Method for manufacturing three-dimensional object and three-dimensional modeling device

Abstract

To provide a method for manufacturing a three-dimensional molded article and a three-dimensional molding device which can achieve both improvement in strength of a three-dimensional molding and improvement in manufacturing efficiency.SOLUTION: A method for manufacturing a three-dimensional molded article that manufactures the three-dimensional molded article by laminating molding layers includes: a selection step of selecting a fiber material according to a thickness of the molding layer among a plurality of kinds of fiber materials having different fiber diameters; and a molding step of discharging, from a nozzle opening, a molding material containing the fiber material selected in the selection step, and forming the molding layer.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a method for manufacturing a three-dimensional object and a three-dimensional printing apparatus. [Background technology]

[0002] There are various known manufacturing methods for forming a three-dimensional object by ejecting a modeling material from a nozzle onto a stage to form a modeling layer and stacking the modeling layers. For example, the following Patent Document 1 discloses a technology in which a modeling material is formed by heating and softening a thermoplastic resin such as a filament, and introducing a fiber material such as carbon fiber into the resin material, and ejecting the modeling material from a nozzle to form a modeling layer containing the fiber material. By introducing a fiber material into the modeling material as in the technology of Patent Document 1, the strength of the three-dimensional object can be increased. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] International Publication No. 15 / 182675 Brochure Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] When manufacturing a three-dimensional object in which modeling layers are stacked, modeling layers of different thicknesses may be stacked to form the object. When introducing fibers into the modeling material as described above, if the fiber diameter of the introduced fiber material remains the same for modeling layers of different thicknesses, sufficient strength may not be obtained depending on the thickness of the modeling layer. On the other hand, if fiber materials with different fiber diameters are loaded into the modeling device every time the thickness of the modeling layer to be formed is changed, the loading operation takes time, and the production efficiency of the three-dimensional object may be significantly reduced. As such, in the technology for forming a three-dimensional object using a modeling material containing a fiber material, there is still room for improvement in terms of achieving both improved strength and improved production efficiency of the three-dimensional object. [Means for solving the problem]

[0005] The present invention has been made to solve the above-mentioned problems, and can be realized as the following application examples.

[0006] A method for manufacturing a three-dimensional object according to an application example of the present invention is a method for manufacturing a three-dimensional object by stacking modeling layers, A selection process of selecting a fiber material from among a plurality of types of fiber materials having different fiber diameters according to a thickness of the modeling layer; a modeling process in which the modeling material containing the fiber material selected in the selection process is discharged from a nozzle opening to form the modeling layer; has.

[0007] In a method for manufacturing a three-dimensional object according to another application example of the present invention, the plurality of types of fiber materials include a first fiber material and a second fiber material having a fiber diameter larger than that of the first fiber material, In the selection step, The first fiber material is selected when forming a first modeling layer, and the second fiber material is selected when forming a second modeling layer having a thickness greater than that of the first modeling layer.

[0008] In a manufacturing method of a three-dimensional object according to another application example of the present invention, the modeling step includes an outer region forming step of forming the modeling layer included in an outer region that configures an outer boundary of the three-dimensional object, and an inner region forming step of forming the modeling layer included in an inner region surrounded by the outer region, the modeling layer having a thickness greater than that of the modeling layer included in the outer region, In the selection step, The first fiber material is selected when forming the modeling layer included in the outer region, and the second fiber material is selected when forming the modeling layer included in the inner region.

[0009] In addition, in a method for manufacturing a three-dimensional object according to another application example of the present invention, the thickness of a single modeling layer included in the internal region corresponds to the sum of the thicknesses of the multiple modeling layers included in the outer region and stacked.

[0010] In addition, in a manufacturing method of a three-dimensional object according to another application example of the present invention, the modeling step includes: a moving step of relatively moving a stage on which the modeling layer is formed and a nozzle portion having the nozzle opening; an introduction control step of controlling an introduction speed at which the fiber material selected in the selection step is introduced toward the nozzle opening in accordance with a relative movement speed between the nozzle unit and the stage; has.

[0011] In a method for manufacturing a three-dimensional object according to another application example of the present invention, the modeling step includes a plasticizing step of plasticizing at least a part of a material to generate a plasticized material, a generating step of introducing the fiber material selected in the selecting step into the plasticizing material to generate the modeling material to be discharged from the nozzle opening; having The plasticizing step includes: A plasticizing device comprising: a flat screw having a groove forming surface on which a groove is formed; a facing portion having an opposing surface facing the groove forming surface and having a communication hole communicating with the nozzle opening; and a heater for heating the flat screw or the facing portion, The method includes a step of supplying the material between the flat screw and the facing portion, and guiding the material to the communicating hole while at least a portion of the material is plasticized by rotation of the flat screw and heating by the heater.

[0012] In a method for manufacturing a three-dimensional object according to another application example of the present invention, at least one through hole that opens in the groove formation surface and communicates with the communication hole is formed in the flat screw, The generating step includes a step of introducing the fiber material selected in the selecting step into the plasticized material through the through hole to generate the shaping material.

[0013] In a method for manufacturing a three-dimensional object according to another application example of the present invention, at least one introduction groove is formed in the groove formation surface or the facing surface, the introduction groove introducing the fiber material selected in the selection step from a side of the flat screw or the facing portion to the communicating hole, The generating step includes a step of introducing the fiber material selected in the selecting step into the plasticized material through the introduction groove to generate the shaping material.

[0014] In addition, a method for manufacturing a three-dimensional object according to another application example of the present invention includes a cutting process for cutting the fiber material by operating a discharge amount control mechanism that is provided upstream of the nozzle opening and controls the discharge amount of the modeling material.

[0015] In a method for manufacturing a three-dimensional object according to another application example of the present invention, the discharge amount control mechanism is driven by a motor, The method includes a step of transmitting the driving force generated by the motor to a conveying section of the fiber material so as to use the driving force for conveying the fiber material.

[0016] In addition, a three-dimensional printing apparatus according to an application example of the present invention is a three-dimensional printing apparatus for manufacturing a three-dimensional object by stacking modeling layers, A control unit that selects a fiber material from among a plurality of types of fiber materials having different fiber diameters according to a thickness of the modeling layer to be formed; a discharge unit that discharges the modeling material containing the fiber material selected by the control unit from a nozzle opening under the control of the control unit; Equipped with. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0017] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing the configuration of a three-dimensional modeling apparatus according to the first embodiment. [Diagram 2] FIG. 2 is a schematic perspective view showing the configuration of a flat screw. [Diagram 3]FIG. 3 is a schematic plan view showing the configuration of the opposing surface in the opposing portion. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing a connection point between a transport path for a fiber material and an introduction flow path. [Diagram 5] FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram illustrating a process of discharging a modeling material containing a first fiber material. [Figure 6] FIG. 6 is a schematic diagram illustrating a process of discharging a modeling material containing a second fiber material. [Figure 7] FIG. 7 is a schematic diagram showing how a three-dimensional object is formed. [Figure 8] FIG. 8 is a flowchart showing steps executed in the modeling process according to the first embodiment. [Figure 9] FIG. 9 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a modeling layer formed in the modeling process of the first embodiment. [Figure 10] FIG. 10 is a flowchart showing a control procedure of the formation processing according to the second embodiment. [Figure 11] FIG. 11 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a three-dimensional object formed by the modeling process of the second embodiment. [Figure 12] FIG. 12 is a schematic diagram showing the configuration of a three-dimensional modeling apparatus according to the third embodiment. [Figure 13] FIG. 13 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing a connection point between a transport path for a fiber material and an introduction flow path. [Figure 14] FIG. 14 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a three-dimensional object formed by the forming process of the third embodiment. [Figure 15] FIG. 15 is a flowchart showing steps executed in the modeling process according to the fourth embodiment. [Figure 16] FIG. 16 is a schematic diagram showing the configuration of a three-dimensional modeling apparatus according to the fifth embodiment. [Figure 17] FIG. 17 is a flowchart showing steps executed in the modeling process according to the fifth embodiment. [Figure 18] FIG. 18 is a schematic diagram showing the configuration of a three-dimensional modeling apparatus according to the sixth embodiment. [Figure 19]FIG. 19 is a schematic plan view showing the configuration of the opposing surface of the opposing part in the sixth embodiment. [Figure 20] FIG. 20 is a schematic diagram showing the configuration of a three-dimensional modeling apparatus according to the seventh embodiment. [Figure 21] FIG. 21 is a schematic diagram showing the configuration of a three-dimensional modeling apparatus according to the eighth embodiment. [Figure 22] FIG. 22 is a schematic diagram showing the configuration of a discharge amount control mechanism of the eighth embodiment. [Diagram 23] FIG. 23 is a schematic diagram showing a mechanism by which the discharge amount control mechanism cuts the fiber material. [Figure 24] FIG. 24 is a schematic diagram showing the configuration of a discharge amount control mechanism of the ninth embodiment. [Diagram 25] FIG. 25 is a schematic diagram showing a mechanism by which the discharge amount control mechanism cuts the fiber material. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0018] DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Hereinafter, a method for producing a three-dimensional object and a three-dimensional modeling apparatus according to the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the embodiments shown in the accompanying drawings.

[0019] [1] First embodiment Fig. 1 is a schematic diagram showing the configuration of a three-dimensional printing apparatus 100a that executes a manufacturing method for a three-dimensional object in a first embodiment. Arrows indicating mutually orthogonal X, Y, and Z directions are shown in Fig. 1. The X and Y directions are parallel to a horizontal plane, and the Z direction is opposite to the direction of gravity. Arrows indicating the X, Y, and Z directions are also shown as necessary in other figures to be referred to later so as to correspond to Fig. 1.

[0020] The three-dimensional printing apparatus 100a includes a control unit 10, a discharge unit 20, and a printing stage unit 70. Under the control of the control unit 10, the three-dimensional printing apparatus 100a manufactures a three-dimensional object by stacking printing layers formed by the discharge unit 20 discharging a printing material onto the printing stage unit 70. Hereinafter, the "three-dimensional object" will also be referred to simply as the "printed object", and the "three-dimensional printing apparatus" will also be referred to as the "printing apparatus".

[0021] The control unit 10 controls the operation of the entire modeling apparatus 100a to execute a modeling process for modeling a modeled object. In the first embodiment, the control unit 10 is configured by a computer including one or more processors (CPU) and a main memory device (RAM). The control unit 10 performs various functions by the processor executing programs and instructions loaded onto the main memory device. Note that at least a part of the functions of the control unit 10 may be realized by a hardware circuit. In this embodiment, the control unit 10 has a function of executing a selection process in the modeling process for selecting a fiber material FB according to the thickness of the modeling layer from among a plurality of fiber materials described later. The selection process will be described later.

[0022] The discharge unit 20 has a function of discharging the modeling material containing the fiber material FB selected by the control unit 10 in the selection step from a nozzle opening under the control of the control unit. The discharge unit 20 includes a material generation unit 21, a fiber introduction unit 23, and a nozzle unit 25. The material generation unit 21 generates a plasticized material contained in the modeling material. The plasticized material will be described later. The fiber introduction unit 23 introduces the fiber material FB into the plasticized material generated by the material generation unit 21. The nozzle unit 25 discharges the modeling material containing the plasticized material and the fiber material FB. Below, the configurations of the material generation unit 21, the nozzle unit 25, and the fiber introduction unit 23 will be described in more detail in this order.

