Modeling stage and three-dimensional modeling device

Abstract

To reduce a time required for posture adjustment of a modeling surface of a table when the table is heated to be used.SOLUTION: A modeling stage for three-dimensional modeling comprises: a table having a modeling surface to which a modeling material is discharged; a posture adjustment part for adjusting a posture of the modeling surface; and a cooling part for cooling the posture adjustment part.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a modeling stage and a three-dimensional modeling apparatus. [Background technology]

[0002] Regarding a modeling stage for three-dimensional modeling, Patent Document 1 discloses a technology in which the four corners of the modeling table are supported by a support unit having a height-adjustable adjustment unit, and the posture of the modeling table is adjusted by adjusting the height of the adjustment unit. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2020-189485 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] In three-dimensional modeling using a modeling stage whose posture can be adjusted by an adjustment unit, there are cases where the modeling table is heated to increase the temperature of the modeling table, and then the model is modeled in that state. In this case, the posture of the modeling table becomes unstable due to thermal expansion of the adjustment unit caused by heating the modeling table, and it can take a long time to adjust the posture of the modeling table. [Means for solving the problem]

[0005] According to a first aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided a modeling stage for three-dimensional modeling, the modeling stage including a table having a modeling surface onto which a modeling material is dispensed, an attitude adjustment unit that adjusts the attitude of the modeling surface, and a cooling unit that cools the attitude adjustment unit.

[0006] According to a second aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided a three-dimensional modeling apparatus including the modeling stage of the above aspect, a nozzle that ejects the modeling material from a nozzle opening on a tip end surface toward the modeling surface, a heating unit that heats the table, and a detection unit that detects the parallelism between the tip end surface and the modeling surface. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0007] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram showing a schematic configuration of a three-dimensional modeling apparatus according to a first embodiment. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram showing a schematic configuration of a discharge unit. [Figure 3] FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a schematic configuration of the lower surface side of the screw. [Figure 4] FIG. 2 is a schematic plan view showing the upper surface side of the barrel. [Figure 5] FIG. 2 is a first perspective view showing a modeling stage in the first embodiment. [Figure 6] FIG. 4 is a second perspective view showing the modeling stage in the first embodiment. [Figure 7] FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a cross section of a modeling stage. [Figure 8] FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line VIII-VIII in FIG. 6. [Figure 9] FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing the underside of the substrate. [Figure 10] FIG. 10 is a top view showing a schematic configuration of a modeling stage according to a second embodiment. [Figure 11] FIG. [Figure 12] FIG. 10 is an explanatory diagram showing a schematic configuration of a three-dimensional modeling apparatus according to a third embodiment. [Figure 13] FIG. 10 is an explanatory diagram showing a schematic configuration of a three-dimensional modeling apparatus according to a fourth embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0008] A. First embodiment: FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram showing a schematic configuration of a three-dimensional printing apparatus 100 according to a first embodiment. FIG. 1 shows arrows along the mutually orthogonal X, Y, and Z directions. The X, Y, and Z directions are directions along three mutually orthogonal spatial axes, the X axis, the Y axis, and the Z axis, and each direction includes both a direction on one side of the X axis, the Y axis, and the Z axis, and the opposite direction. The X axis and the Y axis are axes along a horizontal plane, and the Z axis is an axis along a vertical line. Arrows along the X, Y, and Z directions are also shown in other figures as appropriate. The X, Y, and Z directions in FIG. 1 and the X, Y, and Z directions in other figures represent the same directions. Hereinafter, the +Z direction will also be referred to as "up" and the -Z direction will also be referred to as "down."

[0009] The three-dimensional modeling apparatus 100 includes a chamber 101, a discharge unit 200, a modeling stage 300 for three-dimensional modeling, a drive unit 400, and a control unit 500.

[0010] The chamber 101 has a printing space 102 therein where a three-dimensional object is printed. The chamber 101 is provided with a partition wall 103 that surrounds the printing space 102. The partition wall 103 is formed, for example, by disposing a heat insulating material such as rock wool between an inner wall and an outer wall made of a metal such as stainless steel. With this structure, the partition wall 103 insulates the printing space 102 within the chamber 101. As shown in FIG. 1 , in this embodiment, a discharge unit 200 and a part of a printing stage 300 are disposed within the printing space 102.

[0011] 2 is an explanatory diagram showing a schematic configuration of the discharge unit 200. Under the control of the control unit 500, the discharge unit 200 discharges a modeling material, which is a paste formed by melting a solid material, toward the modeling stage 300. As shown in FIG. 2, the discharge unit 200 includes a material supply unit 20 that is a supply source of the material before it is converted into the modeling material, a plasticization unit 30 that plasticizes the material to generate the modeling material, and a nozzle 61 that discharges the generated modeling material. The discharge unit 200 is also sometimes referred to as a head.

[0012] The material supply unit 20 contains material in the form of pellets, powder, or the like. In this embodiment, ABS resin formed into pellets is used as the material. In this embodiment, the material supply unit 20 is configured as a hopper. A supply path 22 is provided below the material supply unit 20, connecting the material supply unit 20 and the plasticizing unit 30. The material supply unit 20 supplies the material to the plasticizing unit 30 via the supply path 22.

[0013] The plasticizing unit 30 includes a screw case 31, a drive motor 32, a screw 40, and a barrel 50. The plasticizing unit 30 plasticizes at least a portion of the material supplied from the material supply unit 20 to generate a fluid, paste-like modeling material, which is supplied to the nozzle 61. "Plasticization" is a concept that includes melting and refers to changing a material from a solid to a fluid state. Specifically, for materials that undergo glass transition, plasticization refers to raising the temperature of the material above the glass transition point. For materials that do not undergo glass transition, plasticization refers to raising the temperature of the material above the melting point. The screw 40 in this embodiment is sometimes called a flat screw or a scroll.

[0014] Fig. 3 is a perspective view showing a schematic configuration of a screw lower surface 48 side, which is the lower surface of the screw 40. Fig. 4 is a schematic plan view showing a barrel upper surface 52 side, which is the upper surface of the barrel 50. The screw 40 has a roughly cylindrical shape whose height in the direction along the central axis RX, which is the center of rotation, is smaller than its diameter. The screw 40 is arranged so that the central axis RX is parallel to the Z direction.

[0015] As shown in Fig. 2, the screw 40 is housed in a screw case 31. The upper surface side of the screw 40 is connected to a drive motor 32, and the screw 40 rotates in the screw case 31 by the rotational driving force generated by the drive motor 32. The drive motor 32 is driven under the control of a control unit 500. Note that the screw 40 may be driven by the drive motor 32 via a reducer.

[0016] As shown in FIG. 3 , a spiral groove 42 is formed on the screw lower surface 48. The supply channel 22 of the material supply unit 20 described above communicates with the groove 42 from the side surface of the screw 40. The groove 42 continues to a material inlet 44 formed on the side surface of the screw 40. This material inlet 44 is a portion that receives the material supplied via the supply channel 22 of the material supply unit 20. As shown in FIG. 2 , in this embodiment, three grooves 42 are formed, separated by ridges 43. Note that the number of grooves 42 is not limited to three, and may be one, two, or more. The groove 42 is not limited to a spiral shape, but may also be a spiral shape or an involute curve shape, or may have a shape that extends in an arc from a center portion 46 to the outer periphery.

[0017] As shown in Figure 2, the barrel 50 is disposed below the screw 40. The barrel upper surface 52 faces the screw lower surface 48, and a space is formed between the groove 42 of the screw lower surface 48 and the barrel upper surface 52. The barrel 50 has a communication hole 56 on the central axis RX of the screw 40 that communicates with a nozzle flow path 65 of a nozzle 61 (described later). The barrel 50 has a plasticizing heater 58 built in at a position facing the groove 42 of the screw 40. The temperature of the plasticizing heater 58 is controlled by a control unit 500.

[0018] The material supplied into the groove 42 of the screw 40 is melted in the groove 42, flows along the groove 42 due to the rotation of the screw 40, and is guided to the center 46 of the screw 40 as a modeling material. The pasty modeling material that has flowed into the center 46 and exhibits fluidity is supplied to the nozzle 61 through the communication hole 56. Note that not all types of substances constituting the modeling material need to be plasticized. It is sufficient that the modeling material is converted into a fluid state as a whole by plasticizing at least some of the types of substances constituting the modeling material.

