Three-dimensional printer

Abstract

To provide a three-dimensional printer capable of continuously manufacturing elaborately molded objects.SOLUTION: A three-dimensional printer includes: a discharge unit that can discharge and laminate a molding material; and a belt conveyor unit capable of continuously transporting the molding material discharged from the discharge unit. The belt conveyor unit has an endless belt part on which the molding material is laminated, and a bed part having an opposing surface that supports the endless belt part, the bed part having a magnet part, and the endless belt part having a magnetic body that is attracted to the magnet part.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a 3D printer. [Background technology]

[0002] 3D printers use printing technology to automatically manufacture three-dimensional objects based on design data such as CAD, and as a result, 3D printers have come to be used in a variety of industrial fields in recent years.

[0003] In a 3D printer, a nozzle that ejects a modeling material is generally moved while stacking the modeling material on a stage to form a predetermined shape, thereby producing a modeled object. For example, in Patent Document 1, a stage is fixed inside a rectangular frame, a resin is ejected while a nozzle is moved horizontally (X-axis direction and Y-axis direction) on a guide rail to form a resin layer, and a further resin layer is formed on the resin layer by moving the nozzle vertically (Z-axis direction) on a guide shaft, thereby producing a modeled object.

[0004] With such 3D printers, once the desired object is completed, it must be removed from the stage before the next object can be produced, and the size of the object depends on the size of the stage. However, as 3D printers are used in a variety of fields, there is an increasing demand for continuous production of objects and for larger objects to suit the needs of users.

[0005] Patent Document 2 discloses that the stage of a 3D printer is configured with a belt conveyor. By stacking modeling materials on the belt conveyor as a stage, it is possible to continuously manufacture models. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0006] [Patent Document 1] International Publication No. 2019 / 082341 [Patent Document 2] Special Publication No. 2015-507250 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0007] However, with 3D printers that use a conveyor belt as a stage for printing, distortion occurs in the model and the conveyor belt, making it difficult to produce intricate models.

[0008] The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and has an object to provide a 3D printer capable of continuously producing elaborate objects. [Means for solving the problem]

[0009] The inventor noticed that the warped model occurs on the surface of the conveyor belt. After extensive research, the inventor discovered that the warp is caused by thermal stress that occurs when the modeling material, which is in a molten state when discharged, cools and solidifies, and acts on the conveying surface of the belt to cause the belt to warp. The inventor then developed the 3D printer of the present invention so that the belt conveyor can be rotated without being distorted by the action of the modeling material.

[0010] In other words, the 3D printer of the present invention is a 3D printer having an ejection unit capable of ejecting and stacking modeling material, and a belt conveyor unit capable of continuously transporting the modeling material ejected from the ejection unit, wherein the belt conveyor unit has an endless belt section on which the modeling material is stacked, and a bed section having an opposing surface that supports the endless belt section, the bed section having a magnet section, and the endless belt section having a magnetic material that is attracted to the magnet section.

[0011] According to such a 3D printer, it is possible to manufacture a three-dimensional model by stacking the modeling material discharged from the discharge unit on the surface of the endless belt part. The belt conveyor unit having this endless belt part can continuously transport the finished product or the modeling material in the middle of being stacked. In this 3D printer, the endless belt part having a magnetic body is attracted to and supported by the opposing surface of the bed part due to the influence of the magnetic field of the magnet part. Therefore, the endless belt part can rotate without causing distortion due to thermal stress of the modeling material fixed to the surface. Therefore, according to this 3D printer, not only can it be used to continuously manufacture models, but it is also possible to manufacture elaborate models without distortion.

[0012] In the 3D printer of the present invention, the endless belt portion is preferably made of a metal belt, and a fixing layer on which the modeling material is fixed is preferably formed on the conveying surface of the metal belt. The metal belt can be molded into an endless shape and used as a belt conveyor, and is highly rigid and unlikely to cause distortion. Thermoplastic resins that are generally used as modeling materials for 3D printers are said to have poor adhesion to metal materials. In the 3D printer of the present invention, a fixing layer is provided on the conveying surface of the metal belt, so that even if such a modeling material is used, an elaborate model can be manufactured. And, the endless belt portion of the above-mentioned configuration has high rigidity and is supported by being attracted to the opposing surface of the bed portion, so that the occurrence of distortion can be more effectively prevented, even if a strong pulling force due to the modeling material acts on the belt. In addition, a stainless steel belt can be used as the metal belt. The stainless steel belt is made of a magnetic material and has high rigidity, so that it is preferably used for the endless belt portion of the belt conveyor unit.