[0023] The material generating unit 21 includes a material supplying unit 30 and a plasticizing unit 35. The material supplying unit 30 supplies the plasticizing unit 35 with a material that is a raw material for the plasticizing material and contains a thermoplastic resin as a main component. Hereinafter, the material supplied to the plasticizing unit 35 is also referred to as a "modeling material." In this embodiment, the material supplying unit 30 is configured as a so-called hopper, and includes a material storage unit 31 that stores the modeling material that is input, and a communication passage 32 that is connected to an outlet at the bottom of the material supplying unit 30 and that guides the modeling material of the material supplying unit 30 to the plasticizing unit 35.

[0024] The modeling material is fed into the material supply unit 30 in the form of a solid material such as pellets or powder. Examples of the thermoplastic resin contained in the modeling material include polypropylene resin (PP), polyethylene resin (PE), polyacetal resin (POM), polyvinyl chloride resin (PVC), polyamide resin (PA), acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene resin (ABS), polylactic acid resin (PLA), polyphenylene sulfide resin (PPS), polyether ether ketone (PEEK), polycarbonate (PC), and the like. In addition to the above-mentioned thermoplastic resins, the modeling material fed into the material supply unit 30 may also contain pigments, metals, ceramics, and the like.

[0025] The plasticizing unit 35 plasticizes at least a portion of the modeling material supplied from the material supply unit 30 to generate a plasticized material, and sends the plasticized material to the nozzle unit 25. The plasticizing unit 35 can also be referred to as a plasticizing device 35. The plasticizing unit 35 has a screw case 36, a drive motor 37, a flat screw 40, and a facing unit 50.

[0026] The flat screw 40 is a substantially cylindrical screw whose axial height along the rotation axis RX is smaller than its diameter. The rotation axis RX coincides with the central axis of the flat screw 40. In FIG. 1, the rotation axis RX of the flat screw 40 is illustrated by a dashed line. The flat screw 40 is disposed on the facing portion 50 so that the rotation axis RX is parallel to the Z direction, and rotates in the circumferential direction. A spiral groove portion 42 is formed on the lower surface 41 of the flat screw 40 facing the facing portion 50, which extends from the side surface to the rotation axis RX. Hereinafter, the lower surface 41 of the flat screw 40 is also referred to as the "groove forming surface 41". The communication passage 32 of the material supply portion 30 is connected to the groove portion 42 on the side surface of the flat screw 40. The specific configuration of the flat screw 40 will be described later.

[0027] The flat screw 40 is housed in the screw case 36. An upper surface 43 of the flat screw 40 is connected to the drive motor 37. The flat screw 40 rotates in the screw case 36 by a rotational driving force generated by the drive motor 37. The drive motor 37 is driven under the control of the control unit 10.

[0028] The facing portion 50 is also called a barrel, and is a substantially cylindrical member whose height along its central axis is smaller than its diameter. In this embodiment, the facing portion 50 is disposed so that its central axis coincides with the rotation axis RX of the flat screw 40.

[0029] The facing part 50 has an opposing surface 51 facing the groove forming surface 41 of the flat screw 40. A space is formed between the groove part 42 of the groove forming surface 41 and the opposing surface 51 of the facing part 50. The modeling material supplied from the material supply part 30 flows into this space from the side surface of the flat screw 40. The modeling material supplied to the space in the groove part 42 is guided to the center of the flat screw 40 by the rotation of the spiral groove part 42 when the flat screw 40 rotates.

[0030] A heater 52 for heating the modeling material is embedded in the facing surface 51 of the facing portion 50. The heater 52 heats the flat screw 40 or the facing portion 50. In another embodiment, the heater 52 may be embedded in the flat screw 40 or may be disposed separately from the flat screw 40 or the facing portion 50. A communication hole 53 penetrating the facing portion 50 along its central axis is provided in the center of the facing surface 51. As described later, the communication hole 53 communicates with the nozzle opening 28 via the introduction flow path 26 and the nozzle flow path 27 of the nozzle portion 25. The communication hole 53 forms a flow path with a substantially circular cross section. The modeling material supplied to the groove portion 42 of the flat screw 40 is heated by the heater 52, and the thermoplastic resin contained therein is plasticized and converted into a plasticized material, and the modeling material is guided to the communication hole 53 opening at the center of the facing surface 51 along the groove portion 42 by the rotation of the flat screw 40. The downstream end of the communication hole 53 is connected to the nozzle portion 25. The plasticized material produced by the rotation of the flat screw 40 is supplied to the nozzle portion 25 through the communication hole 53.

[0031] The nozzle portion 25 includes an introduction flow passage 26, a nozzle flow passage 27, a nozzle opening 28, and a discharge amount control mechanism 80. The introduction flow passage 26 is connected to the downstream end of the communication hole 53 of the facing portion 50, and is provided linearly from the downstream end of the communication hole 53 along the Z direction. The introduction flow passage 26 forms a flow passage with a substantially circular cross section, and is provided so that its central axis coincides with the rotation axis RX of the flat screw 40. In this embodiment, the diameter of the introduction flow passage 26 is substantially equal to the diameter of the communication hole 53 of the facing portion 50.

[0032] The nozzle flow path 27 is connected to the downstream end of the introduction flow path 26 and is provided linearly from the downstream end of the introduction flow path 26 along the Z direction. The nozzle flow path 27 forms a flow path with a substantially circular cross section and is provided so that its central axis coincides with the rotation axis RX of the flat screw 40. The nozzle flow path 27 is reduced in diameter at its downstream end. In this embodiment, the diameter of the nozzle flow path 27 is substantially equal to the diameter of the introduction flow path 26 except for its downstream end. The nozzle opening 28 is an opening having a hole diameter Dn that opens in the Z direction and is provided at the downstream end of the nozzle flow path 27. The hole diameter Dn of the nozzle opening 28 can be, for example, 50 μm or more and 3 mm or less. In other embodiments, the hole diameter Dn may be smaller than 50 μm or larger than 3 mm. The plasticized material introduced from the material generating unit 21 to the nozzle unit 25 is discharged from the nozzle opening 28 via the introduction flow path 26 and the nozzle flow path 27.

[0033] The introduction flow passage 26 is provided with a discharge amount control mechanism 80. The discharge amount control mechanism 80 controls the flow rate of the plasticizing material in the introduction flow passage 26 to control the discharge amount of the modeling material from the nozzle opening 28. In this embodiment, the discharge amount control mechanism 80 is configured by a butterfly valve, which is a valve body that rotates in the introduction flow passage 26 under the control of the control unit 10. The opening area of ​​the introduction flow passage 26 changes depending on the rotation angle of the butterfly valve. The control unit 10 controls the rotation angle of the valve body to control the flow rate of the plasticizing material in the introduction flow passage 26. The discharge amount control mechanism 80 can close the introduction flow passage 26 so that the flow of the plasticizing material in the introduction flow passage 26 is stopped. Note that the discharge amount control mechanism 80 does not have to be provided in the introduction flow passage 26, and may be provided in the nozzle flow passage 27. In addition, the discharge amount control mechanism 80 does not have to be provided in the nozzle portion 25, and may be provided in, for example, the communication hole 53 of the facing portion 50.

[0034] The fiber material FB introduced into the plasticized material by the fiber introduction section 23 is composed of a fiber bundle in which a plurality of fibers are bundled together. In this embodiment, the fiber material FB has a configuration in which a plurality of carbon fibers are bundled together by a bundling agent. In other embodiments, the fiber material FB does not have to be composed of carbon fibers, and may be composed of, for example, glass fibers. Furthermore, the fiber material FB may be composed of various fibers having a higher elastic modulus than the resin material.

[0035] The fiber introduction section 23 includes a plurality of types of fiber materials FB having different fiber diameters to be introduced into the plasticized material. In this specification, the "fiber diameter" of the fiber material corresponds to the maximum width dimension in a cross section perpendicular to the length direction of the fiber material. Therefore, for example, when the cross section of the fiber material is substantially circular, the fiber diameter corresponds to the maximum diameter of the circle. When the cross section of the fiber material is substantially rectangular, the fiber diameter corresponds to the longer of the lengths of the sides of the rectangle. When the cross section of the fiber material is substantially elliptical, the fiber diameter corresponds to the major axis of the ellipse. In this embodiment, the fiber material FB is composed of a fiber bundle having a cross section of a substantially circular shape.

[0036] In this embodiment, the fiber introduction section 23 is loaded with a first fiber material FBa and a second fiber material FBb having a fiber diameter larger than that of the first fiber material FBa as multiple types of fiber materials FB. The fiber diameter of the first fiber material FBa may be, for example, about 50 to 80 μm, and the fiber diameter of the second fiber material FBb may be, for example, about 80 to 200 μm. In this embodiment, each of the fiber materials FBa and FBb is a single continuous linear member and is wound around a reel 62. Hereinafter, when there is no need to particularly distinguish between the first fiber material FBa and the second fiber material FBb, they will be referred to as the fiber material FB as before.

[0037] The fiber introduction section 23 includes a first conveying section 60a for conveying the first fiber material FBa and a second conveying section 60b for conveying the second fiber material FBb as a conveying section 60 for the fiber material FB. Each of the conveying sections 60a, 60b includes a storage section 63 for storing the fiber materials FBa, FBb wound on a reel 62, a conveying path 65 for sending out the fiber materials FBa, FBb from the storage section 63, and a cutting section 66 for cutting the fiber material FB.

[0038] Each storage section 63 is provided with a conveying motor (not shown) that generates a conveying force to rotate the reel 62 and send out the fiber material FB through the conveying path 65. The rotation speed of the conveying motor is controlled by the control section 10. Each conveying path 65 is formed of a cylindrical tubular member through which the fiber material FB is inserted. In this embodiment, the conveying paths 65 of the first conveying section 60a and the second conveying section 60b are each connected to the introduction path 26 so that the fiber introduction section 23 can introduce the fiber material FB into the plasticized material passing through the introduction path 26. In addition, each conveying path 65 is connected to the introduction path 26 downstream of the discharge amount control mechanism 80. The detailed configuration of the connection point between the conveying path 65 and the introduction path 26 will be described later.

[0039] The cutting unit 66 is installed near the entrance of the conveying path 65 in the storage unit 63, and cuts the fiber material FB sent out to the conveying path 65 under the control of the control unit 10. The cutting unit 66 can be configured, for example, by a mechanism in which a cutter blade is protruded by a solenoid mechanism to cut the fiber material FB. In other embodiments, the cutting unit 66 may be configured to cut the fiber material FB by emitting a laser.

[0040] In this embodiment, under the control of the control unit 10, the fiber introduction unit 23 introduces a fiber material FB selected from the first fiber material FBa and the second fiber material FBb into the plasticized material. The fiber introduction unit 23 sends out the fiber material FB selected by the control unit 10 to the introduction flow path 26 through the conveying path 65. The sent out fiber material FB is sent out to the nozzle opening 28 together with the plasticized material flowing through the introduction flow path 26, and is discharged from the nozzle opening 28 together with the plasticized material as a modeling material. The formation of a model by discharging the modeling material will be described later.

[0041] The modeling stage unit 70 is installed at a position facing the nozzle opening 28 of the discharge unit 20. The modeling stage unit 70 includes a stage 72 that supports a model, a modeling table 73 placed on the stage 72, and a moving mechanism 75 configured to be able to move the stage 72 in the X, Y, and Z directions. The stage 72 is made of a plate-like member and has a stage surface 72s arranged along the horizontal direction. The modeling table 73 is made of a plate-like member and placed on the stage surface 72s to receive the modeling material discharged from the nozzle opening 28. The moving mechanism 75 is configured as a three-axis positioner that moves the stage 72 in three axial directions, that is, the X, Y, and Z directions, and includes three motors M that generate driving forces under the control of the control unit 10. The control unit 10 controls the moving mechanism 75 in the modeling process to relatively move the nozzle opening 28 and the stage 72.

