Three-dimensional shaping device and manufacturing method

Abstract

This three-dimensional shaping device according to the present disclosure is a three-dimensional shaping device for manufacturing a shaped object and includes a discharge head having a plurality of nozzles for discharging fluid onto a subject, an inspection unit having an inspection region for receiving the fluid discharged from the discharge head, and a control unit for causing the fluid to be discharged into the inspection region under an accentuating condition different from a shaping condition used at the time of discharging the fluid onto the subject so as to cause a nozzle inspection to be executed.

Description

Three-dimensional shaping apparatus and manufacturing method

[0001] This specification discloses a three-dimensional shaping apparatus and a manufacturing method.

[0002] Conventionally, as a three-dimensional shaping apparatus, for example, a liquid is discharged from a nozzle hole toward a stage to form a plurality of three-dimensional shaped objects, and the discharge state of the liquid from the nozzle hole is inspected after or during the shaping. When an abnormality is detected in the discharge state from at least one nozzle hole, it has been proposed to determine that the plurality of three-dimensional shaped objects formed include a low-quality three-dimensional shaped object (see, for example, Patent Document 1). In this three-dimensional shaping apparatus, it is stated that it is possible to determine whether or not a low-quality three-dimensional shaped object is included among the plurality of three-dimensional shaped objects formed.

[0003] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2020-179546

[0004] However, although the three-dimensional shaping apparatus can determine whether or not a low-quality three-dimensional shaped object is included, obtaining a better shaped object has been demanded.

[0005] The present disclosure has been made to solve such problems, and the main object is to provide a three-dimensional shaping apparatus and a manufacturing method capable of obtaining a better shaped object.

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

[0007] That is, the three-dimensional shaping apparatus of the present disclosure is a three-dimensional shaping apparatus for manufacturing a shaped object, and includes a discharge head having a plurality of nozzles for discharging a fluid onto an object, an inspection unit having an inspection area for receiving the fluid discharged from the discharge head, and a control unit for discharging the fluid into the inspection area and performing nozzle inspection under a highlighting condition different from the shaping condition when discharging the fluid onto the object.

[0008] In this three-dimensional shaping apparatus, since nozzle inspection is performed under a highlighting condition of fluid discharge that is different from the shaping condition during shaping, more appropriate nozzle inspection can be performed, and thus a better shaped object can be obtained.

[0009] A schematic diagram showing an example of the molding system 10. A schematic diagram showing an example of the structure of the 3D molding apparatus 11 viewed from the front at an angle. A schematic diagram showing an example of each ejection unit and the moving unit 26. A schematic diagram showing an example of the inspection unit 70. A flowchart showing an example of the molding production processing routine. A schematic diagram showing an example of the molding process overview. A flowchart showing an example of the inspection and maintenance processing routine. A schematic diagram showing an example of the operation of the inspection unit 70. A schematic diagram showing an example of the ejection state of the ejected material 78. A schematic diagram showing an example of the ejection inspection process under enhanced conditions with a changed ejection gap. A schematic diagram showing an example of the ejection inspection process under enhanced conditions with a changed ejection force.

[0010] This embodiment will be described below with reference to the drawings. Figure 1 is a schematic diagram showing an example of a molding system 10, which is an example of the present disclosure. Figure 2 is a schematic diagram showing an example of the structure of a three-dimensional molding apparatus 11 viewed from the front at an oblique angle. Figure 3 is a schematic diagram showing an example of the first ejection unit 30, the second ejection unit 35, and the moving unit 26. Figure 4 is a schematic diagram showing an example of the inspection unit 70. In this embodiment, the left-right direction (X-axis), front-back direction (Y-axis), and up-down direction (Z-axis) are as shown in Figures 1 to 4.

[0011] The molding system 10 comprises a three-dimensional molding device 11, a mounting device 12, and an information processing device 80. This molding system 10 is configured as a production line in which the three-dimensional molding device 11 first processes to mold an object, then second processes to form predetermined components on the object, and finally the mounting device 12 processes the mounting of the components. The three-dimensional molding device 11 may also form wiring (circuit) patterns as conductive material as the second process, and the mounting device 12 may perform the process of mounting components P at predetermined positions on the conductive material. In addition to the mounting device 12, the molding system 10 may also include one or more mounting-related devices from among a printing device for printing solder as a viscous fluid onto the object, a printing inspection device for inspecting the printing results, a mounting inspection device for inspecting the mounting results, and a transport device for transporting the molded object. In the molding system 10 shown in Figure 1, one 3D molding device 11 and one mounting device 12 are included, but multiple 3D molding devices 11 and mounting devices 12 may also be included.

[0012] The mounting device 12 is a device for mounting parts P onto an object fabricated by the 3D printing device 11. The mounting device 12 comprises a control device, a transport processing unit 13, a parts supply unit 14, an imaging unit 16, a mounting unit 17, an operation panel, and a communication unit. The control device is configured as a microprocessor centered on a mounting control unit such as a CPU, and is responsible for controlling the entire device. This control device outputs control signals to the transport processing unit 13, the parts supply unit 14, the imaging unit 16, the mounting unit 17, and the operation panel, and inputs signals from the transport processing unit 13, the parts supply unit 14, the imaging unit 16, the mounting unit 17, and the operation panel. The control device includes a storage unit, which is a large-capacity storage medium such as flash memory. The storage unit stores mounting information, which includes information about the parts P to be mounted, the arrangement order and position on the fabricated object, and the mounting position of the feeder 15 for picking up the parts. The transport processing unit 13 is responsible for loading, transporting, fixing at the mounting position, and unloading the pallet 60 on which the molded object is placed. The parts supply unit 14 is a unit that supplies parts P to the mounting unit 17. The parts supply unit 14 has a feeder 15 having a reel that holds parts attached to one or more mounting units. The imaging unit 16 is a camera that images the area above and images parts P and the like held by the mounting head 19 of the mounting unit 17. The operation panel is a unit that receives input from the operator and presents information to the operator. This operation panel has a display unit which is a display and an operation unit which has a touch panel and buttons. The mounting unit 17 is a unit that picks up parts P from the parts supply unit 14 and places them on the molded object fixed to the transport processing unit 13. The mounting unit 17 has a head moving unit 18, a mounting head 19 and a picking member. The head movement unit 18 includes a slider that moves in the XY direction guided by a guide rail, and a motor that drives the slider. The mounting head 19 is detachably mounted on the slider and moves in the XY direction by the head movement unit 18 after picking up one or more parts. One or more picking members are detachably mounted on the lower surface of the mounting head 19. The picking members may be suction nozzles that pick up parts using negative pressure, or mechanical chucks that mechanically hold parts. The communication unit is an interface for exchanging information with external devices such as the 3D modeling apparatus 11 and the information processing apparatus 80.

