Printing device and printing system

Abstract

A printing device according to the present disclosure builds a built item, comprising: a housing; a movement unit that moves an object onto which a fluid is ejected; a first ejection unit that is disposed in a front-side region of the housing and ejects a fluid toward the object to form a structure; a second ejection unit that is disposed in the front-side region of the housing and ejects a fluid toward the object to form a wire; a first curing unit that is disposed in a rear-side region of the housing and cures the fluid to form the structure ejected onto the object; a second curing unit that is disposed in the rear-side region of the housing and cures the fluid to form the wire ejected onto the object; and a blower unit having a housing blower part in the housing that sends outside air into the housing from above the first ejection unit and / or the second ejection unit, and discharges the inside air from the rear of the housing.

Description

Printing device and printing system

[0001] This specification discloses a printing device and a printing system.

[0002] A conventional printing apparatus has been proposed that includes a modeling unit that models a three-dimensional object on a pallet placed on a stage, a first transfer device that transfers the pallet to or from the stage in an inclined state, and a second transfer device that transfers the pallet to or from the stage in a state parallel to the stage (see, for example, Patent Document 1). This apparatus allows the pallet to be transferred appropriately.

[0003] International Publication No. 2023 / 067707

[0004] In the printing device described in Patent Document 1, a door body is disposed on the cover module and is held openable so as to be movable between a closed position that closes the penetration portion and an open position that opens the penetration portion. When the door body is in the open position, the interior of the working module can be accessed through the penetration portion of the frame. However, Patent Document 1 does not specifically mention maintenance of the units disposed inside the housing. In a printing device, it is desirable to improve the maintenance efficiency of the units contained therein.

[0005] The present disclosure has been made to solve such problems, and has as its main object to provide a printing device and a printing system that can more appropriately manage heat inside the housing.

[0006] The present disclosure has adopted the following means to achieve the above-mentioned main object.

[0007] The printing device disclosed herein is a printing device that forms a shaped object, and includes: a housing; a moving unit that moves an object onto which a fluid is ejected; a first ejection unit that is disposed in a front region of the housing and ejects a fluid that will become a structure onto the object; a second ejection unit that is disposed in the front region of the housing and ejects a fluid that will become a wiring onto the object; a first curing unit that is disposed in a rear region of the housing and hardens the fluid that will become the structure ejected onto the object; a second curing unit that is disposed in the rear region of the housing and hardens the fluid that will become the wiring ejected onto the object; and an air blowing unit having a housing air blowing section that feeds outside air into the housing from above the first ejection unit and / or the second ejection unit and exhausts inside air from the rear of the housing.

[0008] In this printer, outside air is taken in from the front and top of the housing, and internal air is exhausted from the rear of the housing where the heat-generating units are located. This allows for more efficient exhaust of heat from inside the housing, enabling more efficient thermal management of the printer.

[0009] 1 is a schematic explanatory diagram showing an example of a printing system 10. FIG. 1 is a schematic explanatory diagram showing an example of the structure of the three-dimensional printer 11 as seen from the front. FIG. 1 is a schematic explanatory diagram showing an example of the structure of the three-dimensional printer 11 as seen from the rear. FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of the structure of the three-dimensional printer 11 as seen from the rear. FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of the structure of the first discharge unit 50. FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram of each discharge unit, a moving unit 44, and a housing air blower 142. FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of the structure of the dispenser unit 100. FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of the structure of the opening and closing door 130. FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the mounting module 36 and the third sliding door 134 when slid. FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the mounting module 36 and the third sliding door 134 when slid. FIG. 6 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of the interior of the modeling module 15. FIG. 7 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of the operation panel 48 and the opening and closing unit 125. FIG. 8 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of the internal structure of the modeling base 14. FIG. 9 is an explanatory diagram of the interior of the housing 13 and the air blower unit 140. FIG. 10 is a block diagram illustrating the configuration of the three-dimensional printer 11. FIG. 11 is a flowchart showing an example of a modeled object production processing routine.

[0010] This embodiment will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a schematic explanatory diagram showing an example of a printing system 10 according to the present disclosure. FIG. 2 is a schematic explanatory diagram showing an example of the structure of a three-dimensional printer 11 as viewed from the front. FIG. 3 is a schematic explanatory diagram showing an example of the structure of a three-dimensional printer 11 as viewed from the rear. FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of the outline of a first ejection unit 50. FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram of the first ejection unit 50, the second ejection unit 60, the moving unit 44, and the housing blower 142. FIG. 6 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of the outline of a dispenser unit 100. FIG. 7 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of a schematic of the opening / closing door 130, where FIG. 7A is an explanatory diagram of the upper maintenance door 131, FIG. 7B is an explanatory diagram of the first sliding door 132, FIG. 7C is a perspective view of the 3D printer 11, FIG. 7D is an explanatory diagram of the second sliding door 133, FIG. 7E is an explanatory diagram of the heating unit maintenance door 137, FIG. 7F is an explanatory diagram of the tank maintenance door 136, and FIG. 7G is an explanatory diagram of the cleaning unit maintenance door 135. FIG. 8 is a perspective view in which the mounting module 36 is slid forward and the third sliding door 134 is slid rearward. FIG. 9 is a perspective view in which the mounting module 36 and the third sliding door 134 are slid forward. FIG. 10 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of the interior of the modeling module 15 when the mounting module 36 is slid forward. FIG. 11 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of the operation panel 48 and the opening / closing unit 125. FIG. 11A is a perspective view of the three-dimensional printer 11, FIG. 11B is an explanatory diagram of the operation panel 48 facing forward, FIG. 11C is an explanatory diagram of the operation panel 48 facing sideways, FIG. 11D is an explanatory diagram of the opening / closing unit 125 in the closed position, and FIG. 11E is an explanatory diagram of the opening / closing unit 125 in the open position. FIG. 12 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of the internal structure of the modeling base 14. FIG. 12A is a plan view of the interior, FIG. 12B is a perspective view, FIG. 12C is a front view of the front interior, FIG. 12D is a front view of the rear interior, and FIG. 12E is a side view of the front interior. FIG. 13 is an explanatory diagram of the interior of the housing 13 and the air blower unit 140. FIG. 14 is a block diagram explaining the configuration of the three-dimensional printer 11. Note that in this embodiment, the left-right direction (X-axis), the front-back direction (Y-axis), and the up-down direction (Z-axis) are as shown in FIGS. 1 to 13.

[0011] The printing system 10 is configured as a production line in which a 3D printer 11 forms a modeled object as a first process, forms predetermined components on the modeled object as a second process, and then a mounting device 12 mounts components. The 3D printer 11 may form a wiring pattern of metal wiring as a second process, and the mounting device 12 may mount components at predetermined positions on the wiring pattern. In addition to the mounting device 12, the printing system 10 may also include one or more mounting-related devices, such as a printing device that prints solder as a viscous fluid on the modeled object, a print inspection device that inspects the printing results, a mounting inspection device that inspects the mounting results, and a transport device that transports the modeled object. The 3D printer 11 or the mounting device 12 may also include a dispenser that dispenses a conductive paste. Examples of conductive pastes include resins that harden when heated and have metal particles dispersed in them. For example, in a conductive paste, when the resin hardens and shrinks, the metal particles dispersed in the resin come into contact with each other. This allows the conductive paste to exhibit conductivity. The resin of the conductive paste is, for example, an organic adhesive, and exhibits adhesive strength upon hardening. The printing system 10 shown in FIG. 1 includes one mounting device 12, but multiple mounting devices 12 may be included. From a maintenance perspective, it is preferable to arrange the mounting devices 12 side by side in the printing system 10, i.e., to arrange the mounting devices 12 on one side of the 3D printer 11 and not to arrange the mounting devices 12 on the other side.

[0012] The mounting device 12 is a device that mounts components on a model created by the 3D printer 11. The mounting device 12 includes a housing 20, a control device 21, a memory unit 23, a transport processing unit 25, an imaging unit 26, a component supply unit 27, an operation panel 29, a mounting unit 30, and a communication unit 34. The housing 20 houses each device component and includes a mounting base 35 and a mounting module 36. The mounting base 35 is a base for the device and houses control units such as the control device 21, power control units such as a power supply unit and an amplifier, and pressure circuits that supply negative pressure, positive pressure, etc. to each unit. The mounting module 36 is disposed on top of the mounting base 35 and houses various units that perform mounting processing, such as the transport processing unit 25, the imaging unit 26, the component supply unit 27, and the mounting unit 30. As shown in Figures 8 to 10, this mounting module 36 is supported slidably along the side of the housing 20 relative to the mounting base 35 between a mounting position located at the top of the mounting base 35 and an open position that opens the interior of the mounting base 35.