[0019] As shown in FIG. 2, the nozzle 61 has a nozzle flow path 65 and a tip surface 63 provided with a nozzle opening 62. The nozzle flow path 65 is a flow path for the modeling material formed within the nozzle 61 and is connected to the communication hole 56 of the barrel 50 described above. The tip surface 63 is a surface that constitutes the tip portion of the nozzle 61 that protrudes in the -Z direction toward the modeling surface 311. In this embodiment, the tip surface 63 is a surface parallel to the horizontal plane. The nozzle opening 62 is a portion of the nozzle flow path 65 with a reduced flow path cross section, provided at the end of the nozzle flow path 65 that communicates with the atmosphere. The modeling material generated by the plasticization unit 30 is supplied to the nozzle 61 through the communication hole 56 and ejected from the nozzle opening 62 via the nozzle flow path 65.

[0020] FIG. 5 is a first perspective view showing the modeling stage 300 in this embodiment. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 5, the modeling stage 300 includes a table 310 having a modeling surface 311 and serving as a base for a three-dimensional object, an attitude adjustment unit 320 that adjusts the attitude of the modeling surface 311, and a cooling unit 360 that cools the attitude adjustment unit 320. In this embodiment, the modeling stage 300 further includes a support unit 330 that supports the table 310 and a substrate 350 that supports the support unit 330. In this embodiment, the table 310 and the substrate 350 are made of stainless steel and have a rectangular plate shape. The table 310 forms the upper surface of the modeling stage 300, and the substrate 350 forms the lower surface of the modeling stage 300. The modeling surface 311 is formed by the upper surface of the table 310 and has a rectangular shape. The above-described discharge unit 200 discharges the modeling material from the nozzle 61 onto the modeling surface 311, and forms a three-dimensional object by stacking layers of the modeling material on the modeling surface 311.

[0021] The driving unit 400 shown in FIG. 1 changes the relative positions of the discharge unit 200 and the modeling stage 300. In this embodiment, the driving unit 400 includes a first driving unit 410 that moves the modeling stage 300 along the Z direction and a second driving unit 420 that moves the modeling stage 300 along the X and Y directions. The first driving unit 410 is configured as an elevator device and includes a motor for moving the modeling stage 300 in the Z direction. The second driving unit 420 is configured as a horizontal conveying device and includes a motor for sliding the discharge unit 200 along the X direction and a motor for sliding the discharge unit 200 along the Y direction. Each motor is driven under the control of the control unit 500. In other embodiments, the driving unit 400 may be configured to move the modeling stage 300 or the discharge unit 200 in three directions, i.e., X, Y, and Z, or may be configured to move the modeling stage 300 along the X and Y directions and move the discharge unit 200 in the Z direction.

[0022] As shown in FIG. 1, the upper end of the first drive unit 410 is fixed to the lower surface of the substrate 350 of the modeling stage 300. In this embodiment, a portion of the first drive unit 410 is disposed within the separation space 435. The separation space 435 is a space separated from the modeling space 102 within the chamber 101, and is defined by the sidewall of the telescopic member 430 and the substrate 350 of the modeling stage 300. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 5, the telescopic member 430 has a cylindrical shape and is disposed below the modeling stage 300. The upper end of the telescopic member 430 is connected to the lower surface of the substrate 350. The sidewall of the telescopic member 430 has a bellows structure that is expandable and contractible along the Z direction. This allows the telescopic member 430 to expand and contract in response to movement of the modeling stage 300 along the Z direction. Therefore, the first drive unit 410 can move the modeling stage 300 along the Z direction while positioning itself outside the modeling space 102 and maintaining the modeling surface 311 within the modeling space 102.

[0023] The control unit 500 is configured by a computer having one or more processors, a main memory device, and an input / output interface for inputting and outputting signals from and to the outside. In this embodiment, the control unit 500 performs various functions, such as the function of executing three-dimensional modeling processing, by having the processor execute programs and instructions loaded onto the main memory device. Note that the control unit 500 may be configured by a combination of multiple circuits rather than a computer.

[0024] In the three-dimensional modeling process, the control unit 500 controls the discharging unit 200 and the driving unit 400 in accordance with the modeling data to model a three-dimensional object on the modeling surface 311. The modeling data includes modeling path data that represents the path of movement of the nozzle 61 relative to the table 310, and discharge amount data that represents the amount of modeling material discharged from the nozzle 61 associated with the modeling path data.

[0025] Fig. 6 is a second perspective view showing the modeling stage 300 in this embodiment. As will be described later, the support portion 330 of the modeling stage 300 detachably supports the table 310. Fig. 5 described above shows a state in which the table 310 is attached to the support portion 330, and Fig. 6 shows a state in which the table 310 has been detached from the support portion 330. Fig. 6 also shows a first tool TL1 and a second tool TL2, which are tools for adjusting the height of an individual adjustment portion 321, which will be described later.

[0026] As shown in FIG. 6 , the support unit 330 includes a mounting portion 331 having a mounting surface 332 on which the table 310 is placed, and a support plate 333 to which the mounting portion 331 is fixed. The support plate 333 has a rectangular plate shape and is disposed below the mounting portion 331. The area of ​​the printing surface 311 is smaller than the area of ​​the plate surface of the support plate 333. The mounting portion 331 in this embodiment has a shape similar to that of the table 310 with the four corners in the X and Y directions cut off. Therefore, the area of ​​the mounting surface 332 is smaller than the area of ​​the printing surface 311. Hereinafter, the direction in which the table 310 is placed on the mounting surface 332 may be referred to as the “mounting direction.” The mounting direction includes both a direction toward one side along the same axis and the opposite direction. In this embodiment, the mounting direction is the Z direction.

[0027] FIG. 7 is a perspective view showing a cross section of the shaping stage 300. FIG. 7 shows cross sections along the Y and Z directions of the center of the shaping stage 300 in the X direction. Like FIG. 6, FIG. 7 shows a state in which the table 310 is removed from the support unit 330. FIG. 7 also shows a first tool TL1 and a second tool TL2. As shown in FIG. 7, the support unit 330 is supported at its center in the X and Y directions by a central pillar 352. The central pillar 352 is a shaft-shaped member and is fixed to the center of the substrate 350 in the X and Y directions so that its axial direction is along the Z direction. The central pillar 352 also functions as a reference for determining the position of the entire support unit 330 in the Z direction.

[0028] The mounting section 331 also functions as a heating section that heats the table 310. More specifically, as shown in FIG. 7, five heaters 351 for heating the table 310 are embedded in the mounting section 331. The heaters 351 are made up of rod-shaped cartridge heaters and are arranged side by side along the Y direction with their axial directions aligned with the X direction. The output of the heaters 351 is controlled by the control section 500.

[0029] In this embodiment, the control unit 500 controls the heater 351 embedded in the mounting unit 331 to heat the table 310 placed on the mounting surface 332 to a predetermined printing temperature prior to starting to deposit the printing material on the printing surface 311 during the 3D printing process. Heating the table 310 to the printing temperature prior to depositing the printing material is sometimes referred to as preheating. The control unit 500 then controls the heater 351 to deposit the printing material on the printing surface 311 while maintaining the temperature of the table 310 at the printing temperature, thereby printing a 3D object. This suppresses warping of the printing material, which would otherwise occur if the printing material dispensed onto the printing surface 311 were rapidly cooled and contracted, thereby improving the printing accuracy of the 3D object.

[0030] As shown in FIG. 6 , the support unit 330 in this embodiment has four first suction portions 334 fixed to the placement surface 332 and three second suction portions 335 fixed to the upper surface of the support plate 333. When the table 310 is placed on the placement surface 332, the four first suction portions 334 are arranged in positions facing the four first attracted portions 312 fixed to the lower surface of the table 310. Note that FIG. 6 shows only two of the four first attracted portions 312. When the table 310 is placed on the placement surface 332, the three second suction portions 335 are arranged in positions facing the three second attracted portions 313 fixed to the side surfaces of the table 310. In this embodiment, each first attracted portion 312 is provided at a portion overlapping the midpoint of each side of the printing surface 311 when viewed along the Z direction. Furthermore, one second attracted portion 313 is provided on the side surface of the table 310 in the −X direction, and two second attracted portions 313 are provided on the side surface of the table 310 in the −Y direction.

