Three-dimensional shaping device

Abstract

To provide a three-dimensional molding apparatus capable of enhancing quality of a three-dimensional molded object.SOLUTION: A three-dimensional molding apparatus comprises: a moving mechanism for relatively moving at least one of a first molding head and a second molding head and a stage; and a controller for controlling the first molding head, the second molding head, and the moving mechanism. The controller allows the first molding head to execute molding of a first calibration element 310A on the stage, and allows the second molding head to execute molding of a second calibration element 320A on the stage. The first calibration element 310A has a plurality of molding line 310A1 arranged with a first interval W1 in a first direction on the stage. The second calibration element 320A has a plurality of molding lines 320A1 arranged with a second interval W2 wider than the first interval W1 in the first direction on the stage.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3

Description

Technical Field

[0005]

[0001] The present invention relates to a three-dimensional shaping apparatus.

Background Art

[0002] Patent Document 1 discloses a three-dimensional shaping apparatus that calibrates the vertical distance between the tip of an injection nozzle in a shaping head and the placement surface on a stage by measuring the distance between the tip of the injection nozzle in the shaping head and a stage sensor in the shaping head.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] However, in the technique described in Patent Document 1, when a plurality of shaping heads are provided, there is a problem that if the horizontal positions of the shaping heads are not calibrated, the dimensional accuracy of the shaped object decreases or the strength of the shaped object decreases. That is, there is a need for a three-dimensional shaping apparatus that can calibrate the misalignment of the horizontal positions of a plurality of shaping heads.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0005] The three-dimensional printing apparatus comprises a stage, a first printing head having a first nozzle for supplying a first material to the stage, a second printing head having a second nozzle for supplying a second material different from the first material to the stage, a moving mechanism for relatively moving at least one of the first printing head and the second printing head and the stage, and a control unit for controlling the first printing head, the second printing head and the moving mechanism, wherein the control unit causes the first printing head to print a first calibration body on the stage, and the second printing head to print a second calibration body on the stage, the first calibration body having a plurality of printing lines arranged at first intervals in a first direction on the stage, and the second calibration body having a plurality of printing lines arranged at second intervals wider than the first interval in the first direction on the stage. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0006] [Figure 1] A cross-sectional view showing the configuration of a three-dimensional printing device. [Figure 2] A cross-sectional view showing the configuration of the build plate head. [Figure 3] Plan view showing the configuration of the first and second calibration specimens. [Figure 4] A plan view showing the relationship between the build lines of the first proof model and the build lines of the second proof model. [Figure 5] A diagram illustrating how to read the scales on the first and second calibration specimens. [Figure 6] A diagram illustrating the amount of displacement in the X and Y directions. [Figure 7] A diagram showing the display content of the display unit. [Figure 8] A diagram showing the display content of the display unit. [Figure 9] A diagram illustrating a method for determining the amount of displacement using a distance sensor. [Figure 10] A plan view showing the configuration of a modified calibration specimen. [Figure 11] A diagram illustrating the relationship between the scale format and the minimum reading. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0007] In the following diagrams, the three mutually orthogonal axes are described as the X-axis, Y-axis, and Z-axis. The direction along the X-axis is called the "X-direction," the direction along the Y-axis is called the "Y-direction," and the direction along the Z-axis is called the "Z-direction." The direction of the arrow is the + direction, and the direction opposite to the + direction is called the - direction. The +Z direction is also sometimes called "up" or "upward," and the -Z direction is sometimes called "down" or "downward." Viewing from the +Z direction is also called a planar view or planar perspective. Furthermore, the surface on the Z-direction + side is described as the top surface, and the surface on the opposite side, the Z-direction - side, is described as the bottom surface.

[0008] First, the configuration of the three-dimensional molding apparatus 1000 will be explained with reference to Figures 1 and 2.

[0009] The three-dimensional molding apparatus 1000 extrudes plasticized thermoplastic resin molding material 300 (see Figure 2) from the molding head 100 toward the stage 200, while driving the moving mechanism 400 to change the relative position between the molding head 100 and the stage 200. As a result, the three-dimensional molding apparatus 1000 creates a three-dimensional object 300a of the desired shape on the stage 200.

[0010] As shown in Figure 1, the three-dimensional molding apparatus 1000 comprises a stage 200, a first molding head 100a and a second molding head 100b positioned opposite the stage 200, a moving mechanism 400, and a control unit 500 that controls the first molding head 100a, the second molding head 100b, and the moving mechanism 400.

[0011] The first build head 100a has a first nozzle 110a that supplies a first material to the stage 200. The second build head 100b has a second nozzle 110b that supplies a second material different from the first material to the stage 200.