[0013] The control device 21 is configured as a microprocessor centered on a control unit 22 such as a CPU, and controls the entire device. The control device 21 outputs control signals to the transport processing unit 25, the imaging unit 26, the component supply unit 27, the operation panel 29, and the mounting unit 30, and inputs signals from the transport processing unit 25, the imaging unit 26, the component supply unit 27, the operation panel 29, and the mounting unit 30. The storage unit 23 is a large-capacity storage medium such as a flash memory. The storage unit 23 stores mounting information 24, which includes information on the components P to be mounted, the order in which they are to be mounted on the object, their positions, and the mounting positions of the feeders 28 that collect the components. The transport processing unit 25 loads, transports, fixes at the mounting position, and removes the pallet 47 on which the object is placed. The imaging unit 26 is a camera that captures images of the upper side and captures images of the components P held by the mounting head 32 of the mounting unit 30. The component supply unit 27 is a unit that supplies the components P to the mounting unit 30. The component supply unit 27 mounts a feeder 28, which has a reel holding components, in one or more mounting units. The operation panel 29 is a unit that receives input from the operator and presents information to the operator. This operation panel 29 is disposed on the front of the mounting device 12 and includes a display unit and an operation unit with a touch panel and buttons.

[0014] The mounting unit 30 is a unit that picks up components P from the component supply unit 27 and places them on a shaped object fixed to the transport processing unit 25. The mounting unit 30 includes a head moving unit 31, a mounting head 32, and a picking member 33. The head moving unit 31 includes a slider that moves in the X and Y directions along a guide rail, and a motor that drives the slider. The mounting head 32 is removably attached to the slider, picks up one or more components, and moves in the X and Y directions by the head moving unit 31. One or more picking members 33 are removably attached to the underside of the mounting head 32. The picking member 33 may be a suction nozzle that uses negative pressure to pick up components, or may be a mechanical chuck that mechanically holds components. The communication unit 34 is an interface that exchanges information with the 3D printer 11 and external devices such as a management device (not shown).

[0015] The three-dimensional printer 11 is a three-dimensional modeling device that models a model. The material to be modeled is not particularly limited, and examples include resin and ceramics. The three-dimensional printer 11 includes a control device 40, a memory unit 42, a moving unit 44, an operation panel 48, a communication unit 49, a first discharging unit 50, a second discharging unit 60, a first maintenance unit 70, a second maintenance unit 80, an inspection unit 90, a flattening unit 94, a dispenser unit 100, a first curing unit 115, a second curing unit 117, a heating unit 120, an opening / closing door 130, and a blower unit 140. The three-dimensional printer 11 also includes a housing 13, a first gantry 16, a second gantry 17, and a third gantry 18 as structural components. Here, the three-dimensional printer 11 will be mainly described as a printer that uses a first ejection unit 50 to create an insulator, such as a substrate as the base material for the object, and then uses a second ejection unit 60 to perform a process of forming a wiring pattern on the created insulator.

[0016] The housing 13 houses multiple units, with a mounting device 12 that mounts components on a molded object disposed adjacent to one side of the housing 13. A transfer opening 128 is formed on one side of the housing 13, through which a pallet 47, which serves as an object carrying the molded object, is moved between the housing 13 and the mounting device 12 (see FIG. 11 ). The housing 13 has opening / closing doors 130 on at least the front and the side opposite the side adjacent to the mounting device 12, for servicing any of the multiple units. While the housing 13 is described here as having the transfer opening 128 formed on the left side, the housing 13 may also have the transfer opening 128 formed on the right side. The housing 13 includes a modeling base 14 as a pedestal and a modeling module 15 disposed on top of the modeling base 14 and housing multiple units. The modeling base 14 houses power control units such as a power supply and an amplifier, pressure circuits that supply negative and positive pressures to each unit, and the like. The modeling module 15 is arranged on top of the modeling base 14 and houses various units that perform the modeling process, such as a first dispensing unit 50, a second dispensing unit 60, a first maintenance unit 70, a second maintenance unit 80, an inspection unit 90, a flattening unit 94, a dispenser unit 100, a first curing unit 115, a second curing unit 117, and a heating unit 120.

[0017] As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3 , the first gantry 16 is fixed to the front region of the housing 13. The first gantry 16 has two support columns fixed to both sides of the housing 13 and a horizontal member suspended between the two support columns, and is a gate-shaped support that supports the units. The first gantry 16 is provided with a first dispensing unit 50 and a second dispensing unit 60 that are movable left and right along the X axis. The first dispensing unit 50 is provided on one side of the first gantry 16 adjacent to the mounting device 12, and the second dispensing unit 60 is provided on the opposite side. Because the first dispensing unit 50 and the second dispensing unit 60 are supported by the same support, the expansion and contraction of the support are the same, thereby achieving more uniform dispensing accuracy. The second gantry 17 is fixed to the central region of the housing 13 in the front-rear direction. The second gantry 17 is provided with a dispenser unit 100 that is movable left and right along the X axis. The third gantry 18 is fixed to the rear region of the housing 13. A first curing unit 115 and a second curing unit 117 are fixed to the third gantry 18. The pallet 47 is moved by the moving unit 44 in the front-to-rear direction along the Y axis below the first gantry 16, the second gantry 17, and the third gantry 18.

[0018] The control device 40 is configured as a microprocessor centered on a control unit 41, and controls the entire 3D printer 11. The control device 40 exchanges information with a storage unit 42 and each unit. The storage unit 42 is a large-capacity storage medium such as a flash memory. The storage unit 42 stores a modeling job 43 that includes information such as the shape and size of the object to be manufactured, and information such as the wiring pattern to be formed on the object. The 3D printer 11 performs modeling work based on the information stored in the storage unit 42.

[0019] The moving unit 44 moves a pallet 47, which is an object onto which the fluid is discharged. The moving unit 44 includes a moving section 45, an elevating section 46, and the pallet 47. The moving section 45 is a drive section that moves the pallet 47 in the front-to-rear direction and may be, for example, a linear motor. The moving section 45 may also be a ball screw mechanism having a motor, a screw shaft, a nut, and a housing. The elevating section 46 is disposed on the moving section 45, supports the pallet 47, and moves the pallet 47 in the up-down direction. The elevating section 46 raises and lowers the pallet 47, thereby moving the pallet 47 closer to and farther from the various units. The pallet 47 is a plate-like member having an area for forming a molded object. A removable film is attached to the top surface of the pallet 47, and by replacing this film, the next molded object can be produced.

[0020] The operation panel 48 is a unit that accepts input from an operator and presents information to the operator. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 11 , the operation panel 48 is disposed on the front of the housing 13 and includes a display unit and an operation unit with a touch panel and buttons. As shown in FIGS. 11B and 11C , the operation panel 48 is supported by a rotatable support unit so that the display surface faces the front of the housing 13, where the upper maintenance door 131 is disposed, and the side of the housing 13. With the 3D printer 11, operators may perform maintenance work on the front side as well as the side side. Because the operation panel 48 can be rotated between the front and side, operators can view the display on the operation panel 48 and input operations in either position, making maintenance work easier.

[0021] The first discharge unit 50 is a unit that discharges a fluid that will become a structure onto the pallet 47. As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3 , the first discharge unit 50 is disposed in the front region of the housing 13, on the left side, which is the side adjacent to the mounting device 12. As shown in FIGS. 4 and 14 , the first discharge unit 50 includes a first head moving unit 51, a first discharge head 52, and a first fluid processing unit 54. The first head moving unit 51 includes a slider that moves along the X-axis direction while being guided by a guide rail disposed on the first gantry 16, and a motor that drives the slider. The first discharge head 52 is attached to the slider, and the first discharge head 52 moves along the X-axis direction as the slider moves. As shown in FIG. 5 , the first head moving unit 51 moves the first discharge head 52 between a working position above the pallet 47 in the central region of the housing 13 along the X-axis and a standby position on the side facing the mounting device 12.

[0022] The first discharge head 52 discharges a fluid onto the pallet 47 to form a shaped object. As shown in FIG. 4 , the first discharge head 52 includes first nozzles 53, a discharge driver 53a, and a head tank 59. The first nozzles 53 are openings that discharge the fluid supplied from the first fluid processing unit 54 onto the pallet 47. The first nozzles 53 are formed on a nozzle plate disposed at predetermined intervals on the underside of the first discharge head 52. The discharge driver 53a discharges the fluid toward the pallet 47, and may be, for example, a piezoelectric element. The discharge driver 53a is disposed in each first nozzle 53 and is driven based on a signal from the control device 40. The head tank 59 is a tank disposed in the first discharge head 52 that stores the fluid delivered from the first fluid processing unit 54. Examples of the fluid ejected from the first nozzle 53 include liquid curable resin (e.g., ultraviolet curable resin, thermosetting resin, two-component mixed curable resin, etc.), thermoplastic resin, slurry in which a solvent is mixed with a solid such as an inorganic substance, etc. The first ejection head 52 does not have a wall portion on the ceiling surface, and is configured to allow air to pass through in the vertical direction.

