Three-dimensional molding system

Abstract

To provide a technology capable of reducing the risk that an imaging unit is affected by heat associated with modeling.SOLUTION: A three-dimensional molding system comprises: a molding unit including a heater for plasticizing a material to generate a molding material and a nozzle for discharging the molding material; a stage having a molding surface on which a molding material is deposited; a position changing unit that changes a relative position between the stage and the nozzle; an imaging unit disposed further on an outer side than an outer edge of the molding surface when viewed from a direction perpendicular to the molding surface; a housing including an inner wall that defines an internal space and an outer wall exposed to outside air to house the molding surface in an internal space; and a control unit configured to control the molding unit and the position changing unit to form a three-dimensional molded object on the molding surface in the housing based on molding data. At least a part of the inner wall is made of a first transparent member, and the imaging unit is disposed between the inner wall and the outer wall, and the system is configured to capture an image of a three-dimensional molded object on the molding surface housed in the internal space through the first transparent member.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a three-dimensional printing system. [Background technology]

[0002] Patent Document 1 discloses a three-dimensional printing apparatus equipped with a video camera. This three-dimensional printing apparatus uses the video camera to capture an image of an object being printed and transmits the image to a remote location. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Special Publication No. 2015-507250 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] By arranging the imaging unit near the printing area where the three-dimensional object is to be printed, it is possible to capture a detailed image of the object. However, if the imaging unit is arranged near the printing area, there is a possibility that the imaging unit may be affected by heat associated with printing. [Means for solving the problem]

[0005] According to a first aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided a three-dimensional printing system, comprising: a printing unit having a heater for plasticizing a material to generate a printing material and a nozzle for discharging the printing material, a stage having a printing surface on which the printing material is laminated, a position change unit for changing a relative position between the stage and the nozzle, an imaging unit arranged outside an outer edge of the printing surface when viewed from a direction perpendicular to the printing surface, a housing having an inner wall that partitions an internal space and an outer wall that is exposed to outside air and that houses the printing surface in the internal space, and a control unit that controls the printing unit and the position change unit based on printing data to print a three-dimensional object on the printing surface in the housing, wherein at least a part of the inner wall is made of a first transparent member, and the imaging unit is arranged between the inner wall and the outer wall and is configured to image the three-dimensional object on the printing surface housed in the internal space via the first transparent member. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0006] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram illustrating a schematic configuration of a three-dimensional printing system. [Diagram 2] FIG. 2 is a diagram showing the arrangement of an imaging unit. [Diagram 3] FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a schematic configuration of a flat screw. [Figure 4] FIG. 2 is a schematic plan view of the barrel. [Diagram 5] 5A to 5C are explanatory diagrams of a forming process executed in a control unit. [Figure 6] FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram showing a schematic configuration of an information processing device. [Figure 7] FIG. 11 is a diagram illustrating an example of attribute information. [Figure 8] 13 is a flowchart of an imaging process. [Figure 9] FIG. [Figure 10] FIG. 11 is a diagram illustrating another example of the imaging process. [Figure 11] 10 is a flowchart of an imaging process in the second embodiment. [Figure 12]FIG. 11 is an explanatory diagram of an imaging process in the second embodiment. [Figure 13] 13 is a flowchart of a modeling data correction process according to a third embodiment. [Figure 14] 11A to 11C are explanatory diagrams showing a first example of a shaping data correction process. [Figure 15] 13A to 13C are explanatory diagrams showing a second example of the shaping data correction process. [Figure 16] 13A to 13C are explanatory diagrams showing a third example of the shaping data correction process. [Figure 17] 13 is a flowchart of a stereoscopic image generating process in the fourth embodiment. [Figure 18] FIG. 11 is an explanatory diagram of a stereoscopic image generating process. [Figure 19] FIG. 13 is a diagram showing a first modified example of the fourth embodiment. [Figure 20] FIG. 13 is a diagram showing a second modified example of the fourth embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0007] A. First embodiment: FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram showing a schematic configuration of a three-dimensional printing system 10 in the first embodiment. In FIG. 1, arrows indicating mutually orthogonal X, Y, and Z directions are shown. The X and Y directions are parallel to a horizontal plane, and the Z direction is a direction along a vertical upward direction. The arrows indicating the X, Y, and Z directions are also shown in other figures as appropriate so that the illustrated directions correspond to those in FIG. 1. In the following description, when specifying the direction, the direction indicated by the arrow in each figure is indicated as "+" and the opposite direction is indicated as "-", and positive and negative signs are used in combination to indicate the direction. In the following, the +Z direction is also referred to as "up" and the -Z direction is also referred to as "down".

[0008] The three-dimensional printing system 10 includes a three-dimensional printing device 100 and an information processing device 400 that communicates with the three-dimensional printing device 100. The information processing device 400 and the three-dimensional printing device 100 can communicate with each other via a predetermined communication line such as the Internet or a LAN.

[0009] The three-dimensional modeling apparatus 100 of this embodiment is an apparatus for modeling a three-dimensional object by a material extrusion method. The three-dimensional modeling apparatus 100 includes a control unit 300 for controlling each unit of the three-dimensional modeling apparatus 100. The control unit 300 and an information processing apparatus 400 are connected so as to be able to communicate with each other. Hereinafter, the three-dimensional modeled object is also referred to as a model.

[0010] The three-dimensional modeling device 100 includes a housing 105, a modeling unit 110 that generates a modeling material and ejects it from a nozzle 61, a stage 210 having a modeling surface 211 on which the modeling material is deposited, a position changing unit 230 that changes the relative position between the stage 210 and the nozzle 61, an imaging unit 240, and a light 250. The modeling surface 211 of the stage 210 is accommodated within the housing 105.

[0011] The housing 105 is provided with a door 160. The door 160 is provided with a handle 163. A user can take out a model formed inside the housing 105 by holding the handle 163 and opening the door 160.

[0012] The housing 105 has an inner wall 101 that divides an internal space, and an outer wall 102 that is exposed to the outside air. The housing 105 accommodates the printing surface 211 in the internal space. At least a part of the inner wall 101 is composed of a first transparent member 103. The first transparent member 103 is, for example, glass. When viewed from the +Z direction that is a direction perpendicular to the printing surface 211, the imaging unit 240 is disposed outside the outer edge of the printing surface 211 in the X direction and the Y direction. The imaging unit 240 is disposed between the inner wall 101 and the outer wall 102. The imaging unit 240 captures an image of the model on the printing surface 211 accommodated in the internal space via the first transparent member 103. The imaging unit 240 is connected to the control unit 300. The imaging of the model by the imaging unit 240 is controlled by the control unit 300. The imaging unit 240 is configured by, for example, a CCD camera or a CMOS camera. In addition, in other embodiments, the imaging unit 240 may be configured by, for example, a laser scanner or LiDAR. The imaging unit 240 includes an actuator capable of adjusting an imaging range of the imaging unit 240. The control unit 300 controls the imaging unit 240 to be able to image an arbitrary position on the printing surface 211.

