Three-dimensional object manufacturing device and three-dimensional object manufacturing method

Abstract

A three-dimensional object manufacturing device is provided, which includes: a first removal unit, which is configured to remove a portion of at least one of a model material and a support material, both of which form an object forming layer; a second removal unit, which is configured to scrape off at least one of the model material and the support material attached to the first removal unit; and a third removal unit, which is configured to remove at least one of the model material and the support material attached to the second removal unit.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a three-dimensional object manufacturing apparatus and a three-dimensional object manufacturing method. Background Art

[0002] In recent years, a material jetting method has been developed in which a liquid photocurable resin is used to inkjet print an image at a desired location on an object, and such an image is laminated in multiple layers to produce a three-dimensional object.

[0003] In order to improve object manufacturing accuracy, material jetting methods typically use a tool such as a roller to remove any excess object-forming material discharged through a nozzle to make the thickness of each layer uniform (see, for example, PTL 1).

[0004] Figure 1 1 is a side view of a state in which the roller unit 3 removes excess object forming material. This example shows a state in which the roller body 2 flattens the surface of the object forming material discharged on the object manufacturing substrate 1 in a flowable state. The roller unit 3 includes the roller body 2 (which is a rotating body), the fixed scraper 4 (which is arranged to contact the surface of the roller body 2), the receptacle 5 (in which the object forming material scraped by the fixed scraper 4 is stored), and the suction pipe 6 (through which the object forming material stored in the receptacle 5 is emptied).

[0005] The roller body 2 is connected to the head unit ( Figure 1 The direction of rotation is opposite to the direction of travel (not shown) Figure 1 The roller body 2 is rotated in a clockwise direction (in the middle), and scrapes up the flowable object forming material 7. The scraped up object forming material 7 is transferred to the fixed scraper 4 by being attached to the roller body 2, and is scraped off by the fixed scraper 4, and is introduced into the receiving container 5. Therefore, the fixed scraper 4 is fixed in a posture having a descending gradient toward the receiving container 5. The suction pipe 6 is coupled to the waste liquid path (not shown), and sucks the object forming material stored in the receiving container 5 using, for example, a pump, so that the object forming material is stored in a waste liquid tank (not shown).

[0006] However, the object forming material containing a dryable solvent tends to gel or thicken on the fixed scraper 4 due to drying. In addition, because the radiation light of the UV lamp used for curing or the heat in the atmosphere of the equipment can promote the reaction of the object forming material, the object forming material attached to the fixed scraper 4 may gradually thicken or solidify. Further, when the object forming material to be scraped off includes a model material (modeling material, model material) and a support material (support material), if the model material and the support material are mixed with each other on the fixed scraper 4, the model material and the support material tend to thicken. This is an obstacle for the object forming material to flow downstream.

[0007] In such a roller unit 3, the object-forming material 7 attached to the fixed scraper 4 tends to accumulate, as shown in FIG. Figure 2 As shown in FIG. 5 , because the object forming material 7 does not sufficiently flow down into the receiving container 5, it gradually stagnates as a thickened product or a solidified product. As a result, the object forming material in a liquid state overflows along the contact surface between the roller main body 2 and the fixed scraper 4 and reaches the side surface of the roller 2. This may contaminate the surface of the object and cause object manufacturing defects. In addition, since the performance of the fixed scraper 4 in scraping off the object forming material attached to the roller 2 is deteriorated, the surface of the roller 2 is coated with the object forming material. This may contaminate the surface of the object and cause object manufacturing defects.

[0008] Citation List

[0009] Patent Literature

[0010] PTL 1: Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2013-67116 Summary of the invention

[0011] Technical issues

[0012] The present disclosure has an object to provide a three-dimensional object manufacturing apparatus that can manufacture high-quality three-dimensional objects free from streaky defects and surface contamination.

[0013] Solution to the problem

[0014] According to one aspect of the present disclosure, a three-dimensional object manufacturing device includes: a first removal unit, which is configured to remove a portion of at least one of a model material and a supporting material, both of which form an object forming layer; a second removal unit, which is configured to scrape off at least one of the model material and the supporting material attached to the first removal unit; and a third removal unit, which is configured to remove at least one of the model material and the supporting material attached to the second removal unit.

[0015] Beneficial effects of the present invention

[0016] The present disclosure may provide a three-dimensional object manufacturing apparatus that can manufacture high-quality three-dimensional objects without streak defects and surface contamination. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0017] [ Figure 1 ] Figure 1 is a side view showing an example of a cleaning mechanism of a conventional three-dimensional object manufacturing apparatus, showing a state in which a roller unit removes an excess object forming material.

[0018] [ Figure 2 ] Figure 2 yes Figure 1 Magnified view of the roller unit.

[0019] [ Figure 3 ] Figure 3 is a schematic diagram showing an example of a cleaning mechanism of the three-dimensional object manufacturing apparatus of the present disclosure.

[0020] [ Figure 4 ] Figure 4 is a schematic diagram showing another example of the cleaning mechanism of the three-dimensional object manufacturing apparatus of the present disclosure.

[0021] [ Figure 5 ] Figure 5 is a schematic diagram showing another example of the cleaning mechanism of the three-dimensional object manufacturing apparatus of the present disclosure.