[0013] The fixing layer may be a fixing layer made of a resin. A fixing layer made of a resin is suitable for fixing a thermoplastic resin that is generally used as a modeling material for 3D printers. In addition, resins such as glass epoxy, polyimide (PI), and polyetherimide (PEI) are preferably used as the fixing layer.

[0014] In the 3D printer of the present invention, the belt conveyor unit may have a first roller portion disposed at the leading end side of the belt conveyor unit in the conveying direction, a second roller portion disposed at the base end side, and an adjustment mechanism for adjusting the distance between the first roller portion and the second roller portion, and the endless belt portion may be wound around the first roller portion and the second roller portion. By configuring in this way, the endless belt portion can be wound around by pulling it with an appropriate tension in the conveying direction, so that the occurrence of distortion in the endless belt portion can be effectively prevented. In addition, since the tension of the endless belt portion is adjusted by adjusting the distance between the first roller portion and the second roller portion, the endless belt portion is not creased, and the load on the belt can be reduced.

[0015] In the 3D printer of the present invention, it is preferable that at least a part of the magnet portion is disposed so as to face the side edge portion of the endless belt portion. The side edge portion of the endless belt portion is particularly prone to distortion, but by disposing the magnet portion at a position facing the side edge portion, the side edge portion can be attracted to the facing surface. Therefore, distortion of the endless belt portion can be effectively prevented.

[0016] In the 3D printer of the present invention, the bed section preferably has a cooling bed having a cooler for cooling the endless belt section, and the cooling bed is preferably disposed at the leading end side in the conveying direction of the belt conveyor unit. In the 3D printer of the present invention, by providing the cooling bed section to cool the endless belt section, the model can be efficiently detached from the conveying surface at the leading end side in the conveying direction, and it becomes easy to convey the model continuously.

[0017] The bed section may also have a heating bed having a heater for heating the endless belt section, located closer to the base end than the cooling bed. If the layered modeling material shrinks unevenly during cooling, the shape of the modeled object will be distorted, but by providing a heating bed to heat the endless belt section, the temperature of the layered modeling material can be kept uniform. Therefore, with such a 3D printer, the modeling material can be hardened uniformly.

[0018] In the 3D printer of the present invention, the discharge unit preferably has a printer head that discharges the modeling material, a first rail that holds the printer head slidably across the conveying direction of the belt conveyor unit, and a second rail that holds the first rail slidably at a predetermined angle inclined with respect to the vertical direction. In such a discharge unit, the printer head can be moved along the first rail to form a pattern of the modeling material in a direction (X-axis direction) that crosses the conveying direction (Y-axis direction). Furthermore, by sliding the first rail over the second rail, the discharge unit can form a pattern of the modeling material in the conveying direction (Y-axis direction) and can stack the modeling material in the vertical direction (Z-axis direction). In this way, since the printer head itself is movable three-dimensionally relative to the belt conveyor, it is possible to stack the modeling material while operating the belt conveyor to manufacture a modeled object. Therefore, such a 3D printer can continuously manufacture models. Effect of the Invention

[0019] According to the present invention, a 3D printer having the following excellent effects can be provided. That is, in this 3D printer, the modeling material is discharged onto the endless belt while being transported by the belt conveyor, so that the modeling material can be continuously layered. This makes it possible to continuously manufacture models and to manufacture large-sized models. In addition, in this 3D printer, the endless belt of the belt conveyor is less likely to warp, so that the models formed on the transport surface are also less likely to warp, making it possible to manufacture more elaborate models. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0020] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing the overall configuration of a 3D printer according to the present invention. [Diagram 2] FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing the overall configuration of the belt conveyor unit of the 3D printer shown in FIG. [Diagram 3]FIG. 3 is a diagram showing an internal structure of the belt conveyor unit shown in FIG. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is a vertical sectional view of the belt conveyor unit shown in FIG. [Diagram 5] FIG. 5 is a partially enlarged view of the cross-sectional view shown in FIG. [Figure 6] FIG. 6 is a plan view of the belt conveyor unit shown in FIG. [Figure 7] FIG. 7 is a plan view of the belt conveyor unit according to the second embodiment. [Figure 8] FIG. 8 is a plan view of the belt conveyor unit according to the third embodiment. [Figure 9] FIG. 9 is a plan view of the belt conveyor unit according to the fourth embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0021] Hereinafter, the embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. Although the description will be made with reference to the drawings as necessary, the contents shown in the drawings are merely shown in a schematic and illustrative manner for understanding the present invention, and the appearance and dimensional ratios may differ from the actual product. In addition, the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the embodiments, but is not limited to these embodiments.

