Shaping nozzle

Abstract

Provided is a technique capable of easily controlling the shape of a three-dimensional object.　A shaping nozzle 20 is configured to supply powder to be a material of a three-dimensional object to a shaping area 2 in which a three-dimensional object is shaped, and to melt the powder by irradiating the supplied powder with a beam. The shaping nozzle includes an inner cylinder 23 having a beam passage 25 through which a beam Bm passes, an outer cylinder 24 disposed outside the inner cylinder and having a powder passage 26 through which a powder Pd passes between the outer surface of the inner cylinder and the inner surface of the outer cylinder, and a plate member 40 disposed between a tip 29 of the inner cylinder and a tip 30 of the outer cylinder and the shaping area, and having hole 41 configured so that the beam that has passed through the beam passage and the powder that has passed through the powder passage pass therethrough.

Description

Modeling nozzle

[0001] The present invention relates to a shaping nozzle. This application claims priority to Japanese Patent Application No. 2023-106834, filed on June 29, 2023. The entire disclosure of Japanese Patent Application No. 2023-106834, including the specification, claims, drawings, and abstract, is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

[0002] Conventionally, there has been known a modeling nozzle configured to supply powder, which is a material for a three-dimensional object, to a modeling area and melt the powder by irradiating the supplied powder with a beam (see, for example, Patent Document 1). Specifically, the modeling nozzle illustrated in Patent Document 1 includes an inner cylinder having a beam passage through which the beam passes, and an outer cylinder disposed outside the inner cylinder. In addition, a powder passage through which the powder passes is provided between the outer surface of the inner cylinder and the inner surface of the outer cylinder.

[0003] Patent No. 4299157

[0004] In the case of the conventional modeling nozzle described above, the beam that passes through the beam passage and the powder that passes through the powder passage reach the modeling area directly. In this case, for example, there is a risk that the width of the three-dimensional object modeled in the modeling area will be wider than the desired width. For this reason, it is not easy to control the shape of the three-dimensional object to the desired shape with the conventional modeling nozzle.

[0005] The present invention has been made in view of the above, and one of its objects is to provide a technique that can easily control the shape of a three-dimensional object.

[0006] (Aspect 1) In order to achieve the above object, a modeling nozzle according to one aspect of the present invention is a modeling nozzle configured to supply powder that is the material for a three-dimensional object to a modeling area where the three-dimensional object is modeled, and to melt the powder by irradiating the supplied powder with a beam, and includes an inner tube having a beam passage through which the beam passes, an outer tube arranged outside the inner tube and having a powder passage through which the powder passes between the outer surface of the inner tube and the inner surface of the outer tube, and a plate member arranged between the tip of the inner tube and the modeling area and having holes configured to allow the beam that has passed through the beam passage and the powder that has passed through the powder passage to pass through.

[0007] According to this aspect, the beam that has passed through the beam passage and the powder that has passed through the powder passage can be passed through the holes in the plate member before reaching the shaping area. This makes it possible to prevent the width of the 3D object from increasing compared to when such a plate member is not provided. As a result, the shape of the 3D object can be easily controlled.

[0008] (Aspect 2) In the above aspect 1, the holes in the plate member may include a first hole and a second hole that communicates with the first hole and is positioned closer to the shaping area than the first hole, and the first hole may be configured to have a smaller diameter as it approaches the shaping area.

[0009] With this configuration, the beam that has passed through the beam passage and the powder that has passed through the powder passage can be effectively introduced into the second hole.

[0010] (Aspect 3) In the above-mentioned aspect 1 or aspect 2, the plate member may have a flat surface in a portion around the hole and facing the printing area, the flat surface being configured to limit the height of the three-dimensional object to be printed in the printing area.

[0011] According to this aspect, the height of the three-dimensional object to be formed in the printing area can be easily controlled within a desired range, thereby making it easier to control the shape of the three-dimensional object.