[0031] In this embodiment, the first attraction portion 334 and the second attraction portion 335 are made of permanent magnets. The first attracted portion 312 and the second attracted portion 313 are made of a metal material that can be attracted by magnetic force. As a result, the support portion 330 detachably fixes the table 310 placed on the placement surface 332 by the magnetic force of the magnets. Note that in other embodiments, for example, magnets may be provided on both the table 310 and the support portion 330, or a magnet may be provided on the table 310 and a metal material that can be attracted by magnetic force may be provided on the support portion 330. In other words, when the table 310 is detachably fixed to the support portion 330 by the magnetic force of a magnet, it is sufficient that a magnet is provided on at least one of the table 310 and the support portion 330.

[0032] As shown in FIG. 6 , the posture adjustment unit 320 in this embodiment includes four individual adjustment units 321. Each individual adjustment unit 321 supports a support unit 330 and is configured to be able to individually adjust the height at which each individual adjustment unit 321 supports the support unit 330. The posture adjustment unit 320 is configured to be able to adjust the posture of the support surface 332 on which the table 310 is placed by individually adjusting the individual adjustment units 321. In this embodiment, the four individual adjustment units 321 are arranged at positions corresponding to the four corners of a rectangle when viewed along the Z direction. More specifically, each individual adjustment unit 321 is arranged at positions corresponding to the four corners of the rectangular support unit 330 when viewed along the Z direction. In this embodiment, the positions at which each individual adjustment unit 321 is arranged also correspond to the corners of the rectangular printing surface 311 when viewed along the Z direction. In this embodiment, at least a portion of the periphery of each individual adjustment unit 321 in the Z direction is covered by a corresponding case 340.

[0033] In this embodiment, each individual adjustment unit 321 is disposed at a position that overlaps with a corresponding opening 336 of the support unit 330 but does not overlap with the placement unit 331 when viewed along the Z direction. Each opening 336 is a through-hole that penetrates the support unit 330 in the Z direction and is provided at a position that overlaps with the corresponding individual adjustment unit 321 when viewed along the Z direction. In this embodiment, the support unit 330 has a total of four openings 336 formed at positions corresponding to the four corners of the support unit 330 when viewed along the Z direction. The openings 336 are formed so that a tool for adjusting the height of the individual adjustment unit 321 can be inserted into them. As shown in FIG. 6 , in this embodiment, the openings 336 are formed so that a first tool TL1 and a second tool TL2 can be inserted into them.

[0034] Hereinafter, the individual adjustment units 321 may be distinguished from one another and referred to as a first adjustment unit 321A, a second adjustment unit 321B, a third adjustment unit 321C, or a fourth adjustment unit 321D. Similarly, the cases 340 covering the first adjustment unit 321A to the fourth adjustment unit 321D may be referred to as a first case 340A to a fourth case 340D. The first adjustment unit 321A is disposed furthest in the -X direction and furthest in the -Y direction among the four individual adjustment units 321. The second adjustment unit 321B is disposed in the +X direction from the first adjustment unit 321A. The third adjustment unit 321C is disposed in the +Y direction from the first adjustment unit 321A. The fourth adjustment unit 321D is disposed in the +Y direction from the second adjustment unit 321B and the +X direction from the third adjustment unit 321C. In FIG. 6, a first tool TL1 and a second tool TL2 are connected to the first adjustment unit 321A.

[0035] Fig. 8 is a view showing a cross section taken along line VIII-VIII in Fig. 6. As shown in Fig. 8, the individual adjustment unit 321 has a shaft-shaped member 322, a base unit 323, a fixing nut 326, and a fixing screw 327. Like Figs. 6 and 7, Fig. 8 shows a state in which the table 310 has been removed from the support unit 330. Fig. 8 also shows a first tool TL1 and a second tool TL2.

[0036] The shaft-shaped member 322 has a shaft shape with its axial direction as the longitudinal direction. In this embodiment, the shaft-shaped member 322 is formed from stainless steel with electroless nickel plating. The shaft-shaped member 322 is erected on the substrate 350 so that its longitudinal direction is along the Z direction. The end of the shaft-shaped member 322 facing the +Z direction protrudes in the +Z direction of the support plate 333 through an opening 336 formed in the support plate 333. The shaft-shaped member 322 has a through-hole that passes through the shaft-shaped member 322 in the longitudinal direction and into which a fixing screw 327 is inserted. A male thread is formed on the outer surface of the shaft-shaped member 322.

[0037] The base 323 has a cylindrical shape. In this embodiment, the base 323 is made of stainless steel. The base 323 has, in the axial direction, a first portion 324 having an inner diameter corresponding to the outer diameter of the shaft-shaped member 322, and a second portion 325 having an inner diameter larger than the inner diameter of the first portion 324. A female thread that screws into the male thread of the shaft-shaped member 322 is formed on the inner surface of the first portion 324. The base 323 is disposed between the support plate 333 and the substrate 350, with the second portion 325 positioned in the +Z direction of the first portion 324 and with the male thread of the shaft-shaped member 322 inserted into the base 323 and the female thread of the first portion 324 screwed together. An end portion in the +Z direction of the second portion 325 is fixed to the lower surface of the support plate 333 near the opening 336. Therefore, by rotating the shaft-shaped member 322 in place, the base 323 can be moved along the Z direction, and the position of the support plate 333 fixed to the base 323 in the Z direction can be changed. In this way, each individual adjustment unit 321 is configured to be able to individually adjust the height at which it supports the support unit 330. Hereinafter, the height at which the individual adjustment unit 321 supports the support unit 330 may also be simply referred to as the "height of the individual adjustment unit 321."

[0038] The fixing nut 326 and the fixing screw 327 are members that fix the height at which the base portion 323 supports the support plate 333. The fixing nut 326 is fastened between the inner surface of the second portion 325 and the outer surface of the shaft-shaped member 322 so as to press the first portion 324 in the -Z direction, thereby restricting movement of the base portion 323 in the +Z direction. The fixing screw 327 is inserted into a through-hole formed in the shaft-shaped member 322, thereby fixing the shaft-shaped member 322 to the substrate 350 and restricting rotation of the shaft-shaped member 322.

[0039] 6 to 8, in this embodiment, the height of the individual adjustment portion 321 is adjusted using a first tool TL1 and a second tool TL2. The first tool TL1 is configured as a socket wrench for rotating the fixing nut 326. The second tool TL2 is configured as a socket wrench for rotating the shaft-shaped member 322. The socket portion of the first tool TL1 is configured so that the socket portion of the second tool TL2 can be inserted therein.

[0040] In this embodiment, the height of the individual adjustment unit 321 is adjustable from the side of the mounting unit 331 on which the table 310 is placed, i.e., from above the mounting unit 331. More specifically, the height of the individual adjustment unit 321 is adjustable using a first tool TL1 and a second tool TL2 inserted into the opening 336. To adjust the height of the individual adjustment unit 321, first loosen the fixing screw 327 inserted into the shaft-shaped member 322. Next, insert the socket of the first tool TL1 into the opening 336 from above, engage the socket of the first tool TL1 with the fixing nut 326, and loosen the fixing nut 326. Then, insert the socket of the second tool TL2 into the opening 336 from above, engage the socket of the second tool TL2 with the shaft-shaped member 322, and rotate the shaft-shaped member 322 to adjust the position of the base unit 323 in the Z direction. Thereafter, the height of individual adjustment portion 321 is fixed by fixing nut 326 and fixing screw 327 .

[0041] By adjusting the height of each individual adjustment unit 321, the inclination of the placement surface 332 with respect to the horizontal plane is adjusted. This adjusts the inclination of the printing surface 311 of the table 310 placed on the placement surface 332 with respect to the horizontal plane. In this embodiment, by individually adjusting the individual adjustment units 321 in this way, the attitude of the placement surface 332 is adjusted, and the attitude of the printing surface 311 is adjusted. The attitude of the printing surface 311 is adjusted, for example, so that the parallelism between the printing surface 311 and the tip surface 63 of the nozzle 61 is equal to or greater than a predetermined level. The parallelism between the printing surface 311 and the tip surface 63 is represented, for example, by the variation in the distance between a plane parallel to either the printing surface 311 or the tip surface 63 and the other plane, for each measurement position. In this case, the smaller the variation in the distance, the higher the parallelism between the printing surface 311 and the tip surface 63. In particular, in this embodiment, since the tip surface 63 is parallel to the horizontal plane, the degree of parallelism between the printing surface 311 and the tip surface 63 can be expressed by the variation in the distance between the printing surface 311 and the horizontal plane. For example, if the variation in the distance between the printing surface 311 and the horizontal plane is within 0.01% of the longitudinal dimension of the printing surface 311, it may be determined that the degree of parallelism is equal to or greater than a predetermined level. By increasing the degree of parallelism to equal to or greater than the predetermined level, the accuracy of the relative movement of the nozzle 61 with respect to the printing stage 300 in accordance with the printing data can be improved, thereby increasing the possibility of printing a three-dimensional object with high accuracy.