[0023] The first fluid processing unit 54 is disposed in the front region of the housing 13 and supplies fluid to the first ejection head 52 and recovers the fluid to be discarded. The first fluid processing unit 54 includes a first fluid delivery unit 55 that delivers fluid to the first ejection head 52, a first supply tank 56 that supplies fluid, a first recovery tank 57 that stores the recovered fluid, and piping 58 disposed between each component. The first fluid delivery unit 55 is connected to a pressure supply unit (not shown) and supplies positive or negative pressure to the head tank 59 to move the fluid between the first supply tank 56 and the head tank 59 or between the head tank 59 and the first nozzle 53. For example, when the first fluid delivery unit 55 applies positive pressure to the head tank 59 while the first nozzle 53 is sealed by the liquid valve 53b, the fluid in the piping 58 connected to the top of the head tank 59 is delivered to the first supply tank 56. Furthermore, when the first liquid delivery unit 55 applies negative pressure to the head tank 59 while the first nozzle 53 is sealed by the liquid valve 53b, the fluid is delivered from the first supply tank 56 to the head tank 59 via a pipe 58 connected to the top of the head tank 59. The first supply tank 56 is a container that stores a fluid. The first fluid processing unit 54 is provided with multiple first supply tanks 56, which are used by switching between them. When a first supply tank 56 becomes empty, the operator replaces the empty first supply tank 56, for example, while continuing modeling with another first supply tank 56. This first discharge unit 50 enables continuous modeling for a longer period of time. The first recovery tank 57 is a container that recovers used fluid. The first supply tank 56 and the first recovery tank 57 are removably disposed in the front region and lower side of the housing 13. The pipe 58 is a pipe that connects the first ejection head 52 and the first supply tank 56 and a pipe that connects the first ejection receiving portion 73 and the first recovery tank 57, and a fluid flows through the inside of the pipe 58.

[0024] The second dispensing unit 60 is a unit that dispenses a fluid onto the pallet 47 or the shaped object, which will become wiring formed inside or on the surface of the shaped object. As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3 , the second dispensing unit 60 is disposed in the front region of the housing 13, on the right side, opposite the side adjacent to the mounting device 12. As shown in FIG. 14 , the second dispensing unit 60 includes a second head moving unit 61, a second dispensing head 62, and a second fluid processing unit 64. The second head moving unit 61 includes a slider that moves along the X-axis direction while being guided by a guide rail disposed on the first gantry 16, and a motor that drives the slider. The second dispensing head 62 is attached to the slider, and the second dispensing head 62 moves along the X-axis direction as the slider moves. As shown in Figure 5, the second head moving unit 61 moves the second ejection head 62 between a printing position, which is on top of the pallet 47 in the central region along the X axis of the housing 13, and a standby position, which is on the side opposite the mounting device 12.

[0025] The second ejection head 62 ejects a fluid onto the shaped object on the pallet 47 to form wiring. Similar to the first ejection head 52 shown in FIG. 4 , the second ejection head 62 includes a second nozzle 63, an ejection drive unit, and a head tank. Components of the second ejection head 62 that have the same structure and function as the first ejection head 52, such as the second nozzle 63, the second fluid processing unit 64, the second liquid delivery unit 65, the second supply tank 66, the second recovery tank 67, and the piping 68, are similar to the first nozzle 53, the first fluid processing unit 54, the first liquid delivery unit 55, the first supply tank 56, the first recovery tank 57, and the piping 58, respectively, and detailed descriptions thereof will be omitted. Examples of the fluid ejected by the second nozzle 63 include a mixed liquid in which a solid is mixed with a solvent, or a solution in which a resin is dissolved in a solvent. Examples of the fluid that forms the wiring pattern include a mixed liquid in which metal powder as a conductive material is dispersed in an organic solvent, and a metal ink conductive fluid. Note that the second fluid processing unit 64 may be provided with only one second supply tank 66 because it is used less frequently than the first supply tank 56. Furthermore, a second supply tank 66 containing a cleaning liquid such as a solvent may be used as one of the second supply tanks 66. The cleaning liquid may be sent from this second supply tank 66 to the head tank of the second ejection head 62 to clean the second ejection head 62. The second ejection head 62 does not have a ceiling wall, and is configured to allow air to pass through in both vertical directions.

[0026] The first maintenance unit 70 protects the first ejection head 52 and performs ejection maintenance based on the ejection status of the first ejection head 52. As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3 , the first maintenance unit 70 is disposed in the front region of the housing 13, on the left side, which is the side adjacent to the mounting device 12. As shown in FIGS. 2 and 14 , the first maintenance unit 70 includes a first maintenance moving part 71, a first sealing part 72, a first ejection receiving part 73, and a first cleaning part 74. The first sealing part 72, the first ejection receiving part 73, and the first cleaning part 74 of the first maintenance unit 70 are arranged along the Y-axis direction. The first maintenance moving part 71 moves the entire first maintenance unit 70 in the front-to-rear direction, which is the direction along the Y-axis. The first maintenance moving part 71 moves the first maintenance unit 70 between a maintenance position below the first ejection unit 50 and a standby position away from below the first ejection unit 50. The first sealing unit 72 is a cap unit that seals the first nozzles 53 of the first ejection head 52. The first sealing unit 72 that seals the first ejection head 52 may be a dry cap mechanism in which the sealed space is not wet. The first ejection receiving unit 73 is a member that receives fluid ejected from the first ejection head 52, for example, during a flushing process. The fluid ejected into the first ejection receiving unit 73 is collected into the first recovery tank 57 via the pipe 58. The first cleaning unit 74 wipes and cleans the nozzle plate on which the first nozzles 53 are formed. The first cleaning unit 74 includes a cleaning member 75 and a delivery unit 76. The cleaning member 75 may be wiper paper or the like. The cleaning member 75 is a long member that is pulled out from a roll before cleaning and wound onto a roll after cleaning by passing through the top of the cleaning head. The cleaning head moves up and down to contact and separate from the first nozzles 53. The delivery unit 76 drives the cleaned roll to rotate, thereby delivering the cleaning member 75 from the uncleaned roll. The roll on which the cleaned cleaning member 75 is wound is disposed in the lower part of the front region of the housing 13, on the left side, which is the side adjacent to the mounting device 12, as shown in Fig. 7G. The control device 40 uses the first cleaning unit 74 to perform a cleaning process periodically or as needed depending on the degree of dirt on the first ejection head 52.

[0027] The second maintenance unit 80 is a unit that protects the second discharge head 62 and performs discharge maintenance based on the discharge state of the second discharge head 62. As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3 , the second maintenance unit 80 is disposed in the front region of the housing 13, on the right side, which is the side opposite to the side adjacent to the mounting device 12. As shown in FIGS. 2 and 14 , the second maintenance unit 80 includes a second maintenance moving part 81, a second sealing part 82, a second discharge receiving part 86, and a second cleaning part 87. The second sealing part 82, the second discharge receiving part 86, and the second cleaning part 87 of the second maintenance unit 80 are arranged along the Y-axis direction. In the second maintenance unit 80, components having the same structure and function as those in the first maintenance unit 70, such as the second maintenance moving unit 81, the second discharge receiving unit 86, the second cleaning unit 87, the cleaning member 88, and the delivery unit 89, are similar to the first maintenance moving unit 71, the first discharge receiving unit 73, the first cleaning unit 74, the cleaning member 75, and the delivery unit 76, respectively, and therefore will not be described again. In the second cleaning unit 87, a roll of the cleaning member 75 after cleaning is disposed in the lower part of the front region of the housing 13, on the right side opposite the side surface adjacent to the mounting device 12. The second sealing unit 82 is a cap unit that seals the second nozzle 63 of the second discharge head 62, which is relatively prone to nozzle clogging due to drying. The second sealing unit 82 that seals the second discharge head 62 includes a dry sealing unit 83 of a dry cap mechanism in which the sealed space is not wet, and a wet sealing unit 84 of a wet cap mechanism in which the sealed space is wet. The dry sealing unit 83 is used to seal the second ejection head 62 for a relatively short period of time, such as a few minutes. The wet sealing unit 84 is used to seal the second ejection head 62 for a long period of time, such as a few hours or a few days. A sealing member 85 that absorbs liquid and maintains a wet state is removably attached to the wet sealing unit 84. This sealing member 85 is replaced periodically. The control device 40 uses the second cleaning unit 87 to perform a cleaning process periodically or as needed depending on the degree of contamination of the second ejection head 62.

