A lamination molding apparatus

Abstract

An improved lamination molding apparatus which can maintain the inert gas environment in the chamber as well as remove the fume swiftly and efficiently away from the optical pathway of the laser beam, is provided. According to the invention, the lamination molding apparatus is provided which comprises a cavity body, a smoke diffusion portion installed on the inner side of the top portion of the cavity body, an inertia gas diffusion portion and an inertia gas supply path. The cavity body comprises a molding space covering a molding area, and is filled with inertia gasses at a preset concentration. The smoke diffusion portion comprises a housing which has an opening portion which will not shut off laser irradiating towards the molding area. The inertia gas supply path enables the housing to be filled with gases which are of the same kind with the inertia gases in the molding space. The inertia gasses are jet out from the opening portion. A laminar flow of the inertia gases forms along the irradiation path of the laser, and is discharged from the irradiation path.

Description

technical field [0001] The present invention relates to a stack molding device. Background technique [0002] In the metal powder sintering lamination method (light modeling) by laser, when a metal material powder is irradiated with a laser and sintered, a characteristic fume called fume is generated. When the cavity is filled with smoke and dust, the laser may be blocked, and the laser with the required energy cannot reach the sintered part. [0003] The current optical molding machine (sintered lamination molding device) for molding metal objects is generally structured to operate so that the material powder is dispersed in a cavity filled with an inert gas (usually nitrogen) and irradiated with laser light. [0004] In order to stably irradiate the laser beam, it is necessary to keep the concentration of the inert gas in the chamber constant, so clean inert gas is supplied while exhausting the dirty inert gas in the chamber. The management of the inert gas in the chambe...

AI Technical Summary

Problems solved by technology

[0007] However, as in Patent Document 1, if a different type of gas is supplied from the inert gas in the chamber, it becomes more difficult to maintain the concentration of the inert gas in the chamber.

In addition, if the gas of different temperature is supplied, the temperature in the chamber changes, which may cause unnecessary displacement of the machine body or the molded object during the molding process.

Images