[0013] The 3D printing apparatus 11 is a 3D printing apparatus that prints and manufactures a molded object having a base material, conductive material, etc. by discharging a fluid onto an object. The molded object includes, for example, a base material, a conductive material formed on and / or in the base material, and components arranged on and / or in the base material. The object is initially the pallet 60, and once the base material, wiring (circuits), conductive material, etc. are formed on the pallet 60, it refers to that formed object. The material to be molded is not particularly limited and can be resin, ceramics, etc. As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the 3D modeling apparatus 11 includes a control device 20, a storage unit 22, a moving unit 26, a flattening unit 29, a first ejection unit 30, a first maintenance unit 33, a first curing unit 34, a second ejection unit 35, a second maintenance unit 38, a second curing unit 39, a coating unit 40, a pressing unit 45, an inspection unit 70, an operation panel 48, and a communication unit 49. The 3D modeling apparatus 11 also includes a first gantry 51, a second gantry 52, a third gantry 53, and a housing 54 as part of its apparatus structure. Here, the 3D modeling apparatus 11 will be mainly described in which the first ejection unit 30 creates, for example, a base material for a modeled object such as an insulator, and the second ejection unit 35 performs a process to form conductive material such as a wiring pattern on the created insulator. Furthermore, the first discharge unit 30 and the second discharge unit 35 are collectively referred to simply as "discharge units," the first maintenance unit 33 and the second maintenance unit 38 are collectively referred to simply as "maintenance units," and the first curing unit 34 and the second curing unit 39 are collectively referred to simply as "curing units."

[0014] The control device 20 is configured as a microprocessor centered around a molding control unit 21 such as a CPU, and controls the entire 3D printing apparatus 11. The control device 20 exchanges information with the storage unit 22 and each unit. The molding control unit 21 executes the molding process of the object using the first ejection unit 30, the second ejection unit 35, the coating unit 40, etc. The molding control unit 21 also ejects fluid into the inspection area 71 under different highlighting conditions than the molding conditions when ejecting the fluid to the object, and performs nozzle inspection. The storage unit 22 is, for example, a large-capacity storage medium such as flash memory. The storage unit 22 stores molding job information 23 and inspection result information 24, etc. The molding job information 23 is, for example, information including the shape and size of the object to be manufactured, and conductive material information such as wiring patterns formed on the substrate. The inspection result information 24 is information that associates the detection results of detecting the discharge position and / or discharge amount of the fluid discharged from the nozzles 32a and 37a (see Figure 3) on the inspection area 71 based on the fluid discharged into the inspection area 71 with the nozzles 32a and 37a. The inspection result information 24 stores information such as the amount of displacement of the nozzle in the X direction, the amount of displacement in the Y direction, and the discharge amount, as well as information such as no discharge (where no fluid is discharged) and satellite discharge (where a small amount of droplets are discharged around the main droplet) (see Figure 9 below). The inspection result information 24 is stored in the storage unit 22 after the discharge inspection process as a nozzle inspection of the discharge unit has been performed. The reference information 25 is information that includes reference values ​​for determining whether the discharged fluid is in an acceptable state or not. The reference information 25 specifies reference values ​​for the reference range of positional displacement and / or discharge amount, and allowable values ​​for the allowable range of positional displacement and / or discharge amount. The reference value is a value used to determine an abnormal nozzle, and may be set based on, for example, the range of upper and lower limits of the ejection position deviation and / or ejection amount that can be obtained based on the design value, which is determined empirically. The allowable value is a value that defines the correction range for the ejection position and / or ejection amount, and may be set based on the printing resolution that can be obtained based on the design value. The 3D printing apparatus 11 performs the printing process based on the information stored in the storage unit 22.

[0015] As shown in Figures 1 to 3, the moving unit 26 is a stage that moves the pallet 60, which is the object from which the fluid is discharged. This moving unit 26 comprises a support section 27 and a support movement section 28. The support section 27 supports and fixes the pallet 60 on which the printed object is placed in the printing area 61. The support movement section 28 is a drive unit that moves the support section 27 along the printing path in the front-rear direction in the center of the housing 54, and also moves the distance between the discharge head and the object by raising and lowering the support section 27. The support movement section 28 may have a linear drive section, which can be configured as a linear motor or a ball screw mechanism.

[0016] The pallet 60 is a plate-shaped member having an area for forming objects, and is detachably attached to the support part 27. The pallet 60 has a forming area 61 and a receiving area. A removable film is attached to the upper surface of the pallet 60, and by replacing this film, it is possible to manufacture the next object. The forming area 61 is a printing area where an object is formed by the first discharge unit 30, a predetermined pattern is formed on the object by the second discharge unit 35, and a liquid substance is applied to the object by the coating unit 40. The receiving area is an area that receives unwanted fluids and liquids discharged from the first discharge head 32, the second discharge head 37, and the coating head 42.

[0017] The first discharge unit 30 is a unit that discharges a fluid, which will be the base material for the molded object, onto the molding area 61 of the pallet 60. The first discharge unit 30 is movably disposed to the left of the first gantry 51, which is fixed to the front region in the Y-axis direction of the housing 54 of the 3D molding apparatus 11. The first discharge unit 30 comprises a first moving unit 31, a first discharge head 32, and a first fluid processing unit. The first moving unit 31 comprises a slider that moves along the X-axis direction guided by a guide rail, and a motor that drives the slider. The first discharge head 32 is mounted on the slider, and the first discharge head 32 moves along the X-axis direction as the slider moves. The first moving unit 31 moves the first discharge head 32 between a standby position and a discharge position on the pallet 60. The first discharge head 32 is a structural fluid discharge head that discharges a fluid that will constitute the molded object from a nozzle 32a onto an object such as the pallet 60 to form the molded object. The first discharge head 32 has a nozzle 32a and a discharge drive unit. Multiple nozzles 32a are formed on a nozzle plate, constituting a nozzle row 32b. These nozzles 32a are openings that discharge the fluid supplied from the first fluid processing unit to the pallet 60. The discharge drive unit discharges the fluid toward the pallet 60, for example, and could be a piezoelectric element. The fluid discharged by the first discharge head 32 can be a liquid such as a liquid curable resin (e.g., UV curable resin, thermosetting resin, two-component mixed curable resin, etc.), a thermoplastic resin, or a slurry obtained by mixing a solvent with a solid substance such as an inorganic material. The first fluid processing unit comprises a first supply tank containing fluid and a first recovery tank containing recovered fluid, and is a unit that delivers fluid.

[0018] The first maintenance unit 33 is a unit that seals and protects the first discharge head 32 and performs discharge maintenance based on the discharge state of the first discharge head 32. The first maintenance unit 33 includes, for example, a first cap that seals the first discharge head 32, a first discharge receiving section that receives the fluid discharged from the first discharge head 32, and a first cleaning section that cleans the first discharge head 32. Discharge maintenance includes, for example, performing a flushing process and performing a process to wipe and clean the nozzle plate of the first discharge head 32.

[0019] The first curing unit 34 is a unit that performs a predetermined process on the fluid discharged from the first discharge head 32 onto the pallet 60 or onto the molded object that has been cured on the pallet 60, and then cures it. The first curing unit 34 may also cure the fluid discharged into the molding area 61 by irradiating it with light of a predetermined wavelength, such as ultraviolet light. Alternatively, the first curing unit 34 may also be a unit that performs drying and firing depending on the material of the fluid. For example, each time a layer of fluid is formed on the molding area 61 by the first discharge head 32, the pallet 60 is moved downwards and the fluid is cured.