[0022] (First embodiment) 1 is a perspective view showing the overall configuration of a 3D printer according to an embodiment of the present invention. The 3D printer 1 according to this embodiment generally includes a discharge unit 2 capable of discharging and stacking a modeling material, and a belt conveyor unit 3 capable of continuously transporting the modeling material. The discharge unit 2 and the belt conveyor unit 3 are fixed to a mounting base 7, which can ensure horizontality during use, using screws or the like.

[0023] In the drawings, the X-axis, Y-axis, and Z-axis are all vertical, the Y-axis is an axis along the conveying direction of the belt conveyor unit 3, the Z-axis is an axis along the vertical direction, and the X-axis is an axis along a direction transverse to the conveying direction of the belt conveyor unit 3. The overall size of the 3D printer 1 can be appropriately changed.

[0024] (Discharge unit) The discharge unit 2 has a printer head 20 that discharges the modeling material and a support 22 to which the printer head 20 is attached. In this embodiment, two printer heads 20 are attached to the support 22, but the number and configuration of the printer heads 20 are not particularly limited. For example, the printer head 20 can be a known printer head for a 3D printer, such as an extruder that kneads, heats, and pressurizes the modeling material and extrudes it.

[0025] In this embodiment, the printer head 20 has a nozzle capable of ejecting the modeling material at a predetermined position while controlling the amount of the modeling material ejected. Inside the printer head 3, the modeling material is heated to, for example, 180 to 300°C to melt it, and the modeling material is layered from the tip of the nozzle onto the conveying surface 31 of the belt conveyor unit, thereby forming the modeled object 100.

[0026] The modeling material of the present embodiment is a material capable of forming a laminated model 100. The modeling material is not particularly limited, but any known material that can be used in a 3D printer can be used. An example of such a material is a filament made of a thermoplastic resin. Examples of thermoplastic resins include polyesters such as polyethylene terephthalate (PET) resin, polybutylene terephthalate (PBT) resin, polytrimethylene terephthalate (PTT) resin, polyethylene naphthalate (PEN) resin, and liquid crystal polyester resin, polyolefins such as polyethylene (PE) resin, polypropylene (PP) resin, and polybutylene resin, and styrene-based resins, as well as polyoxymethylene (POM) resin, polyamide (PA) resin, polycarbonate (PC) resin, polymethylene methacrylate (PMMA) resin, polyvinyl chloride (PVC) resin, polyphenylene sulfide (PPS) resin, polyphenylene ether (PPE) resin, modified PPE resin, polyimide (PI) resin, polyamide-imide (PAI) resin, and the like. ) resin, polyetherimide (PEI) resin, polysulfone (PSU) resin, modified PSU resin, polyethersulfone resin, polyketone (PK) resin, polyetherketone (PEK) resin, polyetheretherketone (PEEK) resin, polyetherketoneketone (PEKK) resin, polyarylate (PAR) resin, polyethernitrile resin, phenolic resin, phenoxy resin, fluorine-based resin such as polytetrafluoroethylene resin, further thermoplastic elastomers such as polystyrene-based resin, polyolefin-based resin, polyurethane-based resin, polyester-based resin, polyamide-based resin, polybutadiene-based resin, polyisoprene-based resin, fluorine-based resin, copolymers, modified bodies, and resins in which two or more types are blended are exemplified.

[0027] The support 22 is attached to the mounting base 7 via a tilting mechanism 28 capable of adjusting the tilt with respect to the transport surface 31 of the belt conveyor unit 3. The size of the support 22 may be appropriately changed as necessary depending on the size of the belt conveyor unit 3, the size of the shaped object to be manufactured, etc. The tilting mechanism 28 can fix the tilt angle of the second rail 26 with respect to the mounting base 7 to any angle. It is particularly preferable that the tilt angle of the second rail 26 with respect to the mounting base 7 is 45°, but the tilt angle is not limited to this. The tilt angle may be 15° to 75°, and is preferably 40° to 50°.

[0028] The support 22 has a first rail 24 that holds the printer head 20 slidably in the X-axis direction, and the printer head 20 can be moved to an accurate position on the first rail 24. The support 22 also has a second rail 26 that holds the first rail slidably, and the first rail 24 can be moved to an accurate position on the second rail 26.

[0029] 1, the second rail 26 of the support 22 is fixed in an inclined state with respect to the transport surface 31, so that the printer head 20 can be moved relatively in the Y-axis direction and the Z-axis direction when the first rail 24 slides on the second rail 26. In this way, in the 3D printer 1 of this embodiment, the printer head 20 can be moved three-dimensionally relative to the transport surface 31.

