Additive manufacturing apparatus and method for manufacturing manufactured objects

Abstract

When manufacturing objects using an additive manufacturing apparatus that uses a powder bed fusion method, even with powders that have poor fluidity, a relatively simple configuration can suppress clogging of the powder in the apparatus and enable the supply of powder to the powder bed. [Solution] The additive manufacturing apparatus using a powder bed fusion method comprises a powder bed on which the powder to be melted is placed, a base surrounding at least a portion of the periphery of the powder bed, a hopper for storing the powder, and a feeder for supplying the powder in the hopper to the surface of the powder bed. The apparatus also includes a movable body that reciprocates in one direction along the surface of the powder bed while supplying powder from the feeder to the powder bed, and a vibration generator that includes an elastic body placed on either the base or the movable body, and generates vibrations by deforming and restoring the elastic body when an external force is applied from the reciprocating movable body. The vibration generator is positioned so as to be able to transmit vibrations from the elastic body to the hopper.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a laminated manufacturing apparatus that shapes by a powder bed fusion bonding method, and a method for manufacturing a shaped object using the apparatus.

Background Art

[0002] A laminated manufacturing apparatus using the powder bed fusion (PBF) method is known. In this apparatus, a process such as laser irradiation is performed on a powder bed covered with powder, the powder at a predetermined position of the powder bed is melted and solidified, and then a new powder layer is laminated on the powder bed, and the same process is repeated to manufacture a three-dimensional shaped object. This apparatus has, for example, a hopper for storing powder and a feeder for supplying the powder in the hopper to the powder bed. The feeder supplies powder to the powder bed while reciprocating in one direction above the powder bed.

[0003] In the above-described manufacturing apparatus, since a shaped object is manufactured by repeatedly supplying powder to the powder bed, for example, it is required to stably supply powder to the powder bed. Therefore, Patent Document 1 discloses a technique for suppressing clogging of the powder in the feeder by applying vibration to the feeder with an actuator provided in the apparatus.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0004]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0005] However, the technology described in Patent Document 1 has a complex apparatus configuration and requires a separate power source to drive the actuator motor. Furthermore, depending on the type of powder and the operating environment of the apparatus, it may be desirable to minimize power consumption around the apparatus in order to reduce electrical effects such as static electricity on the powder.

[0006] Therefore, the present disclosure aims to suppress clogging of powder in the apparatus and enable the supply of powder to the powder bed with a relatively simple configuration, even when using a powder bed fusion method to manufacture an object. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] A powder bed fusion additive manufacturing apparatus according to one aspect of the present disclosure comprises: a powder bed on which powder to be melted is arranged; a base surrounding at least a portion of the periphery of the powder bed; a hopper for storing the powder; and a feeder for supplying the powder in the hopper to the surface of the powder bed. The apparatus further comprises: a moving body that reciprocates in one direction along the surface of the powder bed while supplying the powder from the feeder to the powder bed; and a vibration generator that includes an elastic body disposed on either the base or the moving body, and generates vibrations by deforming and restoring the elastic body when an external force is applied from the reciprocating moving body, wherein the vibration generator is arranged to transmit vibrations from the elastic body to the hopper. [Effects of the Invention]

[0008] According to one aspect of this disclosure, when manufacturing an object using an additive manufacturing apparatus that uses a powder bed fusion method, even with powders that have poor fluidity, clogging of the powder in the apparatus can be suppressed with a relatively simple configuration, and the powder can be efficiently supplied to the powder bed. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0009] [Figure 1] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of an additive manufacturing apparatus according to the first embodiment. [Figure 2] Figure 2 is a top view showing a partial configuration of the additive manufacturing apparatus shown in Figure 1. [Figure 3] Figure 3 is a perspective view showing the hopper and its surroundings as shown in Figure 1. [Figure 4] Figure 4 is a magnified view of a portion of the vibration generator shown in Figure 3. [Figure 5] Figure 5 is a top view showing a partial configuration of the additive manufacturing apparatus according to the second embodiment. [Figure 6] Figure 6 is a top view showing a partial configuration of the additive manufacturing apparatus according to the third embodiment. [Figure 7] Figure 7 is a schematic diagram showing the configuration of a vibration generator according to the first modified example. [Figure 8] Figure 8 is a schematic diagram showing the configuration of a vibration generator according to the second modified example. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0010] Embodiments and modified examples will be described below with reference to the drawings. (First Embodiment) Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of an additive manufacturing apparatus 1 (hereinafter also simply referred to as "apparatus 1") according to the first embodiment. Figure 1 shows a schematic cross-sectional view of apparatus 1. Figure 2 is a top view showing a partial configuration of apparatus 1 in Figure 1. In Figure 2, the cover 7 is omitted, and the powder bed PB, mobile body 4, base 6, and vibration generator 8 are shown. Also in Figure 2, the mobile body 4, which has moved above the powder bed PB to the left edge of the page, is shown by a dashed line, and the direction of movement of the mobile body 4 is shown by a double-headed arrow.