[0020] The second discharge unit 35 is a unit that discharges a fluid that will become a conductive material, such as wiring, to be formed inside or on the surface of the molded object onto the pallet 60 or onto the molded object. The second discharge unit 35 is movably disposed to the right of the first gantry 51, which is fixed to the front region of the housing 54 in the Y-axis direction. The second discharge unit 35 comprises a second moving unit 36, a second discharge head 37, and a second fluid processing unit. The second moving unit 36 ​​comprises a slider that moves along the X-axis direction guided by a guide rail, and a motor that drives the slider. The second discharge head 37 is mounted on the slider, and the second discharge head 37 moves along the X-axis direction as the slider moves. The second moving unit 36 ​​moves the second discharge head 37 between a standby position and a discharge position on the pallet 60. The second discharge head 37 is a conductive material fluid discharge head that discharges fluid onto an object such as the pallet 60 to form a conductive material. The second discharge head 37, like the first discharge head 32, has a plurality of nozzles 37a constituting a nozzle row 37b and a discharge drive unit. Note that the second discharge head 37 has the same structure and function as the first discharge head 32, so a detailed explanation is omitted. The fluid discharged by the nozzles 37a is a liquid, such as a mixture of a solvent and a solid, or a solution of a solvent in which a resin is dissolved. Examples of this fluid include a conductive paste in which metal particles are dispersed in a resin that hardens upon heating, and a conductive metal ink fluid. For example, as an example of a conductive metal ink fluid, a conductive metal ink in which conductive fine particles are dispersed in a solvent is used. For example, in a conductive paste, when the resin hardens and shrinks, the metal particles dispersed in the resin come into contact with it. This causes the conductive paste to exhibit conductivity. The resin in the conductive paste is, for example, an organic adhesive, which exhibits adhesive strength upon hardening. Furthermore, the first discharge head 32 and the second discharge head 37 are collectively referred to simply as "discharge heads," the nozzles 32a and 37a are collectively referred to simply as "nozzles," and the nozzle rows 32b and 37b are collectively referred to simply as "nozzle rows."

[0021] The second maintenance unit 38 is a unit that seals and protects the second discharge head 37 and performs discharge maintenance based on the discharge state of the second discharge head 37. The second maintenance unit 38 includes, for example, a second cap that seals the second discharge head 37, a second discharge receiving section that receives the fluid discharged from the second discharge head 37, and a second cleaning section that cleans the second discharge head 37. Discharge maintenance includes the flushing and cleaning processes described above.

[0022] The second curing unit 39 is a unit that performs a predetermined process on the fluid discharged from the second discharge head 37 onto the molding area 61 of the pallet 60 or onto the molded object that has been cured on the pallet 60, thereby curing it. The second curing unit 39 may also cure the fluid discharged onto the molding area 61 by irradiating it with light of a predetermined wavelength, such as infrared light. Alternatively, the second curing unit 39 may also be a unit that performs drying and firing depending on the material of the fluid. For example, each time a layer of fluid is formed on the pallet 60 by the second discharge head 37, the pallet 60 is moved downwards and the fluid is cured.

[0023] The flattening unit 29 is a unit that flattens the surface of the fluid discharged onto the pallet 60 and / or the molded object using a flattening member. The flattening member includes, for example, a flattening roller that rotates with relative movement to the molded object, or a flat flattening blade.

[0024] The coating unit 40 is a unit that applies a liquid substance to the molded object on the pallet 60. As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the coating unit 40 is movably disposed on a second gantry 52 fixed to the central region in the Y-axis direction of the housing 54 of the 3D molding apparatus 11. The coating unit 40 is located on a transport passage for loading and unloading the pallet 60 to and from the mounting apparatus 12, and is configured to perform not only coating processing by the dispenser 43, but also loading and unloading of the pallet 60, coating amount detection processing, imaging processing, and height measurement processing. The coating unit 40 consists of a coating movement unit 41, a coating head 42, and a coating amount detection unit. The coating head 42 of the coating unit 40 is also provided with a work unit 50 including an imaging unit 44, a height detection unit, and a mounting transport unit. The coating movement unit 41 includes a slider that moves along the X-axis direction guided by a guide rail disposed on the second gantry 52, and a motor that drives the slider. A coating head 42 is mounted on the slider, and the coating head 42 moves along the X-axis direction as the slider moves. As shown in Figure 1, the coating movement unit 41 moves the coating head 42 between a coating position, which is the upper part of the pallet 60 in the central region along the X-axis of the housing 4; an loading / unloading position on the mounting device 12 side; and a retracted position on the opposite side from the mounting device 12. Dispensers 43, such as those for coating conductive paste or fillers, are provided on the coating head 42. The dispenser 43 has a discharge port for dispensing liquids and is equipped with a syringe for containing the liquids. The syringe is a columnar member containing a liquid, and the liquid is dispensed from a discharge port at the lower end by pressure applied from above. Examples of liquids include multiple types of resins with different viscosity and conductivity, such as a resin in which a conductive material is dispersed, or an insulating resin.

[0025] The imaging unit 44 is a camera that images the area below, which is the pallet 60 side. The imaging unit 44 images, for example, the molded object on the molding area 61, the inspection area 71 of the inspection unit 70, etc. The height detection unit is configured as a sensor that moves the contact terminal at its tip downward and determines the height of the object it has contacted based on the position where it contacts the object. The mounting transport unit is used when transporting the pallet 60 to the mounting device 12 side, which is an area outside the printing passage, and when transporting the pallet 60 from the mounting device 12. The mounting transport unit has a rod structure that can be extended downward, and moves the pallet 60 by contacting its tip with the edge of the pallet 60 and pushing it out or hooking and pulling it in. The coating amount detection unit detects the weight of the liquid substance dispensed from the dispenser 43. The coating amount detection unit applies an arbitrary pressure to the dispenser 43 and measures the amount of liquid substance dispensed from the syringe per unit time. Using these measured values, the control device 20 controls the discharge rate of the liquid to an appropriate value.

[0026] The pressing unit 45 is a unit that presses the molded object on the pallet 60, or a liquid applied to the pallet 60 or the molded object. The pressing unit 45 is located in a third gantry 53 fixed to the rear region in the Y-axis direction of the housing 54 of the 3D printing apparatus 11. The pressing unit 45 may also heat the molded object to press it. The pressing unit 45 consists of a pressing unit that presses the object with a pressing member 46, a heating unit that heats the pressing unit, and a pressing and transporting unit 47 that loads and unloads the pallet 60. The pressing member 46 is a member that contacts and pressurizes the molded object. When the pressing unit 45 is equipped with a heating unit, the pressing member 46 is a member that contacts the molded object, pressurizes it, and heats it. The pressing and conveying unit 47 is responsible for loading and unloading the pallet 60 to and from the pressing unit 45, which is located outside the movement lane of the moving unit 26. The pressing and conveying unit 47 may be mechanically similar to the mounting and conveying unit of the work unit 50.