[0022] [ Figure 6 ] Figure 6 is a schematic diagram showing an example of a three-dimensional object manufacturing apparatus of the present disclosure. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0023] (Three-dimensional object manufacturing device and three-dimensional object manufacturing method)

[0024] The three-dimensional object manufacturing device of the present disclosure includes: a first removal unit, which is configured to remove a portion of at least one of the model material and the supporting material used to form an object forming layer; a second removal unit, which is configured to scrape off at least one of the model material and the supporting material attached to the first removal unit; and a third removal unit, which is configured to remove at least one of the model material and the supporting material attached to the second removal unit, and further includes other units as needed.

[0025] The three-dimensional object manufacturing method of the present disclosure manufactures an object using the three-dimensional object manufacturing device of the present disclosure.

[0026] like Figure 1 and Figure 2As shown in , according to the prior art, the object forming material in a liquid state may overflow along the contact surface between the roller body 2 and the fixed scraper 4 and reach the side surface of the roller 2, contaminating the object surface and causing object manufacturing defects. In addition, since the performance of the fixed scraper 4 in scraping off the object forming material attached to the roller 2 is deteriorated, the surface of the roller 2 is coated with the object forming material. This may contaminate the object surface and cause object manufacturing defects.

[0027] Countermeasures to these problems include: using a low-viscosity object-forming material that easily flows downward so as to prevent the object-forming material from accumulating on the scraper, using an object-forming material containing a solvent having a high boiling point, shielding from light to prevent the thickening of the excess object-forming material, constructing a low-humidity environment, setting a roller pressure that suppresses the generation of the excess object-forming material in a solid state, and finding a combination of object-forming materials that does not thicken due to the mixing of the model material and the support material. However, these countermeasures have problems such as limited selection of the object-forming material and difficulty in optimizing the process conditions.

[0028] Because the present disclosure includes a first removal unit configured to remove a portion of at least one of a model material and a support material used to form an object-forming layer; a second removal unit configured to scrape off at least one of the model material and the support material attached to the first removal unit; and a third removal unit configured to remove at least one of the model material and the support material attached to the second removal unit, the present disclosure can safely prevent the object-forming material collected by, for example, a roller (which acts as a leveling unit) from adhering to the roller, and can produce high-quality three-dimensional objects free of streak defects and surface contamination.

[0029] In one embodiment of the present disclosure, the third removing unit includes a rotating scraper configured to scrape off at least one of the model material and the support material attached to the second removing unit.

[0030] In the case where a rotating scraper is provided as the third removal unit (which is configured to remove the object forming material attached to the second removal unit), the second removal unit is cleaned at regular intervals. This makes it possible to prevent contamination of the object surface and enables safe and reliable object manufacturing with improved object manufacturing accuracy.

[0031] The preferred embodiment further includes a rod-shaped or plate-shaped counter member configured to scrape off at least one of the model material and the support material attached to the rotating scraper.

[0032] By scraping off the object forming material attached to the rotating scraper by a rod-shaped or plate-shaped opposing component (which is configured to scrape off the object forming material attached to the rotating scraper), the rotating scraper can be cleaned, contamination of the object surface can be prevented, and safe and reliable object manufacturing can be achieved with improved object manufacturing accuracy.

[0033] In another embodiment of the present disclosure, the third removing unit is a nozzle configured to suck at least one of the model material and the support material attached to the second removing unit.

[0034] In the case where a suction nozzle is provided as the third removal unit (which is configured to remove the object forming material attached to the second removal unit), the second removal unit is cleaned at regular intervals. This makes it possible to prevent contamination of the object surface and enables safe and reliable object manufacturing with improved object manufacturing accuracy.

[0035] In another embodiment of the present disclosure, the third removing unit is a unit configured to discharge the cleaning liquid toward the second removing unit.

[0036] In the case where a unit configured to discharge a cleaning liquid is provided as the third removal unit (which is configured to remove the object forming material attached to the second removal unit), the second removal unit is cleaned at regular intervals. This makes it possible to prevent contamination of the object surface and enables safe and reliable object manufacturing with improved object manufacturing accuracy.

[0037] In one embodiment of the present disclosure, the model material is a hydrogel precursor liquid. According to the prior art, in the case where the model material is a hydrogel precursor liquid, when the model material is collected by a leveling unit (such as a roller) after forming a liquid film of the model material, the viscosity of the collected model material increases due to, for example, drying. As a result, problems such as a significant influence on the precision of object manufacturing occur because the collected model material adheres to, for example, a roller, making it impossible for the roller to perform leveling sufficiently, and the model material that should have been collected does not flow into the collecting device, but returns to the liquid film and reattaches to the liquid film.

[0038] In the present disclosure, even if an ink that tends to thicken due to, for example, drying (such as a hydrogel precursor liquid) is used as a model material, the third removal unit cleans the fixed scraper at regular intervals. This makes it possible to prevent contamination of the object surface and achieve safe and reliable object manufacturing with improved object growth accuracy.

[0039] <First Removal Unit>

[0040] The first removing unit is a unit configured to remove a portion of at least one of a model material and a supporting material for forming the object forming layer.

[0041] The first removing unit corresponds to a leveling unit. Examples of the first removing unit include rollers and crawlers.