[0042] In another embodiment, instead of a configuration in which the moving mechanism 75 moves the stage 72, a configuration in which the moving mechanism 75 moves the nozzle opening 28 relative to the stage 72 while the position of the stage 72 is fixed may be employed. Even with such a configuration, the stage 72 and the nozzle opening 28 can be moved relatively. Also, in another embodiment, a configuration in which the moving mechanism 75 moves each of the stage 72 and the nozzle opening 28 to change the relative positions of the two may be employed.

[0043] Fig. 2 is a schematic perspective view showing the configuration of the flat screw 40 as viewed from the groove forming surface 41 side. In Fig. 2, the rotation axis RX of the flat screw 40 is shown by a dashed line. In this embodiment, the flat screw 40 has three grooves 42 arranged in parallel and extending in a spiral arc toward the central portion 45 of the flat screw 40. Each groove 42 is defined by three ridges 44 extending in a spiral shape toward the recess of the central portion 45.

[0044] The number of grooves 42 of the flat screw 40 does not have to be three. The flat screw 40 may have only one groove 42, or may have two or more grooves 42. Any number of convex ridges 44 may be provided in accordance with the number of grooves 42. The grooves 42 need not necessarily extend in a spiral shape as long as they extend in a spiral arc.

[0045] One end of the groove 42 opens on the side surface of the flat screw 40 and constitutes a material inlet 46 that receives the modeling material supplied from the communication passage 32. The groove 42 continues to a central portion 45 of the flat screw 40, and the other end of the groove 42 is connected to the central portion 45 of the flat screw 40. The central portion 45 of the flat screw 40 constitutes a recess in which a plasticized material obtained by plasticizing the thermoplastic resin of the modeling material gathers.

[0046] 3 is a schematic plan view showing the configuration of the facing surface 51 in the facing portion 50. As described above, the facing surface 51 faces the groove forming surface 41 of the flat screw 40. At the center of the facing surface 51, the above-mentioned communication hole 53 for supplying the plasticized material that has flowed into the central portion 45 of the flat screw 40 to the nozzle portion 25 is opened. In the facing surface 51, a plurality of guide grooves 55 are formed, one end of which is connected to the communication hole 53 and which extend in a spiral shape from the communication hole 53 toward the outer periphery. The guide grooves 55 have the function of guiding the plasticized material to the communication hole 53.

[0047] The heater 52 shown in FIG. 1 is embedded inside the facing part 50. The plasticization of the thermoplastic resin in the plasticizing part 35 is realized by heating by the heater 52 of the facing part 50 and by rotating the flat screw 40. According to the molding apparatus 100a of the first embodiment, the flat screw 40 is used to realize a compact device configuration for plasticizing the thermoplastic resin. In addition, according to the molding apparatus 100a of the first embodiment, the pressure and flow rate of the plasticizing material supplied to the nozzle part 25 can be easily controlled by controlling the rotation of the flat screw 40. Therefore, the accuracy of the ejection of the molding material from the nozzle part 25 can be improved, and the molding accuracy of the molded object can be improved.

[0048] 4 is a schematic cross-sectional view taken along line 4-4 in FIG. 1, showing a connection point between the conveying path 65 for the fibrous material FB and the introduction flow path 26 of the nozzle portion 25. The conveying path 65 for the first fibrous material FBa opens on the inner wall surface of the introduction flow path 26, and the first fibrous material FBa is introduced into the introduction flow path 26 through this opening. The conveying path 65 for the second fibrous material FBb also opens on the inner wall surface of the introduction flow path 26, and the second fibrous material FBb is introduced into the introduction flow path 26 through this opening. The fibrous materials FBa and FBb introduced into the introduction flow path 26 are guided toward the nozzle opening 28 of the nozzle portion 25 by the flow of the plasticizing material in the introduction flow path 26.

[0049] In this embodiment, the conveying path 65 of the first fiber material FBa and the conveying path 65 of the second fiber material FBb are connected at an acute angle to the tangent CL of the inner wall surface of the introduction flow path 26 at the connection position with the introduction flow path 26. This makes it easier for the tip of the fiber material FB to be guided along the inner wall surface of the introduction flow path 26 when the introduction of the fiber material FB is started, and therefore the introduction of the fiber materials FBa, FBb into the plasticized material is smooth. In addition, in this embodiment, the conveying path 65 of the first fiber material FBa and the conveying path 65 of the second fiber material FBb are connected to the introduction flow path 26 at positions facing each other across the central axis CX of the introduction flow path 26. This suppresses interference between the introduction paths of the first fiber material FBa and the second fiber material FBb in the introduction flow path 26, and therefore suppresses the occurrence of poor supply due to interference between the fiber materials FBa, FBb. In addition, in another embodiment, the transport path 65 for the first fiber material FBa and the transport path 65 for the second fiber material FBb may be connected to the introduction channel 26 at positions offset from each other in the Z direction.

[0050] FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram showing a process of discharging the modeling material MM containing the first fiber material FBa introduced by the first conveying unit 60a of the fiber introduction unit 23 from the nozzle opening 28. In FIG. 5, for convenience, the discharge amount control mechanism 80 is omitted. The first fiber material FBa is introduced into the introduction flow path 26 through the conveying path 65 of the first conveying unit 60a, and is discharged from the nozzle opening 28 as the modeling material MM together with the plasticizing material flowing through the introduction flow path 26. At this time, the second conveying unit 60b is in a state in which the conveying of the second fiber material FBb to the introduction flow path 26 is stopped. When the nozzle opening 28 and the stage 72 are moved relatively in the horizontal direction while the modeling material MM is discharged from the nozzle opening 28, the modeling material MM is linearly deposited on the stage 72 so as to draw the movement trajectory, and a modeling layer ML containing the first fiber material FBa is formed.

[0051] FIG. 6 is a schematic diagram showing a process of discharging the modeling material MM containing the second fiber material FBb introduced by the second conveying unit 60b of the fiber introduction unit 23 from the nozzle opening 28. In FIG. 6, for convenience, the discharge amount control mechanism 80 is omitted. The second fiber material FBb is introduced into the introduction flow path 26 through the conveying path 65 of the second conveying unit 60b, and is discharged from the nozzle opening 28 as the modeling material MM together with the plasticizing material flowing through the introduction flow path 26. At this time, the first conveying unit 60a is in a state in which the conveying of the first fiber material FBa to the introduction flow path 26 is stopped. When the nozzle opening 28 and the stage 72 are moved relatively in the horizontal direction while the modeling material MM is discharged from the nozzle opening 28, the modeling material MM is linearly deposited on the stage 72 so as to draw the movement trajectory, and a modeling layer ML containing the second fiber material FBb is formed. As described below, the thickness of the modeling layer ML formed using the modeling material MM containing the second fiber material FBb is different from the thickness of the modeling layer ML shown in Figure 5 formed using the modeling material MM containing the first fiber material FBa.

[0052] Fig. 7 is a schematic diagram showing how a modeling object OB is formed by stacking modeling layers ML formed by discharging a modeling material MM from a nozzle opening 28 in the modeling apparatus 100a. For convenience, the fiber material FB is shown by a dashed line in Fig. 7. The fiber material FB introduced into the modeling material MM in Fig. 7 may be a first fiber material FBa or a second fiber material FBb.

[0053] In the modeling apparatus 100a, a gap G is maintained between the nozzle opening 28 and an upper surface OBt of the modeling object OB being modeled. Here, the "upper surface OBt of the modeling object OB" refers to a portion on which the modeling material MM discharged from the nozzle opening 28 is to be deposited in the vicinity of a position directly below the nozzle opening 28. The gap G is adjusted by the movement mechanism 75 changing the relative position between the stage 72 and the nozzle opening 28 in the Z direction.

[0054] The size of the gap G is preferably equal to or smaller than the hole diameter Dn of the nozzle opening 28 shown in FIG. 1, and more preferably equal to or smaller than 0.8 times the hole diameter Dn. In this way, the modeling material MM discharged from the nozzle opening 28 can be deposited on the upper surface OBt of the modeling object OB while ensuring a sufficient contact surface with the upper surface OBt of the modeling object OB being modeled. As a result, it is possible to prevent gaps from being generated in the cross section of the modeling layer ML and to prevent the shape of the upper surface t of the modeling object OB from being distorted, and it is possible to ensure the strength of the modeling object OB and reduce the surface roughness. In addition, in a configuration in which a heater is provided around the nozzle opening 28, by forming the gap G, the heater can appropriately control the temperature drop of the upper surface OBt of the modeling object OB, and it is possible to prevent a decrease in the adhesion between the stacked modeling layers ML. Therefore, it is possible to ensure the interlayer strength of the modeling object OB. In addition, by forming the gap G, it is possible to prevent discoloration and deterioration caused by overheating of the deposited modeling material MM by the heater.

[0055] On the other hand, the size of the gap G is preferably 0.5 times or less, and particularly preferably 0.3 times or less, of the hole diameter Dn. This allows the modeling material MM to be deposited at the intended location with high accuracy. In addition, this makes it possible to suppress a decrease in adhesion of the modeling material MM to the upper surface OBt of the modeled object OB when the modeling material MM is discharged onto the upper surface OBt, and to suppress a decrease in adhesion between the stacked modeling layers ML.

[0056] In this embodiment, the plasticizing material MM solidifies as the temperature decreases after it is discharged from the nozzle opening 28. In other embodiments, the modeling material MM may be a material that is hardened by a sintering process in a sintering furnace after the modeling of the modeled object OB is completed. Also, the modeling material MM may be a material that is photo-hardened by irradiation with an ultraviolet laser after it is discharged from the nozzle opening 28. In this case, the modeling apparatus 100a may be equipped with a laser irradiation device for hardening the modeling material MM.

[0057] 8 is a flowchart showing steps executed by the modeling apparatus 100a in the modeling process. This modeling process is executed based on modeling data for forming the modeling layer ML that constitutes the modeled object OB. The modeling data is generated based on three-dimensional shape data that represents the shape of the modeled object OB, such as three-dimensional CAD data. The modeling data includes, for example, information on the position of the modeling layer ML in the modeled object OB, information on the dimensions of the modeling layer ML, information on the movement path of the nozzle opening 28, and the like.

[0058] Steps P10 to P80 of the modeling process correspond to one pass of the modeling apparatus 100a. A "pass" refers to a processing unit in which the nozzle opening 28 is scanned while continuously and uninterruptedly discharging the modeling material MM from the nozzle opening 28 to form one continuous modeling portion on the stage 72. One modeling layer ML is formed by performing a series of operations from steps P10 to P80 one or more times. In the modeling process of this embodiment, steps P10 to P80 are repeated until all stacked modeling layers ML are formed and modeling of the model is completed.

