Computation device, detection system, molding device, computation method, detection method, molding method, computation program, detection program, and molding program

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2021387261-A1
Application number	US-201817251700-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jun 13, 2018
Priority date	Jun 13, 2018
Publication date	Dec 16, 2021
Grant date	—

Abstract

A calculation device used in a manufacturing apparatus for producing a 3D manufactured object from a solidified layer formed by heating a layer-shaped material layer formed of a powder material by irradiation with an energy beam includes a detection unit configured to obtain a state of the material layer based on a shape of the formed material layer, and an output unit configured to output information on the state of the material layer obtained by the detection unit to set a manufacturing condition of the manufacturing apparatus.

First claim

1 . A calculation device used in a manufacturing apparatus configured to produce a 3D manufactured object from a solidified layer formed by heating a layer-shaped material layer formed of a powder material by irradiation with an energy beam, the calculation device comprising:
a detection unit configured to obtain a state of the material layer based on a shape of the formed material layer; and an output unit configured to output information on the state of the material layer obtained by the detection unit to set a manufacturing condition of the manufacturing apparatus.

2 . The calculation device according to claim 1 , wherein the state of the material layer includes fluidity of the powder material forming the material layer.

3 . The calculation device according to claim 1 , wherein the state of the material layer includes at least one of the flatness, density, and layer thickness of the material layer.

4 . The calculation device according to claim 1 , further comprising a calculation unit configured to generate change information for changing the manufacturing condition used for producing the 3D manufactured object, based on the state of the material layer obtained by the detection unit, wherein
the output unit is configured to output the generated change information as the information on the state of the material layer.

5 . The calculation device according to claim 4 , wherein the calculation unit generates the change information for changing the manufacturing condition for the powder material to be newly supplied to an upper part of the solidified layer or the powder material newly supplied to an upper part of the solidified layer.

6 . The calculation device according to claim 4 , wherein the calculation unit generates the change information for changing the manufacturing condition for a newly produced 3D manufactured object after production of the 3D manufactured object is completed.

7 . The calculation device according to claims 4 , wherein the calculation unit is configured to generate the change information with a condition of the energy beam, with which the material layer is irradiated to heat the material layer, serving as the manufacturing condition.

8 . The calculation device according to claim 7 , wherein the condition of the energy beam includes at least one condition out of an output of the energy beam, an oscillation mode of the energy beam, a wavelength of the energy beam, a polarization state of the energy beam, an intensity distribution of the energy beam, and a spot size of the energy beam, with which the material layer is irradiated.

9 . The calculation device according to claim 7 , wherein the calculation unit is configured to generate the change information with a scanning condition for the energy beam scanning to heat the material layer, serving as the manufacturing condition.

10 . The calculation device according to claim 9 , wherein the scanning condition includes at least one condition out of a scanning speed of the energy beam, a scanning pitch of the energy beam, and a scanning pass of the energy beam.

11 . The calculation device according to claim 4 , wherein the calculation unit is configured to generate the change information with a condition associated with an atmosphere inside a housing that houses the solidified layer, serving as the manufacturing condition.

12 . The calculation device according to claim 11 , wherein the condition associated with the atmosphere inside the housing includes at least one condition out of a type of inert gas introduced into the housing, a flow volume of the inert gas introduced into the housing, a flowrate of the inert gas introduced into the housing, an oxygen concentration within the housing, a pressure within the housing, and a temperature within the housing.

13 . The calculation device according to claim 4 , wherein the calculation unit is configured to generate the change information with a material layer forming condition for forming the material layer, serving as the manufacturing condition.

14 . The calculation device according to claim 13 , wherein the material layer forming condition includes at least one condition out of: a moving speed of a material layer forming member used for forming the material layer; a pressure applied from the material layer forming member to the powder material; a standby time to start forming a new material layer on an upper part of the solidified layer; a shape of the material layer forming member; a material of the material layer forming member; and a layer thickness of the material layer.

15 . The calculation device according to claim 4 , wherein the calculation unit is configured to generate the change information with a supporting unit condition associated with a supporting unit that supports the material layer and the solidified layer, serving as the manufacturing condition.

16 . The calculation device according to claim 15 , wherein the supporting unit condition includes at least one condition out of a temperature of the supporting unit and a type of the supporting unit.

17 . The calculation device according to claim 4 , wherein the calculation unit is configured to generate the change information with design data associated with a shape of the solidified layer or the 3D manufactured object, serving as the manufacturing condition.

18 . The calculation device according to claim 17 , wherein the design data associated with the shape includes at least one data out of shape data on the solidified layer to be formed, manufacturing orientation data, shape data on a support portion that supports the solidified layer or the 3D manufactured object, and shape data on the 3D manufactured object.

19 . The calculation device according to claim 4 , wherein the calculation unit is configured to generate the change information with a condition associated with the powder material, serving as the manufacturing condition.

20 . The calculation device according to claim 19 , wherein the condition associated with the powder material includes at least one condition out of a particle size distribution of the powder material, a hygroscopicity of the powder material, an oxygen concentration of the powder material, and a material of the powder material.

21 . The calculation device according to claim 4 , further comprising a determination unit configured to determine whether the formed material layer is to be repaired, based on the state of the material layer obtained by the detection unit.

22 . The calculation device according to claim 4 , further comprising a determination unit configured to determine whether the powder material is to be repaired, based on the state of the material layer based on fluidity of the powder material obtained by the detection unit.

23 . The calculation device according to claim 4 , further comprising a determination unit configured to determine whether to generate the change information for producing the 3D manufactured object, based on the state of the material layer obtained by the detection unit.

24 . The calculation device according to claim 21 , wherein the determination unit is configured to determine that the change information needs to be generated when the state of the material layer obtained by the detection unit satisfies a first reference value, and the determination unit is configured to determine that the material layer needs to be repaired when the state of the material layer obtained by the detectio

Assignees

• Nikon Corp
• Tech Res Association Future Additive Manufacturing

Inventors

• Takeshita Koki

Classifications

• B23K26/342

  Build-up welding · CPC title

• B23K26/034

  Observing the temperature of the workpiece · CPC title

• B22F2203/03

  for feed-back · CPC title

• B22F2999/00

  Aspects linked to processes or compositions used in powder metallurgy · CPC title

• B33Y10/00

  Processes of additive manufacturing · CPC title