[0042] 9 is a perspective view showing the underside of the substrate 350. As shown in FIGS. 7 and 9, the cooling unit 360 in this embodiment includes a first blower 361A and a second blower 361B that supply gas to the attitude adjustment unit 320. As shown in FIGS. 6 to 9, the first blower 361A includes a first gas flow path 365A that distributes gas to the first adjustment unit 321A and the second adjustment unit 321B, and a first blower mechanism 366A that blows gas to the first gas flow path 365A. Similarly, the second blower 361B includes a second gas flow path 365B that distributes gas to the third adjustment unit 321C and the fourth adjustment unit 321D, and a second blower mechanism 366B that draws gas into the second gas flow path 365B. Hereinafter, when there is no need to distinguish between the first blower 361A and the second blower 361B, they may simply be referred to as blower 361. Similarly, when there is no need to distinguish between the first gas flow path 365A and the second gas flow path 365B, they may simply be referred to as gas flow path 365, and when there is no need to distinguish between the first blower mechanism 366A and the second blower mechanism 366B, they may simply be referred to as blower mechanism 366.

[0043] In this embodiment, the blower mechanism 366 is configured by a suction fan that blows air into the gas flow path 365. The driving of the blower mechanism 366 is controlled by the control unit 500. The first gas flow path 365A is configured by an air duct that connects the first blower mechanism 366A to the first case 340A and the second case 340B. The second gas flow path 365B is configured by an air duct that connects the second blower mechanism 366B to the third case 340C and the fourth case 340D. In other embodiments, the gas flow path 365 and the blower mechanism 366 may supply an inert gas such as nitrogen to the attitude adjustment unit 320 instead of air, for example.

[0044] 7 and 9, in this embodiment, the first blower mechanism 366A and the second blower mechanism 366B are fixed to the center of the substrate 350 in the X direction so as to penetrate the substrate 350 in the Z direction. The second blower mechanism 366B is located in the +Y direction of the first blower mechanism 366A. In this embodiment, the flow path length from the first blower mechanism 366A to the first adjustment unit 321A is equal to the flow path length from the first blower mechanism 366A to the second adjustment unit 321B in the first gas flow path 365A. Similarly, the flow path length from the second blower mechanism 366B to the third adjustment unit 321C is equal to the flow path length from the second blower mechanism 366B to the fourth adjustment unit 321D in the second gas flow path 365B.

[0045] In FIG. 8 , the air flow in the gas flow path 365 is indicated by dashed lines. As shown in FIG. 8 , air introduced from the separation space 435 into the gas flow path 365 by the air blowing mechanism 366 passes through the gas flow path 365 and is supplied to the internal space 341 in the case 340 that houses each individual adjustment unit 321. The air supplied to the internal space 341 exchanges heat with the individual adjustment unit 321 and is then discharged into the separation space 435 via the exhaust port 353 shown in FIG. 9 . The exhaust port 353 is a hole that penetrates the substrate 350 in the Z direction and connects the internal space 341 and the separation space 435. In this way, the cooling unit 360 cools the attitude adjustment unit 320 by supplying air to the attitude adjustment unit 320. Note that in other embodiments, for example, a fan for supplying cooling air to the separation space 435 may be provided below the separation space 435.

[0046] The modeling stage 300 in this embodiment described above includes the cooling unit 360 that cools the attitude adjustment unit 320. According to this configuration, when the table 310 is heated by the heating unit, the attitude adjustment unit 320 is cooled by the cooling unit 360, thereby suppressing a temperature rise in the attitude adjustment unit 320 that accompanies a temperature rise in the table 310. This makes it possible to suppress dimensional changes in the attitude adjustment unit 320 due to thermal expansion, and to stabilize the dimensions of the attitude adjustment unit 320 more quickly, compared to a case in which the attitude adjustment unit 320 is not cooled. Therefore, the attitude of the table 310 can be stabilized more quickly, increasing the possibility of shortening the time required to adjust the attitude of the table 310.

[0047] Moreover, in this embodiment, the cooling unit 360 includes a blower 361 that supplies gas to the attitude adjustment unit 320. Therefore, by supplying gas to the attitude adjustment unit 320 by the blower 361, the attitude adjustment unit 320 can be easily cooled.

[0048] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the modeling stage 300 includes a support unit 330 having a mounting surface 332 and detachably supporting the table 310, and the attitude adjustment unit 320 includes a plurality of individual adjustment units 321 that support the support unit 330, and is configured to be able to adjust the attitude of the mounting surface 332 by individually adjusting the individual adjustment units 321. Therefore, by individually adjusting each individual adjustment unit 321 to adjust the attitude of the mounting surface 332, the attitude of the modeling surface 311 can be adjusted with high precision.

[0049] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the posture adjustment unit 320 has four individual adjustment units 321 arranged at positions corresponding to the four corners of the rectangular support unit 330 when viewed along the Z direction. Therefore, by individually adjusting the individual adjustment units 321, the posture of the printing surface 311 can be adjusted with greater precision. Furthermore, compared to a configuration in which the support unit 330 is supported by, for example, three or fewer individual adjustment units 321, the load acting on each individual adjustment unit 321 is smaller, thereby improving the durability of the individual adjustment units 321.

[0050] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the blower 361 has a gas flow path 365 that distributes gas to the multiple individual adjustment units 321, and a blower mechanism 366 that blows gas into the gas flow path 365. This makes it easier to cool multiple individual adjustment units 321 at once, compared to, for example, a case where a gas flow path 365 and a blower mechanism 366 are individually provided for each individual adjustment unit 321. In particular, in this embodiment, the flow path lengths of the blower mechanism 366 and each individual adjustment unit 321 in one gas flow path 365 are equal, so that the individual adjustment units 321 cooled by the cooling unit 360 are likely to be cooled to the same extent.

[0051] Furthermore, in this embodiment, support portion 330 has openings 336 at positions overlapping with individual adjustment portions 321 when viewed along the Z direction, and openings 336 are formed so that a tool for adjusting individual adjustment portions 321 can be inserted therein, and individual adjustment portions 321 are configured to be adjustable by the tool inserted into openings 336. This allows the tool to be inserted into openings 336 from above support portion 330 to adjust individual adjustment portions 321. This makes it possible to adjust individual adjustment portions 321 more easily. In particular, even in the case where the periphery of individual adjustment portion 321 in the X direction and Y direction is covered by case 340, as in this embodiment, individual adjustment portion 321 can be easily adjusted.

[0052] Furthermore, in this embodiment, table 310 is detachably fixed to support portion 330 by the magnetic force of a magnet provided on at least one of table 310 and support portion 330. Therefore, table 310 can be detachably fixed to support portion 330 with a simple configuration.

[0053] B. Second embodiment: 10 is a top view showing a schematic configuration of a modeling stage 300b in the second embodiment. In this embodiment, unlike the first embodiment, the table 310 of the modeling stage 300b is supported by being sandwiched between a second suction portion 335 that functions as a receiving portion and a biasing member 370 that biases the table 310 toward the receiving portion. Portions of the configuration of the 3D modeling apparatus 100 and the modeling stage 300b in the second embodiment that are not particularly described are the same as those in the first embodiment.

[0054] FIG. 11 is a perspective view showing the biasing member 370. In this embodiment, the biasing member 370 is disposed at the end of the substrate 350 in the +X direction and the +Y direction. The biasing member 370 in this embodiment includes a main body 371 configured as a toggle clamp, an elastic member 373 fixed to the main body 371, and a tip member 374 fixed to the elastic member 373. In this embodiment, the elastic member 373 is configured as a spring. The tip member 374 is formed of stainless steel. The main body 371 is fixed to the substrate 350 so that the tip member 374 faces a corner surface 314 of the table 310 placed on the support portion 330. The corner surface 314 is a side surface at the end of the table 310 in the +X direction and the +Y direction.