[0012] (Aspect 4) In any one of Aspects 1 to 3 above, the modeling nozzle may be applied to an additive manufacturing device configured to model the three-dimensional object in the modeling area.

[0013] 1(A) and 1(B) are schematic diagrams for explaining an additive manufacturing apparatus according to an embodiment. A schematic cross-sectional view of the peripheral configuration of a first portion of a shaping nozzle according to an embodiment. A schematic cross-sectional view for explaining details of an inner tube and an outer tube of a shaping nozzle according to an embodiment. A cross-sectional view along line B1-B1 of the shaping nozzle illustrated in FIG. 3. A schematic cross-sectional view for explaining a plate member and a connecting member according to an embodiment. FIG. 6(A) is a schematic enlarged cross-sectional view of a plate member according to an embodiment. FIG. 6(B) is a schematic bottom view of a plate member according to an embodiment. A bottom view showing another example of the shape of a second hole. A schematic diagram for explaining the effects of an embodiment.

[0014] (Embodiments) Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. Note that the drawings are diagrammatic in order to facilitate understanding of the features, and the dimensional ratios of the components may not be the same as those in reality. In addition, the drawings also show X-Y-Z Cartesian coordinates as necessary. In these Cartesian coordinates, the Z direction corresponds to the upward direction, and the -Z direction corresponds to the downward direction (the direction in which gravity acts).

[0015] The manufacturing nozzle 20 according to this embodiment is applied, as an example, to an additive manufacturing apparatus 1 ("AM apparatus") configured to manufacture a three-dimensional object by layering materials. First, an outline of the additive manufacturing apparatus 1 will be described, and then the details of the manufacturing nozzle 20 will be described. Specifically, the additive manufacturing apparatus 1 according to this embodiment may be a 3D printer, a beam processing machine such as a beam welding machine or a beam deposition processing machine, or other equipment capable of manufacturing a three-dimensional object.

[0016] 1(A) and 1(B) are schematic diagrams for explaining an additive manufacturing apparatus 1 according to this embodiment. Specifically, Fig. 1(A) is a plan view that schematically shows the main configuration of the additive manufacturing apparatus 1, and Fig. 1(B) is a front view that schematically shows the peripheral configuration of a modeling nozzle 20 of the additive manufacturing apparatus 1. Note that Fig. 1(A) omits illustration of a material supply device 6, a beam generating device 7, a shielding gas supply device 8, and the like, which will be described later.

[0017] The additive manufacturing apparatus 1 includes a building area 2, a moving device 3, a material supply device 6, a beam generating device 7, a building nozzle 20, and a control device 10.

[0018] The control device 10 is a device for comprehensively controlling the operation of the additive manufacturing device 1. Specifically, the control device 10 according to this embodiment includes a microcomputer. This microcomputer includes a processor 11, a storage device 12 as a non-transitory storage medium, and the like. In the control device 10, the processor 11 operates based on commands from a program stored in the storage device 12, thereby controlling the operation of the additive manufacturing device 1.

[0019] The printing area 2 is an area where a three-dimensional object 100 (this reference numeral is shown, for example, in FIGS. 2 and 8 described later) is printed. Specifically, the printing area 2 according to this embodiment is provided on the upper surface of a predetermined table (printing table). The three-dimensional object 100 is printed on this printing area 2.

[0020] The moving device 3 is a device for moving the shaping nozzle 20. Specifically, the moving device 3 according to this embodiment includes a first moving shaft 3a, a second moving shaft 3b, and an elevating device 3c. The first moving shaft 3a and the second moving shaft 3b function as a moving device ("first moving device") for moving the shaping nozzle 20 in directions (X, -X, Y, -Y directions) within a horizontal plane.