[0042] For example, the shape, material, size, and structure of the roller are not particularly limited and may be appropriately selected depending on the intended purpose.

[0043] The material of the roller is not particularly limited and may be appropriately selected depending on the intended purpose. Examples of the material of the roller include metals and elastic materials such as urethane rubber and urethane elastomer.

[0044] In the present disclosure, “object-forming layer” refers to a layer formed by applying an object-forming material in a layer, and flattening and curing the object-forming material.

[0045] “Object forming material” refers to a material discharged from a discharge unit during object manufacturing. Typical examples of object forming materials include: a model material that forms a three-dimensional object by itself, and a support material used when forming a protruding (overhang) part and a detail part. In the present disclosure, an object forming layer formed with a model material may be particularly referred to as a “model layer”, and an object forming layer formed with a support material may be particularly referred to as a “support layer”.

[0046] The model material is an object-forming material that forms a portion constituting a model portion.

[0047] In the present disclosure, the model part refers to a part constituting a main body forming a three-dimensional object. The model part is formed by stacking model layers.

[0048] In the present disclosure, a support portion refers to a portion that supports a three-dimensional object at a predetermined position until the model portion solidifies. The support portion is formed by stacking support layers. The support portion refers to a portion that is arranged at a certain position to support the model portion against the direction of gravity, and is in contact with the model portion and supports the model portion from below the model portion. During the manufacture of the three-dimensional object, typically, the support portion is eventually separated from the model portion, and the model portion alone constitutes the three-dimensional object.

[0049] In a preferred embodiment, the support material is a material different from the model material (eg, composition and concentration), and more preferably, the cured product of the support material has properties such as water solubility, dissolution, and disintegration that allow it to be easily separated from the model part.

[0050] The object forming material is not particularly limited and can be appropriately selected depending on the intended purpose as long as the object forming material is a liquid material that is solidified by applying energy such as light and heat. The object forming material contains a polymerizable monomer and a polymerizable oligomer, and further contains other components as required. Among such components, preferred are materials having liquid properties such as viscosity and surface tension that enable the material to be discharged from an object forming material discharge head used in, for example, an object forming material jet printer.

[0051] -Polymerizable Monomer-

[0052] Examples of the polymerizable monomer include monofunctional monomers and polyfunctional monomers. One of these monomers may be used alone, or two or more of these monomers may be used in combination.

[0053] --Monofunctional monomers--

[0054] Examples of monofunctional monomers include acrylamide, N-substituted acrylamide derivatives, N,N-disubstituted acrylamide derivatives, N-substituted methacrylamide derivatives, N,N-disubstituted methacrylamide derivatives, and acrylic acid. One of these monofunctional monomers may be used alone, or two or more of these monofunctional monomers may be used in combination. Among these monofunctional monomers, preferred are acrylamide, N,N-dimethylacrylamide, N-isopropylacrylamide, acryloxymorpholine, hydroxyethylacrylamide, and isobornyl acrylate.

[0055] The content of the monofunctional monomer is not particularly limited and may be appropriately selected depending on the intended purpose, and is preferably 0.5% by mass or more but 90% by mass or less with respect to the total amount of the object forming material.

[0056] The monofunctional monomers other than the monofunctional monomers described above are not particularly limited, and can be appropriately selected depending on the intended purpose. The examples of other monofunctional monomers include: 2-ethylhexyl (meth)acrylate, 2-hydroxyethyl (meth)acrylate, 2-hydroxypropyl (meth)acrylate, tetrahydrofurfuryl (meth)acrylate modified by caprolactone, 3-methoxybutyl (meth)acrylate, tetrahydrofurfuryl (meth)acrylate, lauryl (meth)acrylate, 2-phenoxyethyl (meth)acrylate, isodecyl (meth)acrylate, isooctyl (meth)acrylate, tridecyl (meth)acrylate, caprolactone (meth)acrylate, and ethoxylated nonylphenol (meth)acrylate. One of these monofunctional monomers can be used alone, or two or more of these monofunctional monomers can be used in combination.

[0057] --Multifunctional monomers--

[0058] The polyfunctional monomer is not particularly limited and can be appropriately selected depending on the intended purpose. Examples of polyfunctional monomers include difunctional monomers and trifunctional or higher monomers. One of these polyfunctional monomers can be used alone, or two or more of these polyfunctional monomers can be used in combination.

[0059] Examples of the difunctional monomer include tripropylene glycol di(meth)acrylate, triethylene glycol di(meth)acrylate, tetraethylene glycol di(meth)acrylate, polypropylene glycol di(meth)acrylate, neopentyl glycol hydroxypivalate di(meth)acrylate, hydroxypivalate neopentyl glycol ester di(meth)acrylate, 1,3-butanediol di(meth)acrylate, 1,4-butanediol di(meth)acrylate, 1,6-hexanediol di(meth)acrylate , 1,9-nonanediol di(meth)acrylate, diethylene glycol di(meth)acrylate, neopentyl glycol di(meth)acrylate, tripropylene glycol di(meth)acrylate, caprolactone-modified hydroxypivalate neopentyl glycol ester di(meth)acrylate, propoxylated neopentyl glycol di(meth)acrylate, epoxy-modified bisphenol A di(meth)acrylate, polyethylene glycol 200 di(meth)acrylate, and polyethylene glycol 400 di(meth)acrylate. One of these difunctional monomers may be used alone, or two or more of these difunctional monomers may be used in combination.