[0059] The process P10 is a process executed by the plasticizer 35 of the material generator 21 under the control of the controller 10, and corresponds to a plasticization process in which the thermoplastic resin is plasticized to generate a plasticized material. In this embodiment, as described above, the thermoplastic resin is plasticized using the flat screw 40. The process P10 includes a process of introducing the molding material of the material supply unit 30 into the groove 42 of the flat screw 40 while rotating the flat screw 40 facing the facing unit 50, and guiding at least a part of the thermoplastic resin contained in the molding material to the communication hole 53 of the facing unit 50 while plasticizing it in the groove 42. That is, the process P10 includes a process of guiding at least a part of the thermoplastic resin supplied between the flat screw 40 and the facing unit 50 to the communication hole 53 by rotating the flat screw 40 and heating the heater 52. As described above, the use of the flat screw 40 in the plasticization process realizes a reduction in the size of the plasticizer 35. Furthermore, since the pressure and flow rate of the plasticizing material supplied to the nozzle unit 25 can be easily controlled by controlling the rotation of the flat screw 40, it is possible to improve the accuracy of discharging the modeling material MM from the nozzle unit 25, and therefore the modeling accuracy of the object can be improved. The plasticizing unit 35 continues the plasticizing step of step P10 at least while performing the following steps P20 to P80.

[0060] In steps P20 to P40, the control unit 10 determines the processing conditions for steps P50 to P70. Note that, in steps P20 to P40, when multiple passes are repeated under the same processing conditions to form the same modeling layer ML, some or all of the steps may be omitted as appropriate, except for the first pass.

[0061] Step P20 corresponds to a selection step in which the control unit 10 selects a fiber material FB according to the thickness of the modeling layer ML to be formed in the current pass from among a plurality of types of fiber materials FB having different fiber diameters. As described above, in this embodiment, the plurality of types of fiber materials FB having different fiber diameters include a first fiber material FBa and a second fiber material FBb, and the modeling apparatus 100a includes the first fiber material FBa and the second fiber material FBb as the plurality of types of fiber materials FB. In step P20 of this embodiment, the control unit 10 selects the first fiber material FBa having a small fiber diameter when the thickness of the modeling layer ML is smaller than a predetermined threshold, and selects the second fiber material FBb having a large fiber diameter when the thickness of the modeling layer ML is larger than the predetermined threshold. That is, in step P20, the first fiber material FBa is selected when the first modeling layer ML is formed, and the second fiber material FBb is selected when the second modeling layer ML having a thickness larger than the first modeling layer is formed. This makes it possible to prevent a fiber material FB having a small fiber diameter from being introduced into a thick modeling layer ML, which would otherwise result in a decrease in the strength of the modeling layer ML.

[0062] Step P30 corresponds to a step in which the control unit 10 determines the discharge conditions when discharging the modeling material MM from the nozzle opening 28 to form the modeling layer ML. The discharge conditions include, for example, the amount of the modeling material MM discharged per unit time from the nozzle opening 28 in the current pass. The control unit 10 determines the discharge conditions depending on the dimensions, such as the thickness, of the modeling layer ML to be formed.

[0063] Step P40 corresponds to a step in which the control unit 10 determines the relative movement speed between the nozzle unit 25 and the stage 72 when forming the modeling layer ML. The control unit 10 determines the relative movement speed between the nozzle unit 25 and the stage 72, for example, based on the discharge amount of the modeling material MM calculated from the dimensions of the modeling layer ML to be formed and the discharge amount of the modeling material per unit time included in the discharge conditions determined in step P30.

[0064] Steps P50 to P70 constitute a series of operations of the modeling apparatus 100a when forming a modeling layer ML by discharging the modeling material MM from the nozzle opening 28 while moving the nozzle part 25 relatively to the stage 72. The modeling apparatus 100a executes step P70 while executing step P50 and step P60.

[0065] Step P50 is a step executed by the fiber introduction unit 23 of the discharge unit 20 under the control of the control unit 10, and corresponds to a generation step of generating a modeling material MM by introducing the fiber material FB selected in step P20 into the plasticized material generated in step P10. When the first fiber material FBa is selected in step P20, the fiber introduction unit 23 introduces the first fiber material FBa toward the nozzle opening 28 through the conveying path 65. On the other hand, when the second fiber material FBb is selected in step P20, the fiber introduction unit 23 introduces the second fiber material FBb toward the nozzle opening 28 through the conveying path 65.

[0066] Step P60 is a step executed by the movement mechanism 75 under the control of the control unit 10, and corresponds to a movement step of relatively moving the stage 72 and the nozzle unit 25. Under the control of the control unit 10, the movement mechanism 75 relatively moves the stage 72 and the nozzle unit 25 at the relative movement speed determined in step P40.

[0067] Process P70 is a process executed by the discharge unit 20 under the control of the control unit 10, and corresponds to a modeling process in which the modeling material MM containing the selected fiber material FB is discharged from the nozzle opening 28 to form a modeling layer ML. The discharge unit 20 discharges the modeling material MM from the nozzle opening 28 at the discharge amount per unit time determined in process P30. The control unit 10 controls the discharge amount of the modeling material MM per unit time by controlling the rotation speed of the flat screw 40 and the opening degree of the discharge amount control mechanism 80.

[0068] In process P80, the control unit 10 stops the discharge of the modeling material MM from the nozzle opening 28 when the formation of the modeling layer ML is completed. The control unit 10 first stops the introduction of the fiber material FB by the fiber introduction unit 23 and cuts the fiber material FB by the cutting unit 66. Then, the control unit 10 controls the discharge amount control mechanism 80 to stop the supply of the plasticizing material to the nozzle unit 25.

[0069] Through the above steps P10 to P80, a modeling layer ML containing the fiber material FB with a fiber diameter selected according to the thickness is formed. In the modeling process, the above steps P10 to P80 are repeated, and a modeling layer ML containing the fiber material FB is stacked to form a model.

[0070] 9 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing a cross section along the stacking direction of an example of a modeling layer ML formed by a modeling process. As described above, according to the modeling process of this embodiment, a first fiber material FBa having a small fiber diameter is introduced into the first modeling layer MLa having a small thickness t, and a second fiber material FBb having a large fiber diameter is introduced into the second modeling layer MLb having a large thickness t. By using the second fiber material FBb having a large fiber diameter in the second modeling layer MLb having a large thickness t, the strength of the second modeling layer MLb having a large thickness t can be increased compared to the case where the same first fiber material FBa as the first modeling layer MLa having a small thickness t is introduced into the second modeling layer MLb having a large thickness t.

[0071] As described above, according to the manufacturing method of a three-dimensional object realized in the modeling process of the first embodiment, the control unit 10 selects the fiber material FB to be used for forming the modeling layer ML from among a plurality of types of fiber materials FB in accordance with the thickness of the modeling layer ML. Moreover, under the control of the control unit 10, the fiber introduction unit 23 introduces the selected fiber material FB into the modeling material MM. According to this manufacturing method, under the control of the control unit 10, it is possible to select and introduce a fiber material FB having an appropriate fiber diameter for the thickness of the modeling layer ML from among a plurality of types of fiber materials FB. Therefore, the introduction of a fiber material FB having an appropriate fiber diameter can increase the strength of the modeled object OB, and can suppress a decrease in the productivity of the modeled object OB caused by the effort required to replace a fiber material FB having a different fiber diameter.

[0072] [2] Second embodiment Fig. 10 is a flowchart showing a control procedure by the control unit 10 of the formation process in the second embodiment. Fig. 11 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing a cross section along the stacking direction of an example of a formed object OBa formed by the formation process of the second embodiment. The formation process of the second embodiment is performed by the formation apparatus 100a shown in Fig. 1 described in the first embodiment.

[0073] In the modeling process of the second embodiment, an outer region OA constituting the outer boundary of the object OBa and an inner region IA surrounded by the outer region OA are modeled using modeling layers MLo and MLi of different thicknesses. For convenience, in Fig. 11, the modeling layer MLo included in the outer region OA and the modeling layer MLi included in the inner region IA are hatched differently.

[0074] In step S10, the control unit 10 generates shaping data for forming a shaping layer MLo included in the outer area OA of the object OBa and a shaping layer MLi included in the inner area IA, based on the three-dimensional shape data representing the shape of the object OBa. First, the control unit 10 divides the object OBa into an outer area OA constituting the outer area and an inner area IA constituting the internal structure, based on the three-dimensional shape data. Next, the control unit 10 breaks down each of the outer area OA and the inner area IA into shaping layers MLo and MLi, and generates shaping data. At this time, the control unit 10 generates the shaping data so that the thickness of the shaping layer MLo included in the outer area OA is smaller than the thickness of the shaping layer MLi included in the inner area IA.

[0075] In step S20, the control unit 10 executes a first modeling layer forming process to form a modeling layer MLo included in the outer area OA that surrounds the sides of the inner area IA. In the first modeling layer forming process, the modeling apparatus 100a repeatedly executes steps P10 to P80 similar to the steps of the modeling process in FIG. 8 described in the first embodiment, until all modeling layers MLo included in the outer area OA located on the sides of the inner area IA that is the modeling target are formed. In the selection step of step P20 in the first modeling layer forming process, a first fiber material FBa is selected. In other words, the modeling layer MLo included in the outer area OA corresponds to the first modeling layer MLa.

[0076] In step S30, the control unit 10 executes a second modeling layer forming process to form a modeling layer MLi included in the internal area IA. In the second modeling layer forming process, the modeling apparatus 100a repeatedly executes steps P10 to P80 similar to the steps of the modeling process in FIG. 8 described in the first embodiment, until all modeling layers MLi included in the internal area IA, which is the modeling target, are formed. In the selection step of step P20 in the second modeling layer forming process, the second fiber material FBb is selected for the modeling layer MLi. In other words, the modeling layer MLi included in the internal area IA corresponds to the second modeling layer MLb.

[0077] In step S40, the control unit 10 executes a third modeling layer formation process to form a modeling layer MLo included in the outer area OA located above the inner area IA. In the third modeling layer formation process, similar to the first modeling layer formation process in step S20, a modeling layer MLo is formed into which the first fiber material FBa is introduced as the selected fiber material FB. In the third modeling layer formation process, the modeling apparatus 100a repeatedly executes steps P10 to P80 similar to the steps of the modeling process in FIG. 8 described in the first embodiment until all modeling layers MLo included in the outer area OA above the inner area IA, which is the modeling target, are formed.

[0078] Here, the modeling process of step P70 in the first modeling layer formation process corresponds to an outer region forming process of forming a modeling layer MLo included in the outer region OA. Also, the modeling process of step P70 in the second modeling layer formation process corresponds to an inner region forming process of forming a modeling layer MLi included in the inner region IA and having a greater thickness than the modeling layer MLo included in the outer region OA. Also, in the modeling process of the second embodiment, in the selection process of step P20 in each of the first modeling layer formation process and the second modeling layer formation process, the first fiber material FBa is selected when forming the modeling layer MLo included in the outer region OA, and the second fiber material FBb is selected when forming the modeling layer MLi included in the inner region IA.

[0079] According to the modeling process of the second embodiment, the outer periphery of the object OBa can be modeled more precisely by using the modeling layer MLo, which has a small thickness. Also, since the thickness of the modeling layer MLi in the internal region IA is large, the internal region IA, which is not visible in the exterior, can be formed more efficiently in a short time. Also, according to the modeling process of the second embodiment, a fiber material FB with an appropriate fiber diameter is introduced into each of the modeling layers MLo, MLi, which have different thicknesses, so that the difference in strength between the outer periphery region OA and the internal region IA of the object OBa caused by the difference in thickness between the modeling layers MLo, MLi is suppressed.

[0080] In the modeling process of the second embodiment, the thickness tb of the modeling layer MLi included in the inner region IA is modeled to correspond to the sum of the thicknesses ta of the multiple modeling layers MLo included in the outer region OA and stacked. Fig. 11 shows an example in which the thickness tb of the modeling layer MLi is modeled to correspond to the sum of the thicknesses ta of two modeling layers MLo. This makes it possible to form the internal structure in a short time while modeling the outer region with even greater precision. Note that the thickness tb of the modeling layer MLi included in the inner region IA may be modeled to correspond to the sum of the thicknesses ta of two or more modeling layers MLo included in the outer region OA.