[0030] (Belt conveyor unit) Fig. 2 is a perspective view showing the overall configuration of the belt conveyor unit 3. As shown in Fig. 2, the belt conveyor unit 3 is roughly composed of an endless belt portion 30 on which the modeling material is laminated, and a bed portion 40 that supports the endless belt portion 30. In this embodiment, the bed portion 40 is composed of a heating bed 401 and a cooling bed 402, each of which is fixed approximately horizontally to the frame portion 60 using screws or the like.

[0031] The first roller unit 51 and the second roller unit 52 are attached to the body unit 60 so as to be rotatable about a shaft 59 shown in FIG. 4. The endless belt unit 30 is wound around the first roller unit 51 and the second roller unit 52, with the bed unit 40 disposed on the inside. The width W0 in the X-axis direction and the length L0 in the Y-axis direction of the endless belt unit 30 shown in FIG. 5 may be appropriately designed in consideration of the shape and size of the shaped object to be manufactured. In this embodiment, for example, the width W0 may be designed to be 10 cm to 100 cm, and the length L0 may be designed to be 20 cm to 200 cm.

[0032] Fig. 3 is a diagram showing a schematic internal structure of the belt conveyor unit 3. As shown in Fig. 3, in the belt conveyor unit 3, a motor 54 is attached to a body part 60. The motor 54 is capable of rotating the first roller part 51 via a transmission belt 55.

[0033] In the belt conveyor unit 3, the second roller portion 52 is attached to the body portion 60 via an adjustment mechanism 53 that adjusts the distance between the second roller portion 52 and the first roller portion 51. The adjustment mechanism 53 can adjust the tension of the endless belt portion 30 in the Y-axis direction by adjusting the distance between the first roller portion 51 and the second roller portion 52 to an appropriate Y-axis direction.

[0034] By looping the endless belt portion 30 around the first roller portion 51 and the second roller portion 52 with an appropriate tension, when the motor 54 rotates, the rotation of the first roller portion 51 driven to rotate is appropriately transmitted to the endless belt portion 30, and the endless belt portion 30 can be circulated in the rotation direction r around the bed portion 40. Note that, if necessary, the endless belt portion 30 can be rotated in the opposite direction to the rotation direction r by rotating the motor 54 in the reverse direction.

[0035] Furthermore, the adjustment mechanism 53 pulls and loops the endless belt portion 30 in the Y-axis direction with an appropriate tension, making it difficult for distortion to occur in the endless belt portion 30. Also, the adjustment mechanism 53 configured in this way eliminates the need to adjust the tension of the endless belt portion by, for example, adjusting the height of the bed portion.

[0036] In this embodiment, the transport surface 31 of the endless belt part 30 can be made flat and unbent from the second roller part 52 to the first roller part 51 above the bed part 40 in the Z-axis direction. For example, one possible method of using the 3D printer of this embodiment is to place another belt conveyor on the leading end side in the transport direction in order to manufacture a larger model. Since the transport surface 31 is flat and unbent, it becomes easy to transfer the model to the other belt conveyor.

[0037] A rotary encoder 56 is attached to the body 60 to measure the feed distance of the endless belt part 30. Since the feed distance of the endless belt part 30 can be accurately measured by the rotary encoder 56, even if the stacked modeling materials are transported by the belt conveyor unit 3, it is possible to stack the modeling materials at the accurate position of the modeling materials stacked on the transport surface 31 of the endless belt part 30. In this way, the 3D printer of this embodiment can precisely manufacture even large models that are long in the Y-axis direction.

[0038] FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view perpendicular to the X-axis direction of the belt conveyor unit 3. FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of an enlarged portion of FIG. 4. As shown in FIG. 4, the bed section 40 is disposed so as to face the inner surface 32 of the endless belt section 30. In this embodiment, the bed section 40 has a heating bed 401 having a heater 41 and a cooling bed 402 having a cooler 42. The heating bed 401 is disposed on the side close to the second roller section 52, which is the base end side in the conveying direction. On the other hand, the cooling bed 402 is disposed on the side close to the first roller section 51, which is the tip end side in the conveying direction. In this embodiment, the bed section 40 is composed of two heating beds 401 and one cooling bed 402, but the number and size of these are not limited and may be appropriately changed according to the size of the shaped object to be manufactured.

[0039] As shown in FIG. 4, the bed 40 has a base 43 that is fixed to the body 60 to support the bed 40, and a magnet portion 45. The endless belt 30 has a magnetic body 30b that is attracted by the magnetic portion 45. As shown in FIG. 5, the magnet portion 45 is embedded in a hole 431 formed in the base 43. The magnet portion 45 may be fixed to the base 43 with an adhesive (not shown). In this embodiment, the endless belt 30 having the magnetic body 30b is attracted to and supported by the opposing surface 441 of the bed 40 due to the influence of the magnetic field of the magnet portion 45. Therefore, distortion of the endless belt 30 is effectively prevented.

