JP6858658B2 - Manufacturing equipment and manufacturing method for laminated model - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a three-dimensional addition molding technique by a powder bed melting method, and relates to a manufacturing apparatus and a manufacturing method for a laminated model obtained by irradiating a powder material with a light beam.

In the powder bed fusion (PBF) method using the directed energy method (SLM: Selective Laser Melting) for three-dimensional metal molding, the heat generated during molding is determined.
A method of dissipating heat to a metal plate called a base plate through a modeled product has been conventionally known.

In this method, a powder layer in which an inorganic or organic powder material is uniformly deposited is irradiated with directed energy such as a laser or an electron beam to selectively melt and solidify the directed energy irradiation area of the powder. Alternatively, it is a process of forming a three-dimensional structure based on a powder material by repeating the process of sintering, further depositing a powder layer, and irradiating with directed energy. The directed-energy irradiation process in this process is a thermal process that melts and solidifies the powder, and naturally a heat flow of heat input by the directed energy and heat dissipation toward the base plate is generated.

According to the prior art documents, the modeling plate is cooled by a predetermined cooling means, and the modeling plate is provided by providing a pipe through which a cooling medium flows on an elevating table in contact with the modeling plate and installing a cooler on the outside. (See, for example, Patent Document 1).

WO2008 / 143106

In the known metal three-dimensional modeling apparatus and the prior art documents, the heat of the model formed on the base plate is cooled by being dissipated to the surroundings through the base plate and unmelted powder.
However, since the amount of heat that the powder melts instantly is added and the next layers are stacked to form a similar molten pool before the heat dissipation is completed, the modeled body tends to store heat, depending on the conditions at the time of modeling. Causes warpage deformation due to the temperature difference inside the model, part of the surface that comes into contact with unmelted powder is oxidized, and uneven cooling temperature gradient occurs, resulting in microporosity (microporosity, vacancies, defects). If it is included, defects in molding quality will occur.

Further, in the configuration shown in Patent Document 1, the direction of heat conduction in cooling is constant toward the base plate (direction from the modeled product to the base plate), so that when the modeled product is metal, the crystal structure is anisotropic. Properties occur, and anisotropy of mechanical strength occurs depending on the stacking direction of the modeled body.

In addition, since the cooling surface of the modeled body is only the contact surface of the modeled plate, heat input at a position away from the modeled plate in the later stage of modeling dissipates heat slowly, and the modeled body can be taken out after the modeling is completed. It takes a long time to cool down to the temperature, which causes a decrease in the operating rate of the device.

The apparatus for manufacturing a laminated model of the present invention
It is a manufacturing apparatus for a laminated model, which is formed by laminating and modeling a molten bond formed in a planar shape by selectively melt-bonding powders of a powder aggregate.
A modeling chamber for modeling the laminated model, and
A modeling plate installed below the modeling chamber for joining and fixing the laminated model,
A lift plate that is arranged below the modeling plate and raises and lowers the modeling plate, and a powder feeder for supplying the powder into the modeling chamber.
A recoat unit that receives the powder from this powder feeder and forms a powder layer on the modeling plate.
A laser oscillator that excites a laser beam that serves as a heat source for melting the powder in the powder layer,
A galvano mirror installed above the modeling chamber and scanning the laser beam,
Parallel to the laminated layer of the molten bond, at the same height position as any one of the layers in which the melt-bond is laminated , the melt-bond is individually movable by an actuator while being in contact with the melt-bond. A temperature sensor is incorporated in the tip portion thereof, and the outer surface is provided with the laminated body or a cooling body having a temperature lower than that of the powder.
The powder in the powder layer formed by the recoat unit is melted by scanning the laser beam with the galvano mirror, and the modeling plate is moved at a constant pitch by the lift plate to form the molten bond. While forming, the laminated model formed by melting the powder in the powder layer is cooled by the cooling body at the height position of the layer of the uppermost melt-bonded body in which the laminated model is laminated. It is characterized by.

In order to change the direction of heat conduction to the laminated model in a direction other than the normal direction of the contact surface with the laminated model of the modeling plate holding the laminated model, the cooling body is used with respect to the laminated model. By arranging the cooling body (make a new configuration) so that the direction of the heat flow is perpendicular to the normal of the contact surface with the laminated model, the temperature distribution in the vicinity of the laminated model can be obtained. By controlling and providing the main heat conduction direction in a direction other than the normal direction of the base plate contact surface, the crystal structure of the metal laminated model is more randomized than before, and mechanical strength anisotropy is suppressed. , It becomes possible to cool efficiently. In addition, it is possible to shorten the cooling time of the laminated model after the completion of modeling and improve the operating rate of the manufacturing device for the laminated model.