[0012] As described above, the moving mechanism 400 moves at least one of the first build head 100a and the second build head 100b relative to the stage 200. The moving mechanism 400 is composed of a three-axis positioner that moves the stage 200 in three axes in the X, Y, and Z directions using the driving force of three motors. Each motor is driven under the control of the control unit 500.

[0013] The control unit 500 is composed of a computer, for example, a processor, a storage device, and an input / output interface for inputting and outputting signals to and from the outside. In this embodiment, the control unit 500 controls the operation of the first build head 100a, the second build head 100b, and the moving mechanism 400 by having the processor execute programs and instructions stored on the storage device, thereby executing a build process to create a three-dimensional object 300a based on build data.

[0014] The molding data is created, for example, by loading shape data into slicer software installed on a computer connected to the 3D printing device 1000. The shape data represents the target shape of the 3D object 300a, which is created using 3D CAD (Computer Aided Design) software or 3D CG (Computer Graphics) software. For shape data, for example, data in STL (Standard Triangulated Language) format or AMF (Additive Manufacturing File Format) is used. The slicer software divides the target shape of the 3D object 300a into layers of a predetermined thickness and creates molding data for each layer. The molding data is represented by G-code or similar.

[0015] The shaping data includes information such as, for example, the movement path of the nozzle 110 with respect to the stage 200, the amount of the shaping material 300 discharged from the nozzle 110, the shape and area of each of the plurality of shaping layers constituting the three-dimensional shaped object 300a. The control unit 500 acquires the shaping data from a computer connected to the three-dimensional shaping apparatus 1000 or a recording medium such as a USB (Universal Serial Bus) memory.

[0016] Next, while referring to FIG. 2, the configuration of one of the first shaping head 100a and the second shaping head 100b, i.e., the shaping head 100, will be described. Since the first shaping head 100a and the second shaping head 100b have the same configuration, they will be described as the shaping head 100.

[0017] The shaping head 100 includes a material supply unit 120, a material melting unit 130, and a nozzle 110. The material supply unit 120 and the material melting unit 130 are connected by a supply path 121. The material melting unit 130 and the nozzle 110 are connected by a communication hole 133. The shaping head 100 laminates the shaping material 300, which is obtained by melting at least a part of the solid-state material into a paste state, on the stage 200.

[0018] The material supply unit 120 houses materials in a state such as pellets or powder. The first material and the second material of the present embodiment are pellet-shaped ABS resins. The material supply unit 120 of the present embodiment is constituted by a hopper. The material housed in the material supply unit 120 is supplied to the material melting unit 130 through a supply path 121 provided below the material supply unit 120.

[0019] The material melting unit 130 includes a case 134, a flat screw 131 housed in the case 134, a drive motor 140 that drives the flat screw 131, and a barrel 132 fixed below the flat screw 131 in the case 134.

[0020] The flat screw 131 has a flattened cylindrical shape, and a spiral groove 135 is formed on the bottom surface of the cylinder, extending from the outer circumference toward the central axis AX of the cylinder. Flattening means that the height is smaller than the diameter. The bottom surface of the flat screw 131 is called the groove-forming surface 136. The flat screw 131 is positioned so that its central axis AX is parallel to the Z direction.

[0021] A drive motor 140, which is driven under the control of the control unit 500, is connected to the upper side of the flat screw 131. The torque generated by the drive motor 140 causes the flat screw 131 to rotate inside the case 134.

[0022] The barrel 132 has a screw-facing surface 137 that faces the groove-forming surface 136 of the flat screw 131. A communication hole 133 is provided in the screw-facing surface 137 at a position on the central axis AX of the flat screw 131. A heater 150 is built into the barrel 132. The temperature of the heater 150 is controlled by the control unit 500.

[0023] The material supplied between the groove 135 of the rotating flat screw 131 and the screw-facing surface 137 of the barrel 132 is melted at least partially by the rotation of the flat screw 131 and heating by the heater 150, becoming a fluid paste-like molding material 300. The molding material 300 is supplied along the groove 135 to the communication hole 133 provided in the barrel 132 by the rotation of the flat screw 131.

[0024] The nozzle 110 is connected to the communication hole 133. The molding material 300 supplied from the material melting section 130 to the nozzle 110 via the communication hole 133 is extruded from the nozzle 110 toward the stage 200.

[0025] A base layer 250 is placed on top of the stage 200. Three-dimensional objects 300a, namely the first calibration bodies 310A, 310B and the second calibration bodies 320A, 320B (see Figure 3), which are fabricated from the fabrication material 300, are placed on top of the base layer 250. In other words, the base layer 250 is placed between the first calibration bodies 310A, 310B and the second calibration bodies 320A, 320B and the stage 200. Examples of the base layer 250 include sample plates and fabrication sheets.