[0040] The magnet portion 45 is not particularly limited, and may be a permanent magnet such as an alloy magnet, a ferrite magnet, or a rare earth magnet, or an electromagnet, as long as it generates a magnetic field that attracts the endless belt portion 30. In this embodiment, a neodymium permanent magnet is preferably used for the magnet portion 45, since the magnetic force acting on the endless belt portion 30 can be easily adjusted and it is easily available.

[0041] The endless belt portion 30 can be made of a metal belt such as a stainless steel belt. The stainless steel belt is a ferromagnetic material and can be formed into an endless shape to be used as a belt conveyor, and has high rigidity. Therefore, it is less likely to be distorted than commonly used resin belts. As shown in FIG. 5, a fixing layer 30a is formed on the conveying surface 31 of the endless belt portion 30, on which the layer 101 of the modeling material discharged from the printer head 20 is fixed. The fixing layer 30a is not particularly limited and is configured to improve the fixation of the modeling material.

[0042] For example, the fixing layer 30a can be used continuously for a long time if it is formed by performing a surface treatment on the endless belt portion 30 or by attaching a glass fiber reinforced plastic (GFRP) plate or a resin film such as polypropylene (PP), polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polyethylene (PE), or polyetherimide (PEI) to the surface. The fixing layer 30a may be temporarily formed by applying an adhesive by spraying or the like. In this embodiment, from the viewpoint of enabling continuous operation for a longer period of time, it is more preferable to form the fixing layer 30a by performing a surface treatment on the endless belt portion 30. The method of forming the fixing layer 30a by surface treatment is not limited, but baking is preferable.

[0043] The material of the fixing layer 30a is not particularly limited, but from the viewpoint of the fixing property of the modeling material and the ease of processing the stainless steel belt, for example, polyetherimide (PEI), polyimide (PI), glass epoxy resin, etc. are preferable, polyimide and glass epoxy resin are more preferable, and glass epoxy resin is even more preferable. In this embodiment, by providing such a fixing layer 30a on the conveying surface 31 of the stainless steel belt by baking, it is possible to manufacture an elaborate modeled object without applying an adhesive to the conveying surface 31 each time, and therefore maintenance costs can be reduced.

[0044] As shown in FIG. 5, the bed portion 40 has a bed plate 44 having an opposing surface 441 that supports the endless belt portion 30. The opposing surface 441 forms a smooth XY plane so that the endless belt portion 30 can easily rotate. The bed plate 44 is not particularly limited, but is preferably a plate-like member having a low friction coefficient and excellent wear resistance from the viewpoint of smoothly circulating the endless belt portion 30. Examples of the material of such a bed plate 44 include a resin plate and an anodized aluminum plate, and more specifically, examples of the bed plate 44 include ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene and polyoxymethylene (POM) resin.

[0045] The bed plate 44 is fixed to the base 43 so as to separate the magnet portion 45 and the endless belt portion 30. The base 43 is not particularly limited, but is preferably made of a material that has the strength to hold the bed plate 44 without distortion and has excellent thermal conductivity. For example, the base 43 may be made of aluminum or the like. Note that the bed plate 44 and the base 43 do not have to be separate members, but may be molded integrally, as long as the magnet portion 45 can be arranged and the endless belt portion 30 can circulate smoothly.

[0046] 5, in the heating bed 401, the heater 41 is disposed below the base 43. Therefore, it is possible to heat the endless belt portion 30 located above the heating bed 401. The configuration of the heater 41 is not particularly limited, and a known heater capable of heating the endless belt portion 30 via the base 43 and the bed plate 44 can be used.

[0047] The heater 41 is connected to a control mechanism (not shown). The temperature of the heater 41 can be controlled to, for example, 50°C to 120°C, so that the temperature of the transport surface 31 of the endless belt part 30 can be controlled to a temperature slightly lower than the softening point temperature of the modeling material depending on the modeling material. This makes it possible to prevent the modeling material already layered on the transport surface 31 of the endless belt part 30 corresponding to the heating bed 401 from being suddenly cooled. Therefore, in this embodiment, the modeling material can be hardened approximately uniformly, and deformation of the model 100 can be suppressed. The heater 41 may be controlled to have a different temperature for each heating bed 401.