[0013] The door 160 has a part of the inner wall 101 and a part of the outer wall 102. That is, the door 160 constitutes a part of the housing 105. A part of the inner wall 101 constituting the door 160 is constituted by a first transparent member 103. A part of the outer wall 102 constituting the door 160 is constituted by a second transparent member 104 facing the first transparent member 103. The second transparent member 104 is, for example, glass, like the first transparent member 103. The first transparent member 103 and the second transparent member 104 facing the first transparent member 103 constitute a window 106. The door 160 has a first frame portion 161 surrounding the periphery of the first transparent member 103 and a second frame portion 162 surrounding the periphery of the second transparent member 104. That is, the door 160 has the first frame portion 161 and the second frame portion 162 surrounding the periphery of the window 106. The first frame portion 161 is a part of the inner wall 101, and the second frame portion 162 is a part of the outer wall 102. At least a part of the imaging unit 240 is disposed in the upper space of the space between the first frame portion 161 and the second frame portion 162. At least a part of the imaging unit 240 is, for example, a part of the imaging unit 240 excluding a lens provided in the imaging unit 240. A cover 108 that covers the imaging unit 240 from the outer wall 102 side is disposed between the inner wall 101 and the outer wall 102 that configure the door 160. At least a part of the back surface of the cover 108 faces the second transparent member 104.

[0014] Fig. 2 is a diagram showing the arrangement of the imaging unit 240. Fig. 2 shows the state in which the door 160 is closed and viewed from the internal space of the housing 105 in the +X direction. In Fig. 2, the first transparent member 103 and the first frame portion 161 are omitted. At least a part of the imaging unit 240 is disposed in the space at the upper corner of the space between the first frame portion 161 and the second frame portion 162.

[0015] The door 160 has a first end 164 and a second end 165. In this embodiment, the first end 164 is located on the -Y direction side when the door 160 is closed, and the second end 165 is located on the +Y direction side, which is the opposite side of the first end 164. The first end 164 has an opening / closing axis DX, which is a rotation axis for opening and closing the door 160. The distance from the imaging unit 240 to the first end 164 is shorter than the distance from the imaging unit 240 to the second end 165. In this embodiment, the imaging unit 240 is located near the opening / closing axis DX of the door 160. A cooling unit 109 for cooling the imaging unit 240 is provided near the imaging unit 240. The cooling unit 109 in this embodiment is an air-cooled fan. The cooling unit 109 may be configured by a cooling device such as a chiller that includes a refrigerant flow path arranged around the imaging unit 240 and a pump that flows a refrigerant through the refrigerant flow path. It is possible to omit the cooling unit 109.

[0016] 1 illuminates the internal space of the housing 105. The illumination 250 includes an actuator capable of adjusting the illumination range. The control unit 300 controls the illumination 250 to illuminate any range on the printing surface 211. Note that in this embodiment, the illumination 250 may be omitted.

[0017] Under the control of the control unit 300, the modeling unit 110 discharges a modeling material, which is a solid-state material that has been plasticized, onto the stage 210. The modeling unit 110 includes a material supply unit 20 that is a supply source of raw materials before being converted into the modeling material, a plasticization unit 30 that converts the raw materials into the modeling material, and a discharge unit 60 that discharges the modeling material.

[0018] The material supplying section 20 supplies the raw material MR to the plasticizing section 30. The material supplying section 20 is configured, for example, by a hopper that stores the raw material MR. The material supplying section 20 is connected to the plasticizing section 30 via a communication passage 22. The raw material MR is input into the material supplying section 20 in the form of pellets, powder, or the like. As the raw material, for example, a resin material such as ABS (acrylonitrile butadiene styrene), PEEK (polyether ether ketone), or PP (polypropylene) is used.

[0019] The plasticizing unit 30 plasticizes the raw material MR supplied from the material supply unit 20 to generate a paste-like modeling material that exhibits fluidity, and guides it to the discharge unit 60. In this embodiment, "plasticization" is a concept that includes melting, and refers to changing from a solid to a fluid state. Specifically, in the case of a material that undergoes glass transition, plasticization refers to raising the temperature of the material to or above the glass transition point. In the case of a material that does not undergo glass transition, plasticization refers to raising the temperature of the material to or above the melting point.

[0020] The plasticizing section 30 includes a screw case 31, a drive motor 32, a flat screw 40, and a barrel 50. The flat screw 40 is also called a rotor or a scroll. The barrel 50 is also called a screw facing portion.

[0021] The flat screw 40 is housed in the screw case 31. An upper surface 47 of the flat screw 40 is connected to the drive motor 32, and the flat screw 40 rotates in the screw case 31 by the rotational driving force generated by the drive motor 32. The drive motor 32 is driven under the control of the control unit 300. Note that the flat screw 40 may be driven by the drive motor 32 via a reducer.

[0022] 3 is a perspective view showing a schematic configuration of the lower surface 48 side of the flat screw 40. In order to facilitate understanding of the technology, the flat screw 40 shown in FIG. 3 is shown in a state in which the positional relationship between the upper surface 47 and the lower surface 48 shown in FIG. 1 is reversed in the vertical direction. The flat screw 40 has a substantially cylindrical shape in which the length in the axial direction, which is the direction along the central axis, is smaller than the length in the direction perpendicular to the axial direction. The flat screw 40 is arranged so that the rotation axis RX, which is the rotation center of the flat screw 40, is parallel to the Z direction.

[0023] A spiral groove 42 is formed on the lower surface 48 of the flat screw 40, which is a surface intersecting with the rotation axis RX. The communication passage 22 of the material supply unit 20 described above communicates with the groove 42 from the side surface of the flat screw 40. In this embodiment, three grooves 42 are formed, separated by a convex rib portion 43. The number of grooves 42 is not limited to three, and may be one, or two or more. The groove 42 is not limited to a spiral shape, and may be a spiral shape or an involute curve shape, or may be a shape extending in an arc from the center to the outer periphery.

[0024] 1, the lower surface 48 of the flat screw 40 faces the upper surface 52 of the barrel 50, and a space is formed between the groove portion 42 of the lower surface 48 of the flat screw 40 and the upper surface 52 of the barrel 50. Raw material MR is supplied to this space between the flat screw 40 and the barrel 50 from the material supply section 20 through the material inlet 44 shown in FIG.