[0021] Specifically, the first movement axis 3a according to this embodiment extends in a predetermined direction (the X direction in this embodiment). The second movement axis 3b extends in a direction perpendicular to the first movement axis 3a (the Y direction in this embodiment). Referring to FIG. 1B , a modeling nozzle 20 (described later) is connected to the second movement axis 3b. The second movement axis 3b is also connected to the first movement axis 3a via leg members 3d.

[0022] The first moving shaft 3a is equipped with a drive mechanism having, for example, a ball screw, and this drive mechanism moves the second moving shaft 3b connected to the first moving shaft 3a via the leg members 3d in the X and -X directions. This allows the object-making nozzle 20 connected to the second moving shaft 3b to move in the X and -X directions. The second moving shaft 3b is equipped with a drive mechanism having, for example, a ball screw, and this drive mechanism moves the object-making nozzle 20 in the Y and -Y directions.

[0023] The lifting device 3c functions as a moving device ("second moving device") for moving (i.e., raising and lowering) the shaping nozzle 20 in the vertical direction (Z, -Z directions). Specifically, the lifting device 3c according to this embodiment is connected to the first moving shaft 3a and configured to raise and lower the first moving shaft 3a. As such a lifting device 3c, for example, a lifting device (or a lifting shaft) equipped with a drive mechanism having a ball screw may be used. By raising and lowering the first moving shaft 3a, the lifting device 3c can raise and lower the shaping nozzle 20 relative to the shaping area 2. Note that when raising and lowering the shaping nozzle 20, the lifting device 3c may raise and lower the shaping nozzle 20 relative to the second moving shaft 3b instead of raising and lowering the first moving shaft 3a.

[0024] The moving device 3 is not limited to the above configuration. As another example, the moving device 3 may be configured such that the first moving device moves the shaping area 2 in a horizontal plane while the shaping nozzle 20 is fixed and not moved, and the second moving device (elevating device 3c) elevates the shaping area 2. In this case, too, the shaping nozzle 20 can be moved relative to the shaping area 2.

[0025] The material supply device 6 is a device for supplying powder (Pd), which is the material of the three-dimensional object 100, to the modeling nozzle 20. Specifically, the material supply device 6 is connected to the modeling nozzle 20, and supplies unmelted powder to a powder passage 26 (described later) of the modeling nozzle 20. The powder supplied to the modeling nozzle 20 is supplied from the modeling nozzle 20 toward the modeling area 2.

[0026] In order to effectively flow the powder through the powder passage 26 of the modeling nozzle 20, the material supply device 6 preferably supplies not only the powder but also a gas for transporting the powder (referred to as a "carrier gas") to the powder passage 26. In fact, the material supply device 6 according to this embodiment supplies the powder together with the carrier gas to the powder passage 26. For example, an inert gas such as nitrogen can be used as the carrier gas.

[0027] The specific material of the powder is not particularly limited, and known materials such as resin, metal, etc. In this embodiment, metal is used as a specific example of the powder material.

[0028] The beam generating device 7 is a device for generating a beam (Bm). The beam generating device 7 is connected to the shaping nozzle 20, and the beam generated by the beam generating device 7 is irradiated from the shaping nozzle 20. The specific type of beam generated by the beam generating device 7 is not particularly limited as long as it can melt the powder, and for example, a laser beam, an electron beam, or the like can be used. The beam generating device 7 according to this embodiment generates a laser beam, as an example.

[0029] The modeling nozzle 20 is configured to supply powder, which is the material for the three-dimensional object 100, to the modeling area 2, and to melt the supplied powder by irradiating it with a beam. The material melted by the beam irradiated from the modeling nozzle 20 solidifies, thereby forming the three-dimensional object 100 in the modeling area 2.

[0030] It is preferable that the manufacturing nozzle 20 injects a shielding gas (e.g., an inert gas) to suppress oxidation of the material when irradiating the beam. Specifically, in this case, the additive manufacturing apparatus 1 includes a shielding gas supply device 8 (e.g., a gas cylinder) for supplying the shielding gas to the manufacturing nozzle 20, as illustrated in FIG. 1(B).

