Laminated molding system

Abstract

Conventional lamination molding systems had the problem of requiring a large amount of installation space. [Solution] The lamination molding system of the present invention comprises a pair of carrier films that transport the laminated object from one side to the other, a film unwinding device that unwinds the carrier films, a lamination molding device located on the other side of the film unwinding device that presses the laminated object with a pressurizing mechanism in a chamber whose interior is depressurized, and a film winding device located on the other side of the lamination molding device that winds up the carrier films, wherein a vacuum pump for depressurizing the interior of the chamber is located below the film unwinding device.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a lamination molding system including a lamination molding apparatus that applies a pressing force to a laminate to form a laminated molded product, for example.

Background Art

[0002] Patent Document 1 describes a lamination molding system including a film unwinding device that supplies a laminate to a lamination molding apparatus by placing it on a carrier film, a lamination molding apparatus that applies a pressing force to the laminate, and a film winding device that carries out the laminate placed on the carrier film from the lamination molding apparatus.

Prior Art Document

Patent Document

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] The pressing force generation mechanism that generates the pressing force of the lamination molding apparatus described in Patent Document 1 is driven by a hydraulic pump. Further, the chamber of the lamination molding apparatus disposed at the position closest to the film unwinding device of the lamination molding system described in Patent Document 1 needs to be maintained in a vacuum state during operation, and a vacuum pump is connected to the lamination molding apparatus. These hydraulic pumps and vacuum pumps are often disposed on the back side of the lamination molding apparatus and the film unwinding device, which has been a factor requiring a large installation space for the lamination molding system.

[0005] The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and aims to reduce the space required for the lamination molding system.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0006] A lamination molding system according to one embodiment comprises a pair of carrier films for transporting a laminate from one side to the other, a film unwinding device for unwinding the carrier films, a lamination molding device located on the other side of the film unwinding device for pressing the laminate by a pressurizing mechanism in a chamber whose interior is depressurized, and a film winding device located on the other side of the lamination molding device for winding the carrier films, wherein a vacuum pump for depressurizing the interior of the chamber is located below the film unwinding device.

[0007] In one embodiment of the laminated molding system, the vacuum pump is located below the film unwinding device, which allows for a smaller installation space for the laminated molding system. [Effects of the Invention]

[0008] According to one embodiment of the laminated molding system, space savings can be achieved for the laminated molding system. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0009] [Figure 1] This figure shows an example of the configuration of the laminated molding system according to Embodiment 1. [Figure 2] This figure shows an example of the arrangement of the vacuum pump and storage box according to Embodiment 1. [Figure 3] This figure shows an example of the configuration of a lamination molding apparatus according to Embodiment 1. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0010] For clarity of explanation, the following descriptions and drawings have been omitted and simplified as appropriate. Furthermore, the same elements are denoted by the same reference numerals in each drawing, and redundant explanations have been omitted where necessary.

[0011] Embodiment 1 The lamination molding system 1 according to Embodiment 1, as shown in Figure 1, transports the laminated object S, sandwiched between a pair of carrier films F, with a laminated film (not shown) placed on it. The lamination molding system 1 also includes a film unwinding device 10 for supplying carrier films F and a film winding device 14 for recovering carrier films F. The lamination molding system 1 also includes a vacuum lamination device 11 that performs a lamination molding process by sandwiching the laminated object S with a pressurizing mechanism (described later) and applying pressure to the laminated object S so as to laminate at least one side of the laminated object S with the laminated film. Furthermore, the lamination molding system 1 according to Embodiment 1 includes flat pressing devices 12 and 13. In the lamination molding system 1, the vacuum lamination device 11, flat pressing devices 12 and 13 are arranged adjacent to each other in this order between the film unwinding device 10 and the film winding device 14. The film unwinding device 10 unwinds the carrier film F with the laminated object S placed on it. Furthermore, the film winding device 14 removes the laminated object S that has been pressurized by the vacuum lamination device 11 and the flattening press devices 12 and 13 by winding the carrier film F. In other words, the direction from the film unwinding device 10 towards the film winding device 14 is the direction in which the laminated object S is transported.