[0025] 4 is a schematic plan view showing the upper surface 52 side of the barrel 50. A communication hole 56 is provided at the center of the barrel 50. A plurality of guide grooves 54 are formed on the upper surface 52 of the barrel 50, which are connected to the communication hole 56 and extend in a spiral shape from the communication hole 56 toward the outer periphery. One end of the guide groove 54 does not have to be connected to the communication hole 56. The guide groove 54 can also be omitted. As shown in FIG. 1, a barrel heater 58 is embedded in the barrel 50 to plasticize the raw material MR supplied into the groove portion 42 of the rotating flat screw 40 to generate a modeling material.

[0026] The raw material MR supplied into the groove 42 of the flat screw 40 flows along the groove 42 as the flat screw 40 rotates while being plasticized in the groove 42, and is guided to the center 46 of the flat screw 40 as a modeling material. The pasty modeling material that has flowed into the center 46 and exhibits fluidity is supplied to the discharge section 60 through a communication hole 56 provided at the center of the barrel 50. Note that in the modeling material, all types of substances that constitute the modeling material do not need to be plasticized. It is sufficient that the modeling material is converted into a state having fluidity as a whole by plasticizing at least some types of substances that constitute the modeling material.

[0027] The discharge section 60 in Figure 1 includes a nozzle 61 that discharges the modeling material heated by plasticization, a flow path 65 for the modeling material provided between the flat screw 40 and the nozzle opening 62, and a discharge control section 77 that controls the discharge of the modeling material.

[0028] The nozzle 61 is connected to the communication hole 56 of the barrel 50 through a flow path 65. The nozzle 61 discharges the modeling material generated in the plasticizing section 30 from a nozzle opening 62 at the tip toward the stage 210.

[0029] The discharge control unit 77 includes a discharge adjustment unit 70 that opens and closes the flow path 65, and a suction unit 75 that sucks in the modeling material and temporarily stores it.

[0030] The discharge adjustment unit 70 is provided in the flow path 65 and changes the opening degree of the flow path 65 by rotating in the flow path 65. In this embodiment, the discharge adjustment unit 70 is configured by a butterfly valve. The discharge adjustment unit 70 is driven by a first drive unit 74 under the control of the control unit 300. The first drive unit 74 is configured by, for example, a stepping motor. The control unit 300 can adjust the flow rate of the modeling material flowing from the plasticization unit 30 to the nozzle 61, that is, the discharge amount of the modeling material discharged from the nozzle 61, by controlling the rotation angle of the butterfly valve using the first drive unit 74. The discharge adjustment unit 70 can adjust the discharge amount of the modeling material and can control the on / off of the outflow of the modeling material.

[0031] The suction unit 75 is connected between the discharge adjustment unit 70 and the nozzle opening 62 in the flow path 65. When the discharge of the modeling material from the nozzle 61 stops, the suction unit 75 temporarily sucks the modeling material in the flow path 65, thereby suppressing the tailing phenomenon in which the modeling material hangs like a string from the nozzle opening 62. In this embodiment, the suction unit 75 is configured with a plunger. The suction unit 75 is driven by a second drive unit 76 under the control of the control unit 300. The second drive unit 76 is configured with, for example, a stepping motor or a rack-and-pinion mechanism that converts the rotational force of the stepping motor into translational motion of the plunger.

[0032] The stage 210 is disposed at a position facing the nozzle opening 62 of the nozzle 61. In the first embodiment, the modeling surface 211 of the stage 210 facing the nozzle opening 62 of the nozzle 61 is disposed so as to be parallel to the X and Y directions, i.e., the horizontal direction. The stage 210 is provided with a stage heater 212 for preventing the modeling material discharged onto the stage 210 from being suddenly cooled. The stage heater 212 is controlled by the control unit 300.

[0033] The position changer 230 changes the relative position between the stage 210 and the nozzle 61 under the control of the controller 300. In this embodiment, the position of the nozzle 61 is fixed, and the position changer 230 moves the stage 210. The position changer 230 is configured with a three-axis positioner that moves the stage 210 in three axial directions, the X, Y, and Z directions, by the driving forces of three motors. In this specification, unless otherwise specified, the movement of the nozzle 61 means the movement of the nozzle 61 and the discharge unit 60 relative to the stage 210.

[0034] In other embodiments, instead of a configuration in which the position changer 230 moves the stage 210, a configuration in which the position changer 230 moves the nozzle 61 relative to the stage 210 while the position of the stage 210 is fixed may be employed. Also, a configuration in which the position changer 230 moves the stage 210 in the Z direction and moves the nozzle 61 in the X and Y directions, or a configuration in which the position changer 230 moves the stage 210 in the X and Y directions and moves the nozzle 61 in the Z direction may be employed. Even with these configurations, the relative positional relationship between the nozzle 61 and the stage 210 can be changed.

[0035] The control unit 300 is a device that controls the overall operation of the three-dimensional printing apparatus 100. The control unit 300 is configured by a computer that includes one or more processors 310, a storage unit 320 including a main storage unit and an auxiliary storage unit, and an input / output interface that inputs and outputs signals to and from the outside. The processor 310 executes a computer program stored in the storage unit 320, thereby controlling the printing unit 110 and the position change unit 230 according to the printing data stored in the storage unit 320, and executing a printing process that prints a model on the stage 210. Note that the control unit 300 may be realized by a configuration in which circuits are combined, instead of being configured by a computer.

[0036] 5 is an explanatory diagram of the modeling process executed by the control unit 300. In the three-dimensional modeling apparatus 100, as described above, the raw material MR in a solid state is plasticized to generate the modeling material MM. The control unit 300 discharges the modeling material MM from the nozzle 61 while changing the position of the nozzle 61 relative to the stage 210 in a direction along the modeling surface 211 of the stage 210, while maintaining the distance between the nozzle 61 and the modeling surface 211 of the stage 210. The modeling material MM discharged from the nozzle 61 is continuously deposited in the movement direction of the nozzle 61.

[0037] The control unit 300 forms layers ML by repeatedly moving the nozzle 61. After forming one layer ML, the control unit 300 moves the position of the nozzle 61 relative to the stage 210 in the Z direction. Then, a model is formed by stacking further layers ML on the layers ML that have been formed so far.