[0011] Apparatus 1 is an additive manufacturing apparatus that creates objects by melting and bonding powder P based on a powder bed fusion bonding method. Apparatus 1 is also called a 3D printer. As shown in Figures 1 and 2, Apparatus 1 has an external shape with the X direction as the longitudinal direction, the Y direction as the depth direction, and the Z direction as the height direction. Apparatus 1 comprises a powder bed PB, a mobile table 2, an irradiation unit 3, a mobile body 4, a mobile mechanism 5, a control device C, a base 6, a cover 7, and a vibration generator 8. As will be described in detail later, in Apparatus 1, the vibration generator 8 generates vibrations due to the driving force of the mobile mechanism 5 for moving the mobile body 4, and these vibrations are applied to the hopper 40 that stores the powder P of the mobile body 4. As a result, Apparatus 1 is configured to suppress clogging of the powder P in the hopper 40 and feeder 41 and to stably supply powder P to the powder bed PB, without requiring a dedicated drive source to drive the vibration generator 8.

[0012] In the specific configuration of apparatus 1, the powder to be melted P is placed on the powder bed PB. The powder P is spread across the entire powder bed PB. When apparatus 1 is operated, the powder P is melted and then solidified by irradiation with a predetermined energy beam B. The powder bed PB includes multiple powder layers PL arranged in a vertical direction. The powder P contained in each powder layer PL melts, combines with each other, and solidifies, thereby manufacturing the molded object.

[0013] The details of the powder bed fusion bonding method are not limited. Therefore, the material of the powder P is not limited, and examples include metals, ceramics, resins, etc. The method for manufacturing the powder P is also not limited, and examples include various atomization methods. In this embodiment, the powder P is, as an example, a metal powder manufactured by the water atomization method. Because the interparticle gaps of this metal powder are relatively small, it usually tends to clog containers such as hoppers and pipes. The particle size of the powder P is not limited. The particle size of the powder P is, for example, in the range of several μm to several tens of μm. As an example, the average particle size of the powder P is in the range of 10 μm or less. This average particle size refers to the value measured by the laser diffraction / scattering method in accordance with JIS Z 8825:2013.

[0014] The moving table 2 has a table surface 2a that supports the powder bed PB from below, and moves so as to position the table surface 2a downward by a predetermined distance (for example, a distance corresponding to the thickness of the powder layer PL) at a predetermined timing. As a result, in the powder bed PB, every time a new powder layer PL is disposed on the powder layer PL where the powder P has melted and solidified, the height position of the outermost surface of the powder bed PB is maintained at a predetermined reference position.

[0015] The irradiation unit 3 is disposed above the powder bed PB and irradiates the powder P in the powder bed PB with an energy beam B. This energy beam B is, for example, a laser beam or an electron beam. The irradiation unit includes, as an example, an emission mechanism that emits the energy beam B and an adjustment mechanism that adjusts the emission direction of the energy beam B from the emission mechanism. In the apparatus 1, the irradiation unit 3 is not essential. For example, when a predetermined liquid is dropped onto the powder P in the powder bed PB to heat and solidify the powder (in other words, when adopting a method such as MJF (Multi Jet Fusion)), a liquid dropping unit may be used instead of the irradiation unit 3.

[0016] The moving body 4 supplies the powder P to the powder bed PB while reciprocating in one direction (hereinafter, also simply referred to as "one direction") along the surface of the powder bed PB. The one direction in this embodiment coincides with the X direction. The moving body 4 includes a hopper 40 that stores the powder P, a feeder 41 that supplies the powder P in the hopper 40 to the surface of the powder bed PB, a recoater 42 that diffuses the powder P discharged from the feeder 41 on the surface of the powder bed PB, and a support member 43 that supports the hopper 4 together with the recoater 42 movably.

[0017] The feeder 41 is connected to the hopper 40. The feeder 41 in this embodiment is directly connected to the lower part of the hopper 40. The feeder 41 may be indirectly connected to the hopper 40 via a member such as a supply pipe.

[0018] The ricoter 42 is a long member extending in a direction orthogonal to a certain direction (hereinafter, also simply referred to as the "orthogonal direction"). The orthogonal direction in this embodiment coincides with the depth (Y) direction of the apparatus 1. The ricoter 42 makes the powder P discharged from the feeder 41 contact the side surface 42a extending in the longitudinal direction, and diffuses it in the orthogonal direction. Note that the apparatus 1 may be provided with a diffusion member such as a roller that rotates along the surface of the powder bed PB to diffuse the powder P instead of the ricoter 42.

[0019] The support member 43 is a long member extending in the orthogonal direction. The portion of the support member 43 that overlaps with the slit 41b (see FIG. 3) of the feeder 41 is open in the vertical (Z) direction. The hopper 40 and the feeder 41 are arranged at positions inside both longitudinal ends of the ricoter 42.

