idle running time during which the head is moved without ejecting the liquid is less than a threshold value or the idle running time during which the head is moved without ejecting the liquid is equal to or greater than the threshold value.

2. The three-dimensional shaping device according to claim 1 , wherein
the control unit is configured to generate flushing data related to ejection of the liquid at the flushing position based on shaping data of the three-dimensional shaped object, and control the head to execute the flushing operation based on the flushing data.

3. The three-dimensional shaping device according to claim 1 , wherein
the control unit does not execute the flushing operation when the idle running time is less than the threshold value, and executes the flushing operation when the idle running time is equal to or greater than the threshold value.

4. The three-dimensional shaping device according to claim 1 , wherein the flushing operation comprises a first flushing operation and a second flushing operation, and the control unit controls the head to execute the first flushing operation when the idle running time is less than the threshold value, and controls the head to execute the second flushing operation when the idle running time is equal to or greater than the threshold value.

5. The three-dimensional shaping device according to claim 4 , wherein
a frequency of a waveform input to the head in the second flushing operation is higher than a frequency of a waveform input to the head in the first flushing operation.

6. The three-dimensional shaping device according to claim 4 , wherein
a voltage to be applied to the head in the second flushing operation is higher than a voltage to be applied to the head in the first flushing operation.

7. The three-dimensional shaping device according to claim 4 , wherein
an ejection speed of the liquid from the head in the second flushing operation is faster than an ejection speed of the liquid from the head in the first flushing operation.

8. The three-dimensional shaping device according to claim 4 , wherein
a droplet size of the liquid ejected from the head in the second flushing operation is larger than a droplet size of the liquid ejected from the head in the first flushing operation.

9. The three-dimensional shaping device according to claim 4 , wherein
the control unit controls to execute the first flushing operation at least when the operation of the three-dimensional shaping device is started or when the operation of the three-dimensional shaping device is completed.

10. The three-dimensional shaping device according to claim 1 , wherein
the control unit resets a measurement start timing of the idle running time every time one powder layer is formed.

11. The three-dimensional shaping device according to claim 1 , wherein
the control unit resets a measurement start timing of the idle running time every time the flushing operation is executed.

12. The three-dimensional shaping device according to claim 1 , wherein
the head includes a pressure chamber communicating with the nozzle, a supply path configured to supply the liquid to the pressure chamber, and a circulation path into which the liquid from the pressure chamber flows for circulation.

13. The three-dimensional shaping device according to claim 12 , wherein
the control unit is configured to control such that q2/q1 is equal to or greater than 0.05 and equal to or less than 20, where q1 is a flow rate of the liquid flowing into the circulation path per unit time, and q2 is a maximum flow rate of the liquid ejected from the nozzle per unit time.

14. The three-dimensional shaping device according to claim 13 , wherein
q2/q1 is 0.05.

Assignees

• Seiko Epson Corp

Inventors

• Tsunoya Akihiko
• Hirai Toshimitsu
• Momose Kaoru

Classifications

• B22F12/90

  Means for process control, e.g. cameras or sensors · CPC title

• B22F12/50

  Means for feeding of material, e.g. heads · CPC title

• B29C64/209

  Heads; Nozzles · CPC title

• B33Y30/00

  Apparatus for additive manufacturing; Details thereof or accessories therefor · 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