[0060] Examples of trifunctional or higher monomers include trimethylolpropane tri(meth)acrylate, pentaerythritol tri(meth)acrylate, dipentaerythritol hexa(meth)acrylate, triallyl isocyanurate, ε-caprolactone-modified dipentaerythritol tri(meth)acrylate, ε-caprolactone-modified dipentaerythritol tetra(meth)acrylate, ε-caprolactone-modified dipentaerythritol penta(meth)acrylate, ε-caprolactone-modified dipentaerythritol hexa(meth)acrylate, Ester, tris(2-hydroxyethyl)isocyanurate tri(meth)acrylate, ethoxylated trimethylolpropane tri(meth)acrylate, propoxylated trimethylolpropane tri(meth)acrylate, propoxylated glyceryl tri(meth)acrylate, pentaerythritol tetra(meth)acrylate, ditrimethylolpropane tetra(meth)acrylate, dipentaerythritol hydroxypenta(meth)acrylate, ethoxylated pentaerythritol tetra(meth)acrylate, and penta(meth)acrylate. One of these trifunctional or higher monomers may be used alone, or two or more of these trifunctional or higher monomers may be used in combination.

[0061] --Polymerizable oligomers--

[0062] As the polymerizable oligomer, one kind among the above-described monofunctional monomer containing a reactive unsaturated linking group at the terminal and the above-described oligomer of the monofunctional monomer may be used alone or two or more kinds may be used in combination.

[0063] --Other components--

[0064] Other components are not particularly limited and may be appropriately selected depending on the intended purpose. Examples of other components include surfactants, polymerization inhibitors, polymerization initiators, colorants, viscosity modifiers, tackifiers, antioxidants, anti-aging agents, crosslinking accelerators, ultraviolet absorbers, plasticizers, preservatives, and dispersants.

[0065] The three-dimensional object manufacturing apparatus and three-dimensional object manufacturing method of the present disclosure are particularly effective when a hydrogel precursor liquid is used as an object-forming material.

[0066] -Hydrogel Precursor Liquid-

[0067] The hydrogel precursor liquid contains water and a hydrogel precursor, preferably further contains a water-dispersible mineral, and further contains other components as necessary.

[0068] --water--

[0069] As water, for example, pure water such as ion-exchanged water, ultrafiltration water, reverse osmosis water, and distilled water and ultrapure water can be used.

[0070] Other components, such as an organic solvent, may be dissolved or dispersed in water for the purpose of, for example, imparting water-retaining properties, imparting antimicrobial properties, imparting conductivity, and adjusting hardness.

[0071] --Hydrogel Precursor--

[0072] The hydrogel precursor contains polymerizable monomers that can be polymerized by irradiation with active energy rays (e.g., ultraviolet rays) and form a polymer having a three-dimensional network structure. Therefore, when the hydrogel precursor liquid is irradiated with active energy rays, water serving as a solvent is absorbed into the three-dimensional network structure of the polymer to form a hydrogel.

[0073] The polymerizable monomers may be the same as those described above. Examples of polymerizable monomers include acrylamide, N-substituted acrylamide derivatives, N,N-disubstituted acrylamide derivatives, N-substituted methacrylamide derivatives, and N,N-disubstituted methacrylamide derivatives. Specific examples of polymerizable monomers include acrylamide, N,N-dimethylacrylamide, and N-isopropylacrylamide. One of these polymerizable monomers may be used alone, or two or more of these polymerizable monomers may be used in combination.

[0074] When the polymerizable monomer is polymerized, a water-soluble organic polymer containing, for example, an amide group, an amino group, a hydroxyl group, a tetramethylammonium group, a silanol group, and an epoxy group is obtained. The water-soluble organic polymer containing, for example, an amide group, an amino group, a hydroxyl group, a tetramethylammonium group, a silanol group, and an epoxy group is a component that is advantageous for maintaining the strength of a water-based hydrogel.

[0075] The content of the polymerizable monomer is not particularly limited and may be appropriately selected depending on the intended purpose, and is preferably 0.5% by mass to 20% by mass with respect to the total amount of the hydrogel precursor liquid.

[0076] --Water Dispersible Minerals--

[0077] The water-dispersible mineral is not particularly limited and may be appropriately selected depending on the intended purpose.Examples of the water-dispersible mineral include layered clay minerals.

[0078] The layered clay mineral is a clay mineral having a layered crystal structure. Desirably, the layered clay mineral is a material that can be uniformly dispersed in water at the primary crystal level. Examples of the layered clay mineral include water-swellable montmorillonite and water-swellable mica. More specific examples of the layered clay mineral include water-swellable hectorite containing sodium as an interlayer ion, water-swellable montmorillonite, water-swellable saponite, and water-swellable synthetic mica.

[0079] Among those described above, as the layered clay mineral, one kind may be used alone, or two or more kinds may be used in combination, or an appropriately synthesized product or a commercially available product may be used.