[0020] The moving mechanism 5 reciprocates the moving body 4 in one direction. The moving mechanism 5 is attached to the base 6 as an example and is connected to a part of the moving body 4 (here, the support member 43). The moving mechanism 5 in this embodiment is a ball screw mechanism and includes at least one screw shaft 50 that extends in one direction and is pivotally supported, and an electric motor M that rotationally drives the screw shaft 50. The rotational driving force of the screw shaft 50 transmitted from the electric motor M is transmitted to the moving body 4 via the thread 50a arranged on the circumferential surface of the screw shaft 50. Note that the configuration of the moving mechanism 5 is not limited to this, and it may have any known configuration. As shown in FIG. 2, the reciprocating movement range of the moving body 4 moved by the moving mechanism 5 includes an in-bed range A1 where the moving body 4 vertically overlaps with the powder bed PB, and an out-of-bed range A2 where the moving body 4 is located outside one direction of the in-bed range A1.

[0021] The control device C controls the mobile table 2, the irradiation unit 3, and the moving mechanism 5. The control device C includes an arithmetic unit that performs predetermined calculations and a storage unit that stores the control program read by the arithmetic unit. The arithmetic unit is implemented by a processor such as a CPU, and the storage unit is implemented by memory such as ROM or RAM. As shown in Figure 1, the control device C may include a personal computer as an example. The device 1 may also include multiple control devices that individually control at least one of the mobile table 2, the irradiation unit 3, and the moving mechanism 5.

[0022] As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the base 6 surrounds at least a portion of the periphery of the powder bed PB from the horizontal direction. In this embodiment, the base 6 surrounds the entire periphery of the powder bed PB. The base 6 is a stationary member relative to the installation surface of the device 1. In contrast, the moving body 4 moves relative to the base 6 when the device 1 is driven. The base 6 has, as an example, a plate-shaped upper surface 6a. The upper surface 6a includes an opening 6b in which the powder bed PB is placed. The configuration of the base 6 is not limited to this.

[0023] The cover 7 is positioned above the base 6 so as to cover at least the powder bed PB, the irradiation unit 3, and the mobile body 4. The internal space S located inside the cover 7 is filled with a predetermined gas, such as air or an inert gas. However, the cover 7 may be omitted if it is not necessary to set the atmosphere for the powder bed PB.

[0024] The vibration generator 8 suppresses clogging of the powder P in the hopper 40 and feeder 41 by applying vibration to the hopper 40 when the device 1 is driven. The vibration generator 8 is positioned so as to be able to transmit vibration to the hopper 40. The vibration generator 8 has an elastic body located on either the base 6 or the moving body 4. The vibration generator 8 generates vibration by deforming and restoring the elastic body when an external force is applied from the reciprocating moving body 4.

[0025] As another example, the vibration generator 8 further includes a textured member. This textured member is fixed to either the moving body 4 or the base 6 and has a textured surface. The elastic body is fixed to the other of either the moving body 4 or the base 6. When the elastic body comes into contact with or separates from the textured surface of the textured member, the elastic body deforms and returns to its original shape, generating vibration. This vibration from the elastic body is transmitted to the hopper 40.

[0026] Specifically, as shown in Figures 1 and 2, the vibration generator 8 of this embodiment has an elastic body 80 and a textured member 81. In this embodiment, as an example, the elastic body 80 is fixed to the movable body 4, and the textured member 81 is fixed to the base 6 so as to be in contact with the elastic body 80. The elastic body 80 is fixed to the movable body 4 directly or indirectly by another member. The elastic body 80 includes, as an example, a metal plate which is a leaf spring. This metal plate is attached to the side of the hopper 40. The textured member 81 is fixed to the base 6 directly or indirectly by another member. The textured member 81 includes a male screw 82 and a support base 83 which supports the male screw 82 and is fixed to the base 6. The textured surface 81c of the textured member 81 includes the circumferential surface of the male screw 82.

[0027] Figure 3 is a perspective view showing the hopper 40 and its surroundings in Figure 1. Figure 4 is a partially enlarged view of the vibration generator 8 in Figure 3. In Figure 3, the powder P inside the hopper 40 is omitted. The arrows in Figure 4 indicate the relative movement direction of the elastic body 80 with respect to the male screw 82. As shown in Figures 3 and 4, the male screw 82 is positioned to extend in one direction (X). The elastic body 80, which includes a metal plate, is positioned such that when it comes into contact with the male screw 82, a portion of its plate surface (in this embodiment, the end portion 80a of the plate surface of the elastic body 80) fits into the thread groove 82a of the male screw 82. As a result, when the elastic body 80 moves relative to the male screw 82 in one direction, it vibrates at the timing when a portion of the elastic body 80 fits into the thread groove 82a and at the timing when that portion disengages from the thread groove 82a. This vibration changes depending on conditions such as the material of the elastic body 80, the movement speed of the moving body 4, or the depth of the thread groove 82a.