[0055] By operating the handle 372, the main body 371 can advance the elastic member 373 and the tip member 374 fixed to the main body 371 toward the corner surface 314 or retract them away from the corner surface 314. FIG. 10 shows a state in which the tip member 374 and the corner surface 314 are separated. For example, when removing the table 310 from the support part 330, the handle 372 is operated so that the tip member 374 and the corner surface 314 are separated, as shown in FIG. 10. FIG. 11 shows a state in which the tip member 374 and the corner surface 314 are in contact with each other and the table 310 is biased by the biasing force of the elastic member 373. In this embodiment, the table 310 is biased by the biasing member 370 in a direction along the printing surface 311, more specifically, in a direction D from the corner surface 314 toward the center of the table 310 when viewed along the Z direction.

[0056] As shown in FIG. 10 , the second suction portion 335, which functions as a receiving portion, contacts the side surface of the table 310 placed on the support portion 330. The second suction portion 335 receives the table 310 biased by the biasing member 370. As a result, the table 310 placed on the support portion 330 is sandwiched and supported between the biasing member 370 and the second suction portion 335, thereby suppressing misalignment of the table 310 due to movement of the modeling stage 300b, etc. In particular, because the table 310 is sandwiched and supported in the direction along the modeling surface 311, misalignment of the table 310 in the X and Y directions can be effectively suppressed. Therefore, for example, even in another embodiment in which the modeling stage 300b is configured to move in the X and Y directions relative to the discharge portion 200, misalignment of the table 310 can be effectively suppressed. Note that the receiving portion does not have to contact the side surface of the table 310 at a surface, but may contact at a line or a point.

[0057] When the table 310 is heated, the dimensions of the table 310 increase due to thermal expansion of the table 310. In this embodiment, when the table 310 is heated, the biasing member 370 allows dimensional changes in the X and Y directions due to thermal expansion of the table 310, thereby suppressing deformation such as warping caused by the thermal expansion of the table 310. This makes it easier to maintain the flatness of the printing surface 311 even when the table 310 is heated, and therefore makes it easier to increase the degree of parallelism between the printing surface 311 and the tip surface 63, for example.

[0058] According to the modeling stage 300b of this embodiment described above, the table 310 supported by the support portion 330 is supported by being sandwiched between the receiving portion that contacts the side surface of the table 310 and the biasing member 370 that biases the table 310 toward the receiving portion. Therefore, it is possible to suppress misalignment of the table 310 placed on the support portion 330, and also to suppress deformation such as warping of the heated table 310.

[0059] C. Third embodiment: 12 is a diagram showing a schematic configuration of a 3D printing apparatus 100b according to the third embodiment. Unlike the first embodiment, the 3D printing apparatus 100b according to this embodiment includes a detection unit 510, an attitude control unit 520, and a distance measurement sensor 600. Portions of the configuration of the 3D printing apparatus 100b that are not particularly described are the same as those in the first embodiment.

[0060] In this embodiment, unlike the first embodiment, the four individual adjustment units included in posture adjustment unit 320b are configured by electric actuators that can change the height at which each individual adjustment unit supports support unit 330. In this embodiment, unlike the first embodiment, support unit 330 does not have opening 336 shown in FIG. 6 and other figures. Furthermore, unlike the first embodiment, the height of each individual adjustment unit is not configured to be adjustable with a tool.

[0061] The detection unit 510 detects the degree of parallelism between the tip surface 63 of the nozzle 61 and the printing surface 311 of the table 310. In this embodiment, the detection unit 510 detects the degree of parallelism based on multiple measurements by the distance measurement sensor 600. The detection unit 510 in this embodiment is a functional unit that is realized by the control unit 500 executing a program. In other embodiments, the detection unit 510 may be configured by, for example, a computer separate from the control unit 500.

[0062] The distance measurement sensor 600 is fixed to the nozzle 61 and measures the distance from the distance measurement sensor 600 to the printing surface 311. In this embodiment, the distance measurement sensor 600 is configured as a laser displacement sensor including a light-emitting unit that irradiates a laser toward the printing surface 311 and a light-receiving unit that receives the laser reflected by the printing surface 311. The distance measurement sensor 600 may be, for example, a phase difference detection type, a triangulation type, or a TOF (Time of Flight) type. The control unit 500 controls the operation of the distance measurement sensor 600 and receives and acquires its measurement values. In other embodiments, the distance measurement sensor 600 may be, for example, a contact-type displacement sensor.

[0063] The control unit 500, functioning as the detection unit 510, controls the drive unit 400 and the distance measurement sensor 600 to move the nozzle 61 relative to the table 310 in directions along the tip surface 63, i.e., in the X and Y directions, and measures the distance between the distance measurement sensor 600 and multiple points on the printing surface 311 while changing the position of the distance measurement sensor 600 in the X and Y directions relative to the printing surface 311. In this way, the control unit 500 obtains multiple distance measurement values. In this embodiment, the control unit 500 uses the distance measurement sensor 600 to measure the distances between the four corners of the printing surface 311 and the distance measurement sensor 600, and obtains four measurement values.

[0064] The attitude control unit 520 controls the attitude adjustment unit 320 based on the detection result by the detection unit 510, thereby adjusting the parallelism between the tip surface 63 and the printing surface 311 to a predetermined level or higher. The attitude control unit 520 in this embodiment is a functional unit realized by the control unit 500 executing a program. In other embodiments, the attitude control unit 520 may be configured by, for example, a computer separate from the control unit 500.

[0065] In this embodiment, the control unit 500, functioning as the posture control unit 520, individually adjusts the height of each individual adjustment unit by controlling the electric actuators that constitute each individual adjustment unit based on the detection result of the parallelism. More specifically, if the control unit 500 detects that the parallelism is less than a predetermined level, the control unit 500 adjusts the height of each individual adjustment unit based on, for example, statistics of each measured distance, so that the parallelism is equal to or greater than a predetermined level. For example, the control unit 500 controls the individual adjustment unit closest to the position where the distance that differs most from the average value was measured, and repeats the process of matching the distance measured at that position to the average value, and then measuring the distance again using the distance measuring sensor 600 and detecting the parallelism based on the measured value.

[0066] The control unit 500 detects the parallelism between the tip end surface 63 and the printing surface 311 and controls the attitude adjustment unit 320b based on the detected parallelism, for example, after preheating of the table 310 is completed and before starting to deposit the printing material. This allows the printing material to be deposited on the printing surface 311 with the parallelism between the tip end surface 63 and the printing surface 311 increased.

[0067] The three-dimensional printing apparatus 100b according to the present embodiment described above includes the detection unit 510 that detects the degree of parallelism between the tip surface 63 of the nozzle 61 and the printing surface 311. Therefore, the attitude adjustment unit 320b can be adjusted by referring to the degree of parallelism detected by the detection unit 510.

[0068] In this embodiment, the detection unit 510 controls the drive unit 400, which moves the nozzle 61 relative to the table 310 in a direction along the tip surface 63, and the distance measurement sensor 600 fixed to the nozzle 61, to measure multiple measurements by the distance measurement sensor 600 and detect the degree of parallelism between the tip surface 63 and the printing surface 311 based on the multiple obtained measurement values. Therefore, the degree of parallelism between the tip surface 63 and the printing surface 311 can be easily detected.

[0069] Furthermore, this embodiment includes an attitude control unit 520 that adjusts the degree of parallelism to a predetermined level or higher by controlling the attitude adjustment unit 320b based on the detection result by the detection unit 510. This allows a three-dimensional object to be formed with an increased degree of parallelism between the tip surface 63 and the formation surface 311, thereby improving the formation accuracy of the three-dimensional object.

[0070] In other embodiments, similar to the first embodiment, each individual adjustment unit may be configured to be adjustable by a tool inserted into the opening 336 of the support unit 330. In this case, for example, by referring to the detection result by the detection unit 510, each individual adjustment unit may be adjusted using the first tool TL1 and the second tool TL2 so that the degree of parallelism between the tip surface 63 and the printing surface 311 is equal to or greater than a predetermined level. In this case, the attitude control unit 520 may not be provided.