[0080] Examples of commercially available products include synthetic hectorite (LAPONITE XLG, available from Rock Wood), SWN (available from Coop Chemical Ltd.), and fluorohectorite SWF (available from Coop Chemical Ltd).

[0081] The content of the water-dispersible mineral is not particularly limited and may be appropriately selected depending on the intended purpose, and is preferably 1% by mass or more but 40% by mass or less relative to the total amount of the hydrogel precursor liquid.

[0082] --Other components--

[0083] Other components are not particularly limited and may be appropriately selected depending on the intended purpose.

[0084] Examples of other components include stabilizers, surface treatment agents, photopolymerization initiators, colorants, viscosity modifiers, tackifiers, antioxidants, anti-aging agents, cross-linking accelerators, ultraviolet absorbers, plasticizers, preservatives, and dispersants.

[0085] The stabilizer is used to stabilize the dispersion of the water-swellable layered clay mineral and maintain the sol state. In the inkjet method, the stabilizer is used as necessary to stabilize the properties of the liquid.

[0086] Examples of stabilizers include high concentrations of phosphates, glycols, and nonionic surfactants.

[0087] Examples of the surface treatment agent include polyester resins, polyvinyl acetate resins, silicone resins, coumarone resins, fatty acid esters, glycerol esters, and waxes.

[0088] <Second Removal Unit>

[0089] The second removing unit is a unit configured to scrape off at least one of the model material and the support material attached to the first removing unit.

[0090] Examples of the second removing unit include a fixed scraper.

[0091] The fixed scraper is fixed in such a manner that the fixed scraper can scrape off the object-forming material attached to the first removing unit. For example, the shape, material, size, and structure of the fixed scraper are not particularly limited and may be appropriately selected depending on the intended purpose.

[0092] Examples of the shape of the fixed blade include a flat plate shape, a strip shape, and a sheet shape.

[0093] The size of the fixed blade is not particularly limited and may be appropriately selected depending on the size of the roller serving as the first removing unit.

[0094] The material of the fixed blade is not particularly limited and may be appropriately selected depending on the intended purpose. For example, metal and resin are suitable because high elasticity can be obtained.

[0095] <Third Removal Unit>

[0096] The third removing unit is a unit configured to remove at least one of the model material and the support material attached to the second removing unit. The third removing unit may be referred to as a "cleaning mechanism".

[0097] Examples of the third removing unit include a rotary blade, a suction nozzle, and a cleaning liquid discharging unit.

[0098] The shape, material, size, and structure of the rotary scraper, for example, are not particularly limited and may be appropriately selected depending on the intended purpose, as long as the rotary scraper can remove at least one of the model material and the support material attached to the second removing unit.

[0099] Examples of the shape of the rotating blade include a flat plate shape, a strip shape, and a sheet shape.

[0100] The size of the rotating scraper is not particularly limited and may be appropriately selected depending on the size and position of the second removing unit.

[0101] The material of the rotary scraper is not particularly limited and can be appropriately selected depending on the intended purpose. Examples of the material of the rotary scraper include: nitrile rubber, silicone rubber, fluororubber and urethane rubber, because these rubbers can impart flexibility. Among these rubbers, fluororubber is preferred from the perspective of solvent resistance.

[0102] Examples of the rotating scraper include a combination of a rotating scraper having a shaft for scraping or a scraper for scraping.

[0103] The rotating scraper is mounted on the rotating shaft and is brought into rotational contact with the fixed scraper so that the rotating scraper can scrape off any excess object forming material adhering to the fixed scraper at any time.

[0104] When the cleaning mechanism is a rotating scraper, the preferred embodiment further includes an opposing component configured to remove the object forming material (model material or support material, or both) attached to the rotating scraper. The opposing component at least needs to be such a structure: the structure can remove the object forming material from the rotating scraper, and can be, for example, a rod or plate shape.

[0105] The suction nozzle needs to be at least capable of sucking liquid. Examples of the suction nozzle include a structure in which a pump that forms a negative pressure is coupled to a tubular structure having a single hole or multiple holes. In order to prevent clogging of the hole, a hole with a larger diameter is preferred.

[0106] The cleaning liquid discharge unit is not particularly limited and can be appropriately selected depending on the intended purpose, as long as the cleaning liquid discharge unit is a tubular structure that can discharge the liquid injected into the tubular structure at a positive pressure. Examples of the cleaning liquid discharge unit include a shower (spray) nozzle having a plurality of discharge holes, and a single nozzle having a single discharge hole.

[0107] The cleaning liquid is preferably a solvent that can be mixed with at least one of the model material and the support material, and more preferably a solvent with low viscosity and a relatively high boiling point. Examples of the cleaning liquid include water, alcohols such as 1-pentanol, 2-ethylhexanol, 2,3-butanediol, 1,3-butanediol, and 3-methyl-1,3-butanediol, glycols such as ethylene glycol and propylene glycol, and glycol ethers such as diethylene glycol ethyl methyl ether, diethylene glycol dimethyl ether, and propylene glycol monomethyl ether acetate.

[0108] <Other units>

[0109] The other units are not particularly limited and may be appropriately selected depending on the intended purpose.Examples of the other units include a discharge unit, a curing unit, and a control unit.