[0048] The cooling bed 402 has the same configuration as the heating bed 401, except that a cooler 42 is arranged instead of a heater. The configuration of the cooler 42 is not particularly limited, and a known cooler that can cool the heat of the endless belt portion 30 through the base 43 and the bed plate 44 can be used. In this embodiment, the cooler 42 is a plurality of cooling fins extending downward in the Z-axis direction from the base 43. The cooling fins have high thermal conductivity and can release heat transferred from the endless belt portion 30 to the base 43 to air introduced through the ventilation hole 57 provided in the body portion 60.

[0049] In this embodiment, the duct 58 shown in Fig. 1 is connected to the ventilation hole 57, and the air below the mounting base 7 is circulated below the cooling bed 402. In this manner, the cooling bed 402 can cool the endless belt part 30. By cooling the endless belt part 30, the model 100 becomes easier to separate from the endless belt part 30.

[0050] 6 is a plan view of the belt conveyor unit 3 as viewed from above in the Z-axis direction. In the drawing, a straight line C is a straight line along the Y-axis direction that passes through the middle of the X-axis of the endless belt portion 30. A plurality of magnet portions 45 are arranged on the bed portion 40. In this embodiment, the magnet portion 45 has a substantially cylindrical shape. It is preferable that the magnet portions 45 are arranged on the bed portion 40 so that the endless belt portion 30 can rotate smoothly even if a magnetic force acts on the endless belt portion 30. For example, the magnet portions 45 may be arranged so that a magnetic force acts evenly on the endless belt portion 30.

[0051] 6, in this embodiment, the magnet sections 45 are arranged symmetrically on both sides in the X-axis direction with the straight line C as the axis of symmetry. However, the number of magnet sections 45 is not particularly limited. Also, in this embodiment, in each bed (heating beds 401, 401 and cooling bed 402), the interval L1 between the magnet sections 45 in the X-axis direction and the interval L1 in the Y-axis direction are equal, but this is not limited thereto.

[0052] The number, magnetic flux density, arrangement, and spacing of the magnet parts 45 may be appropriately designed so that the endless belt part 30 is not distorted, taking into consideration the length L0 of the endless belt part 30 in the Y-axis direction, the width W0 of the endless belt part 30 in the X-axis direction, the feed speed of the endless belt part 30, and the magnetic force acting on the endless belt part 30. That is, the magnetic force of the magnet part 45 is not particularly limited, and the surface magnetic flux density of the magnet part 45 in the XY plane may be 50 mT to 600 mT, for example. In this embodiment, the endless belt part 30 is heated by the heater 41. Therefore, it is considered that the endless belt part 30 itself is distorted by the heat of the heater 41. In this regard, the distortion of the endless belt part 30 that occurs in the above-mentioned temperature range (50 to 120°C) can be controlled by attracting the endless belt part 30 to the bed part 40. In this case, the force attracting the endless belt portion 30 to the bed portion 40 does not need to be strong, so the magnet portion 45 may have a relatively low magnetic force.

[0053] The magnet portion 45 is preferably disposed so as to face the side edge portion 33 and the central portion 34 of the endless belt portion 30. It is particularly preferable that the magnet portion 45 is disposed so as to face the side edge portion 33 of the endless belt portion 30. The width W1 is 10% of the width W0 of the entire endless belt portion 30 in the X-axis direction. In this specification, the area of ​​the endless belt portion 30 that extends in the Y-axis direction from both ends of the endless belt portion 30 in the X-axis direction to the width W1 is referred to as the side edge portion, and the area that extends in the Y-axis direction and is sandwiched between the side edge portions on both sides in the X-axis direction is referred to as the central portion.

[0054] The molding material layered on the belt conveyor generates a pulling force on the belt conveyor due to shrinkage when hardening, and the end of the belt conveyor is easily distorted by the force. In this embodiment, at least a part of the magnet portion 45 is arranged to face the side edge portion 33, so that the side edge portion 33 is attracted to and supported by the bed portion 40. Therefore, in this embodiment, the endless belt portion 30 is less likely to warp.

[0055] In this embodiment, the outer edge of the magnet portion 45 is disposed closer to the line C than the end of the endless belt portion 30 in the X-axis direction by a distance L2. It is preferable that the distance L2 from the outer edge of the magnet portion 45 to the end of the endless belt portion 30 in the X-axis direction is shorter than 2% of the width W0 of the endless belt portion 30. By disposing the magnet portion 45 close to the end of the endless belt portion 30 in the X-axis direction, distortion of the endless belt portion 30 in particular can be suppressed.

[0056] (3D printer control) In this embodiment, in order to automatically manufacture the model 100, the discharge unit 2 is connected to a control mechanism (not shown). The control mechanism can control the printer head 20 by an appropriately installed program. Specifically, the control mechanism can control the temperature of the modeling material and the amount of the modeling material discharged.