[0071] D. Fourth embodiment: 13 is an explanatory diagram showing a schematic configuration of a three-dimensional printing apparatus 100c according to the fourth embodiment. In this embodiment, the three-dimensional printing apparatus 100c includes a detection unit 510 and a distance measurement sensor 600, similar to the third embodiment. However, unlike the third embodiment, the three-dimensional printing apparatus 100c does not include an attitude control unit 520, but includes a cooling control unit 530. Furthermore, the attitude adjustment unit 320 in this embodiment has the same configuration as in the first embodiment. Portions of the three-dimensional printing apparatus 100c that are not particularly described are the same as those in the third embodiment.

[0072] Unlike the first embodiment, the cooling unit 360b in this embodiment has four ducts for individually supplying air to the four individual adjustment units 321, and four suction fans for blowing air to each duct. Each duct is configured to connect each suction fan to a case 340 covering the individual adjustment unit 321 corresponding to each suction fan in a one-to-one relationship.

[0073] The cooling control unit 530 controls the cooling unit 360b based on the detection result by the detection unit 510, thereby adjusting the parallelism between the tip surface 63 and the printing surface 311 to a predetermined level or higher. The cooling control unit 530 in this embodiment is a functional unit realized by the control unit 500 executing a program. In other embodiments, the cooling control unit 530 may be configured by, for example, a computer separate from the control unit 500.

[0074] In this embodiment, the control unit 500, functioning as the cooling control unit 530, individually controls the output of the suction fan provided for each individual adjustment unit 321 based on the detection result by the detection unit 510. If the control unit 500 detects that the degree of parallelism is less than a predetermined level, it adjusts the output of each suction fan based on, for example, statistics of the measured distances, so that the degree of parallelism is equal to or greater than a predetermined level. For example, the control unit 500 controls the output of the suction fan corresponding to the individual adjustment unit 321 closest to the position where the distance that differs most from the average value was measured, thereby matching the distance measured at that position to the average value, and then measures the distance again using the distance measuring sensor 600 and detects the degree of parallelism based on the measured value. More specifically, if the measured distance is greater than the average value, the control unit 500 increases the output of the suction fan to suppress thermal expansion of the individual adjustment unit 321. On the other hand, if the measured distance is smaller than the average value, the control unit 500 decreases the output of the suction fan to promote thermal expansion of the individual adjustment unit 321. After adjusting the degree of parallelism in this manner using the cooling control unit 530, the degree of parallelism may be further adjusted higher by adjusting the height of the individual adjustment unit 321 using, for example, the first tool TL1 and the second tool TL2.

[0075] The three-dimensional printing apparatus 100c according to the present embodiment described above includes the cooling control unit 530 that adjusts the degree of parallelism to a predetermined level or higher by controlling the cooling unit 360b based on the detection result by the detection unit 510. Therefore, by controlling the cooling unit 360b to control the dimensional change due to thermal expansion of the attitude adjustment unit 320, it is possible to increase the degree of parallelism between the tip surface 63 and the printing surface 311 to a predetermined level or higher.

[0076] In other embodiments, even if the cooling unit 360 does not include a duct or a suction fan for each individual adjustment unit 321, as long as the cooling unit 360 is configured to be able to adjust the amount of air sent to each individual adjustment unit 321, the cooling control unit 530 can control the cooling unit 360 to adjust the degree of parallelism, as in the fourth embodiment. For example, if a shutter for adjusting the amount of gas supplied to each individual adjustment unit 321 is provided in a duct provided in common to multiple individual adjustment units 321, the cooling control unit 530 may control the opening and closing of the shutter based on the detection result by the detection unit 510. Furthermore, even if the cooling unit 360 is not configured as a blower but is configured, for example, by a flow path or a pump for supplying cooling water or refrigerant to the individual adjustment units 321, the cooling control unit 530 can similarly adjust the degree of parallelism by controlling the output of the pump or the opening and closing of the flow path.

[0077] E. Other Embodiments: (E-1) In the above embodiment, blower 361 includes gas flow path 365 and blower mechanism 366, and supplies gas introduced into gas flow path 365 by blower mechanism 366 to internal space 341 within case 340 in which individual adjustment unit 321 is housed. However, individual adjustment unit 321 does not have to be housed within case 340, and may be configured, for example, so that individual adjustment unit 321 faces the outlet of gas flow path 365 and so that gas introduced into gas flow path 365 is blown toward individual adjustment unit 321. Furthermore, blower 361 does not have to supply gas to attitude adjustment unit 320 via gas flow path 365, and may be configured, for example, by a blower fan capable of blowing air directly to attitude adjustment unit 320.

[0078] (E-2) In the above embodiment, the cooling unit 360 includes the blower 361 that supplies gas to the attitude adjustment unit 320. However, the cooling unit 360 does not have to include the blower 361. For example, the cooling unit 360 may be configured to cool the attitude adjustment unit 320 by supplying cooling water or a refrigerant to the attitude adjustment unit 320. In this case, for example, just as the gas flow path 365 and the blower mechanism 366 are provided in common to the plurality of individual adjustment units 321, by providing a flow path, a pump, or the like in common to the plurality of individual adjustment units 321, it is possible to easily cool the plurality of individual adjustment units 321 at one time.

[0079] (E-3) In the above embodiment, the mounting portion 331 of the support portion 330 functions as a heating portion that heats the table 310. However, the mounting portion 331 does not have to function as a heating portion. For example, a heating portion for heating the table 310 may be fixed to the inner surface of the discharge portion 200 or the partition wall 103 of the chamber 101.

[0080] (E-4) In the above embodiment, the support unit 330 is detachably fixed to the table 310 by the magnetic force of a magnet provided on at least one of the table 310 and the support unit 330. In contrast, the support unit 330 does not have to be fixed by the magnetic force of a magnet. For example, the support unit 330 may be fixed by attracting the table 310 toward the placement surface 332. Alternatively, the support unit 330 may be fixed by gripping the table 310 with a clamp or the like.

[0081] (E-5) In the above embodiment, table 310 is detachably supported by support unit 330. However, support unit 330 does not have to detachably support table 310, and for example, table 310 and support unit 330 may be configured integrally. Also, support unit 330 does not have to be provided, and for example, table 310 may be directly supported by attitude adjustment unit 320.

[0082] (E-6) In the above embodiment, the four individual adjustment units 321 are arranged at positions corresponding to the four corners of the rectangular support unit 330 when viewed along the Z direction. However, the individual adjustment units 321 do not have to be arranged at positions corresponding to the four corners of the support unit 330. The number of individual adjustment units 321 may be two, three, or five or more. The support unit 330 does not have to have a rectangular shape when viewed along the Z direction.

[0083] (E-7) In the above embodiment, for example, the height of individual adjustment unit 321 may be configured to be adjustable without using opening 336. For example, individual adjustment unit 321 may not be housed in case 340, but may be configured to be adjustable in height by bringing a tool or the like close to individual adjustment unit 321 from around individual adjustment unit 321 in the X direction or Y direction. In this case, support unit 330 may not have opening 336.

[0084] (E-8) In the above embodiment, elastic member 373 of biasing member 370 is made of a spring. However, elastic member 373 may be made of another elastic member, such as an elastomer. Also, for example, tip member 374 may be made of a spring, elastomer, or the like, or the receiving portion may be made of a spring, elastomer, or the like.

[0085] (E-9) In the above embodiment, the distance measurement sensor 600 is fixed to the nozzle 61. However, the distance measurement sensor 600 does not have to be fixed to the nozzle 61. For example, the distance measurement sensor 600 may be fixed to the discharge unit 200 or the chamber 101. The nozzle 61, the discharge unit 200, or the chamber 101 may be provided with a plurality of distance measurement sensors 600, each adjusted in advance so that its position in the Z direction corresponds to that of the other. Furthermore, for example, the degree of parallelism between the tip end surface 63 and the printing surface 311 may be detected based on a sensor value obtained by a sensor for detecting the inclination of the tip end surface 63 with respect to the horizontal plane and a sensor for detecting the inclination of the printing surface 311 with respect to the horizontal plane. In this case, the sensor for detecting the inclination may be, for example, a non-contact laser displacement sensor or a contact displacement sensor, similar to the distance measurement sensor 600.