[0031] The specific shape of the three-dimensional object 100 to be formed is not particularly limited, but in this embodiment, as an example, it is a bead shape (i.e., a line shape or a string shape). Specifically, as an example, the three-dimensional object 100 illustrated in Fig. 2 described later is a bead shape extending in the X direction.

[0032] The shaping nozzle 20 according to this embodiment includes a first portion 21 and a second portion 22. The shaping nozzle 20 also includes a plate member 40 and a connecting member 50, which will be described later, but these members are not shown in Fig. 1(B) . The first portion 21 is connected to the second portion 22 and is located closer to the shaping area 2 than the second portion 22 (i.e., closer to the tip of the shaping nozzle 20).

[0033] As described above, the shaping nozzle 20 is connected to the second moving shaft 3 b. Specifically, in the present embodiment, as an example, the second portion 22 of the shaping nozzle 20 is connected to the second moving shaft 3 b.

[0034] 1(A) and 1(B), one modeling nozzle 20 is arranged on one second moving shaft 3b, but this configuration is not limited to this. Multiple modeling nozzles 20 may be arranged on one second moving shaft 3b. Furthermore, the additive manufacturing device 1 may include multiple sets of second moving shafts 3b and modeling nozzles 20.

[0035] The additive manufacturing device 1 as described above forms a three-dimensional object 100 in the forming area 2 while the forming nozzle 20 moves in a horizontal plane and in an up-down direction based on three-dimensional data stored in the control device 10.

[0036] Next, details of the shaping nozzle 20 will be described. Fig. 2 is a schematic cross-sectional view of the peripheral configuration of the first portion 21 of the shaping nozzle 20. Referring to Fig. 2, the shaping nozzle 20 includes an inner tube 23 and an outer tube 24. The outer tube 24 is disposed outside the inner tube 23 (in other words, the outer tube 24 is disposed on the outer peripheral side of the inner tube 23 in the radial direction of the shaping nozzle 20). The central axis XL of the outer tube 24 coincides with the central axis XL of the inner tube 23 (i.e., the outer tube 24 is disposed coaxially with the inner tube 23).

[0037] Fig. 3 is a schematic cross-sectional view for explaining the details of the inner cylinder 23 and the outer cylinder 24. Note that a plate member 40 and a connecting member 50, which will be described later, are omitted from Fig. 3. Fig. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken along line B1-B1 of the shaping nozzle 20 illustrated in Fig. 3.

[0038] 2, 3, and 4, the inner cylinder 23 has a beam passage 25 therein through which the beam (Bm) passes. Specifically, the beam passage 25 is connected to the beam generating device 7 described above, and the beam generated by the beam generating device 7 passes through the beam passage 25. In this embodiment, a tip 29 (the downstream end in the beam flow direction) of the beam passage 25 coincides with the tip of the inner cylinder 23, for example. That is, in this embodiment, the tip 29 of the beam passage 25 is also the tip of the inner cylinder 23.

[0039] As described above, when the shaping nozzle 20 injects the shielding gas together with the beam, the shielding gas as well as the beam passes through the beam passage 25. Moreover, the beam passage 25 according to this embodiment is configured so that the beam that has passed through the beam passage 25 is focused at a predetermined location (i.e., a processing point) in the shaping area 2.

[0040] 3 and 4 , a powder passage 26 for passing powder (Pd) is provided between an outer surface 28 (in other words, the outer peripheral surface) of the inner cylinder 23 and an inner surface 27 (in other words, the inner peripheral surface) of the outer cylinder 24. Specifically, the powder passage 26 is connected to the material supply device 6 described above, and the powder supplied from the material supply device 6 passes through the powder passage 26.