[0081] As described above, according to the modeling method realized in the modeling process of the second embodiment, the strength of the modeled object OBa can be increased by introducing the fiber material FB having an appropriate fiber diameter into each of the modeling layers MLo and MLi. In addition, the time required to form the internal structure of the modeled object can be shortened while forming the outer periphery more precisely, thereby further increasing the productivity of the modeled object OBa.

[0082] [3] Third embodiment 12 is a schematic diagram showing the configuration of a modeling apparatus 100b according to a third embodiment. The modeling apparatus 100b according to the third embodiment is substantially the same as the modeling apparatus 100a according to the first embodiment, except that the fiber introduction section 23 includes a third conveying section 60c that introduces a third fiber material FBc, in addition to the first conveying section 60a and the second conveying section 60b.

[0083] The molding apparatus 100b includes a third fiber material FBc in addition to the first fiber material FBa and the second fiber material FBb as a plurality of types of fiber materials FB having different fiber diameters. The fiber diameter of the third fiber material FBc is larger than that of the first fiber material FBa and smaller than that of the second fiber material FBb. The third fiber material FBc is stored in the storage section 63 of the third conveying section 60c in a state where it is wound on the reel 62, similar to the first fiber material FBa and the second fiber material FBb, and is sent from the storage section 63 to the introduction flow path 26 through the conveying path 65 of the third conveying section 60c. For convenience, the third conveying section 60c is illustrated above the storage section 63 and the conveying path 65 of the first conveying section 60a in FIG. 12, but in reality, it is provided at approximately the same height position as the first conveying section 60a and the second conveying section 60b. The "height position" means a position in the Z direction.

[0084] FIG. 13 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a connection portion between the transport path 65 of the fiber material FB and the introduction flow path 26 of the nozzle part 25 in the 13-13 section shown in FIG. 12. In the molding device 100b, the connection portions of the transport paths 65 that send out the three fiber materials FBa, FBb, and FBc to the introduction flow path 26 are located at the same position in the Z direction. In addition, the openings that are the outlets of the transport paths 65 in the introduction flow path 26 are arranged at approximately equal intervals in the circumferential direction of the introduction flow path 26. The transport paths 65 are connected at an acute angle to the tangent CL of the inner wall surface of the introduction flow path 26 at the connection position with the introduction flow path 26, and the openings of the transport paths 65 in the introduction flow path 26 are opened in the same direction in the circumferential direction around the central axis of the introduction flow path 26. This prevents the introduction paths of the three fiber materials FBa, FBb, and FBc from interfering with each other in the introduction flow path 26.

[0085] In other embodiments, the connection points of the transport paths 65 of the fiber materials FBa, FBb, and FBc may be different in the Z direction, and the opening directions of the outlets of the transport paths 65 in the introduction flow path 26 are not limited to the above-mentioned directions. In addition, each transport path 65 may be connected to a flow path of the plasticizing material other than the introduction flow path 26.

[0086] Fig. 14 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing a cross section along the stacking direction of an example of a modeling object OBb formed by a modeling process of the modeling apparatus 100b according to the third embodiment. For convenience, in Fig. 14, a modeling layer MLo included in the outer area OA and a second modeling layer MLi included in the inner area IA are distinguished by using different types of hatching.

[0087] In the modeling apparatus 100b of the third embodiment, the control unit 10 executes the modeling process in accordance with the control procedure shown in Fig. 10. However, in the modeling process of the third embodiment, in step S10, the control unit 10 sets multiple different thicknesses as the thickness of the modeling layer MLo included in the outer area OA, and sets multiple different thicknesses as the thickness of the modeling layer MLi included in the inner area IA. The minimum thickness of the modeling layer MLo included in the outer area OA is smaller than the minimum thickness of the modeling layer MLi included in the inner area IA.

[0088] In the first modeling layer forming process in step S20 and the third modeling layer forming process in step S40, the control unit 10 selects the first fiber material FBa for modeling layers MLo in the outer region OA whose thickness is smaller than a predetermined threshold in the selection step of step P20. Also, the control unit 10 selects the third fiber material FBc for modeling layers MLi in the inner region IA whose thickness is larger than a predetermined threshold in the selection step of step P20. Also, the control unit 10 selects the second fiber material FBb for modeling layers MLi in the inner region IA whose thickness is larger than a predetermined threshold. Also, the control unit 10 selects the third fiber material FBc for modeling layers smaller than the threshold.

[0089] According to the molding process of the third embodiment, a molding layer including the first fiber material FBa and a molding layer including the third fiber material FBc are formed as molding layers MLo in the outer area OA, and a molding layer including the second fiber material FBb and a molding layer including the third fiber material FBc are formed as molding layers MLi in the internal area IA.

[0090] In the third embodiment, as in the second embodiment, the modeling process of step P70 in the first modeling layer formation process corresponds to the outer region forming process, and the modeling process of step P70 in the second modeling layer formation process corresponds to the inner region forming process. The modeling process of the third embodiment can be interpreted as having a step of selecting the first fiber material FBa when forming the modeling layer MLo included in the outer region OA, and selecting the second fiber material FBb when forming the modeling layer MLi included in the inner region IA.

[0091] As described above, according to the modeling apparatus 100b of the third embodiment, an appropriate fiber material FB is selected from three types of fiber materials FBa, FBb, and FBc with different fiber diameters according to the thickness of the modeling layer ML and introduced. This allows for a wider range of fiber diameters to be selected for the fiber material FB, and further prevents the strength from differing greatly due to differences in the thickness of the modeling layer ML. In addition, under the control of the control unit 10, the fiber introduction unit 23 switches between the three types of fiber materials FBa, FBb, and FBc and introduces them into the modeling material, thereby further improving the productivity of the modeled object OBb.

[0092] [4] Fourth embodiment Fig. 15 is a flowchart showing steps executed in the modeling process in the fourth embodiment. Fig. 15 is almost the same as the flowchart in Fig. 8 described in the first embodiment, except that step P45 is added. The modeling process in the fourth embodiment is executed by the modeling apparatus 100a shown in Fig. 1 described in the first embodiment.

[0093] Step P45 is executed after steps P10 to P40. Step P45 corresponds to an introduction control step in which the control unit 10 controls the introduction speed at which the fibrous material FB selected in step P20 is introduced into the nozzle opening 28 in accordance with the relative movement speed between the nozzle unit 25 and the stage 72 determined in step P40. The "introduction speed" corresponds to the length of the fibrous material FB sent out from the conveying path 65 per unit time. In the fourth embodiment, the control unit 10 sets a target value for the introduction speed of the fibrous material FB to be larger as the relative movement speed between the nozzle unit 25 and the stage 72 is higher, and controls the rotation speed of the reel 62 around which the fibrous material FB is wound in accordance with the target value of the introduction speed.

[0094] In this way, by controlling the introduction speed of the fiber material FB according to the relative movement speed between the nozzle portion 25 and the stage 72, it is possible to prevent the amount and state of the fiber material FB introduced into the modeling layer ML from fluctuating due to changes in the relative movement speed between the nozzle opening 28 and the stage 72. In addition, since the introduction speed of the fiber material FB is controlled to be greater as the relative movement speed between the nozzle opening 28 and the stage 72 increases, it is possible to prevent the introduction of the fiber material FB into the modeling material MM from being unable to keep up with the speed at which the modeling layer ML is formed.

[0095] [5] Fifth embodiment Fig. 16 is a schematic diagram showing the configuration of a modeling apparatus 100c in the fifth embodiment. The modeling apparatus 100c in the fifth embodiment is substantially the same as the modeling apparatus 100a in the first embodiment shown in Fig. 1 except that a through-hole 47 is provided in the flat screw 40, a first conveying unit 60a is provided above the plasticizing unit 35, and a pressure control unit 90 is added.

[0096] In the fifth embodiment, the flat screw 40 is provided with a through hole 47 penetrating from the upper surface 43 to the center portion 45 of the groove forming surface 41 at a position where the rotation axis RX passes. The first conveying section 60a is provided above the plasticizing section 35. The storage section 63 of the first conveying section 60a is disposed above the drive motor 37 of the flat screw 40, and the conveying path 65 of the first conveying section 60a is connected to the through hole 47 of the flat screw 40 through the drive shaft of the drive motor 37. As a result, when the first fiber material FBa is selected in the selection process, the first fiber material FBa is introduced into the plasticized material through the through hole 47 of the flat screw 40. Note that, in another embodiment, instead of the first conveying section 60a, the second conveying section 60b may be provided above the plasticizing section 35, and when the second fiber material FBb is selected in the selection process, the second fiber material FBb may be introduced into the plasticized material through the through hole 47 of the flat screw 40.

[0097] The pressure control unit 90 is configured by a pump. The pressure control unit 90 is connected to the accommodation unit 63 of the first conveying unit 60a, and controls the pressure in the through hole 47 of the flat screw 40 through the accommodation unit 63 of the first conveying unit 60a and the conveying path 65 under the control of the control unit 10.

[0098] FIG. 17 is a flowchart showing steps executed by the modeling apparatus 100c in the modeling process of the fifth embodiment. FIG. 17 is almost the same as the flowchart of FIG. 8 described in the first embodiment, except that step P5 is added. Step P5 corresponds to a pressure control step in which the control unit 10 controls the pressure control unit 90 to control the pressure in the through hole 47 of the flat screw 40 to be higher than the pressure in the communication hole 53 of the facing unit 50. The pressure in the communication hole 53 is controlled by the control unit 10 controlling the rotation speed of the flat screw 40. Step P5 is started before the generation of the plasticized material is started in step P10, and is continued while the plasticized material is being generated in the plasticizing unit 35.

[0099] According to the modeling apparatus 100c of the fifth embodiment, the first fiber material FBa can be smoothly introduced into the communication hole 53 of the facing portion 50 through the through hole 47 of the flat screw 40. In addition, since the pressure in the through hole 47 of the flat screw 40 is controlled by the pressure control unit 90 to be higher than the pressure in the communication hole 53 of the facing portion 50, it is possible to prevent the plasticized material in the central portion 45 from flowing into the through hole 47.

[0100] [6] Sixth embodiment Fig. 18 is a schematic diagram showing the configuration of a modeling apparatus 100d of the sixth embodiment. The modeling apparatus 100d of the sixth embodiment is substantially the same as the modeling apparatus 100a of the first embodiment, except for the following points. In the modeling apparatus 100d, an introduction groove 57 is provided on the facing surface 51 of the facing unit 50, and the respective transport paths 65 of the first transport unit 60a and the second transport unit 60b are connected to the introduction groove 57 instead of the introduction flow path 26 of the nozzle unit 25. Note that in Fig. 18, the introduction groove 57 is illustrated by a dashed line for convenience.

[0101] 19 is a schematic plan view showing the configuration of the facing surface 51 of the facing portion 50 of the sixth embodiment. In addition to a plurality of guide grooves 55 for guiding the plasticized material to the central communication hole 53, the facing surface 51 is provided with two introduction grooves 57 for introducing the fiber material FB. The introduction grooves 57 are formed from the outer peripheral end of the facing surface 51 to the communication hole 53 so as to avoid interference with the guide grooves 55. One introduction groove 57 is connected to the conveying path 65 of the first conveying section 60a, and the other introduction groove 57 is connected to the conveying path 65 of the second conveying section 60b. This allows the first fiber material FBa and the second fiber material FBb to be introduced to the communication hole 53 from a position on the side of the flat screw 40 and a position on the side of the facing portion 50.