[0012] In the lamination molding system 1, the laminated product is formed by moving the workpiece S in the order of vacuum lamination device 11, flat press devices 12 and 13, and applying pressure to the workpiece S in each device. The vacuum lamination device 11 forms a primary molded product by laminating a laminated film onto the workpiece S, and the flat press devices 12 and 13 form a secondary molded product in which the flatness of the laminated surface of the laminated film of the primary molded product is increased. By performing molding in this stepwise manner, the flatness of the surface of the laminated film of the laminated product can be increased. Here, the configuration in which the vacuum lamination device 11 and the flat press devices 12 and 13 press the movable platen (described later) against the fixed platen (described later) by a pressing force generation mechanism (described later) incorporated in the drive unit (for example, the movable platen drive unit) is the same. On the other hand, the pressure control method may differ between the vacuum lamination device 11 and the flat press devices 12 and 13. Also, the vacuum lamination device 11 requires a chamber (described later), but the flat press devices 12 and 13 do not need to have a chamber.

[0013] In other words, the lamination molding system 1 according to Embodiment 1 comprises a plurality of lamination molding devices (i.e., a vacuum lamination device 11, and flattening press devices 12 and 13). Each of the plurality of lamination molding devices comprises a fixed platen, a movable platen positioned opposite the fixed platen, and a pressing force generation mechanism that brings the movable platen closer to the fixed platen. As a result, the fixed platen and the movable platen sandwich and press the object to be laminated S.

[0014] Furthermore, the laminated molding system 1 according to Embodiment 1 includes a vacuum pump 15 for creating a vacuum in the chamber (described later) of the vacuum laminater 11. In this invention, a vacuum state refers to a state in which the pressure inside the chamber is reduced to a predetermined value. As shown in Figure 1, the vacuum pump 15 is located below the film unwinding device 10 within the rack L. The vacuum pump 15 is positioned such that at least a portion of it is located within the rack L on which the film unwinding device 10 is placed. In other words, the vacuum pump 15 is positioned such that its front surface is located within the rack L. The rear surface of the vacuum pump 15 is preferably located within the rack L, but may be located outside the rack L, i.e., on the rear side of the rack L.

[0015] In the example shown in Figure 2, the vacuum pump 15 is positioned within the rack L such that its front surface is located in the center of the film unwinding device 10 or slightly behind the center. Furthermore, the vacuum pump 15 is positioned such that its rear surface is at the same position as, or slightly in front of, the rear surface of the vacuum lamination device 11. The vacuum pump 15 is connected to the chamber C of the vacuum lamination device 11 by a suction pipe 15A, and sucks gas from the chamber C. Specifically, the suction pipe 15A extends diagonally from the rear of the chamber C in a top view, then extends downwards to connect to the vacuum pump 15, thus connecting the chamber C and the vacuum pump 15 over a shorter distance. In other words, at least a portion of the suction pipe 15A extends diagonally with respect to the transport direction of the laminated material S. The suction pipe 15A may also be configured as a series of connected pipes. The form and shape of the piping are not particularly limited and may be pipe-shaped members or holes (internal piping) provided to penetrate the movable and fixed plates of the vacuum stacking apparatus 11. Furthermore, the piping may have at least a portion that is bent or curved, bellows-shaped, or helical. In addition, the piping may have a movable part that can move to follow changes in the position and movement of the connection point. That is, the movable part of the piping may expand and contract in one direction, rotate or swivel, or bend or curve. The smaller the internal volume of the rack L, the better. For this reason, the inside of the rack L is made narrow by arranging all members, parts and wiring to minimize gaps. However, by providing the suction pipe 15A with the above-mentioned piping, the insertion path of the suction pipe 15A can be efficiently set and the length of the suction pipe 15A can be further shortened.