[0041] As illustrated in FIG. 3 , the inner dimension (D1) of the tip 29 of the beam passage 25 (i.e., the tip 29 of the inner tube 23) is preferably larger than the inner dimension (D2) of the tip 30 of the outer tube 24. This configuration effectively prevents the powder passing through the powder passage 26 from spreading outward beyond the beam irradiated from the beam passage 25. In other words, the "convergence rate" of the powder discharged from the modeling nozzle 20 can be improved. This allows the shape of the three-dimensional object 100 to be easily controlled to the desired shape. Furthermore, this configuration improves the powder utilization rate, allowing the three-dimensional object 100 to be modeled with a small amount of powder supplied.

[0042] However, the configuration of this embodiment is not limited to this. As another example, the inner dimension (D1) of the tip 29 of the beam passage 25 may be equal to or smaller than the inner dimension (D2) of the tip 30 of the outer cylinder 24.

[0043] In addition, when D1 is larger than D2 as illustrated in FIG. 3, examples of the ratio of D1 to D2 (D1 / D2) can be any value selected from the range of 1.2 to 6.0 (in this case, D1 is 1.2 to 6.0 times D2), any value selected from the range of 1.5 to 6.0, or any value selected from the range of 2.0 to 6.0.

[0044] 2 and 3, the tip 29 of the beam passage 25 is preferably located closer to the base end (opposite the tip, on the Z-direction side in FIG. 3) in the axial direction (direction along the central axis XL) of the shaping nozzle 20 than the tip 30 of the outer cylinder 24. According to this configuration, the inner dimension (D1) of the tip 29 of the beam passage 25 can be easily made larger than the inner dimension (D2) of the tip 30 of the outer cylinder 24.

[0045] However, the present invention is not limited to this. As another example, the tip 29 of the beam passage 25 may coincide with the tip 30 of the outer cylinder 24 .

[0046] 2 and 3, the outer cylinder 24 may have a tapered portion 31 configured so that the inner dimension of the outer cylinder 24 decreases toward the tip 30 of the outer cylinder 24. In this case, the tip 29 of the beam passage 25 is preferably located inside this tapered portion 31. This configuration makes it easy to make the inner dimension (D1) of the tip 29 of the beam passage 25 larger than the inner dimension (D2) of the tip 30 of the outer cylinder 24. This configuration also makes it easy to effectively focus the powder that has passed through the powder passage 26, together with the beam that has passed through the beam passage 25, at a predetermined location (i.e., the "processing point") in the building area 2.

[0047] As described above, the tip 29 of the beam passage 25 according to this embodiment is located closer to the base end than the tip 30 of the outer cylinder 24, so the beam that has passed through the beam passage 25 passes through the space SP1 between the tip 29 of the beam passage 25 and the tip 30 of the outer cylinder 24, and is then irradiated from the tip 30 of the outer cylinder 24 toward the printing area 2. Similarly, the powder that has passed through the powder passage 26 passes through this space SP1, and is then supplied (discharged) from the tip 30 of the outer cylinder 24 toward the printing area 2.

[0048] In this embodiment, the shape of the tip 29 of the beam passage 25 is, for example, circular. The shape of the tip 30 of the outer cylinder 24 is also, for example, circular. In this case, the inner dimension (D1) of the tip 29 of the beam passage 25 corresponds to the inner diameter of the tip 29 of the beam passage 25. Similarly, the inner dimension (D2) of the tip 30 of the outer cylinder 24 corresponds to the inner diameter of the tip 30 of the outer cylinder 24.

[0049] However, the shapes of the tip 29 of the beam passage 25 and the tip 30 of the outer cylinder 24 are not limited to being circular, and may be other shapes. As an example, the shape of the tip 29 of the beam passage 25 may be rectangular. Similarly, the shape of the tip 30 of the outer cylinder 24 may also be rectangular. In this case, the inside dimension (D1) of the tip 29 of the beam passage 25 corresponds to the length of the longest diagonal line of the rectangle of the tip 29 of the beam passage 25. Similarly, the inside dimension (D2) of the tip 30 of the outer cylinder 24 corresponds to the length of the longest diagonal line of the rectangle of the tip 30 of the outer cylinder 24.