[0038] The control unit 300 may temporarily suspend the discharge of the modeling material from the nozzle 61, for example, when the nozzle 61 moves in the Z direction after completing one layer ML or when there are multiple independent modeling regions in each layer. In this case, the discharge adjustment unit 70 closes the flow path 65 to stop the discharge of the modeling material MM from the nozzle opening 62, and the suction unit 75 temporarily sucks the modeling material in the nozzle 61. After changing the position of the nozzle 61, the control unit 300 opens the flow path 65 with the discharge adjustment unit 70 while discharging the modeling material in the suction unit 75, thereby resuming the deposition of the modeling material MM from the changed position of the nozzle 61.

[0039] 5 shows an example in which one model is printed on the printing surface 211. However, the control unit 300 can print multiple models on the printing surface 211 at the same time by stacking layers ML at different positions on the printing surface 211.

[0040] 6 is an explanatory diagram showing a schematic configuration of the information processing device 400. The information processing device 400 is configured as a computer in which a CPU 410, a memory 420, a storage unit 430, a communication interface 440, and an input / output interface 450 are connected to each other via a bus 460. An input device 470 such as a keyboard, a mouse, or a touch panel, and a display unit 480 such as a liquid crystal display are connected to the input / output interface 450. The input device 470 and the display unit 480 may be integrally provided in the information processing device 400. The information processing device 400 is realized by, for example, a personal computer, a tablet terminal, a smartphone, or the like.

[0041] The information processing device 400 is connected to the control unit 300 of the three-dimensional printing apparatus 100 via the communication interface 440. The information processing device 400 transmits printing data for printing a model and attribute information of the model to the control unit 300. The printing data includes, for each layer obtained by slicing the shape of the model into a plurality of slices, path information indicating the movement path of the nozzle 61 and discharge amount information indicating the discharge amount of the printing material on each movement path. The printing data is generated by slicer software executed by the CPU 410.

[0042] 7 is a diagram showing an example of attribute information of a model. Each model is associated with the following attribute information: a model ID, a user ID of a user who is going to model the model, a modeling position of the model on the modeling surface 211, a modeling difficulty level of the model, and a confidentiality level indicating the degree of confidentiality of the model. The confidentiality level is set by the user for each model. The modeling difficulty level is set by the CPU 410. The details of the modeling difficulty level will be described later.

[0043] Image data of the model captured by the imaging unit 240 is transmitted from the control unit 300 of the three-dimensional modeling apparatus 100 to the information processing device 400. Upon receiving the image data from the control unit 300, the CPU 410 of the information processing device 400 displays an image represented by the image data on the display unit 480.

[0044] Fig. 8 is a flowchart of the imaging process for controlling the imaging unit 240 to capture an image of a model. Fig. 9 is an explanatory diagram of the imaging process. This imaging process is a process that the control unit 300 repeatedly executes while the 3D printing device 100 is operating, such as during and after the execution of the above-mentioned printing process.

[0045] In step S10 of FIG. 8, the control unit 300 receives an operation instruction for the imaging unit 240 from the information processing device 400. The operation instruction includes a user ID of a user operating the information processing device 400 and imaging conditions. The imaging conditions include information instructing, for example, the imaging direction, zoom ratio, angle of view, etc. of the imaging unit 240. The user can specify an arbitrary imaging range in the internal space of the three-dimensional printing apparatus 100 by specifying the imaging direction, zoom ratio, and angle of view of the imaging unit 240 using the input device 470. The operation instruction includes a user ID. Therefore, the user is specified by the user ID.

[0046] 9 shows a state in which a first model MD1 of the user and a second model MD2 of another user are modeled on the modeling surface 211, and the first model MD1 is imaged by the imaging unit 240 and displayed on the display unit 480. By specifying the imaging range, the user can, for example, pan the imaging unit 240, as shown in the middle part of FIG.

[0047] In step S20, the control unit 300 determines whether or not a model of another user exists within the imaging range specified by the user. The control unit 300 knows the printing position on the printing surface 211 of each model of each user based on the attribute information received from the information processing device 400. Therefore, the control unit 300 can determine whether or not a model of another user exists within the imaging range based on the attribute information received from the information processing device 400 and the imaging range of the imaging unit 240.

[0048] If it is determined in step S20 that another user's model is present in the imaging range, the control unit 300 determines in step S30 whether or not the imaging range can be restricted. Restricting the imaging range means adjusting the angle of view and zoom ratio of the imaging unit 240 so that another user's model is not captured without changing the imaging direction.

[0049] If it is determined in step S30 that the imaging range can be restricted, the control unit 300 adjusts the angle of view and zoom ratio of the imaging unit 240 to restrict the imaging range so that models of other users are not captured.

[0050] If it is determined in step S20 that no model of another user is present in the imaging range, or if the imaging range is restricted in step S40, the control unit 300 outputs the captured image in step S50. Specifically, image data of the model captured by the imaging unit 240 is transmitted to the information processing device 400 and displayed on the display unit 480.

[0051] In step S30, when it is determined that the imaging range cannot be restricted, that is, when the model of another user is captured even if the angle of view or zoom ratio of the imaging unit 240 is adjusted, the control unit 300 skips the output of the captured image in step S50. In this way, the model of another user is not displayed on the display unit 480. When image data is not transmitted from the control unit 300, the CPU 410 of the information processing device 400 may display a predetermined mark indicating that the model cannot be displayed on the display unit 480, as shown in the lower part of FIG. 9. Note that, in step S30, when it is determined that the imaging range cannot be restricted, the imaging operation by the imaging unit 240 may be stopped instead of skipping the output of the captured image in step S50.

[0052] According to the three-dimensional printing system 10 of the first embodiment described above, the imaging unit 240 is disposed between the inner wall 101 and the outer wall 102 of the housing 105, and captures an image of the model on the printing surface 211 accommodated in the internal space via the first transparent member 103. This makes it possible to prevent the imaging unit 240 from being affected by heat in the internal space of the housing 105. As a result, the imaging unit 240 can stably capture an image of the model.

[0053] In this embodiment, at least a part of the imaging unit 240 is disposed in an upper corner space between the first frame portion 161 and the second frame portion 162 of the door 160 provided in the housing 105. Therefore, the imaging unit 240 can be disposed in the housing 105 so as not to be noticeable.

[0054] In this embodiment, a cover 108 that covers at least a part of the imaging unit 240 is provided inside the door 160 between the imaging unit 240 and the second transparent member 104. This makes it possible to prevent light incident from the second transparent member 104 from being reflected by the first transparent member 103 and being reflected in the imaging unit 240. Note that the cover 108 may be omitted.