[0026] As the base layer 250 is positioned in this manner, by forming the first calibration bodies 310A, 310B and the second calibration bodies 320A, 320B on top of the base layer 250, the base layer 250 containing the first calibration bodies 310A, 310B and the second calibration bodies 320A, 320B can be removed from the stage 200 for inspection. Furthermore, since the calibration bodies 310 and 320 are formed on the base layer 250, the adhesion between the base layer 250 and the calibration bodies 310 and 320 can be improved compared to, for example, the case where the calibration bodies 310 and 320 are in close contact with the stage 200.

[0027] Furthermore, the base layer 250 may be fabricated using the first build head 100a or the second build head 100b. This eliminates the need to prepare new sample plates or build sheets, and allows for easy fabrication.

[0028] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 1, the three-dimensional modeling apparatus 1000 includes, in addition to the control unit 500, a display unit 600, a storage unit 510, an image processing unit 520, a calculation unit 530, and a camera 700 as an imaging means.

[0029] The display unit 600 displays, for example, the build lines 310A1, 310B1, 320A1, 320B1 (see Figure 3) captured using the camera 700. The display unit 600 also has an input unit for correcting the positional misalignment between the first build head 100a and the second build head 100b.

[0030] Camera 700 is equipped with an image sensor such as a CCD (Charge Coupled Device) sensor or a CMOS (Complementary Metal Oxide Semiconductor) sensor.

[0031] The memory unit 510 stores images of, for example, the first calibration bodies 310A, 310B and the second calibration bodies 320A, 320B captured by the camera 700.

[0032] The image processing unit 520, for example, trims the ends 310a, 320a (see Figure 4) of the first calibration bodies 310A, 310B and the second calibration bodies 320A, 320B so that the amount of misalignment between the first printing head 100a and the second printing head 100b can be easily confirmed.

[0033] The calculation unit 530 calculates the amount of deviation between the first calibration bodies 310A, 310B and the second calibration bodies 320A, 320B based on, for example, the height information of the first calibration bodies 310A, 310B and the height information of the second calibration bodies 320A, 320B.

[0034] Next, the configurations of the first calibration bodies 310A and 310B and the second calibration bodies 320A and 320B will be described with reference to Figure 3.

[0035] As shown in Figure 3, a base layer 250 is placed on the stage 200. On the base layer 250, a first calibration body 310A, fabricated by the first build head 100a, and a second calibration body 320A, fabricated by the second build head 100b, are placed on the -X side.

[0036] Meanwhile, on top of the base layer 250, a first calibration body 310B, fabricated by the first build head 100a, and a second calibration body 320B, fabricated by the second build head 100b, are positioned on the +X direction side.

[0037] The first calibration body 310A has multiple build lines 310A1 arranged in a first direction at a first interval W1. The second calibration body 320A has multiple build lines 320A1 arranged in a first direction at a second interval W2 which is wider than the first interval W1. The build lines 310A1 and 320A1 are formed, for example, in a single continuous line.

[0038] The first calibration body 310B has multiple build lines 310B1 arranged at a first interval W3 in a direction intersecting the first direction. The second calibration body 320B has multiple build lines 320B1 arranged at a second interval W4, which is wider than the first interval W3, in a direction intersecting the first direction. The build lines 310B1 and 320B1 are formed, for example, in a single continuous line.

[0039] The first calibration bodies 310A and 310B have, for example, a square outline shape of approximately 50 mm x 50 mm. The width of the build lines 310A1 and 310B1 is, for example, 0.4 mm. The spacing between adjacent build lines 310A1 and 310B1 is, for example, 0.6 mm. Preferably, the line width of the build lines 310A1 and 310B1 is greater than the diameter of the nozzle 110 and less than or equal to the spacing between build paths.

[0040] The second calibration bodies 320A and 320B have, for example, a rectangular outline shape of approximately 50 mm x 39 mm. The width of the build lines 320A1 and 320B1 is, for example, 0.5 mm. The spacing between adjacent build lines 320A1 and 320B1 is, for example, 1.45 mm.

[0041] Furthermore, it is preferable that the distance W5 between the first calibration body 310A and the second calibration body 320A in the direction intersecting the first direction is wider than the backlash interval in the moving mechanism 400. By setting it in this way, the distance W5 between the first calibration body 310A and the second calibration body 320A is wider than the backlash interval, so that the overlap between the first calibration body 310A and the second calibration body 320A can be suppressed. Therefore, for example, it is possible to suppress the nozzle 110 from becoming contaminated and the reduction in molding accuracy caused by the nozzle 110 forming the second calibration body 320A coming into contact with the already formed first calibration body 310A.