[0028] The inspection unit 90 inspects the ejection status of the first ejection unit 50 and / or the second ejection unit 60. The inspection unit 90 is fixed to the front of the moving unit 44 on which the pallet 47 is mounted, specifically, to a portion of the moving unit 44 that supports the pallet 47. The inspection unit 90 can move back and forth along the Y-axis together with the pallet 47. When the portion of the moving unit 44 that supports the pallet 47 moves forward, the inspection unit 90 can be positioned in the front region of the housing 13. As shown in FIGS. 2 and 14 , the inspection unit 90 includes an inspection film 91, a feeder 92, and a mark substrate 93. The inspection unit 90 lands a fluid on the surface of the inspection film 91 fixed on the mark substrate 93 and then feeds out the inspection film 91. This eliminates the need for cleaning the mark substrate 93 and allows for efficient multiple ejection inspections. The inspection film 91 is preferably a transparent resin film, for example, and its material and thickness can be appropriately determined to facilitate ejection inspection. The inspection film 91 is a long member that is pulled out from a pre-inspection roll and wound onto a post-inspection roll via the top of the mark substrate 93. The feed unit 92 drives the post-inspection roll to rotate and feed the inspection film 91 from the pre-inspection roll. The roll on which the inspection film 91 is wound is disposed in the front region of the housing 13, in the vertical center, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 7A . The mark substrate 93 is an area where ejection inspection of the first ejection head 52 and the second ejection head 62 is performed, and reference marks 62 are formed according to the nozzle pitch of the first ejection head 52 and the second ejection head 62. The mark substrate 93 is a plate-like body on which reference marks are formed. The mark substrate 93 may be formed, for example, of a transparent material, such as a glass plate or a resin plate. The reference marks serve as a reference for the position and amount of fluid ejected from the first nozzles 53 of the first ejection head 52 and the second nozzles 63 of the second ejection head 62. The shape of the reference mark may be any of a circle, rectangle, polygon, star, etc., but from the viewpoint of grasping the center position and calculating the area, a circle is more preferable.The control device 40 determines whether the fluid ejection state of the nozzle is normal or not based on the positional relationship between the fluid ejection position and this reference mark, the size of the reference mark, etc. The control device 40 may also use the inspection unit 90 to determine whether the application state of the liquid material by the application part 102 of the dispenser unit 100 is normal or not.

[0029] The flattening unit 94 flattens the fluid dispensed onto the pallet 47 and / or the object. As shown in FIG. 1 , the flattening unit 94 is disposed behind the first gantry 16 and at the center in the X-axis direction. The flattening unit 94 includes a flattening member 95 and a member cleaning unit 96. The flattening member 95 contacts the object to flatten it. The flattening member 95 may be a flattening roller that rotates relative to the object, or a flat flattening blade. When the pallet 47 moves along the Y-axis, the flattening unit 94 flattens the object on the pallet 47 by bringing the flattening member 95 into contact with the object. At this time, the moving unit 44 adjusts the height of the pallet 47 according to the height of the object. The flattening unit 94 may also move the flattening member 95 to perform flattening. The member cleaning unit 96 removes objects adhering to the flattening member 95. For example, when the flattening member 95 is a flattening roller, the member cleaning section 96 may be a cleaning blade that contacts the roller surface. The member cleaning section 96 may also be a member similar to the cleaning members 75 and 86.

[0030] The dispenser unit 100 supplies a liquid material to a model on the pallet 47. As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3 , the dispenser unit 100 is disposed in a central region in the Y-axis direction of the housing 13. The dispenser unit 100 is disposed on a transport path for carrying the pallet 47 in and out of the mounting device 12, and is configured to perform not only a coating process using a dispenser but also a coating amount detection process, a pallet 47 loading and unloading process, an image capture process, a height measurement process, and the like. As shown in FIGS. 6 and 14 , the dispenser unit 100 includes a coating movement unit 101, a coating unit 102, a coating amount detection unit 109, a height measurement unit 112, an image capture unit 113, and a mounting transfer unit 114. The coating movement unit 101 includes a slider that moves along the X-axis direction while being guided by a guide rail disposed on the second gantry 17, and a motor that drives the slider. A coating head 103 is attached to the slider, and the coating head 103 moves along the X-axis direction as the slider moves. As shown in Figure 1, the coating movement unit 101 moves the coating head 103 between a work position that is above the pallet 47 in the central region along the X-axis of the housing 13, or between the work position near the movement opening 128 and a standby position on the side opposite the mounting device 12.

[0031] The applicator 102 is a unit of the dispenser unit 100 that applies a liquid material. The applicator 102 includes a dispenser head 103, a first applicator 104, a second applicator 107, and a third applicator 108. Each applicator includes a syringe 105, a pressure applying unit 106, and a vertical movement unit. The applicator head 103 is a structure that holds each applicator and moves in the X-axis direction. The applicator head 103 does not have a ceiling wall and is configured to allow vertical airflow. As shown in FIGS. 5 and 7D , the syringe 105 is a columnar member that contains a liquid material and ejects the liquid material from its lower tip by pressure applied from above. Examples of liquid materials include resins with dispersed conductive materials and insulating resins, as well as multiple types of resins with different viscosities and conductivities. The pressure applying unit 106 receives positive or negative pressure from a pressure supply unit (not shown) and applies pressure to the syringe 105. The syringe 105 is pressed by the pressure applying unit 106 to dispense the liquid material. The vertical movement unit is a direct-acting drive unit that moves the syringe 105 up and down. The syringe 105 is moved downward by the vertical movement unit and dispenses the liquid material onto the target at a position closer to the target. The second application unit 107 and the third application unit 108 are similar to the first application unit 104 except for the type of liquid material, so detailed description thereof will be omitted.

[0032] The application amount detection unit 109 detects the amount of liquid material dispensed from the dispenser 102. The application amount detection unit 109 is disposed in a central region of the housing 13 on the side opposite to the side adjacent to the mounting device 12, and detects the amount of liquid material dispensed. The application amount detection unit 109 is disposed on the bottom surface of the modeling module 15 below the standby position of the dispenser head 103. The application amount detection unit 109 includes a receiving member 110 and a measuring unit 111. As shown in FIG. 7D , the receiving member 110 is a removable, dish-shaped member that contains a fluid. The measuring unit 111 is a device that measures the weight of the liquid material contained in the receiving member 110. The application amount detection unit 109 applies a given pressure to the syringe 105 and measures the amount of liquid material dispensed from the syringe 105 per unit time. Using this measurement value, the control device 40 controls the amount of liquid material dispensed to an appropriate value.

[0033] The height measurement unit 112 is configured as a sensor that moves a contact terminal at its tip downward and determines the height of the contacted object based on the position of contact with the object. The height measurement unit 112 is used to measure the height of the pallet 47, the height of the object on the pallet 47, the height of the mark board 93, etc. The imaging unit 113 is a camera that captures images below. The imaging unit 113 captures images of, for example, the edge of the pallet 47 to be transferred, the object on the pallet 47, and the mark board 93 of the inspection unit 90. The mounting transfer unit 114 is used to perform the process of carrying the pallet 47 out of the transfer opening 128 and carrying the pallet 47 in through the transfer opening 128. The mounting transfer unit 114 has a rod structure that can extend downward, and moves the pallet 47 by contacting its tip with the edge of the pallet 47 and pushing it out or hooking and retracting it. The mounting transfer unit 114 can be substituted by the height measurement unit 112.

[0034] The first curing unit 115 is a unit that performs a predetermined process on the fluid ejected from the first ejection head 52 onto the pallet 47 or onto a modeled object that has been cured on the pallet 47, thereby curing the fluid. The first curing unit 115 is disposed in a rear region of the housing 13. The first curing unit 115 may be configured to irradiate the fluid ejected onto the object with light of a predetermined wavelength to cure the fluid. When the first ejection head 52 ejects a liquid ultraviolet-curable resin, the first curing unit 115 is configured to irradiate ultraviolet light. The first curing unit 115 includes, for example, an ultraviolet irradiation unit 116. Furthermore, when the first ejection head 52 ejects a fluid that is cured by drying and baking, the first curing unit 115 may be configured to perform drying and baking. Each time a layer of fluid is formed on the pallet 47 by the first ejection head 52, the pallet 47 is moved below the first curing unit 115, and the first curing unit 115 cures the fluid.