[0055] In this embodiment, the first end 164 of the door 160 has an opening / closing axis DX for opening and closing the door 160, and the distance from the imaging unit 240 to the first end 164 is shorter than the distance from the imaging unit 240 to the second end 165 on the opposite side of the first end 164. This allows the wiring from the imaging unit 240 to the control unit 300 to be short. In addition, since the imaging unit 240 and the second end 165 can be spaced apart, it is possible to prevent the impact received by the second end 165 when the door 160 is opened or closed from being transmitted to the imaging unit 240.

[0056] Furthermore, in this embodiment, by performing the above-described imaging process, the control unit 300 adjusts the imaging range of the imaging unit 240 to capture an image of the first three-dimensional object corresponding to the first user and a second three-dimensional object corresponding to the second user, which are formed at different positions on the printing surface 211. The control unit 300 captures an image of the object corresponding to the designated user and does not capture an image of the object corresponding to a non-designated user. This makes it possible to prevent models of other users from being captured and displayed on the display unit 480.

[0057] Fig. 10 is a diagram showing another processing example of the imaging process in the first embodiment. In the above-mentioned first embodiment, in the imaging process shown in Fig. 8, when another user's model is present in the imaging range, the control unit 300 restricts the imaging range or stops output of the captured image. In contrast, as shown in Fig. 10, when another user's model is captured in the imaging range, the control unit 300 may perform image processing in real time on the area in which the other user's model is captured.

[0058] As such image processing, mosaic processing may be performed on the area where the model of the other user is captured, or a process of superimposing a predetermined mark may be performed. Such processing is called an obfuscation process. That is, the control unit 300 may form a first three-dimensional object corresponding to the first user and a second three-dimensional object corresponding to the second user at different positions on the printing surface 211, obfuscate the image capture range of the object corresponding to the undesignated user, and not obfuscate the image capture range of the object corresponding to the designated user. By doing so, even if the model of the other user is displayed on the display unit 480, the model can be made difficult to see.

[0059] In the above-described first embodiment, the imaging unit 240 is disposed between the inner wall 101 and the outer wall 102 that constitute the door 160. In contrast, the imaging unit 240 may be disposed in a portion of the housing 105 where the door 160 is not present. In this case, the portion of the inner wall 101 that corresponds to the imaging direction of the imaging unit 240 is formed by the first transparent member 103.

[0060] In the above-described first embodiment, the 3D printing apparatus 100 is provided with one imaging unit 240, and the imaging direction of the imaging unit 240 is changed to capture an image of the specified model. In contrast, the 3D printing apparatus 100 may be provided with a plurality of imaging units 240. In this case, instead of changing the imaging direction of the imaging unit 240, the imaging unit 240 closest to the specified model may be selected by the control unit 300, and the specified model may be captured by the selected imaging unit 240.

[0061] B. Second embodiment: Fig. 11 is a flowchart of the imaging process in the second embodiment. Fig. 12 is an explanatory diagram of the imaging process in the second embodiment. In the second embodiment, the contents of the imaging process are different from those in the first embodiment. The configuration of the three-dimensional printing system 10 in the second embodiment is the same as that in the first embodiment.

[0062] 11, the control unit 300 receives an operation instruction for the imaging unit 240 from the information processing device 400. As in the first embodiment, the operation instruction includes the user ID of the user operating the information processing device 400 and imaging conditions.

[0063] In step S110, the control unit 300 relatively darkens the illumination of the other user's model. Specifically, the control unit 300 controls the irradiation direction of the illumination 250 to illuminate the model of the user who issued the operation instruction to the imaging unit 240 and not illuminate the other user's model. Fig. 12 shows a state in which the model MD2 of the other user is displayed dark on the display unit 480 by not illuminating the model MD2 from the illumination 250.

[0064] In step S120, the control unit 300 outputs the captured image. Specifically, image data of the model captured by the imaging unit 240 is transmitted to the information processing device 400, and the image data is displayed on the display unit 480.

[0065] According to the second embodiment described above, of the first model MD1 and the second model MD2 formed at different positions on the printing surface 211, the control unit 300 can make the brightness of the unspecified objects relatively darker than the brightness of the specified objects by controlling the illumination 250. This makes it possible to prevent the unspecified models from being clearly imaged and displayed on the display unit 480.

[0066] In the second embodiment, the illumination 250 may be attached to the imaging section 240. In this way, the actuator for changing the imaging direction of the imaging section 240 and the actuator for changing the illumination direction of the illumination 250 can be made common.

[0067] In the second embodiment, lighting is applied to a model of the user who has issued an operational instruction to the imaging section 240, and lighting is not applied to models of other users. In contrast, the control section 300 may accept a designation of a model to be illuminated, regardless of the user who has issued an operational instruction to the imaging section 240, and may illuminate the designated model and not illuminate non-designated models.

[0068] In the second embodiment, the three-dimensional printing apparatus 100 may be provided with a plurality of lights 250 with different lighting directions. In this case, in step S110, the control unit 300 turns on the lights 250 whose lighting range includes the model of the user who issued the operation instruction to the imaging unit 240, and turns off the lights 250 whose lighting range includes the models of other users. This also allows the specified model to be clearly displayed on the display unit 480.

[0069] In the second embodiment, the three-dimensional printing system 10 may include a wide-area light that illuminates the entire internal space, in addition to the light 250 whose lighting direction is adjustable. In this case, the control unit 300 may turn off the wide-area light in step S110 described above when a model of another user is present on the printing surface 211. In this way, when a model of another user is present on the printing surface 211, the model of the other user can be made dark, and when a model of another user is not present on the printing surface 211, the entire internal space can be illuminated, so that the user's model can be clearly imaged.

[0070] C. Third embodiment: Fig. 13 is a flowchart of the modeling data correction process in the third embodiment. In the third embodiment, prior to the modeling process for modeling a model on the stage 210, the modeling data correction process shown in Fig. 13 is executed in the control unit 300. The configuration of the three-dimensional modeling system 10 in the third embodiment is the same as that in the first embodiment. In the third embodiment, the imaging process in the first and second embodiments may or may not be executed.

[0071] As shown in FIG. 13, in the shaping data correction process, in step S200, the control unit 300 acquires, from the information processing device 400, attribute information of each model included in the shaping data.

[0072] In step S210, the control unit 300 changes the modeling position or orientation of each model included in the modeling data with respect to the imaging unit 240, in accordance with the attribute information acquired in step S200.