[0042] Furthermore, a purge line 310C1 formed when the first material was purged is positioned between the first calibration body 310A and the first calibration body 310B. A purge line 320C1 formed when the second material was purged is positioned between the second calibration body 320A and the second calibration body 320B.

[0043] Thus, by performing a purging process on the stage 200, or in other words, on the base layer 250, before printing the first calibration bodies 310A and 310B using the first build head 100a, the line widths of the printed lines 310A1 and 310B1 of the first calibration bodies 310A and 310B can be stabilized.

[0044] On the other hand, before printing the second calibration bodies 320A and 320B using the second build head 100b, purging can be performed on the stage 200, or in other words, on the base layer 250, to stabilize the line width of the printed lines 320A1 and 320B1 of the second calibration bodies 320A and 320B.

[0045] Next, referring to Figures 4 and 5, we will explain how to determine the positional displacement between the first build head 100a and the second build head 100b using the first calibration body 310A and the second calibration body 320A.

[0046] As shown in Figure 4, the end portion 310a of the build line 310A1 of the first calibration body 310A is trimmed by the image processing unit 520 and separated from the adjacent build line 310A1. Similarly, the end portion 320a of the build line 320A1 of the second calibration body 320A is trimmed by the image processing unit 520 and separated from the adjacent build line 320A1.

[0047] In other words, the end 310a of the molding line 310A1 of the first calibration body 310A and the end 320a of the molding line 320A1 of the second calibration body 320A can be brought closer together and clearly displayed. Therefore, the amount of positional misalignment can be easily confirmed.

[0048] Furthermore, it is desirable to use the first build head 100a to create scale information 330a corresponding to the build line 310A1 of the first calibration body 310A. For example, in Figure 4, 0, 10, and 20 are created as scale information 330a.

[0049] On the other hand, it is desirable to use the second build head 100b to create scale information 330b corresponding to the build line 320A1 of the second calibration body 320A. For example, in Figure 4, 0, 2, and 4 are created as scale information 330b.

[0050] In this way, by creating scale information 330a and 330b, or in other words, numbers, the amount of deviation becomes easier to understand, thus improving visibility.

[0051] Figure 5 clearly illustrates how to determine the positional misalignment between the first build head 100a and the second build head 100b using the first and second calibration specimens 310A and 320A shown in Figure 4. In other words, Figure 5 is similar to the measurement method using calipers. The numerical value in this case can be read as, for example, 13.4.

[0052] In other words, the first calibration object 310A, printed by the first build head 100a, becomes the main scale, and the second calibration object 320A, printed by the second build head 100b, becomes the vernier. If the value of the positional misalignment is 0, then the positions of the two build heads 100a and 100b are aligned.

[0053] Next, the method for aligning the first build head 100a and the second build head 100b will be explained with reference to Figures 6 and 7.

[0054] First, the user selects, for example, Menu, Maintenance, and Head Calibration on the input screen of the 3D printing device 1000. When the control unit 500 receives a signal regarding the execution of head calibration, it reads the printing data for head calibration from the storage unit 510.

[0055] Next, the control unit 500 instructs the first build head 100a to build the first calibration bodies 310A and 310B on the base layer 250 of the stage 200 based on the read build data (see Figure 3). Furthermore, the control unit 500 instructs the second build head 100b to build the second calibration bodies 320A and 320B on the base layer 250 of the stage 200.

[0056] Next, the control unit 500 instructs the camera 700 to capture images of the first calibration bodies 310A, 310B and the second calibration bodies 320A, 320B, and stores the captured images of the first calibration bodies 310A2, 310B2 and the second calibration bodies 320A2, 320B2 in the storage unit 510.

[0057] In this way, the images of the first calibration bodies 310A, 310B and the second calibration bodies 320A, 320B that were captured are stored in the storage unit 510, so that the amount of deviation can be calibrated even after some time has passed since the images were captured.

[0058] Next, the control unit 500 reads the stored first calibration images 310A2, 310B2 and second calibration images 320A2, 320B2 from the image processing unit 520 and performs trimming of the ends 310a of the first calibrations 310A, 310B (see Figure 4) and the ends 320a of the second calibrations 320A, 320B.

[0059] Next, the control unit 500 displays the trimmed first calibration image 310A2 and the trimmed second calibration image 320A2 side by side on the display unit 600. That is, this image shows the amount of displacement in the X direction between the first build head 100a and the second build head 100b.

[0060] Furthermore, the control unit 500 displays the trimmed first calibration image 310B2 and the trimmed second calibration image 320B2 side by side on the display unit 600. That is, this image shows the amount of displacement in the Y direction between the first build head 100a and the second build head 100b.