[0027] The inspection unit 70 is used in a three-dimensional molding apparatus having a discharge head that discharges fluid, and inspects the discharge state of the fluid. The inspection unit 70 is located on a support unit 27 that supports the pallet 60 of the mobile unit 26, and moves along with the movement of the support unit 27 by the support movement unit 28. As shown in Figures 1 and 4, the inspection unit 70 comprises an inspection area 71 and a delivery unit 74. The inspection area 71 includes a mark substrate 72 and a reference mark 73 provided on the mark substrate 72. The inspection unit 70 deposits fluid onto the surface of a film 77 fixed on the mark substrate 72 and delivers the film 77, thereby eliminating the need for cleaning the mark substrate 72 and enabling efficient multiple discharge inspections. The film 77 is preferably a transparent resin film, and its material and film thickness can be appropriately determined to facilitate discharge inspection.

[0028] The mark substrate 72 is an area for performing discharge inspection of the first discharge head 32 and the second discharge head 37, and reference marks 73 are formed on it according to the nozzle pitch of the first discharge head 32 and the second discharge head 37. The mark substrate 72 is a plate-like body on which the reference marks 73 are formed. This mark substrate 72 may be made of a transparent material, such as a glass plate or a resin plate. The reference marks 73 are marks that serve as a reference for the position and amount of fluid discharged from the nozzle 32a of the first discharge head 32 and the nozzle 37a of the second discharge head 37. The shape of the reference marks 73 may be a circle, rectangle, polygon, star, etc., but a circle is more preferable from the viewpoint of determining the center position and calculating the area. The control device 20 can determine whether the fluid discharge state at the nozzle is normal or not based on the positional relationship between the fluid discharge position and the reference marks 73, the discharge area, etc.

[0029] The feeding unit 74 feeds the film 77 on the mark substrate 72 along a predetermined feeding direction D. This feeding unit 74 comprises a feeding roller 75, an intermediate roller, a winding roller 76, and a drive unit (not shown). The feeding roller 75 is a roller around which the film 77 is wound and is a driven roller that feeds the film 77 in accordance with the rotation of the winding roller 76. The intermediate roller is a driven roller disposed between the feeding roller 75 and the winding roller 76 and supports the film 77. The winding roller 76 is rotationally driven by a drive unit such as a drive motor and is a roller that winds up the film 77 that has been fed out from the feeding roller 75 and from which the fluid has been discharged. The feeding roller 75 is replaced with a new one when all of the film 77 has been wound onto the winding roller 76.

[0030] The operation panel 48 is a unit that receives input from the operator and presents information to the operator. This operation panel 48 comprises a display unit which is a display and an operation unit which has a touch panel and buttons. The communication unit 49 is an interface for exchanging information with external devices such as the mounting device 12 and the information processing device 80. The information processing device 80 is configured as a management server that manages the molding system 10. This information processing device 80 stores molding job information which includes information similar to molding job information 23 and detection result information which includes information similar to inspection result information 24.

[0031] Next, the three-dimensional molding process of the three-dimensional molding apparatus 11 configured in this way will be described. Figure 5 is a flowchart showing an example of a molding production processing routine executed by the molding control unit 21 of the control device 20. This routine is stored in the storage unit 22 and is executed by the control device 20 after the operator inputs a command to execute the production process. When this routine is started, the molding control unit 21 of the control device 20 first reads and acquires molding job information 23 from the storage unit 22 (S100). The molding control unit 21 may also acquire molding job information from the information processing device 80 and use that as the molding job information 23.

[0032] Here, the molding process will be explained. The 3D molding apparatus 11 is capable of producing multi-layered objects, but for the sake of explanation, a single-layered object will be described here. Figure 6 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of the molding process, where Figure 6A is the printing process of the substrate S, Figure 6B is the printing process of wiring E such as circuits, Figure 6C is the printing process of the cavity C, Figure 6D is the coating process of conductive material B and underfill U, Figure 6E is the mounting process of components P, and Figure 6F is the coating process of filler F. In the molding process, the molding control unit 21 prints and hardens the substrate S (Figure 6A), prints and hardens the wiring E on the substrate S (Figure 6B), prints and hardens the cavity C on top of that (Figure 6C), coats conductive material B and underfill U (Figure 6D), mounts components P (Figure 6E), fills with filler F (Figure 6F), and, as appropriate, presses and heats with the pressing unit 45 to fix the components P. Furthermore, in this molding process, additional substrates S may be printed and cured as needed, and parts P may be mounted in multiple layers. The 3D molding apparatus 11 manufactures the molded object O through this molding process. The substrate S and cavity C may be made of the same material or different materials. The wiring E and conductive material B may be made of the same material or different materials. The underfill U and filler F may be made of the same material or different materials.

[0033] After S100, the molding control unit 21 determines whether it is time for inspection and maintenance of the first ejection unit 30 and the second ejection unit 35 (S110). This timing may be, for example, at the start of a new production cycle, when a predetermined number of molded objects such as 5 or 10 have been produced, or when a predetermined time such as 30 minutes or 1 hour has elapsed after the start of production. If it is currently time for inspection and maintenance, the molding control unit 21 performs inspection and maintenance processing for the first ejection head 32 and / or the second ejection head 37 (S120). In this process, the molding control unit 21 performs maintenance processing using the first maintenance unit 33 and the second maintenance unit 38, and performs inspection processing using the inspection unit 70.

[0034] Here, the inspection and maintenance process will be explained in more detail. Figure 7 is a flowchart of an example of an inspection and maintenance process routine. This routine is stored in the memory unit 22 and executed by the control device 20 in S120 of the molded product production process routine. Here, we will mainly explain the abnormality inspection process that detects abnormal nozzles of the first discharge head 32 and the second discharge head 37. When this routine is started, the molding control unit 21 of the control device 20 first performs maintenance (S300). In the maintenance process, the molding control unit 21 performs maintenance on the first discharge unit 30 and the second discharge unit 35 using the first maintenance unit 33 and the second maintenance unit 38. Examples of maintenance processes include flushing the discharge head and cleaning the nozzle plate with a cleaning member. After performing the maintenance process, the molding control unit 21 examines the molded product (S310). The molding control unit 21 determines whether the molded product to be manufactured is the first molded product or the second molded product. The first molded object may, for example, be a normal molded object with a general range of shape accuracy. The second molded object may, for example, require a higher shape accuracy than the first molded object. For example, the molding control unit 21 may determine whether the molded object to be manufactured is the first or the second molded object based on the molding job information 23. Alternatively, for example, the operator may specify in advance whether the molded object to be manufactured is the first or the second molded object. In this case, the molding control unit 21 may determine whether the molded object to be manufactured is the first or the second molded object based on this operator specification. The specification of whether it is the first or second molded object may be included in the molding job information 23, or it may be acquired as information separate from the molding job information 23. Alternatively, the operator may specify whether the object to be manufactured is the first object or the second object via input from the operator via the control panel 48. For example, the operator may be able to select between a mode in which the inspection conditions are set to the molding conditions and a mode in which the inspection conditions are set to the highlighting conditions.