[0073] FIG. 14 is an explanatory diagram showing a first example of the modeling data correction process. In FIG. 14, the control unit 300 changes the modeling position of each model according to the modeling difficulty of each model in step S210. The upper part of FIG. 14 shows the modeling position of each model before the change, and the lower part shows the modeling position after the change. In the example shown in FIG. 14, the third model MD3 has the highest modeling difficulty, followed by the fifth model MD5 and the fourth model MD4 has the lowest modeling difficulty. The control unit 300 sets the modeling position of the model with the highest modeling difficulty to the position closest to the imaging unit 240, as shown in the lower part of FIG. 14, and sets the modeling position of the model with the lowest modeling difficulty to the position farthest from the imaging unit 240. In other words, the control unit 300 positions the model with higher modeling difficulty closer to the imaging unit 240. In this way, the model with higher modeling difficulty can be captured in detail by the imaging unit 240 and displayed on the display unit 480.

[0074] The CPU 410 of the information processing device 400 sets the modeling difficulty level according to the number of facets. The number of facets refers to the number of meshes when the surface of a model is divided into triangular or quadrangular meshes. The model with a larger number of facets is more complex and more difficult to model. The number of facets includes the number of model facets and the number of support facets. The number of model facets is the number of facets of the substantial part of the model, and the number of support facets is the number of facets of the support part that supports the overhang part of the model when modeling the model. The CPU 410 ranks the modeling difficulty level, such as high, medium, or low, according to the number of model facets. For models with the same number of model facets, the model with a larger number of support facets is ranked higher than the model with a smaller number of support facets.

[0075] FIG. 15 is an explanatory diagram showing a second example of the modeling data correction process. The control unit 300 may change the orientation of each model so that the side surface of each model with high modeling difficulty faces the imaging unit 240. The upper part of FIG. 15 shows the orientation of each model before the change, and the lower part shows the orientation after the change. In FIG. 15, the orientations of the third model MD3 and the fifth model MD5 are changed. The control unit 300 analyzes the modeling data and determines that a surface with a high distribution rate of supports or a surface with a large change in shape of the surface of the supports is a surface with high modeling difficulty. The CPU 410 of the information processing device 400 may record information for identifying a surface with high modeling difficulty in the attribute information in advance.

[0076] FIG. 16 is an explanatory diagram showing a third example of the modeling data correction process. In FIG. 16, the control unit 300 changes the modeling position of each model according to the confidentiality level of each model in the above step S210. The upper part of FIG. 16 shows the modeling position of each model before the change, and the lower part shows the modeling position after the change. In the example shown in FIG. 16, the third model MD3 has the highest confidentiality level, followed by the fifth model MD5 and the fourth model MD4 has the lowest confidentiality level. As shown in the lower part of FIG. 16, the control unit 300 arranges each model so as to be lined up along the imaging direction of the imaging unit 240, and sets the modeling position of the model with the highest confidentiality level to the position farthest from the imaging unit 240, and sets the modeling position of the model with the lowest confidentiality level to the position closest to the imaging unit 240. In other words, the control unit 300 models the model with a low confidentiality level between the model with a high confidentiality level and the imaging unit 240. By doing this, models with a higher level of confidentiality are placed behind models with a lower level of confidentiality, thereby preventing the models with a higher level of confidentiality from being captured in detail by the imaging unit 240 and displayed on the display unit 480.

[0077] 14 to 16, the control unit 300 changes the modeling position or orientation of each model included in the modeling data in accordance with the modeling difficulty level and the confidentiality level. In contrast, the control unit 300 may determine the modeling position or orientation of each model from the beginning based on the modeling difficulty level and the confidentiality level when generating the modeling data, instead of changing the already-generated modeling data.

[0078] D. Fourth embodiment: 17 is a flowchart of a three-dimensional image generation process in the fourth embodiment. This three-dimensional image generation process is executed by the control unit 300 when a predetermined instruction is received from the user during or after the execution of the above-mentioned modeling process. In the fourth embodiment, the imaging process in the first and second embodiments and the modeling data correction process in the third embodiment may or may not be executed.

[0079] In the stereoscopic image generation process, in step S300, the control unit 300 uses the imaging unit 240 to capture images of the model on the printing surface 211 from a plurality of positions.

[0080] 18 is an explanatory diagram of the three-dimensional image generation process. In the fourth embodiment, the three-dimensional printing apparatus 100 is provided with a plurality of imaging units 240 attached at different positions. In the above step S310, the control unit 300 controls each imaging unit 240 to capture images of the model from a plurality of positions.

[0081] In step S310, the control unit 300 generates a stereoscopic image based on the imaging results of the model captured from a plurality of positions. A known algorithm can be used as an algorithm for generating the stereoscopic image, such as the volume intersection method.

[0082] In step S320 of Fig. 17, the control unit 300 outputs stereoscopic image data representing the generated stereoscopic image to the information processing device 400. The information processing device 400 uses the received stereoscopic image data to display a stereoscopic image of the model on the display unit 480. Fig. 18 shows an example in which a stereoscopic image generated by the control unit 300 is displayed on the display unit 480. The user can observe the shape and arrangement of the model from any viewpoint by operating the input device 470 of the information processing device 400. The stereoscopic image displayed on the display unit 480 can also be called a digital twin image.

[0083] According to the fourth embodiment described above, a model that has been formed or a model in the process of being formed can be captured from a plurality of positions by the imaging unit 240, whereby a three-dimensional image can be displayed on the display unit 480. Therefore, even if the internal space of the three-dimensional printing device 100 cannot be directly viewed, the arrangement and shape of the model can be confirmed from any viewpoint.

[0084] FIG. 19 is a diagram showing a first modified example of the fourth embodiment. In the above-mentioned fourth embodiment, a plurality of imaging units 240 are provided in the three-dimensional printing apparatus 100. In contrast, the imaging unit 240 may be configured to be movable around the printing surface 211 between the inner wall 101 and the outer wall 102 constituting the housing 105 of the three-dimensional printing apparatus 100. Specifically, as shown in FIG. 19, a rail 241 is arranged between the inner wall 101 and the outer wall 102 (not shown), and the imaging unit 240 is suspended from the rail 241 by a support unit 242. Then, the control unit 300 drives a motor provided in the support unit 242 according to a designated imaging position, and rotates a rotating body in contact with the rail 241 to move the imaging unit 240. In order to enable the imaging unit 240 to image the internal section, a first transparent member 103 is arranged in a portion of the inner wall 101 of the housing 105 corresponding to the moving range of the imaging unit 240. With this configuration, the control unit 300 can capture an image of the model from any position, so that a stereoscopic image can be generated with high accuracy.