[0110] -Emission Unit-

[0111] The discharge unit is not particularly limited and may be appropriately selected depending on the intended purpose as long as the discharge unit can discharge the object forming material. Examples of the discharge unit include a discharge head.

[0112] The discharge head is not particularly limited and can be appropriately selected depending on the intended purpose. Examples of the discharge head include: a piezoelectric element (piezoelectric element) type head, and a thermal expansion (thermal) head. Of these discharge heads, a piezoelectric element (piezoelectric element) type head is preferred.

[0113] -Curing Unit-

[0114] The curing unit is not particularly limited and may be appropriately selected depending on the intended purpose as long as the curing unit can cure the discharged object forming material. Examples of the curing unit include an ultraviolet irradiator.

[0115] Examples of ultraviolet irradiators include light emitting diodes (LEDs), high pressure mercury lamps, ultra high pressure mercury lamps, and metal halides. Among these ultraviolet irradiators, LEDs are particularly preferred because the irradiation intensity of LEDs can be changed.

[0116] The ultra-high pressure mercury lamp is a point light source. The deep UV type combined with an optical system for improving light utilization efficiency can emit a short wavelength range.

[0117] Metal halides are effective for colored substances because they have a wide wavelength range. Halides of metals such as Pb, Sn, and Fe are used as metal halides. The metal may be selected depending on the absorption spectrum of the polymerization initiator. The lamp used for curing is not particularly limited and may be appropriately selected depending on the intended purpose. For example, commercially available lamps such as H LAMP, D LAMP, and V LAMP available from Fusion Systems Japan Co., Ltd. may be used.

[0118] -Control Unit-

[0119] The control unit is a unit configured to control the operation of, for example, the first removal unit, the second removal unit, the third removal unit, the discharge unit, and the curing unit. The control unit may include a memory unit, such as a ROM and a RAM, and a computing unit, such as a CPU and an FPGA. The memory unit may store a program for causing, for example, each of the discharge unit and the curing unit to perform a specific operation. The control unit controls the operation of each unit based on such a program.

[0120] An embodiment of a three-dimensional object manufacturing apparatus of the present disclosure will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0121] <First Embodiment>

[0122] Figure 3 It is a schematic diagram showing an example of a cleaning mechanism of the three-dimensional object manufacturing apparatus of the present disclosure.

[0123] In the first embodiment, the rotating blade 11 is arranged to be rotatable about the rotation axis 13 relative to the fixed blade 4 .

[0124] The rotating scraper 11 is brought into rotational contact with the fixed scraper 4 so that the rotating scraper 11 can scrape off any excess object-forming material adhering to the fixed scraper 4 at any time.

[0125] The rotary scraper is formed of a flexible fluororubber material.

[0126] The rotation direction of the rotating scraper 11 in which the rotating scraper scrapes off any excess material is preferably from top to bottom or from bottom to top relative to the fixed scraper 4. The direction in which the rotating scraper 11 contacts is preferably the opposite rotation direction to the roller 2 because the rotating scraper 11 is less likely to stick to the roller 2.

[0127] Preferably, the roller 2, the fixed scraper 4, and the rotating scraper 11 are longer than the object manufacturing width of the inkjet nozzle. The reason is as follows. Because any excess object forming material transmitted by the roller 2 is spread on the scraper 4, when the roller 2, the fixed scraper 4, and the rotating scraper 11 are longer in the object manufacturing width direction, the excess object forming material can be scraped off more stably. In particular, it is preferred that the longer dimension of the roller 2, the fixed scraper 4, and the rotating scraper 11 has a margin of 30mm or more on both sides of the object manufacturing width. More preferably, the roller 2, the fixed scraper 4, and the rotating scraper 11 have a length the same as the width of the object manufacturing stage.

[0128] During object manufacturing, the rotating scraper 11 can perform a scraping operation without interrupting the object manufacturing process, or can provide a cleaning opportunity separately with interrupting the object manufacturing process. The rotation operation required for scraping can be incorporated as a group including: several rotations in any rotation direction up to continuous rotation. Continuous rotation without interrupting the object manufacturing operation is preferred because it achieves efficient cleaning.

[0129] The shaft 12 for scraping is arranged at a position where it has opposing contact with the fixed scraper 4 so as to remove the object-forming material attached to the rotating scraper 11. The scraper for scraping may be used instead of the shaft 12 for scraping.

[0130] When the rotating scraper 11 contacts the scraping shaft 12, any excess object forming material attached to the rotating scraper 11 at any time can be removed by the scraping shaft 12 and fall into the receiving container 5. A plurality of scraping shafts 12 can be arranged relative to the rotating scraper 11.

[0131] These operations can prevent the object-forming material from adhering to the roller 2 and the fixed blade 4, and prevent contamination of the object surface.

[0132] <Second Embodiment>

[0133] Figure 4 : is a schematic diagram showing an example of a cleaning mechanism of the three-dimensional object manufacturing apparatus of the second embodiment.

[0134] In the second embodiment, the suction nozzle 14 is configured to suck any excess object forming material adhering to the surface of the fixed blade 4, and the suction nozzle 14 is arranged relative to the fixed blade 4. This makes it possible to suppress the accumulation of excess object forming material on the fixed blade 4.