[0035] The second curing unit 117 is a unit that performs a predetermined process on the fluid ejected from the second discharging head 62 onto the pallet 47 or onto a modeled object that has been cured on the pallet 47, thereby curing the fluid. The second curing unit 117 is disposed in the rear region of the housing 13. The second curing unit 117 may be configured to irradiate the fluid ejected onto the object with light of a predetermined wavelength to harden the fluid. Furthermore, when the second discharging head 62 ejects a fluid that hardens through drying and baking, the second curing unit 117 may be configured to perform drying and baking. The second curing unit 117 may be a unit that irradiates infrared rays. This second curing unit 117 includes, for example, an infrared irradiation unit 118. Each time a layer of fluid is formed on the pallet 47 by the second discharging head 62, the pallet 47 is moved below the second curing unit 117, and the second curing unit 117 hardens the fluid.

[0036] The heating unit 120 heats the object on the pallet 47, or a liquid material supplied onto the pallet 47 or the object. The heating unit 120 is disposed in the rear region of the housing, on the side opposite the side adjacent to the mounting device 12 (here, on the right side). The heating unit 120 is disposed on a side away from the movement lane of the moving unit 44, and the pallet 47 is moved below the heating unit 120 by a heating transfer unit 124. The heating transfer unit 124 may have a mechanism similar to that of the mounting transfer unit 114. The heating unit 120 may heat the object while pressing it. As shown in FIGS. 7E and 14 , the heating unit 120 includes a heating unit 121, a pressure unit 122, and a pressure heating member 123. The heating unit 121 is a heater that heats the pressure heating member 123. The pressure applying unit 122 moves the pallet 47 toward the pressure applying member 123 to apply pressure to the object. The pressure applying member 123 contacts the object to apply heat and pressure. The pressure applying member 123 includes a metal support plate and a rubber plate attached to the support plate and in contact with the object. The pressure applying member 123 may include a film disposed between the rubber plate and the object to prevent deformation and misalignment during pressure application. The pressure applying member 123 is subject to heat deformation and is therefore replaced by an operator after each production of an object.

[0037] The opening / closing unit 125 is a unit that closes and opens the transfer opening 128. The opening / closing unit 125 is disposed on one side adjacent to the mounting device 12. Here, the opening / closing unit 125 is disposed in a central region of the housing 13 along the Y axis and on the left side. The opening / closing unit 125 is fixed to a conveyor unit that moves the pallet 47 to the mounting device 12. Therefore, a third sliding door 134 (see FIG. 8) covering the side of the housing 13 where the transfer opening 128 is formed is slidable, and a detachable door 134B (see FIG. 9) is removable. As shown in FIGS. 11D, 11E, and 14, the opening / closing unit 125 includes a shutter unit 126 and an opening / closing drive unit 127. When closed, the shutter unit 126 blocks light of a predetermined wavelength emitted from the first curing unit 115 and the second curing unit 117. When the shutter section 126 is closed, the release of air from the movement opening 128 is also suppressed, thereby reducing heat radiation to the outside of the housing 13. The opening / closing drive section 127 is a linear drive section that moves the shutter section 126 between a closed position that closes the movement opening 128 and an open position that opens the movement opening 128. The opening / closing drive section 127 may be an air cylinder.

[0038] The opening / closing doors 130 refer to a group of doors that are opened and closed when performing maintenance on each of the above-mentioned units. The opening / closing doors 130 are disposed, for example, on at least the front of the modeling module 15 in the housing 13 and on a side opposite to one side adjacent to the mounting device 12. The opening / closing doors 130 include, for example, an upper maintenance door 131, a first sliding door 132, a second sliding door 133, a third sliding door 134, a cleaning unit maintenance door 135, a tank maintenance door 136, and a heating unit maintenance door 137. The upper maintenance door 131 is a large cover member disposed in the front region and at the top of the housing 13. As shown in FIG. 7A , the upper maintenance door 131 rotates upward about a support axis along the X-axis to open the front upper portion of the modeling module 15. The upper maintenance door 131 serves as a discharge section maintenance door that is opened and closed when performing maintenance on the first discharge unit 50 and the second discharge unit 60, a maintenance section maintenance door that is opened and closed when performing maintenance on the first maintenance unit 70 and the second maintenance unit 80, and an inspection section maintenance door that is opened and closed when performing maintenance on the inspection unit 90 and attaching and detaching the inspection film 91. The upper maintenance door 131 also functions as a moving section maintenance door that is opened and closed when performing maintenance on the moving unit 44. When the upper maintenance door 131 is rotated to the open position, an operator can perform maintenance on each unit, such as the moving unit 44, first discharge unit 50, second discharge unit 60, first maintenance unit 70, and second maintenance unit 80, and can replace consumables such as the cleaning member 75 and the inspection film 91.

[0039] The first sliding door 132 and the second sliding door 133 are disposed in the upper front to central portions of the side surfaces of the housing 13 that are not adjacent to the mounting device 12. The first sliding door 132 and the second sliding door 133 are sliding doors, either of which can be opened. The first sliding door 132 is disposed in the front of the side surface of the modeling module 15. As shown in FIG. 7B , the first sliding door 132 slides rearward to open the front right side of the modeling module 15. This first sliding door 132 serves as a discharge section maintenance door that is opened and closed when performing maintenance on the second discharge unit 60, a maintenance section maintenance door that is opened and closed when performing maintenance on the second maintenance unit 80, and a sealing section maintenance door that is opened and closed when performing maintenance on the sealing member 85. When the first sliding door 132 is opened, a worker can perform maintenance work on each unit, such as the second discharge unit 60 or the second maintenance unit 80, and replace consumables, such as the cleaning member 75 and the sealing member 85. The second sliding door 133 is disposed at the center in the front-to-rear direction of the side surface of the modeling module 15. As shown in FIG. 7D , the second sliding door 133 slides forward to open the center of the right side of the modeling module 15. This second sliding door 133 is an application unit maintenance door that is opened and closed when performing maintenance on the dispenser unit 100 or the syringe 105 and the application amount detection unit 109. The second sliding door 133 may also function as a flattening unit maintenance door that is opened and closed when performing maintenance on the flattening unit 94. When the second sliding door 133 is opened, an operator can perform maintenance on the dispenser unit 100 or the flattening unit 94 and replace the syringe 105, the receiving member 110, etc.

[0040] As shown in FIG. 7G , the cleaning unit maintenance door 135 is disposed on the left and right sides of the center in the vertical direction on the front of the housing 13. The cleaning unit maintenance door 135 is an opening / closing door that is opened and closed when attaching or detaching the cleaning members 75 after cleaning. The cleaning unit maintenance door 135 has a hinge fixed to the side, and the open end of the door rotates toward the side to open the right and left middle sections of the front of the modeling module 15. Note that the cleaning unit maintenance door 135 may rotate in any direction. When the cleaning unit maintenance door 135 is opened, an operator can replace consumables such as the cleaning members 75 after cleaning. The tank maintenance door 136 is disposed at the bottom of the front of the housing 13 as shown in FIG. 7F . The tank maintenance door 136 is an opening / closing door that is opened and closed when attaching or detaching storage members such as the first supply tank 56, the first recovery tank 57, the second supply tank 66, and the second recovery tank 67. The tank maintenance door 136 has an open end that pivots downward via a hinge fixed to the bottom side, thereby opening the lower front side of the modeling module 15. The tank maintenance door 136 may pivot in any direction. Once the tank maintenance door 136 is open, a worker can replace one or more of the above-mentioned storage components. The heater maintenance door 137 is disposed in the rear region of the side of the housing 13 that is not adjacent to the mounting device 12. As shown in FIG. 7E , the heater maintenance door 137 has an open end that pivots forward via a hinge fixed to the center, thereby opening the right rear side of the modeling module 15. The heater maintenance door 137 may pivot in any direction, or may have an open end that pivots backward via a hinge fixed to the rear side of the modeling module 15, thereby opening the right rear side of the modeling module 15. The heating unit maintenance door 137 is a door that is opened and closed when performing maintenance on the heating unit 120 or when attaching or detaching the pressure heating member 123. When the heating unit maintenance door 137 is opened, an operator can perform maintenance work on the heating unit 120 and replace the pressure heating member 123 or the like.

[0041] As shown in FIG. 8 , the modeling module 15 of the housing 13 is provided with a third sliding door 134 that is slidable so that at least a portion of the side of the housing 13 on which the mounting device 12 is disposed opens to the outside when the mounting module 36 is slid relative to the mounting base 35. When an operator opens the opening with the third sliding door 134, the operator can easily perform maintenance work on the units located behind the modeling module 15 and on the mounting device 12 side. While FIG. 8 illustrates the third sliding door 134 as being slidable forward relative to the housing 13, this is not a limitation and the third sliding door 134 may be slidable backward or upward relative to the housing 13. Furthermore, instead of the third sliding door 134, the housing 13 may be provided with a removable door 134B that is detachable so that at least a portion of the side of the housing 13 on which the mounting device 12 is disposed opens to the outside, as shown in FIG. 9 . This housing 13 also makes it easy for an operator to perform maintenance work on the units located behind the modeling module 15 and on the mounting device 12 side.