[0035] When the object to be manufactured is the first object, the molding control unit 21 sets the inspection conditions to be the same molding conditions as the manufacturing conditions for the object when the fluid is discharged onto the object (S320). The molding conditions include, for example, the gap between the object and the nozzle of the discharge head, and the discharge force of the fluid from the nozzle, and are set to a value that has higher shape reproducibility than the limit value for which an object of a standard shape can be manufactured. On the other hand, when the object to be manufactured is the second object, the molding control unit 21 sets the inspection conditions to be different from the molding conditions when the fluid is discharged onto the object (S330). The highlighting conditions may refer to conditions in which a nozzle that is potentially prone to malfunction will malfunction, even though a nozzle would not malfunction under normal molding conditions. The molding control unit 21 may set the gap between the nozzle and the inspection area 71 to be larger than that under the molding conditions as a highlighting condition. Alternatively, the molding control unit 21 may set the discharge force for ejecting fluid from the nozzle to be less than the molding condition as a highlighting condition. The molding control unit 21 may also reduce the discharge force by lowering the voltage applied to the piezoelectric element. Here, we will mainly describe an embodiment in which the gap between the nozzle and the inspection area 71 is changed as a highlighting condition.

[0036] After setting the inspection conditions in S320 and S330, the molding control unit 21 executes the inspection process (S340 to S420). Figure 8 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of the operation of the inspection unit 70, where Figure 8A is an explanatory diagram of the mark substrate 72, Figure 8B is a diagram showing the film 77 being stretched, Figure 8C is a diagram showing the ejected material 78 being ejected onto the film 77, Figure 8D is a diagram showing the ejected material 78 being imaged by the imaging unit 44, and Figure 8E is a diagram showing the film 77 being fed out after inspection. For the sake of explanation, the ejection inspection process of the first ejection unit 30 will be mainly explained here, and the ejection inspection process of the second ejection unit 35 will be omitted, however, the second ejection unit 35 can also undergo inspection processing in the same manner as described below. Figure 9 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of the ejection state of the ejected material 78. The discharge states, as shown in Figure 9 from left to right, include "good product" where the discharged material 78 falls within the reference range indicated by the dotted circle, "no discharge" where no fluid is discharged, "misaligned" where the discharged material 78 exceeds the reference range, "satellite" which is a shape defect where one or more minute droplets are generated around it, and "insufficient discharge volume" where the discharge volume falls below the reference range. Shape defects of the discharged material 78 also include those that deviate from a circular shape, such as elliptical or polygonal shapes with aspect ratios exceeding 1 or 1.2. Furthermore, the discharge states may also include "excessive discharge volume" where the discharge volume exceeds a predetermined reference range.

[0037] When the inspection process is executed, the molding control unit 21 first moves the inspection unit 70 to the inspection position and controls the moving unit 26 and the first moving unit 31 to move the first discharge head 32 above the inspection unit 70 (S340, Figure 8B). Next, the molding control unit 21 executes a discharge process to discharge fluid onto the film 77 using the inspection conditions set in either S320 or S330 (S350, Figure 8C). Figure 10 is an explanatory diagram of an example of a discharge inspection process under highlighting conditions with a changed discharge gap. As shown in Figure 10, the highlighting distance Ds is set to be a larger gap than the molding distance Db used to create a normal molded object, and a smaller gap than the maximum moldable distance Dm. The molding distance Db is the gap defined in the inspection conditions in S320 and is set to a value equivalent to the distance between the nozzle and the object during the molding process. Note that "equivalent" means that it may be exactly the same value, or it may include a predetermined margin. The buildable limit distance Dm is a value empirically set based on the distance at which the accuracy of the shape of the built object falls outside a predetermined tolerance range, and is the limit at which the object can be built. As shown in Figure 10, when the highlighting distance Ds is set as the inspection distance, shape defects such as misalignment and satellites become more pronounced compared to when the build distance Db is set as the inspection distance. For this reason, the build control unit 21 can detect potential abnormal nozzles that cannot be detected in inspection using the build distance Db when using the highlighting distance Ds. In an ejection inspection process with a larger gap between the nozzle and the inspection area 71, the detection of potential abnormal nozzles such as misalignment and satellites can be performed with greater accuracy.

[0038] Figure 11 is an explanatory diagram of an example of the ejection inspection process under enhancement conditions with changed ejection force. Figure 11A is an explanatory diagram of an example of the ejection inspection process with the molding ejection force Fb, and Figure 11B is an explanation of the ejection inspection process with the enhancement ejection force Fs. As shown in Figure 11, the enhancement ejection force Fs is set to be a smaller ejection force than the molding ejection force Fb used to create normal molded objects, and a larger ejection force than the limit ejection force Fm. The molding ejection force Fb is the ejection force of the fluid specified in the inspection conditions in S320, and is set to a value equivalent to the ejection force from the nozzle during the molding process. The limit ejection force Fm is a value empirically set based on the ejection force of the fluid at which the accuracy of the shape of the molded object falls outside a predetermined tolerance range, and is the limit value at which the molded object can be created. As shown in Figure 11, when the extrusion force Fs is set to the inspection distance, defects such as non-emission, misalignment, satellites, and insufficient extrusion volume become more pronounced compared to when the build extrusion force Fb is set to the inspection distance. Therefore, the build control unit 21 can detect potential abnormal nozzles that cannot be detected in inspections using the build extrusion force Fb when using the extrusion force Fs. In an extrusion inspection process with a smaller extrusion force from the nozzle, the detection of potential abnormal nozzles such as non-emission, misalignment, satellites, and insufficient extrusion volume can be performed with greater accuracy.

[0039] After S350, the molding control unit 21 uses the imaging unit 44 to image the ejected material 78 ejected onto the inspection area 71 and performs image processing (S360, Figure 8D). In the ejection process, the molding control unit 21 uses the moving unit 26 to move the first ejection head 32 in a predetermined direction along the Y-axis at a predetermined pitch to the area between the upper and lower reference marks 73, and performs a process to eject fluid. Next, the molding control unit 21 sets the nozzles to record the measurement results (S370). The molding control unit 21 may set the nozzles in the order of nozzle numbers, which are assigned as nozzle identifiers along the nozzle formation direction. Next, the molding control unit 21 obtains the detection result of the ejection state, including the ejection position and ejection amount of the set nozzles, and stores this detection result in the storage unit 22 in association with the nozzle identifier (S380). The molding control unit 21 may, for example, obtain ejection position information based on the positional relationship between the reference marks 73 and the ejected material 78, and obtain ejection amount information based on the shape of the ejected material 78. The molding control unit 21 may acquire the amount of misalignment along the X-axis and the amount of misalignment along the Y-axis as the result of detecting the amount of misalignment. Alternatively, the molding control unit 21 may acquire the direction of misalignment and its distance as the result of detecting the amount of misalignment. Furthermore, the molding control unit 21 may acquire the discharge amount from the diameter of the droplet of the discharged object 78 as the result of detecting the discharge amount. If the droplet has a major axis and a minor axis, the molding control unit 21 may use the major axis as the droplet diameter, or the minor axis as the droplet diameter, or the average value of the major axis and the minor axis as the droplet diameter. Alternatively, the molding control unit 21 may determine the area of ​​the discharged object 78 as the result of detecting the discharge amount and acquire the ratio of these areas as discharge amount information based on the area value of a standard discharged object 78. Furthermore, the molding control unit 21 may determine the area of ​​the discharged object 78 and acquire its discharge amount as volume and / or weight based on the area value of a standard discharged object 78.