[0135] Examples of the suction nozzle 14 that can be used include a type having a plurality of suction holes formed in a tube having a length equal to the longer dimension of the fixed blade 4 and a type having a single suction nozzle slidable along such a tube.

[0136] The suction operation is performed by maintaining a certain gap between the suction nozzle 14 and the fixed blade 4 and bringing the suction nozzle 14 into contact with the fixed blade 4 so that the suction nozzle 14 sucks the object forming material attached to the fixed blade 4 .

[0137] <Third Embodiment>

[0138] Figure 5 : is a schematic diagram showing an example of a cleaning mechanism of the three-dimensional object manufacturing apparatus of the third embodiment.

[0139] In the third embodiment, the shower nozzle 15 serving as a cleaning liquid discharge unit discharges cleaning liquid (ethylene glycol) 16 toward the fixed blade 4 to remove any excess object forming material on the fixed blade 4. This makes it possible to suppress accumulation of excess object forming material on the fixed blade 4.

[0140] Examples of the cleaning liquid discharge unit include a type having an outlet and a type having a single slidable nozzle.

[0141] The cleaning by the shower nozzle 15 can be carried out without interrupting the object manufacturing process, or can provide a cleaning opportunity separately when the object manufacturing process is interrupted. Continuous cleaning without interrupting the object manufacturing operation is preferred because it achieves efficient cleaning by the continuous rotation of the roller 2.

[0142] Example

[0143] The present disclosure will be described by way of examples. The present disclosure should not be considered to be limited to these examples.

[0144] <Model Material Ink Preparation Example>

[0145] In the following description, ion-exchanged water subjected to reduced pressure degassing for 10 minutes is referred to as “pure water”.

[0146] First, an aqueous solution obtained by dissolving 1-hydroxycyclohexyl phenyl ketone [product name: IRGACURE 184] (available from BASF Corporation) (2 parts by mass) in pure water (98 parts by mass) was prepared as an initiator liquid.

[0147] Subsequently, synthetic hectorite (LAPONITE XLG, available from Rock Wood) (8 parts by mass) serving as a layered clay mineral was added little by little under stirring to pure water (195 parts by mass), and then stirred to produce a dispersion liquid.

[0148] Subsequently, N,N-dimethylacrylamide (obtained from Wako Pure Chemical Industries, Co., Ltd.) (20 parts by mass) was added as a polymerizable monomer to the dispersion liquid, and the N,N-dimethylacrylamide was passed through an activated alumina column to remove a polymerization inhibitor.

[0149] Subsequently, sodium dodecylsulfonate (obtained from Wako Pure Chemical Industries, Co., Ltd.) (0.2 parts by mass) as a surfactant was added and mixed in the resultant.

[0150] Subsequently, an initiator liquid (5 parts by mass) was added to the resultant, stirred, and mixed, and the resultant was then subjected to reduced pressure degassing for 10 minutes to prepare a hydrogel model material ink.

[0151] <Supporting Material Ink Preparation Example>

[0152] Lauryl acrylate (obtained from Tokyo Chemical Industry Co., Ltd.) (29 parts by mass) and stearyl acrylate (obtained from Tokyo Chemical Industry Co., Ltd.) (29 parts by mass) serving as monomers were stirred, and 1-hydroxycyclohexyl phenyl ketone (2 parts by mass) as a photopolymerization initiator was added to the resultant and stirred. Further, 1-dodecanol was added to the resultant to prepare a support material ink.

[0153] (Example 1)

[0154] Figure 6 The three-dimensional object manufacturing apparatus 200 shown in the figure includes an object manufacturing table 111 (on which a three-dimensional object 110 is placed) and an object manufacturing unit 120, which is configured to manufacture an object by sequentially stacking layers of the object 110 on the object manufacturing table 111.

[0155] The object manufacturing stage 111 is configured to be movable in the X direction, the Y direction, and the Z direction. The object manufacturing unit 120 may be configured to be movable in the X direction. This may enable object manufacturing operations in both the outbound and return paths.

[0156] As a discharge unit, the object manufacturing unit 120 includes a first head 121 serving as a discharge unit configured to discharge the model material ink 201 and a second head 122 serving as a discharge unit configured to discharge the support material ink 202 .

[0157] The object manufacturing unit 120 includes a leveling roller 123 and two UV irradiation units 124A and 124B, wherein the leveling roller 123 acts as a leveling unit configured to level each of the discharged model material ink 201 and the support material ink 202, and the two UV irradiation units 124A and 124B are configured to cure each of the model material ink 201 and the support material ink 202 by irradiating with ultraviolet rays as active energy rays.

[0158] Here, when it is assumed that the object manufacturing stage 111 moves in the outward path direction in the X direction, the leveling roller 123 is arranged upstream of the first head 121, and the UV irradiation unit 124A is arranged upstream of the leveling roller 123. Similarly, the second head 122 is arranged downstream of the first head 121, and the UV irradiation unit 124B is arranged downstream of the second head 122.

[0159] In Example 1, Figure 3 The cleaning mechanism shown in FIG. 1 includes a rotating scraper mounted on a Figure 6 In the three-dimensional object manufacturing apparatus shown in , and using the model material ink and the support material ink described above, a three-dimensional object having a size of 30 mm×30 mm×100 mm was manufactured. The support portion was arranged next to the model portion.