[0061] Because it is displayed in this way, even if the first calibration body 310A, 310B and the second calibration body 320A, 320B are fabricated in a single continuous line, the ends 310a, 320a of the required fabrication lines 310A1, 310B1, 320A1, 320B1 can be clearly displayed by trimming the ends 310a, 320a. Therefore, it becomes easier to determine the amount of deviation between the first calibration body 310A, 310B and the second calibration body 320A, 320B.

[0062] As shown in Figure 6, the displacement in the X direction between the first build head 100a and the second build head 100b is -0.1 mm. On the other hand, the displacement in the Y direction is 0.0 mm.

[0063] Specifically, in the X or Y direction, find the lines where the build lines 310A1 and 310B1 of the first calibration specimens 310A and 310B coincide with the build lines 320A1 and 320B1 of the second calibration specimens 320A and 320B. Then, determine the amount of deviation based on the reference point, i.e., the number of lines from 0.

[0064] In other words, by correcting the second build head 100b by +0.1 mm in the X direction and 0.0 mm in the Y direction, the calibration of build heads 100a and 100b is completed.

[0065] Preferably, the display unit 600 displays scale information 601a, 602a corresponding to the molded lines 310A1, 310B1 of the first calibration bodies 310A, 310B, and scale information 601b, 602b corresponding to the molded lines 320A1, 320B1 of the second calibration bodies 320A, 320B. By displaying the information in this way, numbers and other information are displayed, making it easier to understand the amount of deviation and improving visibility.

[0066] In this way, since the display unit 600 displays an image, the amount of deviation can be determined from the display unit 600 without directly examining the first calibration bodies 310A, 310B and the second calibration bodies 320A, 320B. Therefore, the amount of deviation can be calibrated without changing the environment, such as the molding temperature of the molding space in the three-dimensional molding apparatus 1000. This helps to suppress a decrease in productivity.

[0067] Next, as shown in Figure 7, the control unit 500 displays a calibration screen for the head on the display unit 600, which allows input of calibration values ​​obtained from the first calibration bodies 310A, 310B and the second calibration bodies 320A, 320B.

[0068] The user enters a numerical value to correct the misalignment in the input box for the new correction value, based on the misalignment in the X and Y directions. Specifically, if there is a misalignment of -0.1 mm in the X direction, the user enters +0.1 mm. On the other hand, since there is no misalignment in the Y direction, the user enters 0.0 mm. After entering the values, the user presses the update button to apply the latest correction values. The correction values ​​are stored in the memory unit 510.

[0069] As described above, the three-dimensional molding apparatus 1000 of this embodiment includes a stage 200, a first molding head 100a having a first nozzle 110a for supplying a first material to the stage 200, a second molding head 100b having a second nozzle 110b for supplying a second material different from the first material to the stage 200, a moving mechanism 400 for relatively moving at least one of the first molding head 100a and the second molding head 100b and the stage 200, and a control for the first molding head 100a, the second molding head 100b and the moving mechanism 400. The system includes a control unit 500, which causes the first build head 100a to build first calibration bodies 310A and 310B on the stage 200, and the second build head 100b to build second calibration bodies 320A and 320B on the stage 200. The first calibration body 310A has a plurality of build lines 310A1 arranged at a first interval W1 in a first direction on the stage 200, and the second calibration body 320A has a plurality of build lines 320A1 arranged at a second interval W2 which is wider than the first interval W1 in a first direction on the stage 200.

[0070] In this configuration, the first build head 100a builds the first calibration bodies 310A and 310B, and the second build head 100b builds the second calibration bodies 320A and 320B. By comparing the first calibration bodies 310A and 310B with the second calibration bodies 320A and 320B, the amount of misalignment between the build heads 100a and 100b in the first direction can be recognized from the amount of misalignment of their respective build lines 310A1, 310B1, 320A1, and 320B1. Therefore, by calibrating the positions of the build heads 100a and 100b based on the amount of misalignment, it is possible to prevent a decrease in the dimensional accuracy of the built bodies or a decrease in the strength of the built bodies.

[0071] Furthermore, in the three-dimensional molding apparatus 1000 of this embodiment, it is preferable that the distance W5 between the first calibration bodies 310A, 310B and the second calibration bodies 320A, 320B in a direction intersecting the first direction is wider than the backlash interval in the moving mechanism 400. With this configuration, since the distance between the first calibration bodies 310A, 310B and the second calibration bodies 320A, 320B is wider than the backlash interval, it is possible to suppress the overlap between the first calibration bodies 310A, 310B and the second calibration bodies 320A, 320B. Therefore, it is possible to suppress the adhesion of molten material to the nozzle 110 during molding and the reduction in molding accuracy.