[0016] Furthermore, the laminated molding system 1 according to Embodiment 1 includes a storage box 16 for housing pneumatic equipment (not shown) that controls the pressure of the pressurizing mechanisms of the vacuum lamination device 11 and the flattening press devices 12 and 13. Gas exhausted from the pneumatic equipment flows into the storage box 16. The storage box 16 is also located within a rack L on which the film unwinding device 10 is mounted. Preferably, the storage box 16 is located at the top of the rack L. The exhaust pipe 15B of the vacuum pump 15 is connected to the storage box 16, and the gas exhausted from the vacuum pump 15 flows into the storage box 16. Specifically, the exhaust pipe 15B extends substantially in a straight line upward from the vacuum pump 15 and is connected to the storage box 16. The exhaust pipe 16A of the storage box 16 is connected to the outside of the cleanroom where the laminated molding system 1 is installed. As a result, the gas exhausted from the vacuum pump 15, along with the gas exhausted from the pneumatic equipment, is discharged outside the cleanroom through the exhaust pipe 16A.

[0017] The space enclosed by the rack L houses components necessary for the laminated molding system 1, such as the film unwinding device 10, vacuum pump 15, and storage box 16, as well as piping, wiring, equipment, monitors, control panels, parts, frames, etc. (not shown). However, increasing the size of the rack L to accommodate these components increases the footprint of the laminated molding system 1, reducing production efficiency. Therefore, it is desirable that the volume ratio of the space enclosed by the rack L, excluding the components, be as small as possible, preferably within 70%, and even more preferably within 50%.

[0018] From the perspective of reducing the footprint of the lamination molding system 1, it is desirable to minimize the width of the rack L from the front to the back. Specifically, it is desirable to minimize the width of the film unwinding device 10 while accommodating the width of the carrier film F. For this reason, the width of the rack L from the front to the back is preferably 1.5 times or more and 4.5 times the width of the carrier film F, and more preferably 1.5 times or more and 3.5 times the width of the carrier film F.

[0019] As described above, the configuration in which the movable platen and fixed platen press the laminated object S with the pressing force generated by the pressing force generation mechanisms of the vacuum lamination apparatus 11 and the flattening press apparatuses 12 and 13 is the same. Therefore, the basic configuration of the lamination molding apparatus will be explained below using the vacuum lamination apparatus 11 as an example, with reference to Figure 3.

[0020] As shown in FIG. 3, the vacuum lamination apparatus 11 includes a base plate 20, tie bars 21, a fixed plate 22, and a movable plate 23. In the vacuum lamination apparatus 11, the tie bars 21 are fixed to the four corners of the base plate 20, and the tie bars 21 are connected to the insertion holes at the four corners of the movable plate 23 so that the movable plate 23 can move up and down, and the tie bars 21 are fixed to the four corners of the fixed plate 22. Thereby, the movable plate 23 is incorporated between the base plate 20 and the fixed plate 22 so as to be movable up and down. And in the example shown in FIG. 3, an upper pressure plate 24B is attached to the fixed plate 22. Further, a lower pressure plate 24A is attached to the movable plate 23. The upper pressure plate 24B and the lower pressure plate 24A apply pressure to the laminated body S on which a laminated film (not shown) is placed. That is, a pressure mechanism is constituted by the base plate 20, the tie bars 21, the fixed plate 22, the movable plate 23, the upper pressure plate 24B, and the lower pressure plate 24A. Also, the space between the fixed plate 22 and the movable plate 23 becomes a chamber C sealed when the movable plate 23 rises. Further, the upper pressure plate 24B and the lower pressure plate 24A are not particularly limited as long as they apply pressure to the laminated body S, and may be, for example, plate-like members (hot plates) capable of heating and cooling, or flexible sheets capable of heating and cooling. Thereby, a laminated molded product can be suitably molded. In the first embodiment, the upper pressure plate 24B and the lower pressure plate 24A are diaphragms made of flexible sheets capable of heating and cooling, and compressed air is supplied from a pneumatic device (not shown) to the diaphragms, and the expanded diaphragms apply pressure to the laminated body S.