[0160] The presence or absence of streak defects and surface contamination on the obtained three-dimensional object was evaluated according to the criteria described below. The results are presented in Table 1.

[0161] <Evaluation Test>

[0162] <Evaluation Criteria>

[0163] A: At least one of streak defects and surface contamination does not exist on the mold portion and the support portion.

[0164] B: There are streak defects and surface contamination on the model part and the support part.

[0165] (Example 2)

[0166] The three-dimensional object is manufactured in the same manner as in Example 1, except that, unlike in Example 1, Figure 4 The cleaning mechanism including the suction nozzle 14 shown in FIG. Figure 6 In the three-dimensional object manufacturing device shown in.

[0167] The presence or absence of streak defects and surface contamination on the obtained three-dimensional object was evaluated in the same manner as in Example 1. The results are presented in Table 1.

[0168] (Example 3)

[0169] The three-dimensional object is manufactured in the same manner as in Example 1, except that, unlike in Example 1, Figure 5 The cleaning mechanism including the shower nozzle 15 shown in FIG. 1 is installed as a cleaning liquid discharge unit in the Figure 6 In the three-dimensional object manufacturing device shown in.

[0170] The presence or absence of streak defects and surface contamination on the obtained three-dimensional object was evaluated in the same manner as in Example 1. The results are presented in Table 1.

[0171] (Comparative Example 1)

[0172] The three-dimensional object is manufactured in the same manner as in Example 1, except that, unlike in Example 1, a three-dimensional object is manufactured by Figure 3 A three-dimensional object manufacturing apparatus obtained by removing the cleaning mechanism from the three-dimensional object manufacturing apparatus having the cleaning mechanism shown in FIG.

[0173] The presence or absence of streak defects and surface contamination on the obtained three-dimensional object was evaluated in the same manner as in Example 1. The results are presented in Table 1.

[0174] [Table 1]

[0175] Example 1 Example 2 Example 3 Comparative Example 1 (without cleaning mechanism) Evaluation results A A A B

[0176] The results in Table 1 reveal that, compared with Comparative Example 1 not including a cleaning mechanism, Figures 3 to 5 Embodiments 1 to 3 of the cleaning mechanism shown in the figure better prevent the occurrence of object manufacturing defects and surface contamination.

[0177] Aspects of the present invention are, for example, as follows.

[0178] <1> A three-dimensional object manufacturing device, comprising:

[0179] a first removing unit configured to remove a portion of at least one of a model material and a support material, both of which form an object-forming layer;

[0180] a second removing unit configured to scrape off at least one of the model material and the support material attached to the first removing unit; and

[0181] The third removing unit is configured to remove at least one of the model material and the support material attached to the second removing unit.

[0182] <2> according to <1> 3D object manufacturing equipment,

[0183] The third removing unit includes a rotating scraper configured to scrape off at least one of the model material and the support material attached to the second removing unit.

[0184] <3> according to <2> A three-dimensional object manufacturing device, further comprising

[0185] A rod-shaped or plate-shaped opposing member configured to scrape off at least one of the model material and the support material attached to the rotating scraper.

[0186] <4> according to <1> 3D object manufacturing equipment,

[0187] The third removing unit is a nozzle configured to absorb at least one of the model material and the support material attached to the second removing unit.

[0188] <5> according to <1> 3D object manufacturing equipment,

[0189] wherein the third removing unit is a unit configured to discharge the cleaning liquid toward the second removing unit.

[0190] <6> according to <1> to <5> Any three-dimensional object manufacturing device,

[0191] The model material is a hydrogel precursor liquid.

[0192] <7> A method for manufacturing a three-dimensional object, the method comprising:

[0193] Use according to <1> to <6> Any three-dimensional object manufacturing device is used to manufacture an object.

[0194] according to <1> to <6> Any three-dimensional object manufacturing device and according to <7> The three-dimensional object manufacturing method can solve various problems in the related fields and achieve the objectives of the present disclosure.

[0195] Reference Mark List

[0196] 1: Object manufacturing substrate

[0197] 2: Roller

[0198] 3: Roller unit

[0199] 4: Fixed scraper

[0200] 5: Storage container

[0201] 6: Suction tube

[0202] 11: Rotating scraper

[0203] 12: Shaft for scraping

[0204] 14: Suction nozzle

[0205] 15: Shower Nozzle

[0206] 16: Cleaning liquid

Claims

1. A three-dimensional object manufacturing device, comprising: a first removing unit configured to remove a portion of at least one of a model material and a support material, both of which form an object-forming layer; a second removing unit configured to scrape off at least one of the model material and the support material attached to the first removing unit; and a third removing unit configured to remove at least one of the model material and the support material attached to the second removing unit; wherein the third removing unit comprises a rotating scraper configured to scrape off at least one of the model material and the support material attached to the second removing unit; and The three-dimensional object manufacturing apparatus further includes a rod-shaped or plate-shaped opposing member configured to scrape off at least one of the model material and the supporting material attached to the rotating scraper.

2. The three-dimensional object manufacturing device according to claim 1, The model material is a hydrogel precursor liquid.

3. A method for manufacturing a three-dimensional object, comprising: An object is manufactured using the three-dimensional object manufacturing apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 2.

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