Three-dimensional modeling apparatus, manufacturing method and computer program

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016243761-A1
Application number	US-201615040615-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Feb 10, 2016
Priority date	Feb 25, 2015
Publication date	Aug 25, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

A three-dimensional modeling apparatus is provided with a head unit for modeling an object by discharging a liquid into each unit grille that is defined in accordance with modeling resolutions of a cross section body in an X direction and a Y direction and a lamination interval in a Z direction, and a control unit for controlling the head unit. In the case where one or more types of the chromatic liquids are discharged into the unit grille by controlling the head unit and the spatial volume of the unit grille is not filled with the one or more types of chromatic liquids, the control unit causes the achromatic liquid to be discharged into the unit grille in addition to the one or more types of chromatic liquids so as to fill the spatial volume of the unit grille with both the chromatic liquids and the achromatic liquid.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A three-dimensional modeling apparatus for modeling a three-dimensional object by laminating a plurality of cross section bodies in a Z direction, the three-dimensional modeling apparatus comprising:
a head unit for modeling the object by discharging a liquid that is to be a material of the object into each unit grille that is defined in accordance with a modeling resolution of the cross section body in an X direction, a modeling resolution of the cross section body in a Y direction, and a lamination interval of the cross section body in the Z direction; and a control unit for controlling the head unit, wherein the head unit is capable of individually discharging, into the unit grille, an achromatic liquid and a plurality of types of chromatic liquids for expressing a designated color, and in a case where one or more types of the chromatic liquids are discharged into the unit grille by controlling the head unit and the spatial volume of the unit grille is not filled with the one or more types of chromatic liquids, the control unit causes the achromatic liquid to be discharged into the unit grille in addition to the one or more types of chromatic liquids so as to fill the spatial volume of the unit grille with both the chromatic liquids and the achromatic liquid.

2 . The three-dimensional modeling apparatus according to claim 1 ,
wherein the control unit, regarding one chromatic liquid out of the plurality of types of chromatic liquids, expresses color gradation represented by the one chromatic liquid by changing the number of unit grilles, into which the one chromatic liquid is to be discharged, in a unit grille array in which the unit grilles are aligned in a direction from the surface toward an inside of the object.

3 . The three-dimensional modeling apparatus according to claim 2 ,
wherein in a case where a plurality of the unit grilles into which the one chromatic liquid is to be discharged exist in the unit grille array, the control unit discharges the one chromatic liquid into the unit grilles such that positions of the one chromatic liquid in the Z direction are the same, and discharges the one chromatic liquid into the unit grilles such that the one chromatic liquid is arranged on the surface side relative to the achromatic liquid in the unit grille array.

4 . The three-dimensional modeling apparatus according to claim 3 ,
wherein the color of the achromatic liquid is white.

5 . A method for manufacturing a three-dimensional object using a three-dimensional modeling apparatus for modeling a three-dimensional object by laminating a plurality of cross section bodies in a Z direction,
the three-dimensional modeling apparatus including a head unit for modeling the object by discharging a liquid that is to be a material of the object into each unit grille that is defined in accordance with a modeling resolution of the cross section body in an X direction, a modeling resolution of the cross section body in a Y direction, and a lamination interval of the cross section body in the Z direction, and the head unit being capable of individually discharging, into the unit grille, an achromatic liquid and a plurality of types of chromatic liquids for expressing a designated color, the method comprising, in a case where one or more types of the chromatic liquids are discharged into the unit grille by controlling the head unit and the spatial volume of the unit grille is not filled with the one or more types of chromatic liquids, discharging the achromatic liquid into the unit grille in addition to the one or more types of chromatic liquids so as to fill the spatial volume of the unit grille with both the chromatic liquids and the achromatic liquid.

6 . A computer program for manufacturing a three-dimensional object by a computer controlling a three-dimensional modeling apparatus for modeling a three-dimensional object by laminating a plurality of cross section bodies in a Z direction,
the three-dimensional modeling apparatus including a head unit for modeling the object by discharging a liquid that is to be a material of the object into each unit grille that is defined in accordance with a modeling resolution of the cross section body in an X direction, a modeling resolution of the cross section body in a Y direction, and a lamination interval of the cross section body in the Z direction, and the head unit being capable of individually discharging, into the unit grille, an achromatic liquid and a plurality of types of chromatic liquids for expressing a designated color, the computer program causing the computer to function such that, in a case where one or more types of the chromatic liquids are discharged into the unit grille by controlling the head unit and the spatial volume of the unit grille is not filled with the one or more types of chromatic liquids, the achromatic liquid is discharged into the unit grille in addition to the one or more types of chromatic liquids so as to fill the spatial volume of the unit grille with both the chromatic liquids and the achromatic liquid.

Assignees

• Seiko Epson Corp

Inventors

• Okamoto Eiji

Classifications

• 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

• B29C64/112 Primary

  using individual droplets, e.g. from jetting heads · CPC title

• B33Y30/00 Primary

  Apparatus for additive manufacturing; Details thereof or accessories therefor · CPC title

• B33Y10/00

  Processes of additive manufacturing · CPC title

• B33Y50/02

  for controlling or regulating additive manufacturing processes · CPC title