[0042] As shown in FIGS. 1 and 8 to 10 , the housing 13 is formed with one or more access windows 19 between the modeling base 14 and the modeling module 15, which allow access to the inside of the modeling base 14 when the mounting module 36 is slid to the open position. The access windows 19 are formed on the upper surface of the rear region of the modeling base 14 and on the lower surface of the rear region of the modeling module 15. While the housing 13 has four access windows 19, this number is not particularly limited, and any number greater than one may be used as long as the strength of the housing 13 can be ensured. Operators can easily perform maintenance work on units housed in the rear region of the modeling base 14 through the access windows 19.

[0043] As shown in Figures 12C and 12E, the modeling base 14 has multiple components arranged inside it, with the height gradually decreasing as the components approach the externally accessible side. Examples of the multiple components include a servo amplifier, PC, UPS, circuit breaker, safety circuit equipment, PCL, DC power supply, light source power supply, load cell amplifier, step motor controller, infrared heater controller, UV lamp controller, temperature control controller, and dispenser controller. Of these components, the modeling base 14 may have a relatively low-height circuit breaker that requires maintenance located closer to the front, while relatively large controllers are located further back. Also, as shown in Figure 12C, the modeling base 14 may have multiple components arranged in the front and central regions of the modeling base 14 in the front-to-back direction, with the height gradually decreasing as the components approach the externally accessible side. The term "slower height" refers to the presence of regions where the height remains constant or increases as the components move from the farther side to the closer side, and refers to the components being lower overall closer to the side. With this modeling base 14, if the cover on the side not adjacent to the mounting device 12 is opened, the worker can easily perform maintenance work from the front to the back.

[0044] Furthermore, as shown in FIG. 12D , multiple cable racks 160 are arranged inside the modeling base 14, and the cable racks 160 tend to be lower in height the farther they are from the side that is accessible from the outside. Each cable rack 160 has a vertical support portion and a horizontal mounting portion, and its cross section is L-shaped. The support portion of each cable rack 160 is fixed to the top of the modeling base 14, and the mounting portion is open to the side. Furthermore, because the cable racks 160 fixed further back are lower, it is easier for workers to install cables in the cable racks 160 at the back. Note that FIG. 12D shows the arrangement of the cable racks 160, taking into account access from both sides before the mounting device 12 is installed.

[0045] The blower unit 140 is a unit that blows outside air into the housing 13 and blows internal air from the housing 13 to the outside, thereby dissipating heat within the device. The blower unit 140 includes a moving unit intake section 141, a housing blower section 142, a first curing exhaust section 147, a second curing exhaust section 148, a heating unit exhaust section 149, a base blower section 150, a base intake section 151, and an exhaust port 152. The moving unit intake section 141 is a fan that blows outside air into the housing 13 from the center of the front of the housing 13 in which the moving unit 44 is disposed. The first exhaust section 144 and the second exhaust section 146 of the housing blower section 142 are fans that exhaust internal air to the outside of the housing 13 from the center of the back of the housing 13. The moving section intake section 141, the first exhaust section 144, and the second exhaust section 146 constitute a moving section blower that cools the moving unit 44. When the moving section 45 of the moving unit 44 is a linear motor that generates a relatively large amount of heat, the moving section blower can adequately manage the heat generated by the moving section 45.

[0046] As shown in FIGS. 1 and 13 , the housing blower 142 sends outside air into the housing 13 from above the first discharge unit 50 and the second discharge unit 60 and exhausts inside air from the rear of the housing 13. The housing blower 142 includes a first intake unit 143, a first exhaust unit 144, a second intake unit 145, and a second exhaust unit 146. The first intake unit 143 and the first exhaust unit 144 are units that exhaust heat on the first discharge unit 50 side. The second intake unit 145 and the second exhaust unit 146 are units that exhaust heat on the second discharge unit 60 side. As shown in FIG. 5 , the first intake unit 143 is a fan that is disposed on the upper left side of the first gantry 16 and the second gantry 17 and sends outside air into the interior of the modeling module 15. The first exhaust unit 144 is disposed on the left side of the center in the vertical direction on the rear surface of the housing 13 and is a fan that sends the air inside the modeling module 15 to the outside. The second intake unit 145 is disposed on the upper right side of the first gantry 16 and the second gantry 17 and is a fan that sends the outside air into the modeling module 15. The second exhaust unit 146 is disposed on the right side of the center in the vertical direction on the rear surface of the housing 13 and is a fan that sends the air inside the modeling module 15 to the outside. As shown in FIG. 5 , the housing air blower 142 is disposed in a position that sends the outside air to the area between the standby position and the working position of each of the first discharge head 52 and the second discharge head 62. Because the first discharge head 52, the second discharge head 62, and the application head 103 are not structured to be blocked by a horizontal wall, the air blown from above passes directly downward. Furthermore, the housing air blower 142 maintains airflow even when the first ejection head 52 and the second ejection head 62 are in the standby position, the working position, or when they move between these positions. As shown in Fig. 13, the housing air blower 142 takes in outside air from the front and above the housing 13, passes through each unit, and then expels the air, along with heat, from the rear of the housing 13 where the units that generate the most heat are located. This air blower unit 140 can more appropriately exhaust heat from inside the housing 13, thereby enabling more appropriate thermal management of the 3D printer 11.

[0047] The first curing exhaust section 147 is configured as a first air blower that exhausts internal air from above the first curing unit 115 to the rear side of the housing 13. The second curing exhaust section 148 is configured as a second air blower that exhausts internal air from above the second curing unit 117 to the rear side of the housing 13. The heating section exhaust section 149 is configured as a heating section air blower that exhausts internal air from above the heating unit 120 to the right side surface on the rear side of the housing 13. The first curing exhaust section 147, second curing exhaust section 148, and heating section exhaust section 149 can more appropriately manage the heat of each individual unit that generates a larger amount of heat.

[0048] The base air blower 150 is a blower device disposed on the modeling base 14, and includes a base air blower that sends outside air into the modeling base 14 from the rear side of the modeling base and exhausts inside air from the front lower surface of the modeling base 14. The base air blower 150 includes a base air intake 151 and an exhaust port 152. The base air intake 151 is disposed on the left and right sides of the lower part of the rear surface of the housing 13 and is a fan that sends outside air into the modeling base 14. The exhaust port 152 is disposed on the left and right sides of the lower surface of the front region of the housing 13 and is an opening that exhausts the air sent by the base air intake 151. By blowing air from the rear to the front lower surface of the housing 13, the base air blower 150 can more appropriately manage the heat of the units disposed inside the modeling base 14. In addition, the air blowing unit 140 has a modeling module 15 that blows air from the front upper side of the housing 13 to the rear side, and a modeling base 14 that blows air from the rear side of the housing 13 to the front lower side, and by adopting different air blowing directions, heat countermeasures for the 3D printer 11 can be more appropriately carried out.

[0049] Next, the 3D modeling process of the 3D printer 11 configured as described above will be described. FIG. 15 is a flowchart showing an example of a modeled object production process routine executed by the control unit 41 of the control device 40. This routine is stored in the storage unit 42 and is executed by the control device 40 after the operator inputs a command to execute the production process. When this routine starts, the control unit 41 of the control device 40 first reads and acquires the modeling job 43 from the storage unit 42 (S100) and determines whether it is time to inspect the first discharging unit 50 and the second discharging unit 60 (S110). The inspection timing may be, for example, when a new production is started, when a predetermined number of models, such as five or ten models, have been produced, or when a predetermined time, such as 30 minutes or one hour, has elapsed. If it is time to inspect, the control unit 41 executes an inspection process for the first discharging head 52 and / or the second discharging head 62 (S120). In this process, the control unit 41 executes the inspection process using the inspection unit 90. Specifically, the control unit 41 moves the mark substrate 93 below the first ejection head 52 and the second ejection head 62 to eject fluid onto the mark substrate 93, captures an image of the mark substrate 93 with the imaging unit 113, and determines the ejection state of the fluid.