[0072] Furthermore, in the three-dimensional molding apparatus 1000 of this embodiment, it is preferable that a base layer 250 is placed between the first calibration bodies 310A, 310B and the second calibration bodies 320A, 320B and the stage 200. With this configuration, since the base layer 250 is placed, the base layer 250 containing the first calibration bodies 310A, 310B and the second calibration bodies 320A, 320B can be removed from the stage 200 for inspection by molding the first calibration bodies 310A, 310B and the second calibration bodies 320A, 320B on the base layer 250. In addition, since the calibration bodies 310, 320 are molded on the base layer 250, the adhesion between the base layer 250 and the calibration bodies 310, 320 can be improved compared to, for example, the case where the calibration bodies 310, 320 are in close contact with the stage 200.

[0073] Furthermore, in the three-dimensional molding apparatus 1000 of this embodiment, it is preferable that the base layer 250 is formed using the first molding head 100a or the second molding head 100b. With this configuration, since the base layer 250 is formed using the first molding head 100a or the second molding head 100b, it is not necessary to prepare a new plate or sheet, for example, and it can be formed easily.

[0074] Furthermore, in the three-dimensional molding apparatus 1000 of this embodiment, it is preferable that the control unit 500 uses the first molding head 100a or the second molding head 100b to mold scale information 330a corresponding to the molding lines 310A1 and 310B1 of the first calibration bodies 310A and 310B, and uses the first molding head 100a or the second molding head 100b to mold scale information 330b corresponding to the molding lines 320A1 and 320B1 of the second calibration bodies 320A and 320B. With this configuration, since the scale information 330a and 330b, in other words, numbers, etc., are molded, the amount of deviation becomes easier to understand, and visibility can be improved.

[0075] Furthermore, the three-dimensional molding apparatus 1000 of this embodiment preferably includes a camera 700 capable of imaging at least one of the first calibration bodies 310A, 310B and the second calibration bodies 320A, 320B, and a storage unit 510 that stores the images captured by the camera 700. With this configuration, since the images of the captured first calibration bodies 310A, 310B and the second calibration bodies 320A, 320B are stored, the amount of displacement can be calibrated even after a period of time has elapsed since imaging.

[0076] Furthermore, the three-dimensional molding apparatus 1000 of this embodiment preferably includes a display unit 600 that displays images of the first calibration bodies 310A, 310B and the second calibration bodies 320A, 320B captured by the camera 700, and a calibration screen into which calibration values ​​obtained from the first calibration bodies 310A, 310B and the second calibration bodies 320A, 320B can be input. With this configuration, since the display unit 600 displays the images, the amount of deviation can be determined from the display unit 600 without directly checking the first calibration bodies 310A, 310B and the second calibration bodies 320A, 320B. Therefore, for example, the amount of deviation can be calibrated without changing the environment, such as the molding temperature of the molding space in the three-dimensional molding apparatus 1000. This makes it possible to suppress a decrease in productivity.

[0077] Furthermore, the three-dimensional molding apparatus 1000 of this embodiment is equipped with an image processing unit 520, and the storage unit 510 stores first calibration images 310A2, 310B2 obtained by the camera 700 of the first calibration bodies 310A, 310B, and second calibration images 320A2, 320B2 obtained by the camera 700 of the second calibration bodies 320A, 320B. The image processing unit 520 trims the ends 310a of the stored first calibration images 310A2, 310B2 and the ends 320a of the second calibration images 320A2, 320B2, and the display unit 600 preferably displays the trimmed first calibration images 310A2, 310B2 and the trimmed second calibration images 320A2, 320B2 side by side. With this configuration, for example, even when the first calibration bodies 310A, 310B and the second calibration bodies 320A, 320B are fabricated in a single continuous line, the ends 310a, 320a of the required fabrication lines 310A1, 310B1, 320A1, 320B1 can be clearly displayed by trimming the ends 310a, 320a. Therefore, it becomes easier to determine the amount of deviation between the first calibration bodies 310A, 310B and the second calibration bodies 320A, 320B.

[0078] Furthermore, in the three-dimensional molding apparatus 1000 of this embodiment, it is preferable that the display unit 600 displays scale information 601a, 602a corresponding to the molding lines 310A1, 310B1 of the first calibration bodies 310A, 310B, and scale information 601b, 602b corresponding to the molding lines 320A1, 320B1 of the second calibration bodies 320A, 320B. With this configuration, since the scale information 601a, 602a, 601b, 602b, in other words, numbers, etc., are displayed, the amount of deviation becomes easier to understand, and visibility can be improved.