[0102] In the modeling process of the modeling apparatus 100d, the steps shown in Fig. 8 described in the first embodiment are executed. In the generation step P50, the modeling material MM is generated by introducing the fiber material FB selected in step P20 through the introduction groove 57. This configuration is efficient because it is possible to use the rotational force of the flat screw 40 to guide the fiber material FB to the communicating hole 53 and introduce it into the plasticized material to generate the modeling material MM.

[0103] [7] Seventh embodiment FIG. 20 is a schematic diagram showing the configuration of a modeling apparatus 100e of the seventh embodiment. The modeling apparatus 100e of the seventh embodiment is substantially the same as the modeling apparatus 100a of the first embodiment, except for the following points. In the modeling apparatus 100e, the respective conveying paths 65 of the first conveying section 60a and the second conveying section 60b are inserted into the screw case 36 and are configured to be connectable to the groove portion 42 from the side of the flat screw 40. In the seventh embodiment, the groove portion 42 of the flat screw 40 is configured as an introduction groove 57 that introduces the fiber material FB from the side of the flat screw 40 or the facing portion 50 to the communication hole 53. According to the modeling apparatus 100e of the seventh embodiment, as in the modeling apparatus 100d of the sixth embodiment, the fiber material FB can be introduced into the plasticized material through the introduction groove 57 by utilizing the rotational force of the flat screw 40, and can be efficiently generated.

[0104] [8] Eighth embodiment FIG. 21 is a schematic diagram showing the configuration of a modeling apparatus 100f of the eighth embodiment. The modeling apparatus 100f of the eighth embodiment is substantially the same as the modeling apparatus 100a of the first embodiment, except for the following points. In the modeling apparatus 100f, the cutting section 66 of the storage section 63 of each transport section 60a, 60b is omitted. The modeling apparatus 100f is provided with a discharge amount control mechanism 80a that is provided upstream of the nozzle opening 28 and controls the amount of modeling material discharged from the nozzle opening 28. The discharge amount control mechanism 80a of the eighth embodiment has a function as a cutting section that cuts the fiber material FB, as described later. The modeling apparatus 100f includes a motor 88 that generates a driving force, and a gear section 89 that switches the destination of the driving force of the motor 88 to the discharge amount control mechanism 80a or each transport section 60a, 60b. The motor 88 is, for example, a stepping motor. The switching of the destination of the driving force of the motor 88 by the control unit 10 will be described later.

[0105] FIG. 22 is a schematic diagram showing the configuration of a discharge amount control mechanism 80a of the eighth embodiment. FIG. 22 is a schematic diagram showing a state in which the discharge amount control mechanism 80a opens a flow path and the fiber material FB passes through the opened flow path. The discharge amount control mechanism 80a includes a butterfly valve 81, which is a valve body that rotates in the introduction flow path 26, and a cutter blade 82 provided around the butterfly valve 81. The butterfly valve 81 is provided downstream of the connection point between the conveying path 65 of the fiber introduction section 23 and the introduction flow path 26. The butterfly valve 81 rotates by the driving force of the motor 88, and changes the opening area of ​​the introduction flow path 26 according to the rotation angle. The control unit 10 controls the discharge amount of the modeling material from the nozzle opening 28 by the rotation angle of the butterfly valve 81. The cutter blade 82 is provided at a position close to the rotation area of ​​the butterfly valve 81.

[0106] Fig. 23 is a schematic diagram for explaining the mechanism by which the discharge amount control mechanism 80a cuts the fiber material FB. Fig. 23 shows a schematic diagram of the butterfly valve 81 of the discharge amount control mechanism 80a rotating from the state shown in Fig. 22 to cut the fiber material FB. When the butterfly valve 81 rotates to close the introduction flow path 26, the fiber material FB inserted in the flow path between the butterfly valve 81 and the inner wall surface of the nozzle flow path 27 is pinched between the end of the butterfly valve 81 during rotation and the cutter blade 82, and is pressed against the cutter blade 82 and cut. After the fiber material FB is cut, the butterfly valve 81 continues to rotate to close the nozzle flow path 27.

[0107] In the modeling apparatus 100f of the eighth embodiment, the modeling process is performed by the steps shown in FIG. 8 described in the first embodiment. In the modeling process, the control unit 10 controls the driving of the motor 88 and controls the gear unit 89 to switch the transmission destination of the driving force generated by the motor 88. When the fiber material FB selected in the selection step of the process P20 is introduced into the plasticized material in the generation step of the process P50, the control unit 10 transmits the driving force generated by the motor 88 to the conveying unit 60 by the gear unit 89 and uses it to convey the fiber material FB. When the control unit 10 starts discharging the modeling material from the nozzle opening 28 in the process P70, in order to adjust the discharge amount, the control unit 10 temporarily switches the transmission destination of the driving force generated by the motor 88 to the discharge amount control mechanism 80a by the gear unit 89, and rotates the butterfly valve 81 of the discharge amount control mechanism 80a to control the discharge amount of the modeling material. Furthermore, when the control unit 10 stops the discharge of the modeling material in step P80, it switches the destination of the driving force generated by the motor 88 from the conveying unit 60 to the discharge amount control mechanism 80a and rotates the butterfly valve 81. Step P80 can be interpreted as including a cutting step of cutting the fiber material FB using the discharge amount control mechanism 80a. By step P80, the introduction of the fiber material FB is stopped and the fiber material FB is cut, the nozzle flow path 27 is closed, and the discharge of the modeling material from the nozzle opening 28 is stopped.

[0108] According to the modeling apparatus 100f of the eighth embodiment, it is possible to reduce the size of the apparatus configuration because the conveying unit 60 and the discharge amount control mechanism 80a are driven by a common motor 88. According to the modeling apparatus 100f of the eighth embodiment, the discharge amount control mechanism 80a can stop the discharge of the modeling material at the same time as cutting the fiber material FB, thereby further improving the controllability of the discharge of the modeling material from the nozzle opening 28.

[0109] [9] Ninth embodiment Fig. 24 is a schematic diagram showing a configuration of a discharge amount control mechanism 80b included in a molding apparatus 100g of the ninth embodiment. Fig. 24 shows a state in which a rod 83 of the discharge amount control mechanism 80b is located at an initial position described later and a fiber material FB is fed to a nozzle flow path 27.

[0110] The modeling apparatus 100g of the ninth embodiment has almost the same configuration as the modeling apparatus 100f of the eighth embodiment, except for the points described below. The modeling apparatus 100g includes a discharge amount control mechanism 80b having a different configuration from the discharge amount control mechanism 80a described in the eighth embodiment. The discharge amount control mechanism 80b of the ninth embodiment is provided in the nozzle flow path 27. The discharge amount control mechanism 80b realizes a function of opening and closing the nozzle flow path 27 to control the discharge amount of the modeling material and a function of cutting the fiber material FB by moving the rod 83 in a direction intersecting the nozzle flow path 27 by a plunger mechanism. Although not shown, the modeling apparatus 100g has a butterfly valve similar to the discharge amount control mechanism 80 described in the first embodiment upstream of the discharge amount control mechanism 80b, and the discharge of the plasticizing material from the nozzle opening 28 can be stopped by opening and closing the butterfly valve.

[0111] The discharge amount control mechanism 80b includes a rod 83 that performs piston-like motion in a direction intersecting the nozzle flow path 27, a drive mechanism 84 that drives the rod 83, a recess 86 provided on the inner wall surface of the nozzle flow path 27, and a cutter blade 82 provided in the recess 86. The rod 83 moves in a branch flow path 85 that is connected to the nozzle flow path 27. The discharge amount control mechanism 80b of the ninth embodiment receives the drive force of the rod 83 from a motor 88 that is also used for the conveying unit 60 shown in FIG. 21, similar to the discharge amount control mechanism 80a of the eighth embodiment. The drive mechanism 84 converts the rotational motion generated by the motor 88 into linear motion to instantaneously move the rod 83.

[0112] First, the control mechanism of the discharge amount of the plasticizing material by the discharge amount control mechanism 80b will be described. When the rod 83 is instantaneously moved to a position deep in the branch flow path 85, the plasticizing material is drawn into the branch flow path 85 as the rod 83 moves. This generates a negative pressure in the nozzle flow path 27, and the plasticizing material discharged from the nozzle opening 27 is drawn back to the nozzle flow path 27, so that the discharge of the plasticizing material from the nozzle opening 28 can be temporarily stopped. Conversely, when the rod 83 is moved from a position deep in the branch flow path 85 toward the nozzle flow path 27, the plasticizing material in the branch flow path 85 is pushed out into the nozzle flow path 27, so that the discharge amount of the plasticizing material can be temporarily increased. In this way, the discharge amount control mechanism 80b can control the discharge amount of the plasticizing material from the nozzle opening 28 by moving the rod 83.

[0113] Next, a cutting mechanism of the fiber material FB by the discharge amount control mechanism 80b will be described. The rod 83 can move instantaneously so as to protrude from the branch flow path 85 into the nozzle flow path 27. The tip of the rod 83 protruding into the nozzle flow path 27 is received by the recess 86. This movement of the rod 83 protruding toward the recess 86 cuts the fiber material FB as described below.

[0114] Fig. 25 is a schematic diagram for explaining a mechanism by which a discharge amount control mechanism 80b of the ninth embodiment cuts the fiber material FB. Fig. 25 shows a schematic diagram of a state in which the rod 83 of the discharge amount control mechanism 80b moves from the state shown in Fig. 24 in a direction protruding into the nozzle flow path 27 to cut the fiber material FB. As described above, the cutter blade 82 is provided in the recess 86 that receives the tip of the rod 83. When the rod 83 moves instantaneously toward the recess 86, the fiber material FB is sandwiched between the tip of the rod 83 and the cutter blade 82 in the recess 86, and is pressed against the cutter blade 82 to be cut.

[0115] The control unit 10 of the molding apparatus 100g drives the discharge amount control mechanism 80b as follows when closing the butterfly valve provided upstream thereof to stop the discharge of the plasticizing material from the nozzle opening 28, and when opening the butterfly valve to resume the discharge of the plasticizing material. While the plasticizing material is being discharged from the nozzle opening 28, the rod 83 of the discharge amount control mechanism 80b is in a position where the tip of the rod 83 blocks the outlet of the branch flow path 85, as shown in Fig. 17. Hereinafter, this position will also be referred to as the "initial position."

[0116] When the control unit 10 closes the butterfly valve, it drives the discharge amount control mechanism 80b to instantaneously move the rod 83 from the initial position toward the recessed portion 86 so that the rod 83 protrudes from the initial position into the nozzle flow path 27, thereby cutting the fiber material FB. After that, the rod 83 is instantaneously moved to a position deeper in the branch flow path 85 without any gap, thereby generating a negative pressure in the nozzle flow path 27. This causes the plasticized material that has flowed out from the nozzle opening 28 to be pulled back into the nozzle flow path 27, so that it is possible to prevent excess plasticized material from hanging like strings from the nozzle opening 28 after the discharge of the plasticized material has stopped.

[0117] When the butterfly valve is opened to resume the discharge of the plasticizing material, the control unit 10 returns the rod 83, which is located deep in the branch flow path 85, to its initial position, thereby returning the plasticizing material that has been drawn into the branch flow path 85 to the nozzle flow path 27. This makes it possible to temporarily increase the discharge amount of the plasticizing material when the discharge of the plasticizing material from the nozzle opening 28 is resumed. This makes it possible to suppress a delay in resuming the discharge of the plasticizing material due to an insufficient amount of plasticizing material supplied to the nozzle flow path 27 when the discharge of the plasticizing material is resumed.