[0021] Also, in the vacuum lamination apparatus 11, as a pressing force generation mechanism incorporated in a drive unit (for example, a movable plate drive unit), there is a mechanism for moving the movable plate 23 up and down by rotating a ball screw shaft by a servo motor and moving a ball screw nut up and down.

[0022] In the lamination molding system 1 according to the first embodiment described above, since the vacuum pump 15 is disposed below the film unwinding device 10, the installation space of the lamination molding system 1 can be made smaller. Further, at least a part of the vacuum pump 15 is housed in the rack L on which the film unwinding device 10 is placed. Specifically, the vacuum pump 15 is disposed below the film unwinding device 10 and is arranged such that at least a part of the vacuum pump 15 is located within the rack L on which the film unwinding device 10 is placed. Therefore, it is not necessary to dispose the vacuum pump 15 on the back side of the rack L. Thereby, the installation space of the lamination molding system 1 can be made smaller. Note that the state in which at least a part of the vacuum pump 15 is disposed within the rack L means that when the vacuum pump 15 and the rack L are viewed from directly above, at least a part of the vacuum pump 15 is inside the rack L. More preferably, it is a state in which 50% or more of the projected area of the vacuum pump 15 when viewed from directly above is inside the rack L. Also, the state in which the vacuum pump 15 is disposed below the film unwinding device 10 means that when the vacuum pump 15 and the film unwinding device 10 are viewed from directly above, at least a part of both of them overlaps.

[0023] In addition, in the lamination molding system 1, compared with the case where the vacuum pump 15 is disposed outside the rack L on which the film unwinding device 10 is placed, the length of the suction pipe 15A of the vacuum pump 15 can be made shorter, and the efficiency of evacuating the chamber C can be improved. The efficiency of evacuating the chamber C can be made higher

[0024] Furthermore, at least a portion of the suction tube 15A extends diagonally with respect to the transport direction of the laminated object S. Specifically, the suction tube 15A extends diagonally from the rear side of the chamber C of the vacuum lamination apparatus 11 in a top view, then extends downward and is connected to the vacuum pump 15. This allows the length of the suction tube 15A to be further shortened, and the efficiency of vacuuming in the chamber C can be further improved. In addition, at least a portion of the suction tube 15A may be equipped with a movable part to follow the positional changes of the chamber C. Furthermore, in order to further improve the efficiency of vacuuming in the chamber C, it is preferable to reduce the number of bends in the suction tube 15A, and it is even more preferable to reduce the number of bends in the suction tube 15A to four or less. However, since various parts and wiring are arranged three-dimensionally inside the rack L, it is not easy to minimize the number of bends in the suction tube 15A and shorten the length of the suction tube 15A as much as possible. Therefore, the insertion path of the suction tube 15A may be determined by inputting the arrangement of the components of the additive molding system 1 into a computer in advance and calculating the insertion path of the suction tube 15A such that the number of bends in the suction tube 15A is kept to a minimum and the length of the suction tube 15A is kept to a minimum.

[0025] Furthermore, the width of rack L from the front to the back is preferably 1.5 times or more and 3.5 times the width of carrier film F. This reduces the footprint of the lamination molding system 1 and further reduces the installation space required for the lamination molding system 1.

[0026] Furthermore, it is preferable that the volume ratio of voids in the space enclosed by the rack L be 50 percent or less. This allows for miniaturization of the rack L, reduces the footprint of the lamination molding system 1, and avoids a decrease in production efficiency.

[0027] Furthermore, the storage box 16 for the pneumatic equipment is located within the rack L on which the film unwinding device 10 is mounted. The exhaust pipe 15B of the vacuum pump 15 is connected to the storage box 16, and the exhaust pipe 16A of the storage box 16 is connected to the outside of the cleanroom where the laminated molding system 1 is installed. As a result, the gas exhausted from the vacuum pump 15, along with the gas exhausted from the pneumatic equipment, is exhausted to the outside of the cleanroom through the exhaust pipe 16A. In other words, the exhaust from the vacuum pump 15 and the exhaust from the storage box 16 can be unified, and the piping of the laminated molding system 1 can be simplified.