[0050] Next, the plate member 40 and the connecting member 50 will be described. Fig. 5 is a schematic cross-sectional view for explaining the plate member 40 and the connecting member 50, specifically, a schematic enlarged cross-sectional view of the region (portion A1) near the tip of the shaping nozzle 20. Fig. 6(A) is a schematic enlarged cross-sectional view of the plate member 40. Fig. 6(B) is a schematic bottom view of the plate member 40.

[0051] 5 , the connecting member 50 is a member for connecting the plate member 40 to a predetermined location of the shaping nozzle 20 (in the present embodiment, as an example, the reduced diameter portion 31 of the outer tube 24 of the shaping nozzle 20). As an example, the connecting member 50 according to the present embodiment includes a first connecting member 50a and a second connecting member 50b. As an example, the first connecting member 50a is disposed on the outer surface (outer peripheral surface) of the reduced diameter portion 31 of the outer tube 24 of the shaping nozzle 20. The second connecting member 50b connects the first connecting member 50a and the plate member 40.

[0052] The plate member 40 is disposed between the leading end 29 of the inner cylinder 23 and the leading end 30 of the outer cylinder 24 and the shaping area 2. Specifically, the plate member 40 according to this embodiment is connected to the outer cylinder 24 via the connecting member 50 described above, and is thereby disposed between the leading end 29 of the inner cylinder 23 and the leading end 30 of the outer cylinder 24 and the shaping area 2.

[0053] Furthermore, a space is provided between the plate member 40 and the tip 29 of the inner cylinder 23 and the tip 30 of the outer cylinder 24 according to this embodiment. A space is also provided between the printing area 2 and the plate member 40. In other words, the plate member 40 according to this embodiment is disposed between the tip 29 of the inner cylinder 23, the tip 30 of the outer cylinder 24, and the printing area 2 in a manner that does not directly contact the tip 29 of the inner cylinder 23, the tip 30 of the outer cylinder 24, or the printing area 2.

[0054] 6A and 6B, the plate member 40 has holes 41 configured to allow the beam (Bm) that has passed through the beam passage 25 and the powder (Pd) that has passed through the powder passage 26 to pass through. Specifically, the holes 41 according to this embodiment include, as an example, a first hole 41a and a second hole 41b. The first hole 41a and the second hole 41b are connected to each other. The second hole 41b is located closer to the modeling area 2 than the first hole 41a (in other words, the first hole 41a is located closer to the modeling nozzle 20 than the second hole 41b).

[0055] The first hole 41a mainly functions as an introduction hole for introducing the beam that has passed through the beam passage 25 and the powder that has passed through the powder passage 26 into the second hole 41b. Specifically, the first hole 41a according to this embodiment is configured, as an example, so that its diameter decreases as it approaches the shaping area 2 (in other words, as it approaches the second hole 41b or as it moves away from the shaping nozzle 20). This configuration allows the beam that has passed through the beam passage 25 and the powder that has passed through the powder passage 26 to be effectively introduced into the second hole 41b.

[0056] The second hole 41b mainly functions as a size adjusting hole for adjusting the size of the beam that has passed through the beam passage 25 and the size of the powder that has passed through the powder passage 26 to a desired size.

[0057] The beam that has passed through the beam passage 25 and the powder that has passed through the powder passage 26 pass through the first hole 41a and are introduced into the second hole 41b. By passing through this second hole 41b, the size of the beam and the powder are adjusted before reaching the printing area 2. This makes it easy to adjust the size of the three-dimensional object 100 to be printed in the printing area 2 to a desired size. Specifically, in this embodiment, the width of the beat-shaped three-dimensional object 100 to be printed in the printing area 2 can be adjusted to approximately the diameter of the second hole 41b.