[0028] The hopper 40 has a cylindrical shape (for example, a rectangular cylinder) with a cylindrical shaft extending in the vertical direction. The hopper 40 and the feeder 41 are connected in the vertical direction. The hopper 40 has a receiver 40a to which the vibrations are transmitted. The receiver 40a includes a resin plate or a metal plate. Examples of resin plate materials include polyethylene terephthalate (PET) and polypropylene (PP). In this embodiment, the hopper 40 is, for example, a resin product made of a resin plate having a thickness in the range of 0.1 mm to 1 mm, and is integrally formed with the receiver 40a. The receiver 40a may be made of a separate component from the hopper 40.

[0029] The receiver 40a is positioned in contact with, for example, the elastic body 80 or the uneven member 81 (in this embodiment, the elastic body 80). Preferably, the receiver 40a is positioned relatively close to the slit 41b and in a position where the hopper 40 is subjected to appropriate vibration from the vibration generator 8, so that, for example, the powder P in the hopper 40 is discharged from the slit 41b of the feeder 41 by its own weight. If the hopper 40 is a long member extending in the vertical (Z) direction, preferably, the receiver 40a is positioned so as to overlap with, for example, a region below the longitudinal center of the hopper 40 (for example, a region from the lower end of the hopper 40 to a height of 1 / 3 of the longitudinal length of the hopper 40).

[0030] The feeder 41 includes a support wall 41a that supports the powder P supplied from the hopper 40 from below, and at least one slit 41b that penetrates the support wall 41a. In this embodiment, the support wall 41a is, for example, a plate member attached to the lower end of a cylindrical hopper 40. The slit 41b is a supply hole that supplies the powder P from the hopper 40 to the powder bed PB. The opening shape of the slit 41b is not limited.

[0031] As shown in Figure 2, the uneven member 81 in this embodiment is positioned such that its contact point with the elastic body 80 is located in the out-of-floor range A2. As a result, the vibration generator 8 is configured, for example, to generate vibration when the moving body 4 is located in the out-of-floor range A2, and to stop the vibration when the moving body 4 is located in the in-floor range A1.

[0032] When the apparatus 1, which has the above configuration, is driven, the electric motor M of the moving mechanism 5 is rotationally driven by the control device C. The rotational force of the electric motor M rotates the screw shaft 50, and the rotational force of the screw shaft 50 is transmitted to the moving body 4. As a result, the moving body 4 moves back and forth in one direction so as to traverse the surface of the powder bed PB. The powder P stored in the hopper 40 is discharged by its own weight through the slit 41b of the feeder 41 located below the hopper 40. The powder P is diffused in a perpendicular direction by the recoater 42 and supplied to the surface of the powder bed PB. As a result, a powder layer PL is formed.

[0033] Subsequently, the energy beam B is irradiated from the irradiation unit 3 towards a predetermined position on the surface of the powder bed PB, causing the powder P at that position to melt and solidify. Once the irradiation of the energy beam B to the surface of the powder bed PB exposed to the internal space S is complete, the control device C moves the moving table 2 downward by a certain distance (in this embodiment, a distance equivalent to the thickness of the powder layer PL).

[0034] Subsequently, the control device C drives the moving mechanism 5 again, supplying powder P to the surface of the powder bed PB in the same manner as before, and forming a new powder layer PL on top of the previously formed powder layer PL. Once the energy beam B has finished irradiating all the powder layers PL, the object is manufactured. The object is removed from the powder bed PB. The remaining powder P in the powder bed PB is recovered and reused.

[0035] While the device 1 is in operation, the vibration generator 8 generates vibrations by deforming and restoring the elastic body 80 when an external force is applied from the moving body 4, which moves back and forth in one direction. For example, when the elastic body 80 moves relative to the male screw 82 in one direction, it vibrates at the timing when a part of the elastic body 80 fits into the groove 82a of the male screw 82 and at the timing when that part disengages from the groove 82a of the male screw 82. This vibration is transmitted to the receiver 40a of the hopper 40, causing at least a part (all in this embodiment) of both the hopper 40 and the feeder 41 to vibrate. As a result, the device 1 suppresses clogging of the powder P in the hopper 40 without using a special drive source to drive the vibration generator 8.

[0036] As explained above, with the apparatus 1, the vibration generator 8 transmits vibrations from the elastic body 80 to the hopper 40, causing the hopper 40 to vibrate and suppressing clogging of the powder P in the hopper 40. As a result, even when using powder P with poor fluidity and manufacturing molded objects by repeating many processes, the powder P can be stably supplied from the feeder 41 to the powder bed PB. Furthermore, since vibration is generated by deforming and restoring the elastic body 80 by applying an external force from the moving body 4 which moves back and forth in one direction, a dedicated power source such as an electric motor to vibrate the hopper 40 is unnecessary. Therefore, the configuration for vibrating the hopper 40 to suppress clogging of the powder P in the apparatus 1 can be simplified, and power consumption around the apparatus 1 can be reduced.