[0057] The control mechanism can also control the position of the first rail 24 on the second rail 26. The control mechanism can also control the position of the printer head 20 on the first rail 24.

[0058] The control mechanism may also be connected to the belt conveyor unit 3. The control mechanism can control the position of the printer head 20 based on data on the feed distance of the endless belt portion 30 measured by the rotary encoder 56. The control mechanism may be an electronic circuit provided inside the mounting base 7, or a computer having a CPU provided outside the mounting base 7. In this way, the control mechanism can control the horizontal and vertical movement of the printer head 20 based on 3D data input in advance, and eject a predetermined amount of modeling material at accurate coordinates.

[0059] (summary) According to the 3D printer 1 of this embodiment, the modeling material discharged from the printer head 20 of the discharge unit 2 is layered at precise coordinates on the conveying surface 31 of the endless belt part 30, so that it is possible to continuously convey and manufacture a three-dimensional model 100 based on 3D data. In particular, in this embodiment, the endless belt part 30 is made of a stainless steel belt with high rigidity and is not easily deformed. In addition, a fixing layer 30a is formed on the conveying surface 31 of the stainless steel belt, which dramatically improves the fixation of the modeling material.

[0060] As described above, the belt conveyor unit 3 has the magnet section 45 embedded in the bed section 40. The magnetic field of the magnet section 45 acts on the magnetic material 30b of the stainless steel belt, thereby attracting and supporting the stainless steel belt to the bed plate 44. Therefore, in the 3D printer 1, no distortion occurs in the endless belt section 30 even when the layer of modeling material hardens, so not only can the modeled object 100 be manufactured while being continuously transported, but the modeled object 100 can also be manufactured with precision.

[0061] Second embodiment The 3D printer 1a of this embodiment has a belt conveyor unit with a different configuration from the 3D printer 1 of the first embodiment. In the following, the description of the configuration common to the first embodiment will be omitted as appropriate, and the differences from the first embodiment will be mainly described. For the configurations for which description is omitted, the description of the first embodiment applies.

[0062] Fig. 7 is a plan view of the belt conveyor unit 3a according to this embodiment. As shown in Fig. 7, this embodiment is different from the first embodiment mainly in the number, size, and arrangement of the magnet parts. In this embodiment, the center of the magnet part 45a in a plan view along the Z axis is arranged below the end of the endless belt part 30 in the X axis direction in the Z axis direction.

[0063] In this embodiment, the magnet portion 45a has a portion that does not face the side edge portion 33 of the endless belt portion 30. The magnet portion 45a emits magnetic field lines even from the portion that does not face the side edge portion 33 of the endless belt portion 30, and can attract the end of the endless belt portion 30 in the X-axis direction.

[0064] In this embodiment, the magnet portion 45a is disposed so that the distance L3 between the magnet portion 45a on the side farther from the straight line C is shorter than the distance L4 between the magnet portion 45a on the side closer to the straight line C. By disposing the magnet portion 45a in this manner, the end side of the endless belt portion 30 in the X-axis direction can be more strongly attracted to and supported by the bed portion 40 than the center. By appropriately changing the distance L3 and the distance L4, it is also possible to optimize the endless belt portion 30 so that it is less likely to become distorted.

[0065] Third embodiment The 3D printer 1b of this embodiment has a belt conveyor unit with a different configuration from the 3D printer 1 of the first embodiment. In the following, the description of the configuration common to the first embodiment will be omitted as appropriate, and the differences from the first embodiment will be mainly described. For the configurations for which description is omitted, the description of the first embodiment applies.

[0066] Fig. 8 is a plan view of the belt conveyor unit 3b according to this embodiment. As shown in Fig. 8, in this embodiment, the number, shape, material, size, and arrangement of the magnet parts are mainly different from those in the first embodiment. In this embodiment, the magnet parts 45b have a minor axis in the X-axis direction and a major axis in the Y-axis direction, and are formed into a thin rectangular plate shape in the Z-axis direction. The magnet parts 45b may be magnet sheets formed into a film shape.

[0067] In this embodiment, the magnet section 45b is disposed across the conveying direction (Y-axis direction) of the heating bed 401 (or cooling bed 402). Therefore, the magnetic force acting on the endless belt section 30 in the Y-axis direction is unlikely to vary. Also, the magnet section 45b is a single magnet having a wide area, and magnetic field lines are emitted from the entire wide surface of the magnet, so that the endless belt section 30 can be attracted to the bed section 40 more evenly. Therefore, in this embodiment, warping of the endless belt section 30 can be effectively prevented.