[0058] 6(A) and 6(B) is, for example, a cylindrical hole having a constant size (diameter) along the central axis XL. Furthermore, the size of the outlet portion of the hole 41 according to this embodiment (i.e., the size (diameter) of the second hole 41b) is set smaller than the inner dimension (D1) of the tip 29 of the beam passage 25 and the inner dimension (D2) of the tip 30 of the outer cylinder 24. The specific value of the size of the second hole 41b is not particularly limited, and may be set appropriately depending on the size of the three-dimensional object 100 to be formed (specifically, in this embodiment, the width of the bead-shaped three-dimensional object 100).

[0059] Referring to FIG. 6B , the second hole 41b according to this embodiment is circular, for example. However, the shape of the second hole 41b is not limited thereto, and may be, for example, an N-gon (N is a natural number greater than or equal to 3) or another shape. FIG. 7 is a bottom view showing another example of the shape of the second hole 41b (an example of an N-gon). Specifically, the second hole 41b illustrated in FIG. 7 is rectangular, for example. In this case, the corners of the second hole 41b may be provided with a corner radius (R1).

[0060] The configuration of the hole 41 is not limited to the above. As another example, the hole 41 may have only the second hole 41b without the first hole 41a (in this case, the second hole 41b is a through-hole that communicates between the upper surface and the lower surface of the plate member 40). In this case, the second hole 41b may be configured so that its diameter decreases as it approaches the printing area 2.

[0061] 6(A) and 6(B), the plate member 40 according to this embodiment has a flat surface 42 (which is configured by an entirely flat surface) around the hole 41 and on a portion facing the printing area 2 (the lower surface of the plate member 40 in this embodiment). This flat surface 42 mainly serves to limit the height of the three-dimensional object 100 to be printed in the printing area 2. Specifically, this flat surface 42 can limit the height of the three-dimensional object 100 to the distance between this flat surface 42 and the printing area 2 (i.e., the distance between the flat surface 42 and the printing area 2). This makes it easy to adjust the height of the three-dimensional object 100 to a desired size.

[0062] The distance between the flat surface 42 and the modeling area 2 can be easily changed by raising and lowering the modeling nozzle 20 relative to the modeling area 2 using the above-mentioned lifting device 3c.

[0063] As illustrated in Fig. 6(A), the flat surface 42 according to this embodiment protrudes downward from the portion of the underside of the plate member 40 excluding the flat surface 42. As illustrated in Fig. 6(B), the shape of the flat surface 42 according to this embodiment (the shape as viewed from the underside) is circular, for example. However, the shape of the flat surface 42 is not limited to this, and may be, for example, an N-sided polygon (N is a natural number greater than or equal to 3) or another shape.

[0064] The dimension (D3) of the flat surface 42 affects the cooling rate of the powder material. Specifically, the larger the dimension (D3), the faster the cooling rate of the powder material tends to be. Therefore, it is preferable to appropriately set the dimension (D3) depending on the quality of the powder material used.

[0065] The material of the plate member 40 is not particularly limited, but ceramics are an example. Specific examples of ceramics include silicon nitride (Si ３ N ４ ), silicon carbide (SiC), zirconia (ZrO ２Silicon nitride is preferred because it has good high-temperature resistance, silicon carbide is preferred because it has good thermal conductivity, and zirconia is preferred because it can be easily processed to have a smooth surface.

[0066] Alternatively, when the plate member 40 is used under conditions where heat resistance is not an issue, a metal may be used as the material for the plate member 40. For example, copper (Cu) may be used as this metal. Copper is preferable because of its good thermal conductivity. Specifically, oxygen-free copper (e.g., "C1020") may be used as the copper. Alternatively, tungsten (W) may be used as an example of a metal for the plate member 40. Tungsten is preferable because it has a high melting point and is less likely to chip than ceramics. Furthermore, a coating may be applied to the surface of the plate member 40 (which may be made of either ceramic or metal) to adjust the wettability with the molten metal. For example, a boron nitride (BN) coating may be used as this coating.