[0037] Furthermore, the reciprocating movement range of the mobile body 4 in this embodiment includes an in-floor range A1 that overlaps vertically with the powder bed PB, and an out-of-floor range A2 located outside the in-floor range A1 in one direction. The vibration generator 8 is configured to generate vibration when the mobile body 4 is located in the out-of-floor range A2 and to stop vibration when the mobile body 4 is located in the in-floor range A1. As a result, the hopper 40 can be vibrated by the vibration generator 8 only when the mobile body 4 is located in the out-of-floor range A2. Therefore, it is possible to suppress the dropping of powder P from the feeder 41 onto the powder bed PB immediately after the hopper 40 is subjected to vibration by the vibration generator 8, and to make it easier to place an appropriate amount of powder P on the powder bed PB.

[0038] Furthermore, the vibration generator 8 of this embodiment includes, as an example, a textured member 81 having an uneven surface 81c, which is fixed to either the moving body 4 or the base 6. An elastic body 80 is fixed to the other of the moving body 4 or the base 6. When the elastic body 80 comes into contact with or separates from the uneven surface 81c of the textured member 81, the elastic body 80 deforms and returns to its original state, generating vibration. With this configuration, vibration can be generated with a relatively simple structure by the elastic body 80 coming into contact with or separating from the uneven surface 81c of the textured member 81. Also, for example, by forming the uneven shape of the uneven surface 81c uniformly, it is possible to generate stable vibration more easily.

[0039] Furthermore, the elastic body 80 in this embodiment includes a metal plate. This allows the elastic body 80 to be constructed relatively simply by utilizing the elastic force of the metal plate. Also, for example, by changing the thickness or material of the metal plate, it is possible to easily adjust the vibrations transmitted to the hopper 40.

[0040] Furthermore, the uneven member 81 of this embodiment includes a male screw 82, and the uneven surface 81c includes the circumferential surface of the male screw 82. With this configuration, for example, by bringing the threads and grooves 82a of the male screw 82 into contact with the elastic body 80, stable vibrations can be generated with a relatively simple structure. Also, for example, by changing the pitch and depth of the grooves 82a of the screw, the vibrations transmitted to the hopper 40 can be easily adjusted.

[0041] Furthermore, the hopper 40 of this embodiment has a receiver 40a to which vibrations are transmitted, and the receiver 40a includes a resin plate or a metal plate. By using a receiver 40a that includes a resin plate or a metal plate in this way, vibrations from the vibration generator 8 are transmitted to the receiver 40a, and the hopper 40 can be stably vibrated even with a relatively small force.

[0042] As described above, the method for manufacturing a molded object using the apparatus 1 of this embodiment includes a first step S1 of spreading powder P to be melted onto a powder bed PB, which is at least partially surrounded by a base 6, and a second step S2 of supplying powder P to the powder bed PB from the feeder 41 while using a mobile body 4 which has a hopper 40 for storing powder P and a feeder 41 for supplying powder P from the hopper 40 to the surface of the powder bed PB, and reciprocating the mobile body 4 in one direction along the surface of the powder bed PB. In this second step S2, an elastic body 80 is placed on either the base 6 or the mobile body 4, and an external force is applied from the reciprocating mobile body 4 to deform and restore the elastic body 80, generating vibrations, which are then transmitted to the hopper 40.

[0043] According to this manufacturing method, in the second step S2, the vibration generator 8 transmits vibrations from the elastic body 80 to the hopper 40, thereby vibrating the hopper 40 and suppressing clogging of the powder P in the hopper 40. As a result, even when using powder P with poor fluidity and manufacturing molded objects by repeating many steps, the powder P can be stably supplied from the feeder 41 to the powder bed PB. Furthermore, since vibration is generated by deforming and restoring the elastic body 80 by applying an external force from the moving body 4 which moves back and forth in one direction, a dedicated power source for vibrating the hopper 40 is unnecessary. Therefore, the configuration for vibrating the hopper 40 to suppress clogging of the powder P in the apparatus 1 can be simplified, and power consumption around the apparatus 1 can be reduced.

[0044] In the second step S2, as an example, the reciprocating movement range of the reciprocating body 4 is set to include an in-floor area A1 that overlaps with the powder bed PB in the vertical direction, and an out-of-floor area A2 that is located outside the in-floor area A1 in one direction. Furthermore, the mobile body 4 is positioned such that it generates vibration when it is in the out-of-floor area A2 and stops vibration when it is in the in-floor area A1. With the mobile body 4 in this position, powder P is supplied to the powder bed PB from the feeder 41.