[0050] After S120, or if S110 indicates that the inspection timing is not met, the control unit 41 determines whether the maintenance timing is met (S130). The maintenance timing may be, for example, when a defective nozzle is found during the inspection process, when a predetermined number of shaped objects, such as five or ten, have been produced, or when a predetermined time, such as 30 minutes or one hour, has elapsed. If the maintenance timing is met, the control unit 41 executes a maintenance process for the first ejection head 52 and / or the second ejection head 62 (S140). In this process, the control unit 41 executes a maintenance process for the first ejection unit 50 and the second ejection unit 60 using the first maintenance unit 70 and the second maintenance unit 80. Specifically, the control unit 41 moves the first ejection head 52 below the first ejection receiving part 73 or moves the second ejection head 62 below the second ejection receiving part 86, and executes a flushing process to forcibly eject fluid. Alternatively, the control unit 41 moves the first cleaning unit 74 below the first ejection head 52 and performs a cleaning process on the nozzle plate with the cleaning member 75. Alternatively, the control unit 41 moves the second cleaning unit 87 below the second ejection head 62 and performs a cleaning process on the nozzle plate with the cleaning member 88.

[0051] After S140, or if it is not the timing for maintenance in S130, the control unit 41 determines whether it is time to perform the first printing by the first discharging unit 50 based on the modeling job 43 (S150). If it is time to perform the first printing, the control unit 41 executes the first printing process (S160). In the first printing process, the control unit 41 causes the first discharging unit 50 to discharge fluid onto the pallet 47, executes a flattening process in the flattening unit 94, and hardens the discharged fluid in the first hardening unit 115. After S160, or if it is not the timing for the first printing in S150, the control unit 41 determines whether it is time to perform the second printing based on the modeling job 43 (S170). If it is time to perform the second printing, the control unit 41 executes the second printing process (S180). In the second printing process, the control unit 41 causes the second discharging unit 60 to discharge fluid onto the pallet 47 and / or the model, and causes the second curing unit 117 to harden the discharged fluid.

[0052] After S180, or when it is not the timing to perform the second printing in S170, the control unit 41 determines whether it is the timing to perform the dispenser process based on the modeling job 43 (S190). If it is the timing to perform the dispenser process, the control unit 41 executes the dispenser process using the dispenser unit 100 (S200). In this process, the control unit 41 executes, for example, a process in which the application unit 102 applies conductive paste onto the modeled object, or a process in which the application unit 102 fills grooves or the like of the modeled object with resin, and then applies pressure and heat using the heating unit 120 to harden the liquid material. Note that, prior to the dispenser process, the control unit 41 detects the application amount of the application unit 102 using the application amount detection unit 109, and executes the dispenser process based on this application amount. After S200, or when it is not the timing to perform the dispenser process in S190, the control unit 41 determines whether it is the timing to perform the mounting process based on the modeling job 43 (S210). When it is time for the mounting process, the control unit 41 executes a process of carrying the pallet 47 out and in to the mounting device 12 (S220). In this process, the control unit 41 executes a process of carrying the pallet 47 out to the mounting device 12 by the mounting transfer unit 114, and a process of carrying the pallet 47 carrying the shaped object on which the components are arranged from the mounting device 12 into the mounting device 12. When the control unit 22 of the mounting device 12 carries in the pallet 47, the mounting unit 30 executes a process of arranging the components on the shaped object based on the mounting information 24.

[0053] After S220, or when it is not time to execute the mounting process in S210, the control unit 41 determines whether the production process is complete (S230). If the production process is not complete, the control unit 41 executes the processes from S110 onward. On the other hand, if the production process is complete in S230, this routine ends. During this production process, the air blower unit 140 blows air to each unit inside the modeling base 14 and each unit inside the modeling module 15, thereby performing heat management. Furthermore, during or between such production processes, an operator opens and closes the opening / closing door 130 to perform maintenance work on each unit.

[0054] Here, the correspondence between the components of this embodiment and the components of the present disclosure will be clarified. In this embodiment, the housing 13 corresponds to an example of a housing, the first discharge unit 50 corresponds to an example of a first discharge unit, the second discharge unit 60 corresponds to an example of a second discharge unit, the first curing unit 115 corresponds to an example of a first curing unit, the second curing unit 117 corresponds to an example of a second curing unit, and the air blower unit 140 corresponds to an example of an air blower unit.

[0055] The three-dimensional printer 11 of the present embodiment described above is a device for forming a shaped object, and includes a housing 13, a moving unit 44 that moves a pallet 47 as an object onto which a fluid is to be discharged, a first discharging unit 50 that is disposed in a front region of the housing 13 and discharges a fluid that will become a structure onto the pallet 47, a second discharging unit 110 that is disposed in the front region of the housing 13 and discharges a fluid that will become a wiring onto the pallet 47, a first curing unit 115 that is disposed in a rear region of the housing 13 and hardens the fluid that will become the structure discharged onto the pallet 47, a second curing unit 117 that is disposed in the rear region of the housing 13 and hardens the fluid that will become the wiring discharged onto the pallet 47, and a blower unit 140 that has a housing blower section 142 that sends outside air from above the first discharging unit 50 and / or the second discharging unit 60 in the housing 13 into the interior of the housing 13 and exhausts internal air from the rear of the housing 13. In this 3D printer 11, outside air is taken in from the front and above of the housing 13, and inside air is exhausted from the rear of the housing where the units that generate a lot of heat are located. Therefore, in this 3D printer 11, heat can be more appropriately exhausted from inside the housing 13, and heat management of the 3D printer 11 can be more appropriately performed.

[0056] The first ejection unit 50 includes a first ejection head 52 that moves between a standby position and a working position and ejects a fluid that becomes a structure. The second ejection unit 60 includes a second ejection head 62 that moves between a standby position and a working position and ejects a fluid that becomes a wiring. The housing air blower 142 is positioned to blow outside air to the area between the standby position and working position of each of the first and second ejection heads 52 and 62. This 3D printer 11 prevents the air from directly blowing onto each stationary ejection head and maintains a good flow of air, thereby enabling more appropriate heat management within the housing 13. Furthermore, the first and second ejection heads 52 and 62 do not have a ceiling wall, allowing air to pass through in both vertical and horizontal directions. This 3D printer 11 maintains a good flow of air even when air blows onto each moving ejection head, enabling more appropriate heat management within the housing 13. Furthermore, the three-dimensional printer 11 includes a dispenser unit 100 disposed in a central region of the housing 13 and supplying a liquid material to a pallet 47 as a target object, and a heating unit 120 disposed in a rear region of the housing 13 and heating the liquid material supplied to the pallet 47, the dispenser unit 100 having a dispensing head 103 that moves between a standby position and a working position and that has a syringe 105 containing the liquid material disposed therein, and the housing air blower 142 is disposed in the housing 13 at a position that sends outside air to a region between the standby position and the working position of the dispensing head 103. This three-dimensional printer 11 prevents the air blown from continuously blowing directly onto the stopped dispensing head 103 and maintains a good flow of air, thereby enabling more appropriate heat management inside the housing 13.

[0057] Furthermore, the application head 103 does not have a ceiling wall, allowing airflow in both the vertical and horizontal directions to pass through. In this three-dimensional printer 11, the flow of air can be maintained smoothly even when the air blows on the application head 103 while it is moving, allowing for more appropriate heat management within the housing 13. Furthermore, the air blower unit 140 includes a first curing exhaust section 147 as a first air blower that exhausts internal air from above the first curing unit 115 to the rear side of the housing 13, and a second curing exhaust section 148 as a second air blower that exhausts internal air from above the second curing unit 117 to the rear side of the housing 13. In this three-dimensional printer 11, providing separate air blowers for units that generate a relatively large amount of heat allows for more appropriate heat management within the housing 13. Furthermore, the moving unit 44 moves the pallet 47 between the front and rear in the center of the housing 13, and the air blowing unit 140 has a moving air blowing section that sends outside air into the housing 13 from the center of the front of the housing 13 where the moving unit 44 is arranged, and exhausts inside air to the outside of the housing 13 from the center of the back of the housing 13. In this 3D printer 11, the moving air blowing section can send air to the moving unit 44 to deal with heat generation, so heat management inside the housing 13 can be more appropriately performed.

[0058] The housing 13 also includes a modeling base 14 as a base and a modeling module 15 disposed on top of the modeling base 14 and housing a moving unit 44, a first discharging unit 50, a second discharging unit 60, a first curing unit 115, and a second curing unit 117. The air blower unit 140 includes a base air blower 150 that blows outside air into the modeling base 14 from the rear side and exhausts inside air from the front lower surface of the modeling base 14. This 3D printer 11 includes the modeling module 15 that blows air from the front upper side of the housing 13 to the rear, and the modeling base 14 that blows air from the rear to the front lower surface of the housing 13. By adopting different air blowing directions, heat countermeasures can be more appropriately implemented. Furthermore, the printing system 10 includes the above-mentioned 3D printer 11 and a mounting device 12 disposed adjacent to at least one side of the housing 13 and that mounts components on a modeled object. In this printing system 10, similar to the above-described three-dimensional printer 11, heat can be more appropriately exhausted from inside the housing 13, and therefore heat management of the three-dimensional printer 11 can be more appropriately performed.