[0086] (E-10) In the above embodiment, the plasticizing unit 30 of the discharge unit 200 plasticizes the material using a flat screw to generate the modeling material. Alternatively, the plasticizing unit 30 may generate the modeling material by, for example, rotating an in-line screw. The discharge unit 200 may also be configured as a head that plasticizes and discharges a filament-shaped material.

[0087] (E-11) In the above embodiment, pelletized ABS resin material is used as the raw material supplied to the material supply unit 20. In contrast, the 3D printing apparatus 100 can print a 3D object using various materials as the main material, such as thermoplastic materials, metal materials, and ceramic materials. Here, the term "main material" refers to the material that forms the core of the shape of the 3D object, and refers to a material that accounts for 50% or more by weight of the 3D object. The above-mentioned printing materials include those main materials that are melted alone, and those that are melted into a paste by melting some of the components contained together with the main material.

[0088] When a thermoplastic material is used as the main material, the plasticizing unit 30 plasticizes the material to generate a modeling material.

[0089] As the material having thermoplasticity, for example, the following thermoplastic resin materials can be used. <Examples of thermoplastic resin materials> General-purpose engineering plastics such as 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), modified polyphenylene ether, polybutylene terephthalate, and polyethylene terephthalate; and engineering plastics such as polysulfone, polyethersulfone, polyphenylene sulfide, polyarylate, polyimide, polyamideimide, polyetherimide, and polyether ether ketone.

[0090] The thermoplastic material may contain pigments, metals, ceramics, and other additives such as wax, flame retardants, antioxidants, and thermal stabilizers. The thermoplastic material is plasticized and converted into a molten state in the plasticizing section 30 by the rotation of the screw 40 and the heat of the plasticizing heater 58. The modeling material produced by melting the thermoplastic material is discharged from the nozzle 61 and then hardens as the temperature drops.

[0091] It is desirable that the thermoplastic material be heated to or above its glass transition point and in a completely melted state before being injected from the nozzle 61. For example, ABS resin has a glass transition point of approximately 120°C, and it is desirable that the temperature be approximately 200°C when injected from the nozzle 61.

[0092] In the three-dimensional modeling apparatus 100, for example, the following metal materials may be used as the main material instead of the thermoplastic materials described above. In this case, it is desirable that the powder material made by powdering the following metal materials be mixed with a component that melts when generating the modeling material, and then be introduced into the plasticizing unit 30 as a raw material. <Examples of metal materials> A single metal, or an alloy containing one or more of the following metals: magnesium (Mg), iron (Fe), cobalt (Co), chromium (Cr), aluminum (Al), titanium (Ti), copper (Cu), or nickel (Ni). <Examples of the alloy> Maraging steel, stainless steel, cobalt chrome molybdenum, titanium alloy, nickel alloy, aluminum alloy, cobalt alloy, cobalt chrome alloy.

[0093] In the three-dimensional printing apparatus 100, a ceramic material can be used as the main material instead of the above-mentioned metal material. Examples of the ceramic material that can be used include oxide ceramics such as silicon dioxide, titanium dioxide, aluminum oxide, and zirconium oxide, and non-oxide ceramics such as aluminum nitride. When using the above-mentioned metal or ceramic material as the main material, the printing material placed on the printing surface 311 may be hardened by sintering using laser irradiation, hot air, or the like.

[0094] The powder material of a metal or ceramic material fed as a raw material to the material supply unit 20 may be a mixed material obtained by mixing multiple types of powder of a single metal, alloy powder, or ceramic material. The powder material of a metal or ceramic material may also be coated with, for example, the thermoplastic resin exemplified above or a different thermoplastic resin. In this case, the thermoplastic resin may be melted in the plasticizing unit 30 to exhibit fluidity.

[0095] For example, the following solvents can be added to the powdered metal or ceramic material fed as raw material to the material supply unit 20. The solvent can be one or a combination of two or more selected from the following: <Examples of solvents> water; (poly)alkylene glycol monoalkyl ethers such as ethylene glycol monomethyl ether, ethylene glycol monoethyl ether, propylene glycol monomethyl ether, and propylene glycol monoethyl ether; acetate esters such as ethyl acetate, n-propyl acetate, isopropyl acetate, n-butyl acetate, and isobutyl acetate; aromatic hydrocarbons such as benzene, toluene, and xylene; ketones such as methyl ethyl ketone, acetone, methyl isobutyl ketone, ethyl-n-butyl ketone, diisopropyl ketone, and acetylacetone; alcohols such as ethanol, propanol, and butanol; tetraalkylammonium acetates; sulfoxide-based solvents such as dimethyl sulfoxide and diethyl sulfoxide; pyridine-based solvents such as pyridine, γ-picoline, and 2,6-lutidine; tetraalkylammonium acetates (for example, tetrabutylammonium acetate); and ionic liquids such as butyl carbitol acetate.

[0096] In addition, the powder material of the metal material or ceramic material fed into the material supply unit 20 as a raw material may also contain, for example, the following binders. <Example of a binder> Acrylic resin, epoxy resin, silicone resin, cellulose-based resin or other synthetic resin, or PLA (polylactic acid), PA (polyamide), PPS (polyphenylene sulfide), PEEK (polyether ether ketone) or other thermoplastic resin.

[0097] F. Other Forms: The present disclosure is not limited to the above-described embodiments and can be realized in various forms without departing from the spirit thereof. For example, the present disclosure can also be realized in the following forms. The technical features in the above embodiments corresponding to the technical features in each form described below can be appropriately replaced or combined to solve some or all of the problems of the present disclosure or to achieve some or all of the effects of the present disclosure. Furthermore, if a technical feature is not described as essential in this specification, it can be appropriately deleted.

[0098] (1) According to a first aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided a modeling stage for three-dimensional modeling, the modeling stage including a table having a modeling surface onto which a modeling material is dispensed, an attitude adjustment unit that adjusts the attitude of the modeling surface, and a cooling unit that cools the attitude adjustment unit. According to this configuration, when the table is heated, the cooling unit cools the position adjustment unit, thereby suppressing a temperature rise in the position adjustment unit that accompanies a temperature rise in the table. This suppresses dimensional changes in the position adjustment unit due to thermal expansion, and allows the dimensions of the position adjustment unit to stabilize more quickly, compared to when the position adjustment unit is not cooled. This allows the position of the table to stabilize more quickly, increasing the possibility of shortening the time required to adjust the position of the table.

[0099] (2) In the above aspect, the cooling unit may include a blower that supplies gas to the attitude adjustment unit. According to this aspect, the attitude adjustment unit can be easily cooled by supplying gas to the attitude adjustment unit using the blower.

[0100] (3) In the above embodiment, the apparatus may include a support unit having a placement surface on which the table is placed and detachably supporting the table, and the posture adjustment unit may include a plurality of individual adjustment units supporting the support unit, and the posture of the placement surface may be adjusted by individually adjusting the individual adjustment units. According to this embodiment, the posture of the placement surface can be adjusted with high precision by individually adjusting each individual adjustment unit to adjust the posture of the placement surface.

[0101] (4) In the above embodiment, the support unit may have a rectangular shape when viewed along the placement direction of the table, and the posture adjustment unit may have four individual adjustment units arranged at positions corresponding to the four corners of the support unit. According to this embodiment, the posture of the printing surface can be adjusted with higher precision by individually adjusting the individual adjustment units.

[0102] (5) In the above aspect, the cooling unit may include a blower that supplies gas to the attitude adjustment unit, and the blower may have a gas flow path that distributes the gas to the plurality of individual adjustment units and a blower mechanism that blows the gas into the gas flow path. According to this aspect, it is possible to easily cool a plurality of individual adjustment units at once, compared to, for example, a case where a gas flow path and a blower mechanism are individually provided for each individual adjustment unit.

[0103] (6) In the above embodiment, when viewed along the placement direction of the table, the support portion may have openings at positions overlapping with the individual adjustment portions, the openings may be formed to allow a tool for adjusting the individual adjustment portions to be inserted into the openings, and the individual adjustment portions may be configured to be adjustable by the tool inserted into the openings. According to this embodiment, the individual adjustment portions can be adjusted more easily.

[0104] (7) In the above aspect, the table may be detachably fixed to the support by a magnetic force of a magnet provided on at least one of the table and the support. According to this aspect, the table can be detachably fixed to the support with a simple configuration.