It is a figure for demonstrating the state of the modeled body at the start of modeling in the metal three-dimensional modeled body manufacturing apparatus which concerns on Embodiment 1 of this invention. It is a figure which shows an example for demonstrating the state of the shaped body in the process of molding in the metal three-dimensional shaped body manufacturing apparatus which concerns on Embodiment 1 of this invention. It is a figure which shows another example for demonstrating the state of the shaped body in the process of molding in the metal 3D shaped body manufacturing apparatus which concerns on Embodiment 1 of this invention. It is a figure which shows an example of the analysis result of the temperature distribution of the modeled body at the time of cooling by using the horizontal cooling rod in the metal 3D modeled body manufacturing apparatus which concerns on Embodiment 1 of this invention. It is a figure which shows another example for demonstrating the state of the shaped body in the process of molding in the metal 3D shaped body manufacturing apparatus which concerns on Embodiment 1 of this invention. It is a flowchart which shows the modeling process of the modeled body by the metal 3D model body manufacturing apparatus which concerns on Embodiment 1 of this invention. It is a schematic model drawing which attached the modeling support to the modeling body in the metal three-dimensional modeling body manufacturing apparatus which concerns on Embodiment 1 of this invention. It is a figure for demonstrating the state which attached the modeling support to the modeling body, and set the invasion area of a cooling rod in the metal three-dimensional modeling body manufacturing apparatus which concerns on Embodiment 1 of this invention. It is a figure for demonstrating the state in the process of modeling of the modeled article by the metal 3D model body manufacturing apparatus which concerns on Embodiment 2 of this invention. It is a figure for demonstrating the modeling completion state of the modeled article by the metal 3D model body manufacturing apparatus which concerns on Embodiment 2 of this invention. It is a figure for demonstrating the taking-out state of the modeled article by the metal three-dimensional modeled body manufacturing apparatus which concerns on Embodiment 2 of this invention. It is a bird's-eye view of the horizontal cooling rod and the vertical cooling rod extended state in a modeling chamber. It is a figure for demonstrating the support substitution state by the vertical cooling rod of the metal three-dimensional model manufacturing apparatus which concerns on Embodiment 4 of this invention. It is a bird's-eye view of the support substitute state by the vertical cooling rod of the metal three-dimensional model manufacturing apparatus which concerns on Embodiment 4 of this invention. It is a figure for demonstrating the state which partially replaced the support by the vertical cooling rod of the metal 3D model manufacturing apparatus which concerns on Embodiment 4 of this invention.

Embodiment 1.
The manufacturing method and manufacturing apparatus of the three-dimensional model according to the embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 shows a main configuration of a metal three-dimensional model manufacturing apparatus used in manufacturing a three-dimensional model according to the first embodiment of the present invention. In addition, since FIG. 1 describes only the parts of the main components according to the present invention, it is a schematic diagram in which detailed parts are omitted.

This device is collectively referred to as a metal three-dimensional laminated model 22 (when including those made of other materials, it is simply referred to as a three-dimensional laminated model, and these are simply referred to as a metal laminated model or a laminated model. A modeling chamber 11 for forming (in some cases), a modeling plate 12 for joining and fixing a metal three-dimensional laminated model 22, and a powder feeder 13 for supplying an appropriate amount of metal powder into the modeling chamber 11. A recoat unit 14 that receives powder from a powder feeder and forms a powder layer (hereinafter, also referred to as a powder layer) having a thickness of 0.02 mm to 0.1 mm on the modeling plate 12, and a heat source for melting the powder layer. A laser oscillator 15 for exciting the laser beam and an optical path 17 for transmitting the laser beam from the laser oscillator 15 to the galvano mirror 16 on the upper part of the modeling chamber 11 are provided, and the laser light scanned by the galvano mirror is combined with the condenser lens 18. It passes through the protective lens 19 and melts the metal powder in the powder layer.