[0040] Next, the molding control unit 21 determines whether it has recorded all the detection results of the nozzles that discharged fluid into the inspection area 71 this time (S390). If it has not recorded all the detection results of the nozzles that were imaged this time, the molding control unit 21 executes the process from S370 onwards. That is, the molding control unit 21 repeatedly sets the next nozzle and records the detection results. On the other hand, if it has recorded all the detection results of the nozzles that were imaged this time in S390, the molding control unit 21 feeds the film 77 along the feed direction D and has it wound onto the winding roller 76 (S400, Figure 8E). Subsequently, the molding control unit 21 determines whether the process of acquiring the detection results of all nozzles has been completed (S410), and if the process of acquiring the detection results of all nozzles has not been completed, it executes the process from S310 onwards. That is, the molding control unit 21 sets the inspection conditions according to the molded object, discharges fluid from the nozzles that have not obtained detection results into the inspection area 71, and has the imaging unit 44 image it to acquire the detection results. For example, if the first discharge head 32 has many nozzles and discharging fluid onto the inspection area 71 in one go is insufficient, the head of the first discharge head 32 may be moved to discharge fluid multiple times.

[0041] On the other hand, when the process of acquiring detection results for all nozzles is completed in S380, the molding control unit 21 updates the inspection result information 24 based on the detection results recorded in the storage unit 22 (S420), and then terminates this routine. As shown in Figures 10 and 11, the molding control unit 21 can obtain inspection results using molding conditions as inspection conditions, or inspection results using enhancement conditions as inspection conditions. The molding control unit 21 may also acquire the ejection status of all nozzles in nozzle rows 32b and 37b and store it in the inspection result information 24.

[0042] Now, returning to the explanation of the molding production processing routine, after S120, the molding control unit 21 sets the nozzles to be used, excluding the abnormal nozzles detected in the ejection inspection process (S130). The molding control unit 21 executes the molding process without using the abnormal nozzles. Next, the molding control unit 21 sets an alternative nozzle for the abnormal nozzle (S140). The alternative nozzle may be a normal nozzle that can efficiently execute the molding process. For example, the alternative nozzle may be a normal nozzle that is located close to the abnormal nozzle and has a smaller ejection head movement, or if there are multiple abnormal nozzles, a normal nozzle that can eject at once according to the spacing between them may be set.

[0043] After S140, or if it is not inspection / maintenance timing in S110, the molding control unit 21 checks the molding process to be executed based on the molding job information 23 (S150). If the process to be executed is the extrusion process of structural material, the molding control unit 21 executes the first printing process by the first extrusion head 32 (S160). The molding control unit 21 executes the molding process using the group of nozzles used, excluding the abnormal nozzle. At this time, the molding control unit 21 executes a process to print structural fluid based on the printed image of the molded object, performs a flattening process with the flattening unit 29, and hardens the structural fluid with the first hardening unit 34. Through this process, a substrate S and cavities C as structural elements are formed in the molding area 61. Also, if the process to be executed in S150 is the extrusion process of conductive material, the molding control unit 21 executes the second printing process by the second extrusion head 37 (S170). In the second printing process, the molding control unit 21 executes the molding process using the group of nozzles excluding the abnormal nozzle. At this time, the molding control unit 21 executes a process to print conductive fluid onto the object based on the printed image of the molded object. This process forms a molded object with wiring E in the molding area 61. Since no fluid is discharged from the abnormal nozzle in each discharge head, the molding control unit 21 executes the discharge process with other alternative nozzles at the discharge position where the abnormal nozzle was scheduled to discharge.

[0044] Also, when the process to be executed in S150 is the coating process by the dispenser 43, the shaping control unit 21 executes the coating process by the coating head 42 (S180). In the coating process, the shaping control unit 21 causes the coating head 42 to execute the coating of the underfill U, the coating of the conductive material B, the coating of the filler F, and the like. Also, the shaping control unit 21 causes the pressing unit 45 to execute the curing process of the liquid material. Also, when the process to be executed in S150 is the mounting process of the component P, the shaping control unit 21 causes the mounting transfer unit of the working unit 50 to execute the unloading process and the loading process of the pallet 60 to the mounting device 12 (S190). When the mounting device 12 receives the pallet 60, it executes the placement process of the component P based on the mounting job information. Here, the mounting device 12 places the components P set in the mounting order on the shaped object based on the mounting job information. When the mounting process is completed and the object on which the component P is placed is carried into the three-dimensional shaping device 11, the shaping control unit 21 causes the filler F to be applied to the dispenser 43 as necessary, and causes the pressing unit 45 to execute the pressing process.

[0045] After S160 to S190, the shaping control unit 21 determines whether all the production processes have been completed (S200). When not all the production processes have been completed, the shaping control unit 21 executes the processes after S110. On the other hand, when the production process is completed in S200, this routine ends. Thus, the shaping control unit 21 executes the ejection inspection process with the highlighting condition as the inspection condition according to the shaped object, detects abnormal nozzles including potential ones, and executes the shaping process

[0046] Here, the correspondence between the components of this embodiment and the components of the present disclosure will be clarified. The 3D printing apparatus 11 of this embodiment corresponds to an example of the 3D printing apparatus of the present disclosure, the first discharge head 32 and the second discharge head 37 correspond to an example of a discharge head, the inspection unit 70 corresponds to an example of an inspection unit, the inspection area 71 corresponds to an example of an inspection area, the printing control unit 21 corresponds to an example of a control unit, and the nozzle 32a and nozzle 37a correspond to an example of a nozzle. Furthermore, the printing distance Db and printing discharge force Fb correspond to an example of printing conditions, the highlighting distance Ds and highlighting discharge force Fs correspond to an example of highlighting conditions, the printable limit distance Dm and printable limit discharge force Fm correspond to an example of a printable limit value, the first discharge head 32 corresponds to an example of a structural fluid discharge head, and the second discharge head 37 corresponds to an example of a conductive fluid discharge head. In addition, in this embodiment, an example of the manufacturing method of the printed object of the present disclosure is also clarified by explaining the operation of the 3D printing apparatus 11.

[0047] The three-dimensional molding apparatus 11 of this embodiment, as described above, is a three-dimensional molding apparatus for manufacturing molded objects, and comprises a discharge head having a plurality of nozzles for discharging fluid onto an object, an inspection unit 70 having an inspection area 71 for receiving the fluid discharged from the discharge head, and a molding control unit 21 that discharges fluid into the inspection area 71 under different enhancement conditions than the molding conditions when discharging the fluid onto the object, thereby performing a nozzle inspection. In this three-dimensional molding apparatus 11, since the nozzle inspection is performed under fluid discharge enhancement conditions different from the molding conditions during molding, a more appropriate nozzle inspection can be performed, and consequently, a better molded object can be obtained.