[0079] Furthermore, in the three-dimensional molding apparatus 1000 of this embodiment, it is preferable that the control unit 500 purges the first material at the stage 200 or maintenance position before molding the first calibration bodies 310A and 310B using the first molding head 100a, and purges the second material at the stage 200 or maintenance position before molding the second calibration bodies 320A and 320B using the second molding head 100b. With this configuration, since the purging process is performed before molding the calibration bodies 310 and 320 for determining the amount of displacement, it becomes possible to stabilize the line widths of the first calibration bodies 310A and 310B and the second calibration bodies 320A and 320B, and the amount of displacement can be accurately determined.

[0080] The following describes some variations of the embodiments described above.

[0081] As described above, the method is not limited to displaying the trimmed first calibration image 310A2 and the second calibration image 320A2 side by side; for example, as shown in Figure 8, the method may also be used. Figure 8 is an image of part A in Figure 3. That is, it is the untrimmed image 315.

[0082] First, the display unit 600 displays the captured image 315, the reference bar setting unit 316 having a reference bar 316a, and the measurement bar setting unit 317 having a measurement bar 317a for measuring the amount of positional deviation. Next, the arrow buttons are used to position the reference bar 316a at the reference position. Here, the fifth bar from the left is used as the reference position. Then, the arrow buttons are used to position the measurement bar 317a at the position where the build line 310A1 and the build line 320A1 coincide. At this point, pressing the update button causes the calculation unit 530 to calculate a correction value based on the image, and this value is stored in the storage unit 510.

[0083] Furthermore, as mentioned above, the method is not limited to manually determining the amount of deviation; as shown in Figure 9, the amount of deviation may be determined automatically. Figure 9 shows a method for calculating calibration values ​​using a distance sensor as the sensor.

[0084] First, the height information 310A3 of the first calibration body 310A and the height information 320A3 of the second calibration body 320A are measured by moving the measurement area of ​​the distance sensor from the -X direction to the +X direction. The measurements may be performed simultaneously or separately. If performed separately, a reference point for measurement in the X direction is required.

[0085] Here, the reference point of the first calibration body 310A is set to, for example, the fourth position from the -X direction. Next, the point of agreement between the height information 310A3 of the first calibration body 310A and the height information 320A3 of the second calibration body 320A is determined.

[0086] The method for determining the number of lines on the second calibration specimen 320A is calculated based on, for example, the distance L1 between the reference point and the coincidence point, the interval L2, and the width L3 of the build line 320A1. The number of lines on the second calibration specimen 320A is calculated from the integer value of the calibration value. The calibration value is calculated using the following formula: Calibration value = (distance L1 between reference point and coincidence point) / (interval L2 + width L3 of build line 320A1).

[0087] In this manner, the system preferably includes a distance sensor that detects the height in a direction intersecting the first direction, and a calculation unit 530. The calculation unit 530 preferably calculates the amount of deviation between the first calibration body 310A and the second calibration body 320A based on the height information 310A3 of the first calibration body 310A obtained by the distance sensor and the height information 320A3 of the second calibration body 320A obtained by the distance sensor. According to this, since the calibration value is calculated based on the height information 310A3 and 320A3 of the first calibration body 310A and the second calibration body 320A, the amount of deviation can be automatically determined without the user having to visually determine the amount of deviation.

[0088] Furthermore, the areas of the first calibration body 310A and the second calibration body 320A are not limited to those shown in Figure 3. For example, as shown in Figure 10, the second calibration body 320A may be shaped to have a larger area compared to the first calibration body 310A.

[0089] In other words, it is preferable that the proportion occupied by the first calibration body 310A on the stage 200 is smaller than the proportion occupied by the second calibration body 320A on the stage 200. According to this, the first spacing W1 of the build lines 310A1 of the first calibration body 310A is narrower than the second spacing W2 of the build lines 320A1 of the second calibration body 320A. Therefore, when calibration bodies 310A and 320A are built with the same area, the first calibration body 310A consumes more material. Thus, by reducing the proportion occupied by the first calibration body 310A, the amount of material consumed can be reduced.

[0090] Furthermore, as mentioned above, although the widths of the build lines 310A1, 310A2, 320A1, and 320A2 are not specifically stated, they may be set as shown in Figure 11. As shown in Figure 11, the scale format can be selected according to the reading accuracy to be calibrated.