[0059] It goes without saying that the printing apparatus and printing system of the present disclosure are not limited to the above-described embodiments, and can be implemented in various forms as long as they fall within the technical scope of the present disclosure.

[0060] For example, in the above-described embodiment, the air blowing unit 140 includes the moving section air blowing section, the first curing exhaust section 147, the second curing exhaust section 148, the heating section exhaust section 149, and the base air blowing section 150. However, one or more of these may be omitted, or an air blowing section different from these may be further included. If the air blowing unit 140 includes at least the housing air blowing section 142, heat management of the 3D printer 11 can be more appropriately performed.

[0061] In the above-described embodiment, the housing air blowing section 142 is positioned to send outside air to the area between the standby position and the working position of the first ejection head 52 and the second ejection head 62, but this is not particularly limited to this and the housing air blowing section 142 may be positioned at any position.

[0062] In the above-described embodiment, the first ejection head 52, the second ejection head 62, and the application head 103 do not have a wall portion on the ceiling surface, but this is not particularly limited, and any one or more of the heads may have such a wall portion. Note that it is preferable that each head does not have a wall portion on the ceiling surface in order to ensure ventilation in the vertical direction.

[0063] In the above-described embodiment, the molding module 15 exhausts air from the upper front to the rear, and the molding base 14 exhausts air from the rear of the device to the lower front, but this is not limited to this, and the molding base 14 and the molding module 15 may also exhaust air in the same direction.

[0064] In the above-described embodiment, the printing system 10 has been described, but the present invention is not limited to this, and may be configured with only the three-dimensional printer 11 and the mounting device 12 .

[0065] This specification also discloses the technical idea of ​​changing "the printing device according to claim 1 or 2" to "the printing device according to any one of claims 1 to 3" in claim 4 as originally filed, the technical idea of ​​changing "the printing device according to claim 1 or 2" to "the printing device according to any one of claims 1 to 5" in claim 6 as originally filed, the technical idea of ​​changing "the printing device according to claim 1 or 2" to "the printing device according to any one of claims 1 to 6" in claim 7 as originally filed, the technical idea of ​​changing "the printing device according to claim 1 or 2" to "the printing device according to any one of claims 1 to 7" in claim 8 as originally filed, and the technical idea of ​​changing "the printing device according to claim 1 or 2" to "the printing device according to any one of claims 1 to 8" in claim 9 as originally filed.

[0066] The present disclosure is applicable to the technical field of devices for discharging liquid materials and manufacturing products.

[0067] REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 10 Printing system, 11 Three-dimensional printer, 12 Mounting device, 13 Housing, 14 Modeling base, 15 Modeling module, 16 First gantry, 17 Second gantry, 18 Third gantry, 19 Access window, 20 Housing, 21 Control device, 22 Control unit, 23 Memory unit, 24 Mounting information, 25 Transport processing unit, 26 Imaging unit, 27 Component supply unit, 28 Feeder, 29 Operation panel, 30 Mounting unit, 31 Moving unit, 32 Mounting head, 33 Picking member, 34 Communication unit, 35 Mounting base, 36 Mounting module, 40 Control device, 41 Control unit, 42 Memory unit, 43 Modeling job, 44 Moving unit, 45 Moving unit, 46 Lifting unit, 47 Pallet, 48 Operation panel, 49 Communication unit, 50 First discharge unit, 51 First head moving unit, 52 First ejection head, 53 First nozzle, 53a Ejection drive unit, 53b Liquid valve, 54 First fluid processing unit, 55 First liquid delivery unit, 56 First supply tank, 57 First recovery tank, 58 Piping, 59 Head tank, 60 Second ejection unit, 61 Second head moving unit, 62 Second ejection head, 63 Second nozzle, 64 Second fluid processing unit, 65 Second liquid delivery unit, 66 Second supply tank, 67 Second recovery tank, 68 Piping, 70 First maintenance unit, 71 First maintenance moving unit, 72 First sealing unit, 73 First ejection receiving unit, 74 First cleaning unit, 75 Cleaning member, 76 Delivery unit, 80 Second maintenance unit, 81 Second maintenance moving unit, 82 Second sealing unit, 83 Dry sealing unit, 84 Wet sealing unit, 85 Sealing member, 86 Second ejection receiving unit, 87 Second cleaning unit, 88 Cleaning member, 89 Feed section, 90 inspection unit, 91 inspection film, 92 feed section, 93 mark substrate, 94 flattening unit, 95 flattening member, 96 member cleaning section, 100 dispenser unit, 101 coating movement section, 102 coating section, 103 coating head, 104 first coating section, 105 syringe, 106 pressure application section, 107 second coating section, 108 third coating section, 109 coating amount detection section,110 First curing unit, 110 Receiving member, 111 Measuring unit, 112 Height measuring unit, 113 Imaging unit, 114 Mounting transfer unit, 115 First curing unit, 116 Ultraviolet irradiation unit, 117 Second curing unit, 118 Infrared irradiation unit, 120 Heating unit, 121 Heating unit, 122 Pressurizing unit, 123 Pressurizing heating member, 124 Heating transfer unit, 125 Opening / closing unit, 126 Shutter unit, 127 Opening / closing drive unit, 128 Transfer opening, 130 Opening / closing door, 131 Upper maintenance door, 132 First sliding door, 133 Second sliding door, 134 Third sliding door, 134B Removal door, 135 Cleaning unit maintenance door, 136 Tank maintenance door, 137 Heating unit maintenance door, 140 Blower unit, 141 Transfer unit air intake unit, 142 Housing air blower, 143 first air intake, 144 first air exhaust, 145 second air intake, 146 second air exhaust, 147 first curing air exhaust, 148 second curing air exhaust, 149 heating section air exhaust, 150 base air blower, 151 base air intake, 152 air exhaust port, 160 cable rack.

Claims

1. A printing device for forming a shaped object, comprising: a housing; a moving unit for moving an object onto which a fluid is ejected; a first ejection unit arranged in a front area of ​​the housing for ejecting a fluid that will become a structure onto the object; a second ejection unit arranged in the front area of ​​the housing for ejecting a fluid that will become a wiring onto the object; a first hardening unit arranged in a rear area of ​​the housing for hardening the fluid that will become the structure ejected onto the object; a second hardening unit arranged in the rear area of ​​the housing for hardening the fluid that will become the wiring ejected onto the object; and a blower unit having a housing blower section that sends outside air from above the first ejection unit and / or the second ejection unit into the housing and exhausts internal air from the rear of the housing.

2. A printing device as described in claim 1, wherein the first ejection unit has a first ejection head that moves between a standby position and a working position and ejects a fluid that becomes a structure, the second ejection unit has a second ejection head that moves between a standby position and a working position and ejects a fluid that becomes a wiring, and the housing air blowing section is disposed in a position that sends outside air to the area between the standby position and the working position of each of the first ejection head and the second ejection head.

3. A printing device as described in claim 2, wherein the first ejection head and the second ejection head do not have a ceiling wall portion and vertical airflow can pass through them.

4. A printing device as described in claim 1 or 2, comprising: a dispenser unit arranged in a central area of ​​the housing and supplying a liquid material to the target object; and a heating unit arranged in a rear area of ​​the housing and heating the liquid material supplied to the target object, wherein the dispenser unit has an application head that moves between a standby position and a working position and has a syringe containing the liquid material arranged therein; and the housing air blowing unit is arranged in a position in the housing that sends outside air to the area between the standby position and the working position of the application head.

5. A printing device according to claim 4, wherein the coating head does not have a ceiling wall portion and vertical airflow can pass through the coating head.

6. A printing device as described in claim 1 or 2, wherein the air blowing unit has a first air blowing section that exhausts internal air from above the first curing unit to the rear side of the housing, and a second air blowing section that exhausts internal air from above the second curing unit to the rear side of the housing.

7. A printing device as described in claim 1 or 2, wherein the moving unit moves the object between the front and rear in the center of the housing, and the blowing unit has a moving blowing section that sends outside air into the housing from the center of the front of the housing in which the moving unit is arranged, and exhausts inside air to the outside of the housing from the center of the back of the housing.

8. A printing device as described in claim 1 or 2, wherein the housing comprises a modeling base as a pedestal, and a modeling module arranged on top of the modeling base and accommodating the moving unit, the first discharge unit, the second discharge unit, the first hardening unit, and the second hardening unit, and the blower unit has a base blower section that sends outside air into the modeling base from the rear side and exhausts inside air from the front underside of the modeling base.

9. A printing system comprising: the printing device according to claim 1 or 2; and a mounting device arranged adjacent to at least one side surface of the housing and configured to mount components on the shaped object.

Images