[0068] (Fourth embodiment) The 3D printer 1c of this embodiment has a belt conveyor unit with a different configuration from the 3D printer 1 of the first embodiment. In the following, the description of the configuration common to the first embodiment will be omitted as appropriate, and the differences from the first embodiment will be mainly described. For the configurations for which description is omitted, the description of the first embodiment applies.

[0069] Fig. 9 is a plan view of the belt conveyor unit 3c according to this embodiment. As shown in Fig. 9, this embodiment is different from the first embodiment mainly in the number, shape, material, size, and arrangement of the magnet parts. In this embodiment, the magnet parts 45c are formed in a plate shape so as to cover almost the entire surface of the bed plate 44 of each bed (heating bed 401 and cooling bed 402). The magnet parts 45c may be formed in a film shape as a magnet sheet.

[0070] In this embodiment, the width W2 of the magnet portion 45c in the X-axis direction is wider than the width W0 of the endless belt portion 30. Since magnetic field lines are emitted from the entire wide surface of the magnet, the endless belt portion 30 can be attracted more evenly to the bed portion 40. Therefore, in this embodiment, warping of the endless belt portion 30 can be effectively prevented.

[0071] In any of the above-mentioned embodiments, the modeling material ejected from the printer head 20 of the ejection unit 2 is stacked at precise coordinates on the transport surface 31 of the endless belt section 30, thereby making it possible to continuously transport and manufacture a three-dimensional model 100 based on 3D data.

[0072] In addition to the exemplary embodiments described above, the configurations of the respective embodiments can be rearranged so as not to impair the effects of the present invention.

[0073] The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and the technical scope of the present invention includes various modified forms of design within the scope that does not deviate from the gist of the invention described in the claims. [Industrial Applicability]

[0074] The present invention provides a 3D printer that can automatically manufacture three-dimensional objects based on design data such as CAD, and is useful in a wide range of industries that manufacture objects such as industrial products and prototypes. [Explanation of symbols]

[0075] 1,1a,1b,1c 3D Printer 2 Discharge unit 20 Printer Head 22 Support 24 First Rail 26 2nd Rail 28 Tilt mechanism 3,3a,3b,3c Belt conveyor unit 30 Endless belt section (metal belt) 30a Fixing layer 30b Magnetic material 31 Conveying surface 32 Inner surface 33 Side edge 34 Central part 35 Feed belt 36 Return belt 40 Bed section 401 Heated Bed 402 Cooling Bed 41 Heater 42 Cooler 43 Base 431 hole 44 Bed Plate 441 Opposite Surface 45, 45a, 45b, 45c Magnet section 51 First roller section 52 Second roller section 53 Adjustment mechanism 54 Motor 55 Transmission Belt 56 Rotary Encoder 57 Vent 58 Duct 59 Shaft 60 Body part 7 Mounting stand 100 Sculptures 101 Layer of extruded modeling material

Claims

1. A discharge unit capable of discharging and stacking a modeling material; A 3D printer having a belt conveyor unit capable of continuously transporting the modeling material discharged from the discharge unit, The belt conveyor unit includes an endless belt portion on which a modeling material is laminated, and a bed portion having an opposing surface that supports the endless belt portion, The bed portion has a magnet portion, The 3D printer, characterized in that the endless belt portion has a magnetic material that is attracted to the magnet portion.

2. The endless belt portion is made of a metal belt, The 3D printer according to claim 1 , wherein a fixing layer for fixing the modeling material is formed on the transport surface of the metal belt.

3. The 3D printer according to claim 2 , wherein the fixing layer is made of a resin.

4. the belt conveyor unit includes a first roller unit disposed on a leading end side in a conveying direction of the belt conveyor unit, a second roller unit disposed on a base end side, and an adjustment mechanism that adjusts a distance between the first roller unit and the second roller unit, The 3D printer according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the endless belt portion is wound between the first roller portion and the second roller portion.

5. The 3D printer according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that at least a portion of the magnet portion is arranged so as to face a side edge portion of the endless belt portion.

6. the bed portion includes a cooling bed having a cooler that cools the endless belt portion, The 3D printer according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the cooling bed is disposed at a leading end side of the belt conveyor unit in a conveying direction.

7. The discharge unit includes: A printer head that ejects a modeling material; a first rail that holds the printer head so as to be slidable across the conveying direction of the belt conveyor unit; The 3D printer according to any one of claims 1 to 3, further comprising: a second rail that holds the first rail so that the first rail is slidable at a predetermined angle inclined with respect to the vertical direction.

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