[0085] FIG. 20 is a diagram showing a second modified example of the fourth embodiment. In the first modified example described above, the imaging unit 240 moves around the printing surface 211. In contrast, in the second modified example shown in FIG. 20, the position of the imaging unit 240 is fixed, and the printing surface 211 rotates. In this case, the position change unit 230 includes a motor for rotating the printing surface 211. Even with this configuration, as in the first modified example, the control unit 300 can capture an image of the model from any position, so that a three-dimensional image can be generated with high accuracy. Note that the configurations of the first and second modified examples described above are not limited to the fourth embodiment, and can also be applied to the first to third embodiments.

[0086] E. Other embodiments: (E1) In the above embodiment, the modeling unit 110 plasticizes the material by the flat screw 40. In contrast, the modeling unit 110 may plasticize the material by, for example, rotating an in-line screw. Also, the modeling unit 110 may plasticize a filament-shaped material by using a heater.

[0087] (E2) In each of the above embodiments, the processes executed by the control unit 300 of the 3D printing apparatus 100 may be executed by the CPU 410 of the information processing device 400. Furthermore, the processes executed by the CPU 410 of the information processing device 400 may be executed by the control unit 300 of the 3D printing apparatus 100. The control unit 300 of the 3D printing apparatus 100 and the CPU 410 of the information processing device 400 both correspond to the control unit in this application.

[0088] (E3) In the above embodiment, the door 160 is a door that opens and closes about the opening / closing axis DX. However, the door 160 may be a sliding door that slides along a rail.

[0089] F. Other forms: The present disclosure is not limited to the above-mentioned embodiment, and can be realized in various configurations without departing from the spirit of the present disclosure. For example, the technical features of the embodiments corresponding to the technical features in each form described below can be appropriately replaced or combined in order to solve some or all of the above-mentioned problems or to achieve some or all of the above-mentioned effects. Furthermore, if a technical feature is not described as essential in this specification, it can be appropriately deleted.

[0090] (1) According to a first aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided a three-dimensional printing system, comprising: a printing unit having a heater for plasticizing a material to generate a printing material and a nozzle for discharging the printing material, a stage having a printing surface on which the printing material is laminated, a position change unit for changing a relative position between the stage and the nozzle, an imaging unit arranged outside an outer edge of the printing surface when viewed from a direction perpendicular to the printing surface, a housing having an inner wall that partitions an internal space and an outer wall that is exposed to outside air and that houses the printing surface in the internal space, and a control unit that controls the printing unit and the position change unit based on printing data to print a three-dimensional object on the printing surface in the housing, wherein at least a part of the inner wall is made of a first transparent member, and the imaging unit is arranged between the inner wall and the outer wall and is configured to image the three-dimensional object on the printing surface housed in the internal space via the first transparent member. According to this embodiment, the imaging unit is disposed between the inner wall and the outer wall of the housing, and images the three-dimensional object on the modeling surface housed in the internal space through the first transparent member. This makes it possible to prevent the imaging unit from being affected by heat in the internal space of the housing. As a result, the imaging unit can stably capture an image of the three-dimensional object.

[0091] (2) In the above embodiment, the housing may have a door having a part of the inner wall and a part of the outer wall, the part of the inner wall constituting the door may be made of the first transparent member, the part of the outer wall constituting the door may be made of a second transparent member facing the first transparent member, the door may have a first frame portion surrounding the periphery of the first transparent member and a second frame portion surrounding the periphery of the second transparent member, and at least a part of the imaging unit may be disposed in a space at an upper corner of a space between the first frame portion and the second frame portion. According to this embodiment, the imaging unit can be disposed inconspicuously in the housing.

[0092] (3) In the above embodiment, a cover may be provided between at least a portion of the imaging unit and the second transparent member, the cover facing at least a portion of the second transparent member and covering at least a portion of the imaging unit. According to this embodiment, it is possible to prevent light incident from the second transparent member from being reflected by the first transparent member and being reflected on the imaging unit.

[0093] (4) In the above embodiment, the door may have a first end and a second end opposite to the first end, the first end may have an opening / closing axis for opening and closing the door, and the distance from the imaging unit to the first end may be shorter than the distance from the imaging unit to the second end. According to this embodiment, the wiring from the imaging unit to the control unit can be shortened. In addition, since the imaging unit and the second end can be spaced apart, it is possible to prevent the impact received by the second end when the door is opened or closed from being transmitted to the imaging unit.

[0094] (5) In the above embodiment, the imaging unit may be configured to adjust an imaging range, and the control unit may form a first three-dimensional object corresponding to a first user and a second three-dimensional object corresponding to a second user at different positions on the printing surface, and the control unit may adjust the imaging range to capture an image of the first three-dimensional object or the second three-dimensional object corresponding to a designated user and not capture an image of an object corresponding to a non-designated user. According to this embodiment, it is possible to prevent models of other users who have not been designated from being captured.

[0095] (6) In the above embodiment, the control unit may form a first three-dimensional object corresponding to a first user and a second three-dimensional object corresponding to a second user at different positions on the printing surface, and the control unit may obfuscate the imaging range of the objects corresponding to undesignated users, and may not obfuscate the imaging range of the objects corresponding to designated users. According to this embodiment, it is possible to make models of other users who have not been designated difficult to see.

[0096] (7) In the above embodiment, the imaging device may further include a light that illuminates the internal space, the light being configured to be able to adjust an illumination range, the control unit may form a first three-dimensional object and a second three-dimensional object at different positions on the printing surface, and the control unit may control the light to make a brightness of the first three-dimensional object or the second three-dimensional object that is not designated darker than a brightness of a designated object. This embodiment may prevent a model that is not designated from being clearly captured.

[0097] (8) In the above embodiment, the control unit may form a first three-dimensional object and a second three-dimensional object, which have different levels of difficulty of formation and / or different levels of confidentiality, at different positions on the printing surface.

[0098] (9) In the above embodiment, the control unit may determine at least one of a position and an orientation of the first three-dimensional object and the second three-dimensional object relative to the imaging unit, depending on at least one of the modeling difficulty level and the degree of confidentiality.

[0099] (10) In the above embodiment, the control unit may determine positions of the first and second three-dimensional objects with respect to the imaging unit such that the object with a higher degree of modeling difficulty is located closer to the imaging unit than the object with a lower degree of modeling difficulty. With this embodiment, the object with a higher degree of modeling difficulty can be imaged with high precision.

[0100] (11) In the above embodiment, the control unit may determine positions of the first and second three-dimensional objects with respect to the imaging unit such that the less concealable object of the first and second three-dimensional objects is located between the more concealable object and the imaging unit. With this embodiment, it is possible to prevent the more concealable three-dimensional object from being captured in detail by the imaging unit.

