Method for producing object

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9802363-B2
Application number	US-201514670833-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 27, 2015
Priority date	Mar 27, 2014
Publication date	Oct 31, 2017
Grant date	Oct 31, 2017

Abstract

A method for producing an object includes forming and laying N unit layers into which an object is divided, sequentially from a first layer to an Nth layer, using a resin material as a material, or using a resin material for implementing a step, to form the object, the method including performing a discharge treatment at either or both of a timing while forming a unit layer among the N unit layers, and a timing after forming the unit layer, but before starting forming a next unit layer among the N unit layers.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method for producing an object that includes forming and laying N unit layers into which an object is divided, sequentially from a first layer to an Nth layer, using a resin material as a material, or using a resin material for implementing a step, to form the object, the method comprising:
performing a discharge treatment at either or both of a timing while forming a unit layer among the N unit layers, and a timing after forming the unit layer, but before starting forming a next unit layer among the N unit layers,
wherein the discharge treatment includes:
emitting a plasma from a plasma irradiation mechanism of an apparatus and then irradiating at least a part of the N unit layers with the plasma, the plasma being generated by applying a voltage to a gas in a discharge portion from a plasma irradiation port;
supplying the gas into an inside of a gas supply chamber of the apparatus, the gas supply chamber being in a longitudinal shape extending in an extending direction, the discharge portion being provided at the inside of the gas supply chamber; and
exhausting and discharging the gas from an exhaust member of the apparatus, the exhaust member being located on an outer surface of the gas supply chamber and extending along the outer surface of the gas supply chamber in the extending direction.

2. The method for producing an object as defined in claim 1 ,
the resin material being a thermoplastic resin that melts due to heating,
the method comprising supplying the resin material that has been melted to a stage, and curing the resin material to form the unit layer.

3. The method for producing an object as defined in claim 1 ,
the resin material being a powdered resin material,
the method comprising:
supplying the powdered resin material to a stage, and partially curing the powdered resin material to form the unit layer; and
performing the discharge treatment after forming the unit layer, but before starting forming the next unit layer.

4. The method for producing an object as defined in claim 1 , comprising:
supplying a powdered base material to a stage, applying a liquid material that includes the resin material that binds powder particles in the powdered base material, and curing the liquid material to form the unit layer; and
performing the discharge treatment at either or both of a timing after applying the liquid material, but before curing the liquid material, and a timing after forming the unit layer, but before starting forming the next unit layer.

5. The method for producing an object as defined in claim 4 ,
the applying of the liquid material including discharging the liquid material using an inkjet method.

6. The method for producing an object as defined in claim 1 , comprising:
forming a paste layer that includes a powdered base material, applying a liquid material that includes the resin material that binds powder particles in the powdered base material to the paste layer, and curing the liquid material to form the unit layer; and
performing the discharge treatment at least one timing among a timing after forming the paste layer, but before applying the liquid material, a timing after applying the liquid material, but before curing the liquid material, and a timing after curing the liquid material, but before starting forming the next unit layer.

7. The method for producing an object as defined in claim 6 ,
the applying of the liquid material including discharging the liquid material using an inkjet method.

8. The method for producing an object as defined in claim 1 , comprising:
applying a liquid material that includes the resin material using an inkjet method, and curing the liquid material by applying energy to the liquid material to form the unit layer; and
performing the discharge treatment at either or both of a timing after applying the liquid material, but before curing the liquid material, and a timing after curing the liquid material, but before starting forming the next unit layer.

9. The method for producing an object as defined in claim 1 ,
the discharge treatment being performed in an atmosphere that includes an inert gas.

10. The method for producing an object as defined in claim 1 ,
the discharge treatment being performed in an atmosphere that includes oxygen.

11. The method for producing an object as defined in claim 1 ,
the discharge treatment being performed in an atmosphere that includes fluorine.

Assignees

• Seiko Epson Corp

Inventors

• Denda Atsushi
• Kitada Kenji
• Nariai Maki

Classifications

• B29K2101/12

  Thermoplastic materials · CPC title

• B29C64/321

  Feeding · CPC title

• B29C64/112

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

• B29C64/295

  Heating elements · 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