[0028] Furthermore, the storage box 16 is positioned on top of the rack L on which the film unwinding device 10 is mounted, and the exhaust pipe 15B of the vacuum pump 15 extends substantially in a straight line upward from the vacuum pump 15 and is connected to the storage box 16. This reduces the exhaust resistance of the exhaust pipe 15B and improves the exhaust efficiency.

[0029] Furthermore, if the drive source for the pressure generation mechanism of the lamination molding apparatus is a hydraulic pump, the hydraulic pump, being large in size, is positioned on the rear side of the lamination molding apparatus. Therefore, even if the vacuum pump 15 is positioned below the film unwinding device 10 such that at least a portion of the vacuum pump 15 is located within the rack L on which the film unwinding device 10 is mounted, the space-saving effect of the lamination molding system 1 will be limited. However, in the lamination molding system 1 according to this embodiment 1, a servo motor (electric motor) is used as the drive source for the pressure generation mechanism of the vacuum lamination apparatus 11 and the flat press devices 12 and 13. This makes it possible to house the movable platen drive unit, which incorporates the pressure generation mechanism and the servo motor, in the lower part of the vacuum lamination apparatus 11 and the flat press devices 12 and 13 (below the movable platen 23). Therefore, it is not necessary to position the drive source on the rear side of the vacuum lamination apparatus 11 and the rack L, and the installation space of the lamination molding system 1 can be further reduced.

[0030] Furthermore, when a hydraulic pump is used as the drive source for the pressing force generation mechanism of the lamination molding apparatus, the large size of the drive source makes it difficult to house the drive source and the movable platen drive unit in the lower part of the vacuum lamination apparatus 11 and the flat press apparatuses 12 and 13, and the pass line (the height at which the carrier film F is transported) is typically set lower than when a servo motor is used as the drive source. As a result, the space below the film unwinding device 10 is narrow, making it difficult to place the vacuum pump 15 below the film unwinding device 10. On the other hand, when a servo motor is used as the drive source, it becomes possible to house the drive source and the movable platen drive unit in the lower part of the vacuum lamination apparatus 11 and the flat press apparatuses 12 and 13, and the pass line becomes higher. As a result, it becomes possible to place at least a part of the vacuum pump 15 in the space below the film unwinding device 10.

[0031] It should be noted that the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above, and can be modified as appropriate without departing from the spirit of the invention. [Explanation of symbols]

[0032] 1. Laminate molding system 10. Film unwinding device 11. Vacuum stacking apparatus 12 Flattening press machine 13. Flattening press machine 14. Film winding device 15 Vacuum pump 15A suction tube 15B Exhaust pipe 16 Storage Boxes 16A Exhaust Pipe 20 Bass Disc 21 Taiba 22 Fixed plate 23 Movable plate 24A Lower pressure plate 24B Upper pressure plate F Carrier Film

Claims

1. A pair of carrier films that transport the laminated material from one side to the other, A film unwinding device for unwinding the carrier film, A lamination molding apparatus is positioned on the other side of the film unwinding apparatus and presses the laminated material by a pressurizing mechanism in a chamber whose interior is depressurized, A film winding device is located on the other side of the lamination molding apparatus and winds the carrier film, Equipped with, A vacuum pump for reducing the pressure inside the chamber is located below the film unwinding device. Laminate molding system.

2. At least a portion of the vacuum pump is housed in the rack on which the film unwinding device is mounted. The laminated molding system according to claim 1.

3. The vacuum pump is connected to the chamber via a suction tube, At least a portion of the suction tube extends obliquely with respect to the transport direction of the laminated material. The laminated molding system according to claim 1 or claim 2.

4. At least a portion of the suction tube is provided with a movable part that follows the change in position of the chamber. The laminated molding system according to claim 3.

5. The width of the rack from the front to the back is 1.5 times or more and 3.5 times the width of the carrier film. The laminated molding system according to claim 2.

6. The volume ratio of voids in the space enclosed by the aforementioned rack is 50 percent or less. The laminated molding system according to claim 2.

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