[0101] (12) In the above embodiment, the imaging unit may be configured to capture images of the three-dimensional object from a plurality of different positions, and the control unit may generate a stereoscopic image of the three-dimensional object based on the results of imaging by the imaging unit. According to this embodiment, by displaying the stereoscopic image, the arrangement and shape of the three-dimensional object can be confirmed from any viewpoint even when the internal space of the three-dimensional printing device cannot be directly viewed.

[0102] (13) In the above embodiment, the imaging unit may be configured to be movable around the periphery of the printing surface between the inner wall and the outer wall, and a portion of the inner wall corresponding to a range of movement of the imaging unit may be configured by the first transparent member. According to this embodiment, it is possible to capture an image of the three-dimensional object from any direction.

[0103] The present disclosure can be realized in various forms, including but not limited to the above-mentioned three-dimensional printing system, a three-dimensional printing device, an information processing device, a computer program, and a non-transitory tangible recording medium on which a computer program is recorded in a computer-readable manner. [Explanation of symbols]

[0104] 10...three-dimensional modeling system, 20...material supply section, 22...connecting passage, 30...plasticizing section, 31...screw case, 32...driving motor, 40...flat screw, 42...groove section, 43...ridge section, 44...material inlet, 46...center section, 47...upper surface, 48...lower surface, 50...barrel, 52...upper surface, 54...guide groove, 56...connecting hole, 58...barrel heater, 60...discharge section, 61...nozzle, 62...nozzle opening, 65...flow path, 70...discharge adjustment section, 74...first drive section, 75...suction section, 76...second drive section, 77...discharge control section, 100...three-dimensional modeling device, 101...inner wall, 102...outer wall, 103...first transparent member, 104...second transparent member, 10 5...housing, 106...window, 108...cover, 109...cooling section, 110...modeling section, 160...door, 161...first frame section, 162...second frame section, 163...handle, 164...first end section, 165...second end section, 210...stage, 211...modeling surface, 212...stage heater, 230...position changing section, 240...imaging section, 241...rail, 242...support section, 250...lighting, 300...control section, 310...processor, 320...storage section, 400...information processing device, 410...CPU, 420...memory, 430...storage section, 440...communication interface, 450...input / output interface, 460...bus, 470...input device, 480...display section

Claims

1. A modeling unit having a heater for plasticizing a material to generate a modeling material and a nozzle for ejecting the modeling material; a stage having a modeling surface on which the modeling material is deposited; a position changing unit that changes a relative position between the stage and the nozzle; an imaging unit disposed outside an outer edge of the printing surface when viewed from a direction perpendicular to the printing surface; a housing having an inner wall that defines an internal space and an outer wall that is exposed to outside air, the housing housing the modeling surface in the internal space; a control unit that controls the modeling unit and the position changing unit based on modeling data to model a three-dimensional object on the modeling surface inside the housing; Equipped with At least a portion of the inner wall is made of a first transparent member, the imaging unit is disposed between the inner wall and the outer wall, and is configured to image the three-dimensional object on the modeling surface accommodated in the internal space via the first transparent member. Three-dimensional modeling system.

2. The three-dimensional printing system according to claim 1 , the housing has a door having a portion of the inner wall and a portion of the outer wall; A part of the inner wall constituting the door is formed of the first transparent member, a part of the outer wall constituting the door is formed of a second transparent member facing the first transparent member, the door has a first frame portion surrounding the periphery of the first transparent member and a second frame portion surrounding the periphery of the second transparent member, at least a portion of the imaging unit is disposed in an upper corner space of a space between the first frame portion and the second frame portion.

3. The three-dimensional printing system according to claim 2, a cover between at least a portion of the imaging unit and the second transparent member, the cover facing at least a portion of the second transparent member and covering at least a portion of the imaging unit.

4. The three-dimensional printing system according to claim 2, the door has a first end and a second end opposite the first end; The first end portion has an opening / closing shaft for opening and closing the door, a distance from the imaging unit to the first end is shorter than a distance from the imaging unit to the second end.

5. The three-dimensional printing system according to claim 1 , The imaging unit is configured to be able to adjust an imaging range, the control unit forms a first three-dimensional object corresponding to a first user and a second three-dimensional object corresponding to a second user at different positions on the formation surface; the control unit adjusts the imaging range to capture an image of the first three-dimensional object and the second three-dimensional object that corresponds to a designated user, and does not capture an image of an object that corresponds to a non-designated user.

6. The three-dimensional printing system according to claim 1 , the control unit forms a first three-dimensional object corresponding to a first user and a second three-dimensional object corresponding to a second user at different positions on the formation surface; The control unit obfuscates an imaging range of a model corresponding to an undesignated user, and does not obfuscate an imaging range of a model corresponding to a designated user.

7. The three-dimensional printing system according to claim 1 , A light that illuminates the interior space is provided. The illumination is configured to be adjustable in illumination range, The control unit forms a first three-dimensional object and a second three-dimensional object at different positions on the printing surface, The control unit controls the lighting to make the brightness of a non-specified object, of the first three-dimensional object and the second three-dimensional object, relatively darker than the brightness of a specified object.

8. The three-dimensional printing system according to claim 1 , The control unit forms a first three-dimensional object and a second three-dimensional object, which have different levels of difficulty of formation and / or different levels of confidentiality, at different positions on the printing surface.

9. The three-dimensional printing system according to claim 8, The control unit determines at least one of positions and orientations of the first three-dimensional object and the second three-dimensional object with respect to the imaging unit, in accordance with at least one of the modeling difficulty level and the degree of secrecy.

10. The three-dimensional printing system according to claim 9, The control unit determines positions of the first three-dimensional object and the second three-dimensional object relative to the imaging unit such that, of the first three-dimensional object and the second three-dimensional object, the object having a higher degree of difficulty to be formed is positioned closer to the imaging unit than the object having a lower degree of difficulty to be formed.

11. The three-dimensional printing system according to claim 9, The control unit determines positions of the first three-dimensional object and the second three-dimensional object relative to the imaging unit such that, of the first three-dimensional object and the second three-dimensional object, the less concealable object is located between the more concealable object and the imaging unit.

12. The three-dimensional printing system according to claim 1 , The imaging unit is configured to be able to image the three-dimensional object from a plurality of different positions, The control unit generates a stereoscopic image of the three-dimensional object based on an imaging result by the imaging unit.

13. The three-dimensional printing system according to claim 1 , The imaging unit is configured to be movable around the printing surface between the inner wall and the outer wall, a portion of the inner wall corresponding to a range of movement of the imaging unit is formed by the first transparent member.

Images