Apparatus for producing three-dimensional objects, method for producing three-dimensional objects, and non-transitory recording medium

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2017259456-A1
Application number	US-201715440023-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Feb 23, 2017
Priority date	Mar 9, 2016
Publication date	Sep 14, 2017
Grant date	—

Abstract

An apparatus for producing three-dimensional objects is provided including a bonding liquid applier and a controller. The bonding liquid applier applies a bonding liquid to a powder layer to form a bonded layer. The controller controls the bonding liquid applier to repeatedly form an (n)th bonded layer by applying a predetermined amount of the bonding liquid per unit area, in multiple times, to a new bonding region in an (n)th powder layer, below which an (n−1)th bonded layer does not exist, and applying the predetermined amount of the bonding liquid per unit area, in a smaller number of times than the multiple times, to an existing bonding region in the (n)th powder layer, below which the (n−1)th bonded layer exists, while increasing a numeral (n) representing an integer of 1 and above in increment of 1, to laminate multiple bonded layers into a three-dimensional object.

First claim

1 . An apparatus for producing three-dimensional objects, comprising:
a bonding liquid applier configured to apply a bonding liquid to a powder layer, so that the bonding liquid bonds powder particles in the powder layer into a bonded layer; and a controller to control the bonding liquid applier to repeatedly form an (n)th bonded layer by: applying a predetermined amount of the bonding liquid per unit area, in multiple times, to a new bonding region in an (n)th powder layer, below which an (n−1)th bonded layer does not exist, and applying the predetermined amount of the bonding liquid per unit area, in a smaller number of times than the multiple times, to an existing bonding region in the (n)th powder layer, below which the (n−1)th bonded layer exists, while increasing a numeral (n) representing an integer of 1 and above in increment of 1, to laminate multiple bonded layers into a three-dimensional object.

2 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the existing bonding region is applied with the bonding liquid at the time when the new bonding region is applied with the bonding liquid for the last time.

3 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the number of times of application of the bonding liquid to the new bonding region is variable depending on an area of the new bonding region.

4 . The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the number of times of application of the bonding liquid to the new bonding region is variable depending on an area of the new bonding region.

5 . A method for producing three-dimensional objects, comprising:
forming an (n)th bonded layer, including:
applying a predetermined amount of a bonding liquid per unit area, in multiple times, to a new bonding region in an (n)th powder layer, below which an (n−1)th bonded layer does not exist, so that the bonding liquid bonds powder particles in the new bonding region; and
applying the predetermined amount of the bonding liquid per unit area, in a smaller number of times than the multiple times, to an existing bonding region in the (n)th powder layer, below which the (n−1)th bonded layer exists, so that the bonding liquid bonds powder particles in the existing bonding region,
wherein the forming is repeatedly performed while increasing a numeral (n) representing an integer of 1 and above in increment of 1, to laminate multiple bonded layers into a three-dimensional object.

6 . The method of claim 5 , wherein the existing bonding region is applied with the bonding liquid at the time when the new bonding region is applied with the bonding liquid for the last time.

7 . The method of claim 5 , wherein the number of times of application of the bonding liquid to the new bonding region is variable depending on an area of the new bonding region.

8 . The method of claim 5 , wherein the number of times of application of the bonding liquid to the new bonding region is variable depending on an area of the new bonding region.

9 . A non-transitory recording medium storing a plurality of instructions which, when executed by one or more processors, cause the processors to perform a method, comprising:
forming an (n)th bonded layer, including:
applying a predetermined amount of a bonding liquid per unit area, in multiple times, to a new bonding region in an (n)th powder layer, below which an (n−1)th bonded layer does not exist, so that the bonding liquid bonds powder particles in the new bonding region; and
applying the predetermined amount of the bonding liquid per unit area, in a smaller number of times than the multiple times, to an existing bonding region in the (n)th powder layer, below which the (n−1)th bonded layer exists, so that the bonding liquid bonds powder particles in the existing bonding region,
wherein the forming is repeatedly performed while increasing a numeral (n) representing an integer of 1 and above in increment of 1, to laminate multiple bonded layers into a three-dimensional object.

10 . The non-transitory recording medium of claim 9 , wherein the existing bonding region is applied with the bonding liquid at the time when the new bonding region is applied with the bonding liquid for the last time.

11 . The non-transitory recording medium of claim 9 , wherein the number of times of application of the bonding liquid to the new bonding region is variable depending on an area of the new bonding region.

12 . The non-transitory recording medium of claim 9 , wherein the number of times of application of the bonding liquid to the new bonding region is variable depending on an area of the new bonding region.

Assignees

• Sasaki Takafumi
• Satoh Shinichiroh
• Ricoh Co Ltd

Inventors

• Sasaki Takafumi
• Satoh Shinichiroh

Classifications

• B22F12/63

  Rollers · CPC title

• B28B17/0081 Primary

  Process control · CPC title

• B22F10/85

  for controlling or regulating additive manufacturing processes · CPC title

• B22F10/385

  Overhang structures · CPC title

• B22F10/38

  to achieve specific product aspects, e.g. surface smoothness, density, porosity or hollow structures · CPC title