[0048] Further, the shaping control unit 21 causes the nozzle inspection to be performed with a prominent distance Ds, which is a prominent condition in which the gap between the nozzle and the inspection region 71 is made larger than the shaping distance Db as a shaping condition. In this three-dimensional shaping apparatus 11, by making the gap between the nozzle and the inspection region 71 larger than the shaping condition, the fluid discharge by an abnormal nozzle can be made more prominent than that by a normal nozzle, and a more appropriate nozzle inspection can be performed. Further, the shaping control unit 21 causes the nozzle inspection to be performed with a gap smaller than the shaping limit distance Dm as the shaping limit value in the gap between the nozzle and the object under the shaping condition as a prominent condition. In this three-dimensional shaping apparatus 11, by making the gap between the nozzle and the inspection region 71 larger than the shaping condition within the shapeable range, a more appropriate nozzle inspection can be performed. Furthermore, the shaping control unit 21 detects an abnormal nozzle including one or more potential abnormalities among the shape defects of the fluid including the positional deviation of the fluid from the nozzle and satellites. In this three-dimensional shaping apparatus 11, by making the gap between the nozzle and the inspection region 71 smaller than the shaping limit value and larger than the shaping condition, abnormal nozzles such as the positional deviation of the fluid and the shape defect of the fluid can be detected. Also, in this three-dimensional shaping apparatus 11, abnormal nozzles that cannot be detected under the shaping condition can also be detected by making the gap between the nozzle and the inspection region larger than the shaping condition.

[0049] Furthermore, the molding control unit 21 performs nozzle inspection using a highlighting discharge force Fs, which is a highlighting condition where the discharge force for ejecting fluid from the nozzle is smaller than the molding discharge force Fb, which is the molding condition. In this 3D molding apparatus 11, by making the nozzle discharge force smaller than the molding condition, fluid discharge from abnormal nozzles can be made more prominent than from normal nozzles, and a more appropriate nozzle inspection can be performed. Moreover, the molding control unit 21 performs nozzle inspection using a highlighting condition where the discharge force is greater than the molding limit discharge force Fm, which is the molding limit value for the discharge force for ejecting fluid from the nozzle under the molding condition. In this 3D molding apparatus 11, a more appropriate nozzle inspection can be performed by making the discharge force from the nozzle greater than the molding limit value and smaller than the molding condition within the molding range. Furthermore, the molding control unit 21 also detects abnormal nozzles that include one or more potential abnormalities among non-discharge of fluid from the nozzle, abnormal fluid discharge volume, fluid displacement, and fluid shape defects. This 3D printing apparatus 11 can detect abnormal nozzles such as those with no fluid discharge, abnormal discharge volume, misalignment, or shape defects by reducing the discharge force from the nozzle to a level lower than the printing conditions. Furthermore, by reducing the discharge force from the nozzle to a level lower than the printing conditions, this 3D printing apparatus 11 can also detect abnormal nozzles that cannot be detected by the printing conditions alone.

[0050] Furthermore, in the 3D printing apparatus 11, the printing control unit 21 performs nozzle inspection according to the printing conditions when manufacturing the first printed object, while performing nozzle inspection according to the enhancement conditions when manufacturing a second printed object different from the first printed object. In this 3D printing apparatus 11, by switching the inspection conditions according to the printed object, it is possible to obtain printed objects with the desired printing accuracy. Moreover, the printing control unit 21 performs the manufacturing of the printed object without using nozzles that have been detected as abnormal in the nozzle inspection. In this 3D printing apparatus 11, since abnormal nozzles are not used, it is possible to obtain printed objects of better quality. Furthermore, the discharge head includes one or more of either a first discharge head 32 as a structural fluid discharge head that discharges a structural fluid for shaping the printed object onto the object, or a second discharge head 37 as a conductive fluid discharge head that discharges a conductive fluid to form a conductive material onto the object. In this 3D printing apparatus 11, more appropriate nozzle inspection can be performed in the discharge of the printing fluid and the discharge of the conductive fluid.

[0051] It goes without saying that the three-dimensional molding apparatus 11, molding system 10, and method for manufacturing molded objects described herein are not limited in any way to the embodiments described above, and can be implemented in various forms as long as they fall within the technical scope of this disclosure.

[0052] For example, in the above-described embodiment, the molding control unit 21 sets the gap between the nozzle and the inspection area 71 to be larger than the molding conditions as a highlighting condition, or sets the ejection force from the nozzle to be smaller than the molding conditions as a highlighting condition, but is not limited to these. For example, the molding control unit 21 uses the above-mentioned gap and ejection force as highlighting conditions, but is not limited to these, as long as it is possible to detect a potentially abnormal nozzle, one of these may be omitted, or other conditions may be adopted in place of or in addition to these. In this 3D printing apparatus 11 as well, more appropriate nozzle inspection can be performed, and consequently, better printed objects can be obtained.

[0053] In the above-described embodiment, the molding control unit 21 performs nozzle inspection using either the highlighting distance Ds or the highlighting ejection force Fs as the highlighting condition. However, it is not limited to this, and nozzle inspection may be performed using both the highlighting distance Ds and the highlighting ejection force Fs simultaneously. This 3D molding apparatus 11 is preferable because it can highlight abnormal nozzles more effectively.

[0054] In the embodiments described above, the nozzle inspection of the first discharge unit 30 was mainly explained, but the invention is not limited to this, and a similar nozzle inspection may be performed on the second discharge unit 35. With this 3D printing apparatus 11, a more appropriate nozzle inspection can be performed, and consequently, a better printed object can be obtained.

[0055] In the embodiment described above, the molding conditions are set as inspection conditions for the first molded object, and the highlighting conditions are set as inspection conditions for the second molded object. However, the invention is not limited to this, and for example, the inspection conditions may be changed by factors other than the molded object, or the process of changing the inspection conditions according to the molded object may be omitted, and the highlighting conditions may be set as the inspection conditions for all objects. This 3D molding apparatus 11 can also perform more appropriate nozzle inspection, and consequently, produce better molded objects.

[0056] In the embodiment described above, the molding control unit 21 performs the molding process without using any defective nozzles, but it is not limited to this, and the molding process may be performed using some of the defective nozzles. In this case, the molding control unit 21 may use the defective nozzles with a lower degree of abnormality. This 3D molding apparatus 11 can perform a faster molding process by using potentially defective nozzles that do not produce abnormalities under the current molding conditions. It is preferable not to use potentially defective nozzles in the molding process because they have a high probability of becoming defective nozzles in subsequent use.

[0057] In the embodiment described above, the molding control unit 21 was described as performing the ejection inspection process under the highlighting conditions once. However, it is not limited to this, and the molding control unit 21 may perform multiple nozzle inspections under multiple highlighting conditions different from the molding conditions. In this 3D molding apparatus 11, since multiple nozzle inspections are performed under multiple highlighting conditions, it is also possible to detect abnormal nozzles that cannot be detected under the molding conditions. Here, "multiple highlighting conditions" may be conditions of the same type but with different intensities, for example, multiple gaps as highlighting conditions, or different types of conditions, for example, gap and ejection force as highlighting conditions.

[0058] In the embodiment described above, the molding control unit 21 excludes abnormal nozzles, including non-discharge nozzles, shape-defective nozzles, discharge volume abnormal nozzles, and misaligned nozzles, from the group of nozzles to be used. However, it is not limited to this, and one or more of these may be omitted, or different abnormal nozzles may be excluded from the group of nozzles to be used.