In FIG. 2, a lift plate 21 for raising and lowering the modeling plate 12 is provided below the modeling plate, and one or a plurality of horizontal cooling rods 23 are provided below the modeling chamber 11 for the purpose of cooling the metal three-dimensional laminated model 22. One or a plurality of vertical cooling rods 24 and an actuator 26 for individually moving the horizontal cooling rods 23 and the vertical cooling rods 24 are provided. Further, a temperature sensor such as a thermocouple is incorporated in the tip portion of these two types of horizontal cooling rod 23 and vertical cooling rod 24, and the temperature information detected by the temperature sensor is a temperature (not shown) provided in the cooling device. It is sent to the controller and the temperature of the detection point is controlled to a desired value.
It should be noted that there is an unmelted powder deposit 25 around the metal three-dimensional laminated model 22.

From the state before modeling in FIG. 1, modeling is continued according to the flow chart of the modeling process of the metal three-dimensional laminated model shown in FIG. 6, and the state in the middle of modeling the metal three-dimensional laminated model shown in FIGS. 2 and 9, FIG. After the state of completion of modeling of the metal three-dimensional laminated model shown in (1) (until this state, the unmelted powder deposit 25 remains), as shown in FIG. 11, the lift plate 21 is finally used. The metal three-dimensional laminated model 22 is moved into the model chamber 11, and after further removing unmelted powder deposits (not shown), the metal three-dimensional laminated model 22 is taken out together with the model plate 12.

Hereinafter, a detailed modeling process for the metal three-dimensional laminated model 22 will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG. 6 and the figures related to the individual processes shown in the modeling process.
The process enclosed by the symbol A in parentheses on the right side of FIG. 6 is a CAD / CAM operation process, and this process is not a modeling operation of the modeling apparatus according to the present invention but a preparatory operation. This step is described because it relates to the operation of the vertical cooling rod 24. Further, the steps enclosed by the symbols B in the right parentheses in FIG. 6 are steps _{indicating work in an atmosphere of an inert gas in a broad sense such as Ar, N 2} gas, etc., and form the above-mentioned metal three-dimensional laminated model. It is a process to do.

First, the process enclosed by the symbol A in FIG. 6 will be described.
About the 3D CAD model for modeling the metal 3D laminated model 22, the data about the holder of the metal 3D laminated model 22 generally called the support 41, which is not in the data of the normal 3D CAD model. Is given. The support 41 is usually arranged between the modeling plate 12 and the metal three-dimensional laminated model 22 (see FIG. 7). The support 41 connects the metal three-dimensional laminated model 22 and the modeling plate 12 to prevent the metal three-dimensional laminated model 22 from being deformed by a thermal change during the modeling process.

After adding the shape data of the support (hereinafter referred to as the support data) on the three-dimensional CAD data, as shown in FIG. 8, the intrusion prohibition area (horizontal cooling rod 23) of the above-mentioned horizontal cooling rod 23 and the vertical cooling rod 24 is provided. And the area where the vertical cooling rod 24 is not arranged) are set as the area C surrounded by the broken lines (indicated by the two rectangular parallelepipeds above and below).
Here, the three-dimensional CAD data and the support data are slice data divided into a large number of layers parallel to the surface of the modeling plate 12 in units of layers having the same thickness as the powder layer, which is the stacking pitch at the time of modeling. Created.

Next, the environmental conditions at the time of modeling and the irradiation conditions of the laser beam which is a heat source are set, and the slice data is output. By the way, in general, data processing for dividing into a large number of layers is performed by (CAD software) except for data such as arrangement of the metal three-dimensional laminated model 22, presence / absence of support, environmental conditions and laser light irradiation conditions. It is automatically executed on the CAM software side (not).

Next, the modeling process in the metal three-dimensional laminated modeling apparatus related to the process enclosed in parentheses B on the lower right side of FIG. 6 will be described below.
The above-mentioned slice data is taken into a metal three-dimensional laminated modeling apparatus, and modeling is started. Before scanning the laser beam according to the slice data of the first layer, the recoat unit 14 moves left and right to form the powder layer on the modeling plate (see step S105).

At the time of forming the powder layer, the upper surface of the modeling plate 12 is installed at a position on the lower side of the recoat unit 14 at a distance of about 0.02 mm to 0.1 mm from the lower surface of the recoat unit 14. Is formed to have a uniform thickness with respect to the upper surface of this modeling plate.

When the powder layer is irradiated with laser light based on the slice data of the first layer, the powder in the portion exposed to the laser light is selectively melted and solidified, so that the metal three-dimensional laminated model of the first layer is formed. 22 is formed (see step S106).