[0105] (8) In the above embodiment, the table may be supported by being sandwiched between a receiving portion that contacts a side surface of the table placed on the support portion and a biasing member that biases the table toward the receiving portion. This embodiment can prevent the table placed on the support portion from shifting in position and can prevent deformation, such as warping, of the heated table.

[0106] (9) According to a second aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided a three-dimensional printing apparatus. The three-dimensional printing apparatus includes the printing stage of the above aspect, a nozzle that ejects the printing material from a nozzle opening on a tip end surface toward the printing surface, a heating unit that heats the table, and a detection unit that detects the degree of parallelism between the tip end surface and the printing surface. According to this aspect, the posture adjustment unit can be adjusted by referring to the degree of parallelism detected by the detection unit.

[0107] (10) In the above aspect, the nozzle may further include a distance measuring sensor fixed to the nozzle in a predetermined orientation and configured to measure the distance to the printing surface, and a drive unit configured to move the nozzle relative to the table in a direction along the tip end surface, wherein the detection unit controls the drive unit and the distance measuring sensor to obtain multiple measurements by the distance measuring sensor and detect the degree of parallelism based on the multiple obtained measurements. This aspect makes it possible to easily detect the degree of parallelism between the tip end surface and the printing surface.

[0108] (11) In the above aspect, the present invention may further include an attitude control unit that controls the attitude adjustment unit based on the detection result of the detection unit to adjust the degree of parallelism to a predetermined level or higher. According to this aspect, a three-dimensional object can be formed on the formation surface with the degree of parallelism between the tip surface and the formation surface increased to a predetermined level or higher, thereby improving the formation accuracy of the three-dimensional object.

[0109] (12) In the above embodiment, a cooling control unit may be provided that controls the cooling unit based on the detection result of the detection unit to adjust the parallelism to a predetermined level or higher. According to this embodiment, the cooling unit is controlled to control dimensional changes due to thermal expansion, thereby increasing the parallelism between the tip surface and the manufacturing surface to a predetermined level or higher. [Explanation of symbols]

[0110] 20...material supply section, 22...supply path, 30...plasticization section, 31...screw case, 32...drive motor, 40...screw, 42...groove section, 43...ridge section, 44...material inlet, 46...center section, 48...screw bottom surface, 50...barrel, 52...barrel top surface, 56...communicating hole, 58...plasticization heater, 61...nozzle, 62...nozzle opening, 63...tip surface, 65...nozzle flow path, 100, 100b, 100c...three-dimensional printing device, 101...chamber, 102...printing space , 103... Partition wall, 200... Discharge portion, 300, 300b... Forming stage, 310... Table, 311... Forming surface, 312... First adsorbed portion, 313... Second adsorbed portion, 314... Corner surface, 320, 320b... Posture adjustment portion, 321... Individual adjustment portion, 321A... First adjustment portion, 321B... Second adjustment portion, 321C... Third adjustment portion, 321D... Fourth adjustment portion, 322... Shaft-shaped member, 323... Base portion, 324... First portion, 325... Second portion, 326... Fixing nut, 327... Fixing screw ji, 330...support portion, 331...placing portion, 332...placing surface, 333...support plate, 334...first suction portion, 335...second suction portion, 336...opening, 340...case, 340A...first case, 340B...second case, 340C...third case, 340D...fourth case, 341...internal space, 350...substrate, 351...heater, 352...central column, 353...exhaust port, 360, 360b...cooling portion, 361...blowing portion, 361A...first blowing portion, 361B...second blowing portion, 365...gas flow path, 365A...first gas flow path, 365B...second gas flow path, 366...blowing mechanism, 366A...first blowing mechanism, 366B...second blowing mechanism, 370...biasing member, 371...main body, 372...handle, 373...elastic member, 374...tip member, 400...driving unit, 410...first driving unit, 420...second driving unit, 430...expandable member, 435...separation space, 500...control unit, 510...detecting unit, 520...attitude control unit, 530...cooling control unit, 600...distance measuring sensor

Claims

1. A modeling stage for three-dimensional modeling, a table having a modeling surface onto which the modeling material is dispensed; an attitude adjustment unit that adjusts the attitude of the modeling surface; a cooling unit that cools the attitude adjustment unit; a support part having a placement surface on which the table is placed and detachably supporting the table, The attitude adjustment unit is a plurality of individual adjustment units that support the support unit; The individual adjustment units are individually adjusted to adjust the attitude of the placement surface, the cooling unit cools the plurality of individual adjustment units by supplying any one of gas, cooling water, and refrigerant to the plurality of individual adjustment units. Forming stage.

2. A modeling stage for three-dimensional modeling, a table having a modeling surface onto which the modeling material is dispensed; an attitude adjustment unit that adjusts the attitude of the modeling surface; a cooling unit that cools the attitude adjustment unit; a support part having a placement surface on which the table is placed and detachably supporting the table, The attitude adjustment unit is a plurality of individual adjustment units that support the support unit; The individual adjustment units are individually adjusted to adjust the attitude of the placement surface, the cooling unit includes a blower that supplies gas to the attitude adjustment unit, The blower unit includes a gas flow path that distributes the gas to the plurality of individual adjustment units, and a blower mechanism that blows the gas into the gas flow path.

3. A modeling stage for three-dimensional modeling, a table having a modeling surface onto which the modeling material is dispensed; an attitude adjustment unit that adjusts the attitude of the modeling surface; a cooling unit that cools the attitude adjustment unit; a support part having a placement surface on which the table is placed and detachably supporting the table, The attitude adjustment unit is a plurality of individual adjustment units that support the support unit; The individual adjustment units are individually adjusted to adjust the attitude of the placement surface, When viewed along the placement direction of the table, the support portion has openings at positions overlapping with the individual adjustment portions, the opening is formed so that a tool for adjusting the individual adjustment portion can be inserted therein; The individual adjustment unit is configured to be adjustable by the tool inserted into the opening.

4. A modeling stage for three-dimensional modeling, a table having a modeling surface onto which the modeling material is dispensed; an attitude adjustment unit that adjusts the attitude of the modeling surface; a cooling unit that cools the attitude adjustment unit; a support portion having a placement surface on which the table is placed and detachably supporting the table; a receiving portion that contacts a side surface of the table placed on the support portion; a biasing member that biases the table toward the receiving portion, The attitude adjustment unit is a plurality of individual adjustment units that support the support unit; The individual adjustment units are individually adjusted to adjust the attitude of the placement surface, The table is supported by being sandwiched between the receiving portion and the biasing member.

5. 5. The modeling stage according to claim 1, 3, or 4, the cooling unit cools the individual adjustment units by supplying gas to the individual adjustment units; The cooling unit includes a blower that supplies gas to the attitude adjustment unit.

6. The modeling stage according to any one of claims 1 to 5, When viewed along the placement direction of the table, The support portion has a rectangular shape, The attitude adjustment unit has four individual adjustment units arranged at positions corresponding to the four corners of the support unit, respectively. Forming stage.

7. The modeling stage according to any one of claims 1 to 6, The modeling stage, wherein the table is detachably fixed to the support portion by a magnetic force of a magnet provided on at least one of the table and the support portion.

8. The modeling stage according to any one of claims 1 to 7, a nozzle that ejects the modeling material from a nozzle opening on a tip surface toward the modeling surface; a heating unit that heats the table; a detection unit that detects the degree of parallelism between the tip surface and the modeling surface.

9. The three-dimensional modeling apparatus according to claim 8, a distance measuring sensor fixed to the nozzle and measuring the distance to the modeling surface; a drive unit that moves the nozzle relative to the table in a direction along the tip surface, The detection unit controlling the driving unit and the distance measuring sensor to obtain a plurality of measurements by the distance measuring sensor; The three-dimensional printing apparatus detects the degree of parallelism based on the acquired plurality of measurement values.

10. The three-dimensional modeling apparatus according to claim 8 or 9, a posture control unit that controls the posture adjustment unit based on a detection result by the detection unit, thereby adjusting the degree of parallelism to a predetermined level or higher.

11. The three-dimensional modeling apparatus according to claim 8 or 9, a cooling control unit that controls the cooling unit based on a detection result by the detection unit, thereby adjusting the degree of parallelism to a predetermined level or higher.

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