[0059] In the embodiment described above, the inspection unit 70 performs a nozzle inspection to detect an abnormal nozzle by imaging the ejected material 78 ejected onto the inspection area 71 with the imaging unit 44. However, as long as the ejected material 78 ejected onto the inspection area 71 is detected, the invention is not limited to this, and the ejected material 78 may be detected by means other than imaging by the imaging unit 44.

[0060] In the embodiments described above, the present disclosure was explained as a molding system 10, but it is not limited to this, and may be a 3D molding apparatus 11 only, or a control device 20 only. Also, in the embodiments described above, it was explained as a molding system 10 or a 3D molding apparatus 11, but it may also be a method for manufacturing a molded object, a control method for the 3D molding apparatus 11, a printing method, or a program therefor.

[0061] The present disclosure may be configured as follows. For example, the present disclosure is a method for manufacturing a molded object using a three-dimensional molding apparatus comprising: a discharge head having a plurality of nozzles for discharging a fluid onto an object; and an inspection unit having an inspection area for receiving the fluid discharged from the discharge head, the method comprising the step of discharging the fluid into the inspection area under enhancement conditions different from the molding conditions when discharging the fluid onto the object and performing a nozzle inspection.

[0062] In this method of manufacturing molded objects, similar to the 3D printing apparatus described above, nozzle inspection is performed under conditions that enhance fluid discharge, which differ from the printing conditions during molding. This allows for more appropriate nozzle inspection and, consequently, the acquisition of better molded objects. In this manufacturing method, various embodiments of the 3D printing apparatus described above may be adopted, or steps that realize each of the functions of the 3D printing apparatus described above may be added.

[0063] This specification also discloses the following technical concepts: changing "the three-dimensional molding apparatus described in claim 1" to "the three-dimensional molding apparatus described in any one of claims 1 to 4" in claim 5 of the original application; changing "the three-dimensional molding apparatus described in claim 1 or 2" to "the three-dimensional molding apparatus described in any one of claims 1 to 7" in claim 8 of the original application; changing "the three-dimensional molding apparatus described in claim 1 or 2" to "the three-dimensional molding apparatus described in any one of claims 1 to 8" in claim 9 of the original application; changing "the three-dimensional molding apparatus described in claim 1 or 2" to "the three-dimensional molding apparatus described in any one of claims 1 to 9" in claim 10 of the original application; and changing "the three-dimensional molding apparatus described in claim 1 or 2" to "the three-dimensional molding apparatus described in any one of claims 1 to 10" in claim 11 of the original application.

[0064] This disclosure is applicable to the technical field of apparatus for manufacturing objects by discharging fluids.

[0065] 10 Molding system, 11 3D molding device, 12 Mounting device, 13 Transport processing unit, 14 Parts supply unit, 15 Feeder, 16 Imaging unit, 17 Mounting unit, 18 Head movement unit, 19 Mounting head, 20 Control device, 21 Molding control unit, 22 Storage unit, 23 Molding job information, 24 Inspection result information, 25 Reference information, 26 Movement unit, 27 Support unit, 28 Support movement unit, 29 Flattening unit, 30 First discharge unit, 32 First discharge head, 32a Nozzle, 32b Nozzle row, 33 First maintenance unit, 34 First curing unit, 35 Second discharge unit, 37 Second discharge head, 37a Nozzle, 37b Nozzle row, 38 Second maintenance unit, 39 Second curing unit, 40 Coating unit, 41 Coating movement unit, 42 Coating head, 43 Dispenser, 44 45 Imaging unit, 46 Pressing unit, 47 Pressing member, 48 Pressing transport unit, 49 Operation panel, 49 Communication unit, 50 Work unit, 51 First gantry, 52 Second gantry, 53 Third gantry, 54 Housing, 57 Coating amount detection unit, 60 Pallet, 61 Molding area, 65 Object, 70 Inspection unit, 71 Inspection area, 72 Mark substrate, 73 Reference mark, 74 Feed unit, 75 Feed roller, 76 Winding roller, 77 Film, 78 Discharged material, 80 Information processing device, B Conductive material, C Cavity, D Feed direction, Db Molding distance, Dm Maximum moldable distance, Ds Prominence distance, E Wiring, F Filler, Fb Molding discharge force, Fm Maximum moldable discharge force, Fs Prominence discharge force, O Molded object, P Part, S Substrate, U underfill.

Claims

1. A three-dimensional molding apparatus for manufacturing a molded object, comprising: a discharge head having a plurality of nozzles for discharging fluid onto an object; an inspection unit having an inspection area for receiving the fluid discharged from the discharge head; and a control unit for discharging the fluid into the inspection area under enhancement conditions different from the molding conditions when discharging the fluid onto the object, thereby performing a nozzle inspection.

2. The three-dimensional molding apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the control unit causes the nozzle inspection to be performed by the enhancement condition, which makes the gap between the nozzle and the inspection area larger than the molding condition.

3. The three-dimensional molding apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the control unit causes the nozzle inspection to be performed with a gap smaller than the limit value of moldable gap between the nozzle and the object under the molding conditions as the highlighting condition.

4. The three-dimensional molding apparatus according to claim 2 or 3, wherein the control unit detects an abnormal nozzle that includes one or more potential abnormalities among the displacement of the fluid from the nozzle and the shape defects of the fluid.

5. The three-dimensional molding apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the control unit causes the nozzle inspection to be performed by the enhancement condition, which is a condition in which the discharge force for discharging the fluid from the nozzle is smaller than that of the molding condition.

6. The three-dimensional molding apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the control unit causes the nozzle inspection to be performed using an ejection force greater than the maximum possible value for ejection force of the fluid ejected from the nozzle under the molding conditions as the enhancement condition.

7. The three-dimensional molding apparatus according to claim 5 or 6, wherein the control unit detects an abnormal nozzle that includes one or more potential abnormalities among non-discharge of the fluid from the nozzle, abnormal discharge amount of the fluid, displacement of the fluid, and shape defects of the fluid.

8. The three-dimensional molding apparatus according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the control unit causes a plurality of nozzle inspections to be performed under a plurality of enhancement conditions different from the molding conditions.

9. The three-dimensional molding apparatus according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the control unit causes the nozzle inspection to be performed according to the molding conditions when manufacturing a first molded object, and causes the nozzle inspection to be performed according to the enhancement conditions when manufacturing a second molded object different from the first molded object.

10. The three-dimensional molding apparatus according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the control unit causes the manufacturing of the molded object to be carried out without using the nozzle from which a nozzle abnormality was detected in the nozzle inspection.

11. The three-dimensional molding apparatus according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the discharge head includes one or more of the following: a structural fluid discharge head for discharging a structural fluid for molding the molded object onto the object, and a conductive fluid discharge head for discharging a conductive fluid for forming a conductive material onto the object.

12. A manufacturing method for manufacturing a molded object using a three-dimensional molding apparatus comprising a discharge head having a plurality of nozzles for discharging a fluid onto an object, and an inspection unit having an inspection area for receiving the fluid discharged from the discharge head, the manufacturing method comprising the step of discharging the fluid into the inspection area under enhancement conditions different from the molding conditions when discharging the fluid onto the object, thereby performing a nozzle inspection.

Images