[0045] According to the above method, in the second step S2, the hopper 40 can be vibrated only when the mobile body 4 is located in the area A2 outside the floor. Therefore, it is possible to suppress the powder P from falling from the feeder 41 onto the powder bed PB immediately after the hopper 40 is vibrated, and to make it easier to place an appropriate amount of powder P on the powder bed PB. The following describes other embodiments and modifications, focusing on the differences from the first embodiment.

[0046] (Second Embodiment) Figure 5 is a top view showing a partial configuration of the additive manufacturing apparatus 101 according to the second embodiment. The vibration generator 108 of the apparatus 101 includes an elastic body 180 and a textured member 181. The textured member 181 is positioned at a location perpendicular to the manufacturing area, which is the area of ​​the apparatus 101 where the powder bed PB is placed. The male screw 182 of the textured member 181 is positioned to extend in one direction (X). The elastic body 180 includes a metal plate extending in the perpendicular (Y) direction. The elastic body 180 has, as an example, a bent portion 180a located at the end in the longitudinal (Y) direction. A part of the elastic body 180 (the bent portion 180a in this embodiment) extends toward the textured member 181 and is positioned to fit into the grooves of the male screw 182.

[0047] When the device 101 is driven, the elastic body 180 vibrates when it moves relative to the male screw 182 in one direction, at the timing when a part of the elastic body 180 engages with the groove of the male screw 182 and at the timing when that part disengages from the groove of the male screw 182. This vibration is transmitted to the hopper 40. The device 101, having such a configuration, produces almost the same effect as the device 1.

[0048] (Third embodiment) Figure 6 is a top view showing a partial configuration of the additive manufacturing apparatus 201 according to the third embodiment. The vibration generator 208 of the apparatus 201 includes an elastic body 280 and a grooved member 281. The elastic body 280 is attached to a support base 283 and fixed to the base 6. In this embodiment, the elastic body 280 is positioned at a location separated in one direction from the manufacturing area of ​​the apparatus 201 where the powder bed PB is arranged. The elastic body 280 includes a metal plate extending in one direction. The grooved member 281 includes a male screw 282 extending in one direction and is fixed to the hopper 40 of the mobile body 4. The elastic body 280 has a portion (a bent portion 280a in this embodiment) that extends toward the male screw 282. This portion of the elastic body 280 is positioned so that a portion of it fits into the grooves of the male screw 282.

[0049] When the device 201 is driven, the elastic body 280 vibrates when it moves relative to the male screw 282 in one direction, at the timing when a part of the elastic body 280 fits into the groove of the male screw 282 and at the timing when that part disengages from the groove of the male screw 282. This vibration is transmitted to the hopper 40. The device 201 with such a configuration also produces almost the same effect as the device 1. Thus, in the vibration generator 208, the elastic body 280 may be fixed to the base 6 and the uneven member 281 may be fixed to the moving body 4.

[0050] (First variation) Figure 7 is a schematic diagram showing the configuration of the vibration generator 308 according to the first modified example. Figure 7 shows a cross-section of a part of the hopper 340. As shown in Figure 7, in the vibration generator 308 according to this modified example, the hopper 340 also serves as the uneven member 381. Specifically, the hopper 340 has a side surface on which an uneven surface 381c extending in one direction is formed. The vibration generator 308 has a support base 383 fixed to the base 6 and an elastic body 380 attached to the support base 383. The elastic body 380 includes a metal plate. This metal plate, as an example, has a bent portion 380a located at its tip. A part of the elastic body 380 (the bent portion 380a in this embodiment) extends toward the uneven member 381 and is arranged to fit into the recess of the uneven surface 381c. The device of this modified example equipped with a vibration generator 308 with such a configuration also achieves substantially the same effects as device 1.

[0051] (Second variation) Figure 8 is a schematic diagram showing the configuration of a vibration generator 408 according to a second modified example. As shown in Figure 8, the vibration generator 408 according to this modified example includes an elastic body 486 and a textured member 481. The textured member 481 includes a textured surface 481c. The elastic body 486 includes a contact member 484 that is positioned to be in contact with the textured surface 481c and partially fits into a recess 481d of the textured surface 481c, and a biasing member 485 that biases the contact member 484 toward the recess 481d. The biasing member 485 is, for example, a coil spring, but is not limited thereto.

[0052] When the device of this modified example is driven, the elastic body 486 vibrates when it moves relative to the uneven member 481 in one direction, at the timing when a part of the contact member 484 of the elastic body 486 fits into the recess 481d and at the timing when that part disengages from the recess 481d. This vibration is transmitted to the hopper 40. The device of this modified example, having such a configuration, achieves substantially the same effect as device 1.

[0053] As described above, the embodiments and modifications described herein have been presented as examples of the technology disclosed in this application. However, the technology in this disclosure is not limited thereto and can be applied to embodiments and modifications that are modified, replaced, added, or omitted as appropriate. Furthermore, it is possible to combine the components described in the embodiments and modifications to create new configurations.