[0091] The specific setup procedure is as follows: First, the spacing of the build lines 320A1 widths on the second calibration model 320A is determined. Next, the spacing of the build lines 310A1 widths on the first calibration model 310A is determined by dividing the spacing of the 10 build lines 320A1 widths on the second calibration model 320A into 10 equal parts. After that, it is determined whether the spacing of the build lines 310A1 widths on the first calibration model 310A is larger than the minimum value of the build line 310A1 width. If it is smaller, the process returns to the beginning. This is because if the spacing of the build lines 310A1 widths on the first calibration model 310A is too narrow, adjacent build lines 310A1 will overlap, making it impossible to create gaps. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0092] 100...Build head, 100a...First build head, 100b...Second build head, 110...Nozzle, 110a...First nozzle, 110b...Second nozzle, 120...Material supply section, 121...Supply path, 130...Material melting section, 131...Flat screw, 132...Barrel, 133...Communication hole, 134...Case, 135...Groove section, 136...Groove forming surface, 137...Screw opposing surface, 140...Drive motor, 150...Heater, 200...Stage, 250...Base layer, 300...Building material, 300a...Three-dimensional build object, 310a,320a...End section, 310A,310B...First calibration body, 310A1,310B1...Build line, 310A2,3 10B2...First calibration image, 310A3...Height information, 310C1,320C1...Purge molding line, 315...Acquired image, 316...Reference bar setting unit, 316a...Reference bar, 317...Measurement bar setting unit, 317a...Measurement bar, 320A,320B...Second calibration body, 320A1,320B1...Molding line, 320A2,320B2...Second calibration image, 320A3...Height information, 330a,330b...Scale information, 400...Movement mechanism, 500...Control unit, 510...Storage unit, 520...Image processing unit, 530...Calculation unit, 600...Display unit, 601a,601b...Scale information, 700...Camera as imaging means, 1000...Three-dimensional molding device.

Claims

1. The stage and, A first molding head having a first nozzle for supplying a first material to the aforementioned stage, A second molding head having a second nozzle for supplying a second material different from the first material to the stage, A moving mechanism for relatively moving at least one of the first and second build heads and the stage, The system comprises a first molding head, a second molding head, and a control unit for controlling the moving mechanism, The control unit causes the first build head to build a first calibration body on the stage, and the second build head to build a second calibration body on the stage. The first calibration body has a plurality of molding lines arranged at first intervals in a first direction on the stage, The second calibration body has a plurality of molding lines arranged on the stage in the first direction at a second interval wider than the first interval, A three-dimensional molding apparatus in which the distance between the first calibration body and the second calibration body in a direction intersecting the first direction is wider than the backlash interval in the moving mechanism.

2. A three-dimensional molding apparatus according to claim 1, A three-dimensional molding apparatus in which a base layer is placed between the first calibration body, the second calibration body, and the stage.

3. A three-dimensional molding apparatus according to claim 2, The aforementioned base layer is formed using the first build head or the second build head in a three-dimensional 3D printing apparatus.

4. A three-dimensional molding apparatus according to claim 1, The control unit, Using the first or second build head, scale information corresponding to the build line of the first calibration body is created. A three-dimensional molding apparatus that uses the first molding head or the second molding head to mold scale information corresponding to the molding lines of the second calibration body.

5. A three-dimensional molding apparatus according to claim 1, An imaging means capable of imaging at least one of the first calibration body and the second calibration body, A storage unit that stores the image captured by the imaging means, A three-dimensional modeling device equipped with the following features.

6. A three-dimensional molding apparatus according to claim 5, Images of the first calibration body and the second calibration body captured by the imaging means, A three-dimensional molding apparatus comprising a calibration screen on which calibration values ​​obtained from the first calibration specimen and the second calibration specimen can be input, and a display unit that displays the calibration values.

7. A three-dimensional molding apparatus according to claim 6, Equipped with an image processing unit, The storage unit stores a first calibration image obtained by the imaging means of the first calibration body and a second calibration image obtained by the imaging means of the second calibration body, and the image processing unit stores the edges of the stored first calibration body image and the second calibration body image Trim the edges and, The display unit displays the trimmed first calibration image and the trimmed second calibration image side by side in a three-dimensional modeling apparatus.

8. A three-dimensional molding apparatus according to claim 6, The display unit displays scale information corresponding to the molding lines of the first calibration body and scale information corresponding to the molding lines of the second calibration body, in a three-dimensional molding apparatus.

9. A three-dimensional molding apparatus according to claim 1, A sensor that detects the height in a direction intersecting the first direction, The calculation unit and Equipped with, The calculation unit calculates the amount of displacement between the first and second calibration bodies based on the height information of the first calibration body obtained by the sensor and the height information of the second calibration body obtained by the sensor, in a three-dimensional molding apparatus.

10. A three-dimensional molding apparatus according to claim 1, A three-dimensional molding apparatus in which the proportion of the first calibration body on the stage is smaller than the proportion of the second calibration body on the stage.

11. A three-dimensional molding apparatus according to claim 1, The control unit, Before printing the first calibration body using the first build head, the first material is purged at the stage or maintenance position. A three-dimensional molding apparatus that purges the second material at the stage or the maintenance position before molding the second calibration body using the second molding head.

Images