[0067] Fig. 8 is a schematic diagram for explaining the effects of the present embodiment. Specifically, Fig. 8 illustrates an example of a three-dimensional object 100 (a bead-shaped three-dimensional object 100) formed using the shaping nozzle 20 according to the present embodiment. Fig. 8 also illustrates a three-dimensional object 100a formed using a shaping nozzle that does not include a plate member 40 (hereinafter referred to as a "shaping nozzle according to a comparative example").

[0068] In the case of the comparative example, the molding nozzle does not include the plate member 40, so the beam that passes through the beam passage and the powder that passes through the powder passage reach the molding area 2 directly. In this case, it is not easy to actively control the width of the three-dimensional object 100a that is molded in the molding area 2. As a result, the width of the three-dimensional object 100a may be wider than the desired width. Thus, in the comparative example, it is not easy to control the shape of the three-dimensional object 100a to the desired shape.

[0069] In contrast, according to this embodiment, as described above, the forming nozzle 20 is provided with a plate member 40 having a hole 41, so that it is easy to adjust the size of the three-dimensional object 100 formed in the forming area 2 (for example, the width (W1) of the bead-shaped three-dimensional object 100) to the desired size. This makes it possible to prevent the width of the three-dimensional object 100 from becoming wider than the desired width. As a result, it is easy to control the shape of the three-dimensional object 100. In other words, according to this embodiment, it is possible to improve the controllability of the three-dimensional object 100.

[0070] Furthermore, in the case of the shaping nozzle according to the comparative example, the three-dimensional object 100a is likely to become semicircular (or semielliptical) due to surface tension, etc. Therefore, it is not easy to control the height of the three-dimensional object 100a within a desired range.

[0071] In contrast, with the shaping nozzle 20 according to the present embodiment, as described above, the plate member 40 has the flat surface 42, so that the height (H1) of the three-dimensional object 100 can be easily adjusted to a desired size. This makes it easier to control the shape of the three-dimensional object 100.

[0072] Although the embodiments of the present invention have been described in detail above, the present invention is not limited to such specific embodiments, and various modifications and changes are possible within the scope of the present invention described in the claims.

[0073] REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 1 additive manufacturing device 2 modeling area 20 modeling nozzle 23 inner cylinder 24 outer cylinder 25 beam passage 26 powder passage 27 inner surface of outer cylinder 28 outer surface of inner cylinder 29 tip of inner cylinder (or tip of beam passage) 30 tip of outer cylinder 40 plate member 41 hole 41a first hole 41b second hole 42 flat surface 50 connecting member 100 three-dimensional object Bm beam Pd powder

Claims

1. A modeling nozzle configured to supply powder that is a material for a three-dimensional object to a modeling area where the three-dimensional object is modeled, and to melt the powder by irradiating the supplied powder with a beam, the modeling nozzle comprising: an inner tube having a beam passage through which the beam passes; an outer tube arranged outside the inner tube, having a powder passage through which the powder passes between the outer surface of the inner tube and the inner surface of the outer tube; and a plate member arranged between the tip of the inner tube and the tip of the outer tube and the modeling area, and having holes configured to allow the beam that has passed through the beam passage and the powder that has passed through the powder passage to pass through.

2. The molding nozzle described in claim 1, wherein the hole in the plate member comprises a first hole and a second hole that communicates with the first hole and is positioned closer to the printing area than the first hole, and the first hole is configured to have a smaller diameter as it approaches the printing area.

3. The molding nozzle described in claim 1, wherein the plate member has a flat surface configured to limit the height of the three-dimensional object to be molded in the molding area in the portion surrounding the hole and facing the molding area.

4. The printing nozzle according to claim 1, wherein the printing nozzle is applied to an additive manufacturing device configured to print the three-dimensional object in the printing area.

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