[0054] For example, some components or methods in one embodiment or modification may be applied to other embodiments or modifications, and some components in an embodiment or modification can be arbitrarily separated and extracted from other components in that embodiment or modification. Furthermore, the components described in the accompanying drawings and detailed description include not only components essential for solving the problem, but also components that are not essential for solving the problem, in order to illustrate the technology.

[0055] Furthermore, if vibration of the hopper 40 does not pose a significant problem when the mobile body 4 is located within the floor area A1, the vibration generator 8 may generate vibrations when the mobile body 4 is located within the floor area A1.

[0056] (Appearance) The embodiments and modifications described above are specific examples of the following embodiments. [Aspect 1] A powder bed on which the powder to be melted is placed, A base that surrounds at least a portion of the periphery of the aforementioned powder bed, A mobile body comprising a hopper for storing the powder and a feeder for supplying the powder from the hopper to the surface of the powder bed, wherein the mobile body reciprocates in one direction along the surface of the powder bed while supplying the powder from the feeder to the powder bed, A vibration generator comprising an elastic body disposed on either the base or the moving body, which generates vibration by deforming and restoring the elastic body when an external force is applied from the reciprocating moving body, The vibration generator is arranged to transmit vibrations from the elastic body to the hopper, and the additive manufacturing apparatus is a powder bed fusion type.

[0057] According to the above configuration, the vibration generator transmits vibrations from an elastic body to the hopper, causing the hopper to vibrate and suppressing clogging of the powder inside the hopper. As a result, even when using powders with poor fluidity and manufacturing objects by repeating many processes, the powder can be stably supplied from the feeder to the powder bed. Furthermore, since vibration is generated by deforming and restoring the elastic body through external force applied from the moving body that reciprocates in one direction, a dedicated power source for vibrating the hopper is unnecessary. Therefore, the configuration for vibrating the hopper to suppress powder clogging in the device can be simplified. In addition, power consumption around the device can be reduced.

[0058] [Aspect 2] The reciprocating movement range of the moving body includes an in-floor range that overlaps with the powder floor in the vertical direction, and an out-of-floor range located outside the in-floor range in one direction. The additive manufacturing apparatus according to embodiment 1, wherein the vibration generator is arranged to generate vibration when the moving body is located outside the floor range and to stop vibration when the moving body is located inside the floor range.

[0059] According to the above configuration, the vibration generator can vibrate the hopper only when the moving body is located outside the floor range. Therefore, it is possible to suppress the powder from falling from the feeder onto the powder bed immediately after the hopper is subjected to vibration by the vibration generator, and to make it easier to place an appropriate amount of powder on the powder bed.

[0060] [Aspect 3] The vibration generator is, It includes a surface-mounted member that is fixed to either the moving body or the base, and has an uneven surface. The elastic body is fixed to the other of the movable body or the base. The additive manufacturing apparatus according to embodiment 1 or 2, wherein the elastic body contacts or separates from the uneven surface of the uneven member, causing the elastic body to deform and generate vibration.

[0061] According to the above configuration, vibrations can be generated with a relatively simple structure by having an elastic body contact or separate from the uneven surface of the uneven member. Furthermore, for example, by forming the uneven shape of the uneven surface uniformly, it is possible to generate stable vibrations more easily.

[0062] [Aspect 4] The additive manufacturing apparatus according to embodiment 3, wherein the elastic body includes a metal plate.

[0063] According to the above configuration, the elastic body can be constructed relatively simply by using the elastic force of the metal plate. Furthermore, by changing, for example, the thickness or material of the metal plate, it is possible to easily adjust the vibrations transmitted to the hopper.

[0064] [Aspect 5] The additive manufacturing apparatus according to embodiment 3 or 4, wherein the uneven member includes a male screw, and the uneven surface includes the circumferential surface of the male screw.

[0065] According to the above configuration, for example, by bringing the threads and valleys of the male screw's circumferential surface into contact with an elastic body, stable vibrations can be generated with a relatively simple structure. Furthermore, for example, by changing the pitch and depth of the screw's valleys, the vibrations transmitted to the hopper can be easily adjusted.

[0066] [Aspect 6] The hopper has a receiver to which the vibration is transmitted. The additive manufacturing apparatus according to any one of embodiments 1 to 5, wherein the receiver includes a resin plate or a metal plate.

[0067] With the above configuration, by using a receiver that includes a resin plate or a metal plate, vibrations from the vibration generator can be transmitted to the receiver, allowing the hopper to vibrate stably even with a relatively small force.