[0118] In this way, according to the discharge amount control mechanism 80b, when the discharge of the plasticizing material from the nozzle opening 28 is stopped, the outflow of the plasticizing material from the nozzle opening 28 can be quickly stopped while cutting the fiber material FB. Furthermore, when the discharge of the plasticizing material from the nozzle opening 28 is resumed, the rod 83 pushes out the plasticizing material in the branch flow path 85, and the discharge amount of the plasticizing material from the nozzle opening 28 can be quickly restored to the target value. In other words, according to the discharge amount control mechanism 80b, it is possible to realize higher responsiveness of the discharge unit 20 to the discharge control of the plasticizing material by the control unit 10.

[0119] As described above, according to the modeling apparatus 100g of the ninth embodiment, similarly to the modeling apparatus 100f of the eighth embodiment, the conveying unit 60 and the discharge amount control mechanism 80b are driven by a common motor 88, so that the device configuration can be made compact. In addition, the discharge amount control mechanism 80b can further improve the controllability of the discharge of the modeling material including the fiber material FB.

[0120]

[10] Other embodiments The various configurations described in the above embodiments can be modified, for example, as follows. All of the other embodiments described below are considered as examples of modes for carrying out the present invention, similar to the above embodiments.

[0121] [10-1] Other embodiment 1 The modeling apparatus 100a of the first embodiment may include, as the multiple types of fiber materials FB, fiber materials FB with different fiber diameters in addition to the first fiber material FBa and the second fiber material FBb. As in the modeling apparatus 100c of the third embodiment, the modeling apparatus 100a may be configured to include three types of fiber materials FBa, FBb, and FBc, or may be configured to include four or more types of fiber materials FB. In this way, when multiple types of fiber materials FB are provided, in the selection process of step P20, a previously prepared map may be used in which the type of fiber material FB is uniquely determined for the thickness of the modeling layer ML to be formed. In addition, the types of constituent materials of the multiple types of fiber materials FB may not be the same, and may be different. Note that the same modifications as those described in other embodiment 1 are possible for each embodiment other than the first embodiment.

[0122] [10-2] Other embodiment 2 In the selection step of step P20 in each of the above embodiments, the fiber material FB used to form the modeling layer ML may be selected from among a plurality of types of fiber material FB according to the thickness of the modeling layer ML to be formed. In the selection step of step P20, the fiber material FB having a larger fiber diameter may be selected as the thickness of the modeling layer ML to be formed increases. Also, the fiber material FB having a larger fiber diameter may be selected as the thickness of the modeling layer ML to be formed decreases. In this case, the ratio of the fiber material FB to the volume of the modeling layer ML to be formed increases, so that it is possible to increase the strength of the modeling layer ML having a small thickness. Also, in the selection step of step P20, a map may be used in which a relationship is set to determine the type of fiber material FB having a uniquely appropriate fiber diameter for the thickness of the modeling layer ML to be formed, regardless of the thickness of the modeling layer ML.

[0123] [10-3] Other embodiment 3 In each of the above embodiments, a continuous fiber material FB wound around the reel 62 may not be used, and a configuration may be adopted in which finely divided fiber material FB is introduced by being poured so as to be mixed into the modeling material before being discharged from the nozzle opening 28. In this case, the modeling device may not be provided with a cutting unit 66 that cuts the fiber material FB.

[0124] [10-4] Other embodiment 4 In each of the above-described embodiments, the fiber material FB does not have to be continuously introduced into the modeling material during the modeling process, but may be intermittently introduced into the modeling material. Therefore, the modeled object may include a portion that is made of a modeling material that is made of only the plasticized material without any fiber material being introduced.

[0125] [10-5] Other embodiment 5 In each of the above-described embodiments, instead of using the flat screw 40 to plasticize the thermoplastic resin to generate the plasticized material contained in the modeling material, the plasticized material may be generated by other methods. For example, the plasticized material may be generated using an in-line screw. In addition, the modeling material may not include a plasticized material, and may include a material other than the plasticized material that has fluidity and can be hardened after being discharged from the nozzle opening 28 and a fiber material FB.

[0126] [10-6] Other embodiment 6 In the above-described fifth embodiment, the multiple types of fiber material FB may be introduced into the molding material through a common through hole 47 provided in the flat screw 40, or the flat screw 40 may have multiple through holes 47 formed therein, one for each of the multiple types of fiber material FB. When the through hole 47 for introducing the fiber material FB is formed in the flat screw 40, it is sufficient that at least one through hole 47 is provided.

[0127] [10-7] Other embodiment 7 In the above-described fifth embodiment, the pressure control unit 90 may be omitted. In this case, in order to suppress the inflow of the plasticizing material from the flat screw 40 into the conveying path 65 for the fiber material FB, for example, a configuration may be adopted in which a portion where the gap between the through hole 47 and the fiber material FB is narrowed is locally provided.

[0128] [10-8] Other embodiment 8 In the sixth embodiment described above, it is sufficient that at least one introduction groove 57 is formed in the opposing surface 51. A configuration in which one introduction groove 57 is commonly used as an introduction path for the multiple types of fiber materials FB may be adopted, or multiple introduction grooves 57 may be provided, one for each of the multiple types of fiber materials FB.

[0129] [10-9] Other embodiment 9 In the seventh embodiment, the flat screw 40 may be formed with an introduction groove 57 for introducing the fiber material FB in addition to the groove portion 42 that functions as a flow path for the plasticizing material. As in the case of the eighth other embodiment, at least one introduction groove 57 may be formed.

[0130] [10-10] Other embodiments 10 The configurations described in each of the above embodiments can be appropriately extracted and combined. For example, the introduction control process of the process P45 in the fourth embodiment may be applied to each of the above embodiments. Also, the through hole 47 of the flat screw 40 in the fifth embodiment or the introduction groove 57 in the sixth or seventh embodiment may be added to the molding apparatus of the first embodiment or other embodiments. Also, the pressure control unit 90 in the fifth embodiment may be applied to each of the conveying units 60a, 60b in each of the above embodiments. In this case, the pressure control unit 90 may control the pressure of each conveying path 65 to be higher than the pressure of the flow path of the plasticizing material. The configuration in which the gear unit 89 in the eighth or ninth embodiment switches the transmission destination of the driving force of the motor 88, or the configuration of the discharge amount control mechanisms 80a, 80b having the function of cutting the fiber material FB may be applied to any of the above embodiments.

[0131] [10-11] Other embodiments 11 The discharge amount control mechanism 80b of the above-mentioned eighth embodiment may be configured to include a shutter valve capable of closing the nozzle flow path 27, instead of the rod 83. In this case, the drive mechanism 84 moves the shutter valve toward the recess 86 and causes it to be received in the recess 86, thereby closing the nozzle flow path 27 and stopping the discharge of the plasticizing material from the nozzle opening 28 while cutting the fiber material FB.

[0132] [10-12] Other embodiment 12 In each of the above embodiments, a method for manufacturing a three-dimensional object including the following steps may be applied. The method for manufacturing a three-dimensional object includes a plasticizing step of plasticizing at least a part of a modeling material including a first fiber material and a thermoplastic resin to generate a plasticized material to be discharged from a nozzle opening for modeling a three-dimensional object, a fiber introduction step including either a step of introducing a second fiber material longer than the first fiber material into the modeling material or the plasticized material before being discharged from the nozzle opening, or a step of introducing the second fiber material into the plasticized material after being discharged from the nozzle opening, and a modeling step of modeling the three-dimensional object including the first fiber material and the second fiber material. According to this manufacturing method, the first fiber material and the second fiber material having different lengths can be combined and mixed in the three-dimensional object so as to reinforce each other in strength in various directions. Therefore, the strength of the three-dimensional object in various directions can be easily improved.

[0133] [10-13] Other embodiments 13 In each of the above embodiments, a manufacturing method of a three-dimensional object including the following steps may be applied. The manufacturing method of the three-dimensional object includes a plasticizing step of plasticizing at least a part of a modeling material including a thermoplastic resin to generate a plasticized material, a fiber introduction step including at least one of a step of introducing a coated fiber material, which is a fiber material coated with a coating material, into the plasticized material after it has been discharged from a nozzle opening, or a step of introducing the coated fiber material into the modeling material or the plasticized material before it is discharged from the nozzle opening, and a modeling step of modeling a three-dimensional object including the coated fiber material. According to this manufacturing method, in the fiber introduction step, it is possible to prevent air bubbles from adhering to the surface of the fiber material and being mixed into the plasticized material by the coating material that coats the surface of the coated fiber material. Therefore, it is possible to prevent air bubbles from being mixed into the modeling material, resulting in a decrease in the strength of the three-dimensional object.

[0134] [10-14] Other embodiments 14 In each of the above embodiments, in the selection step, a fiber material is selected from among a plurality of fiber materials having different fiber diameters for the thickness of the modeling layer. Alternatively, a fiber material may be selected from among a plurality of fiber materials having different fiber diameters based on the discharge amount per unit time and the relative movement speed between the nozzle opening 28 and the stage 72. Since the thickness of the modeling layer is determined based on the discharge amount per unit time and the relative movement speed between the nozzle opening 28 and the stage 72, as in each of the above embodiments, a fiber material having an appropriate fiber diameter according to the thickness of the modeling layer can be included in the modeling layer, thereby increasing the strength of the three-dimensional model.

[0135]

[11] Summary (1) A method for manufacturing a three-dimensional object according to one embodiment of the present invention is a method for manufacturing a three-dimensional object by stacking modeling layers, and includes a selection step of selecting a fiber material from among a plurality of types of fiber materials with different fiber diameters according to the thickness of the modeling layer, and a modeling step of ejecting a modeling material containing the fiber material selected in the selection step from a nozzle opening to form the modeling layer. According to this embodiment of the manufacturing method, a fiber material having an appropriate fiber diameter for the thickness of the modeling layer is selected from among a plurality of types of fiber materials by a three-dimensional modeling device and introduced into the modeling layer. Thus, a fiber material having an appropriate fiber diameter can be included in the modeling layer, and the strength of the three-dimensional object can be increased. In addition, it is possible to suppress a decrease in productivity of the three-dimensional object due to the effort required for replacing and loading fiber materials with different fiber diameters into the three-dimensional modeling device.

[0136] (2) In the method for manufacturing a three-dimensional object of the above aspect, the plurality of types of fiber materials may include a first fiber material and a second fiber material having a fiber diameter larger than that of the first fiber material, and in the selection step, the first fiber material is selected when a first modeling layer is formed, and the second fiber material is selected when a second modeling layer having a thickness larger than that of the first modeling layer is formed. According to this aspect of the manufacturing method, a fiber material having a large fiber diameter is introduced into the second modeling layer having a large thickness, and a fiber material having a small fiber diameter is introduced into the first modeling layer having a small thickness, so that it is possible to prevent the occurrence of a portion in the three-dimensional object whose strength is significantly reduced due to a difference in thickness between the modeling layers.

[0137] (3) In the manufacturing method of the three-dimensional object of the above embodiment, the modeling step includes an outer region forming step of forming the modeling layer included in an outer region constituting the outer periphery of the three-dimensional object, and an inner region forming step of forming the modeling layer included in an inner region surrounded by the outer region and having a thickness greater than that of the modeling layer included in the outer region, and the selection step may select the first fiber material when forming the modeling layer included in the outer region, and select the second fiber material when forming the modeling layer included in the inner region. According to this manufacturing method, the outer periphery of the three-dimensional object can be modeled more finely by using a modeling layer having a small thickness. In addition, by forming the inner region with a modeling layer having a large thickness, the inner region that does not appear in the appearance can be formed more efficiently in a short time. Furthermore, since a fiber material with an appropriate fiber diameter is introduced into each of the modeling layers having different thicknesses, it is possible to suppress a large difference in strength between the outer periphery and the internal structure of the three-dimensional object due to a difference in thickness between the modeling layers of the outer periphery and the inner region.

[0138] (4) In the method for manufacturing a three-dimensional object according to the above aspect, the thickness of the single modeling layer included in the internal region may be set to be equivalent to the total thickness of the multiple modeling layers included in the external region. This manufacturing method makes it possible to form the internal structure of the three-dimensional object in a short time while forming the external region with even greater precision.

[0139] (5) In the manufacturing method of the three-dimensional object of the above aspect, the modeling step may include a moving step of relatively moving a stage on which the modeling layer is formed and a nozzle unit having the nozzle opening, and an introduction control step of controlling an introduction speed at which the fiber material selected in the selection step is introduced toward the nozzle opening in accordance with the relative movement speed between the nozzle unit and the stage. According to this manufacturing method, it is possible to suppress fluctuations in the amount and state of the fiber material introduced into the modeling layer due to changes in the relative movement speed between the nozzle unit and the stage during modeling of the three-dimensional object.

[0140] (6) In the method for producing a three-dimensional object according to the above aspect, the modeling step includes a plasticizing step of plasticizing at least a part of the material to produce a plasticized material, and a generating step of introducing the fiber material selected in the selecting step into the plasticized material to produce the modeling material to be discharged from the nozzle opening, and the plasticizing step may include a step of supplying the material between the flat screw and the facing part in a plasticizing device including a flat screw having a groove forming surface on which a groove is formed, a facing part having a facing surface facing the groove forming surface and having a communication hole communicating with the nozzle opening, and a heater for heating the flat screw or the facing part, and guiding at least a part of the material to the communication hole while plasticizing it by the rotation of the flat screw and the heating of the heater. According to this aspect of the manufacturing method, the use of a flat screw in the plasticizing step makes it possible to miniaturize the device for realizing the plasticizing step. In addition, by controlling the rotation of the flat screw, it is possible to easily control the pressure and flow rate of the plasticized material supplied to the nozzle opening, thereby improving the ejection accuracy of the modeling material and further improving the modeling accuracy of three-dimensional objects.

[0141] (7) In the method for manufacturing a three-dimensional object of the above aspect, the flat screw may be formed with at least one through hole that opens in the groove forming surface and communicates with the communication hole, and the generating step may include a step of introducing the fiber material selected in the selecting step into the plasticized material through the through hole to generate the modeling material. According to this aspect of the manufacturing method, the fiber material can be smoothly introduced into the communication hole of the facing part through the through hole of the flat screw.

[0142] (8) In the method for manufacturing a three-dimensional object of the above aspect, at least one introduction groove is formed in the groove formation surface or the facing surface to guide the fiber material selected in the selection step from a side of the flat screw or the facing portion to the communicating hole, and the generating step may include a step of introducing the fiber material selected in the selection step into the plasticized material through the introduction groove to generate the modeling material. According to this aspect of the manufacturing method, the fiber material can be introduced into the communicating hole by utilizing the rotational force of the flat screw, and the modeling material can be generated efficiently.

[0143] (9) The method for manufacturing a three-dimensional object according to the above aspect may further include a cutting step of cutting the fibrous material by operating a discharge amount control mechanism that is provided upstream of the nozzle opening and that controls the amount of the modeling material discharged. According to this aspect of the manufacturing method, the discharge amount control mechanism can efficiently control the amount of the modeling material discharged and the introduction of the fibrous material into the modeling material.

[0144] (10) In the manufacturing method of the above aspect, the discharge amount control mechanism may be driven by a motor, and the driving force generated by the motor may be transmitted to the transport section of the fiber material for use in transporting the fiber material. According to this aspect of the manufacturing method, the transport section and the discharge amount control mechanism can be driven by a common motor, making it possible to reduce the size of the device configuration.

[0145] (11) A three-dimensional printing apparatus according to one embodiment of the present invention is a three-dimensional printing apparatus that manufactures a three-dimensional object by stacking printing layers, and includes a control unit that selects a fiber material from among a plurality of types of fiber materials with different fiber diameters according to the thickness of the printing layer to be formed, and a discharge unit that discharges the printing material containing the fiber material selected by the control unit from a nozzle opening under the control of the control unit. According to the three-dimensional printing apparatus of this embodiment, the control unit selects a fiber material with an appropriate fiber diameter for the thickness of the printing layer from among a plurality of types of fiber materials, and the selected fiber material is introduced into the printing material. Thus, a fiber material with an appropriate fiber diameter can be included in the printing layer, and the strength of the three-dimensional object can be increased. In addition, it is possible to suppress a decrease in productivity of the three-dimensional object due to the effort required for replacing and loading fiber materials with different fiber diameters into the three-dimensional printing apparatus. [Explanation of symbols]

[0146] 10...control section, 20...discharge section, 21...material generating section, 23...fiber introduction section, 25...nozzle section, 26...introduction flow path, 27...nozzle flow path, 28...nozzle opening, 30...material supply section, 31...material storage section, 32...connection path, 35...plasticization section, 36...screw case, 37...drive motor, 40...flat screw, 41...groove forming surface, 42...groove section, 43...upper surface, 44... Convex portion, 45... center portion, 46... material inlet, 47... through hole, 50... facing portion, 51... facing surface, 52... heater, 53... communication hole, 55... guide groove, 57... introduction groove, 60... conveying portion, 60a... first conveying portion, 60b... second conveying portion, 60c... third conveying portion, 62... reel, 63... storage portion, 65... conveying path, 66... ​​cutting portion, 70... molding stage portion, 72... stage, 72s... Stage surface, 73... modeling table, 75... moving mechanism, 80, 80a, 80b... discharge amount control mechanism, 81... butterfly valve, 82... cutter blade, 83... rod, 84... driving mechanism, 85... branch flow path, 86... recess, 88... motor, 89... gear part, 90... pressure control part, 100a, 100b, 100c, 100d, 100e, 100f, 100g... three-dimensional modeling device, FB ...fiber material, FBa...first fiber material, FBb...second fiber material, FBc...third fiber material, CL...tangent, CX...center axis, Dn...hole diameter, G...gap, IA...inner area, ML,MLa,MLb,MLi,MLo...modeling layer, MM...modeling material, OA...outer area, OB,OBa,OBb...three-dimensional model, OBt...top surface, RX...rotation axis, t,ta,tb...thickness

Claims

1. A manufacturing method for manufacturing a three-dimensional object by stacking modeling layers, comprising the steps of: Among a plurality of types of fiber materials having different fiber diameters, the fiber material according to the thickness of the modeling layer is A selection step of selecting The modeling material containing the fiber material selected in the selection process is discharged from a nozzle opening through a flow path. a modeling step of forming the modeling layer by a discharge amount control mechanism that controls the discharge amount of the modeling material, the discharge amount being provided upstream of the nozzle opening; and a cutting step of cutting the fiber material by operating a cutting blade. The discharge amount control mechanism includes a valve member that rotates about an axis that intersects with a direction in which the flow path extends; a cutter blade disposed in the flow passage downstream of the valve member, In the cutting step, the end of the valve member and the cutter blade during rotation cut the fiber material. The wire is clamped and cut. A method for manufacturing three-dimensional objects.

2. The plurality of types of fiber materials include a first fiber material and a fiber material having a thickness greater than the first fiber material. The second fiber material has a larger fiber diameter, In the selection step, When forming a first modeling layer, the first fiber material is selected, and the first modeling layer The second fiber material is selected when forming a second modeling layer having a thickness greater than 、 The method for producing a three-dimensional object according to claim 1 .

3. The modeling step includes forming the modeling layer included in an outer region that configures an outer periphery of the three-dimensional object. An outer region forming step of forming a boundary region including a boundary region, the boundary region including a boundary region being surrounded by the boundary region, An inner region forming step of forming the shaping layer having a thickness larger than that of the shaping layer included therein. fruit, In the selection step, When forming the modeling layer included in the outer region, the first fiber material is selected, The second fiber material is selected when forming the modeling layer included in the internal region. 、 The method for producing a three-dimensional object according to claim 2 .

4. The thickness of the single modeling layer included in the inner region is the thickness of the single modeling layer included in the outer region. Corresponding to the sum of the thicknesses of the plurality of modeling layers, The method for producing a three-dimensional object according to claim 3 .

5. The molding process includes: A stage on which the modeling layer is formed and a nozzle portion having the nozzle opening are moved relatively. A moving process for moving the The fiber selected in the selection step is adjusted according to the relative movement speed between the nozzle portion and the stage. an introduction control step of controlling an introduction speed at which the material is introduced toward the nozzle opening; having The method for producing a three-dimensional object according to any one of claims 1 to 4.

6. The molding process includes: a plasticizing step of plasticizing at least a portion of the material to produce a plasticized material; The fibrous material selected in the selection step is introduced into the plasticizing material and extruded from the nozzle opening. a generating step of generating the dispensed build material; having The plasticizing step includes: A flat screw having a groove forming surface on which a groove is formed, and an opposing screw facing the groove forming surface a facing portion having a surface and a communication hole communicating with the nozzle opening; A plasticizing device comprising a heater for heating the facing portion or the facing portion, The material is supplied between the flat screw and the facing portion, and the flat screw The material is at least partially plasticized by the rotation of the roller and the heating of the heater. to the communicating hole. The method for producing a three-dimensional object according to any one of claims 1 to 5.

7. The flat screw has a small number of holes that open at the groove forming surface and communicate with the communication hole. At least one through hole is formed, The generating step is a step of introducing the fiber material selected in the selecting step through the through hole into the plasticizer. and introducing the crystalline material into a crystalline material to form the building material. The method for producing a three-dimensional object according to claim 6 .

8. The fiber material selected in the selection step is applied to the groove forming surface or the opposing surface. At least one introduction groove is formed to lead from the side of the screw or the facing portion to the communication hole. It has been The generating step is a step of introducing the fiber material selected in the selecting step through the introducing groove into the plasticizer. and introducing the crystalline material into a crystalline material to form the building material. The method for producing a three-dimensional object according to claim 6 or 7.

9. The discharge amount control mechanism is driven by a motor, The driving force generated by the motor is transmitted to the fiber material conveying section, The method includes the steps of: The method for producing a three-dimensional object according to any one of claims 1 to 8.

10. A three-dimensional modeling apparatus for manufacturing a three-dimensional object by stacking modeling layers, comprising: Among a plurality of types of fiber materials having different fiber diameters, a fiber according to the thickness of the modeling layer to be formed is selected. A control unit for selecting a material; The control unit controls the nozzle to apply the shaping material containing the fiber material selected by the control unit. a discharge portion that discharges the nozzle from an opening through a flow path; a discharge amount control mechanism that controls a discharge amount of the modeling material provided upstream of the nozzle opening; 、 a cutting unit that cuts the fiber material by operating the discharge amount control mechanism. 、 The discharge amount control mechanism includes a valve member that rotates about an axis that intersects with a direction in which the flow path extends; a cutter blade disposed in the flow passage downstream of the valve member, When cutting the fiber material, the end of the valve member and the cutter blade during rotation cut the fiber material. The fiber material is clamped and cut. Three-dimensional printing equipment.

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