[0068] [Aspect 7] A method for manufacturing a molded object using a powder bed fusion additive manufacturing apparatus, The first step involves spreading the powder to be melted onto a powder bed that is surrounded at least partially by a base, A second step involves using a mobile body having a hopper for storing the powder and a feeder for supplying the powder from the hopper to the surface of the powder bed, and supplying the powder from the feeder to the powder bed while reciprocating the mobile body in one direction along the surface of the powder bed. In the second step mentioned above, A method for manufacturing a molded object, comprising: placing an elastic body on either the base or the moving body; applying an external force from the reciprocating moving body to deform and restore the elastic body, thereby generating vibrations; and transmitting these vibrations to the hopper.

[0069] According to the above method, in the second step, the vibration generator transmits vibrations from an elastic body to the hopper, thereby vibrating the hopper and suppressing clogging of the powder inside the hopper. As a result, even when using powder with poor fluidity and manufacturing molded objects by repeating many steps, the powder can be stably supplied from the feeder to the powder bed. Furthermore, since vibration is generated by deforming and restoring the elastic body by applying an external force from the moving body that reciprocates in one direction, a dedicated power source for vibrating the hopper is unnecessary. Therefore, the configuration for vibrating the hopper to suppress clogging of powder in the device can be simplified. In addition, power consumption around the device can be reduced.

[0070] [Aspect 8] In the second step mentioned above, The reciprocating movement range of the moving body is set to include an in-floor area that overlaps with the powder floor in the vertical direction, and an out-of-floor area located outside the in-floor area in one direction, and A method for manufacturing a molded object according to embodiment 7, wherein the movable body is positioned such that it generates vibrations when the movable body is located outside the floor area and stops vibrations when the movable body is located inside the floor area, and the powder is supplied from the feeder to the powder bed.

[0071] According to the above method, in the second step, the hopper can be vibrated only when the moving body is located outside the floor area. Therefore, it is possible to suppress the powder from falling from the feeder onto the powder bed immediately after the hopper is vibrated, and to make it easier to place an appropriate amount of powder on the powder bed. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0072] A1 In-bed range A2 Area outside the floor P powder PB powder bed 1, 101, 201 Additive Manufacturing Equipment 4 Mobile Units 6 Base 8, 108, 208, 308, 408 vibration generators 40, 340 hoppers 40a Receiver 41 Feeder 80, 180, 280, 380, 486 elastic bodies 81, 181, 281, 381, 481 uneven material 82, 182, 282 Male screws 81c, 381c, 481c uneven surface

Claims

1. A powder bed on which the powder to be melted is placed, A base that surrounds at least a portion of the periphery of the aforementioned powder bed, A mobile body comprising a hopper for storing the powder and a feeder for supplying the powder from the hopper to the surface of the powder bed, wherein the mobile body reciprocates in one direction along the surface of the powder bed while supplying the powder from the feeder to the powder bed, A vibration generator comprising an elastic body disposed on either the base or the moving body, which generates vibration by deforming and restoring the elastic body when an external force is applied from the reciprocating moving body, The vibration generator is arranged to transmit vibrations from the elastic body to the hopper, and the additive manufacturing apparatus is a powder bed fusion type.

2. The reciprocating movement range of the moving body includes an in-floor range that overlaps with the powder floor in the vertical direction, and an out-of-floor range located outside the in-floor range in one direction. The additive manufacturing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the vibration generator is arranged to generate vibration when the moving body is located outside the floor range and to stop vibration when the moving body is located inside the floor range.

3. The vibration generator is, It includes a surface-mounted member that is fixed to either the moving body or the base, and has an uneven surface. The elastic body is fixed to the other of the movable body or the base. The additive manufacturing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the elastic body contacts or separates from the uneven surface of the uneven member, causing the elastic body to deform and generate vibration.

4. The additive manufacturing apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the elastic body includes a metal plate.

5. The additive manufacturing apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the uneven member includes a male screw, and the uneven surface includes the circumferential surface of the male screw.

6. The hopper has a receiver to which the vibration is transmitted. The additive manufacturing apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the receiver includes a resin plate or a metal plate.

7. A method for manufacturing a molded object using a powder bed fusion additive manufacturing apparatus, The first step involves spreading the powder to be melted onto a powder bed that is at least partially surrounded by a base, A second step involves using a mobile body having a hopper for storing the powder and a feeder for supplying the powder from the hopper to the surface of the powder bed, and supplying the powder from the feeder to the powder bed while reciprocating the mobile body in one direction along the surface of the powder bed. In the second step described above, A method for manufacturing a molded object, comprising: placing an elastic body on either the base or the moving body; applying an external force from the reciprocating moving body to deform and restore the elastic body, thereby generating vibrations; and transmitting these vibrations to the hopper.

8. In the second step described above, The reciprocating movement range of the moving body is set to include an in-floor area that overlaps with the powder floor in the vertical direction, and an out-of-floor area located outside the in-floor area in one direction, and The method for manufacturing a molded object according to claim 7, wherein the movable body is positioned such that it generates vibrations when the movable body is located outside the floor area, and stops vibrations when the movable body is located inside the floor area, and the powder is supplied from the feeder to the powder bed.

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