Next, in response to the lowering operation of the lift plate 21, the modeling plate 12 is lowered by one powder layer, and the recoat unit 14 moves in the left-right direction in the drawing to form the second powder layer, and the second layer is formed. Irradiate the laser beam based on the slice data of the layer (see step S107). Hereinafter, in the same manner, this operation (the operation of forming the powder layer and irradiating the laser beam based on the slice data) is sequentially repeated. In other words, the Nth layer for N with N ≧ 2 with N as a natural number. By sequentially repeating the series of operations of the above-mentioned selective melt solidification of the powder layer formed by the lowering of the modeling plate 12 and the movement of the recoat unit 14 in the left-right direction and the powder layer by laser light irradiation, the purpose is achieved. The metal three-dimensional laminated model 22 is formed.

Subsequently, the operation of the horizontal cooling rod 23 and the vertical cooling rod 24 will be described. The horizontal cooling rod 23 and the vertical cooling rod 24 are arranged around the portion where the metal three-dimensional laminated model 22 is formed, but as the modeling progresses, the modeling plate 12 is the most of the horizontal cooling rods 23. It reaches a position lower than the horizontal cooling rod 23a arranged in the upper stage. At that time, since the branch of "stacking of cooling rods of No. _{NL (here, N L} : maximum N)" (see step S108) in the flowchart of FIG. 6 is on the YES side, the horizontal cooling rod 23a is described above. Move (horizontally) to the vicinity of the no-entry area.

As shown in FIG. 12, a large number of horizontal cooling rods 23 are arranged in the depth direction (direction of arrow E in the drawing), and all of the uppermost horizontal cooling rods 23a move to the vicinity of the intrusion prohibition area. As shown in the flowchart of FIG. 6, the horizontal cooling rod 23 moves in sequence with the horizontal cooling rod 23b and the horizontal cooling rod 23c as described above as the horizontal cooling rod 23 is repeatedly modeled until it reaches the final layer in the slice data. Repeat the operation.

These horizontal cooling rods 23a, 23b, 23c, ..., 23m (m indicates the maximum number of installed horizontal cooling rods. For example, FIG. 12 shows the case where the horizontal cooling rods when m is 3 are used. ) Is a mechanism that is connected to the cooling device including the temperature controller, which is described in each device configuration diagram, and positively exhausts the heat input received from the laser beam during modeling to the cooling medium flowing inside. There is. The horizontal cooling rod 23 is for causing heat transfer from the metal three-dimensional laminated model 22 to the cooling rod by, for example, arranging a water pipe inside the horizontal cooling rod 23 and allowing water as a cooling medium to flow.
Not limited to this example, the horizontal cooling rod 23 itself has a Peltier element built in, and heat is absorbed from the metal three-dimensional laminated model 22 and the powder deposit 25 to cool the metal three-dimensional laminated model 22. May be good.

Incidentally, the operation of the vertical cooling rod 24 is not limited to this, and each vertical cooling rod 24 located outside the above-mentioned intrusion prohibition area C moves upward in accordance with the amount of descent of the modeling plate 12 after modeling of each layer. , Continue moving upwards until the final layer is finished.

After the molding of the final layer is completed and the temperature of the modeled body drops to near room temperature due to the cooling effect of each horizontal cooling rod 23 and the vertical cooling rod 24, as shown in FIG. The vertical cooling rod 24 is moved to the outside of the modeling area (rectangular area D surrounded by a broken line in the figure) of the metal three-dimensional laminated model.

Subsequently, after the modeling plate 12 and the lift plate 21 have risen to the height at the initial stage of modeling of the metal three-dimensional laminated model, the powder deposit 25 around the metal three-dimensional laminated model 22 is removed for modeling. By separating the plate 12 and the lift plate 21, the metal three-dimensional laminated model 22 is taken out from the model chamber 11 together with the model 12 (see step S112 in FIG. 6).

The molding plate 12 integrated with the taken out metal three-dimensional laminated molding is separated by a means such as wire cutting or wire saw, and the support 41 forming a part of the metal three-dimensional laminated molding 22 is provided. For example, a metal three-dimensional laminated model 22 having the same shape as the original data of the three-dimensional CAD is formed from the metal three-dimensional laminated model that is removed by processing by a milling device or a machining center processing device.

In the above description, it has been described that the vertical cooling rod is included as a component in addition to the horizontal cooling rod, but the present invention is not limited to this, and the same effect can be obtained even if only the horizontal cooling rod is included as a component (for example). , See FIG. 3).

Here, when only the horizontal cooling rod is included as a component, an example of the result of analyzing the temperature distribution by the simulation model will be described with reference to FIG. 4 regarding the effect of the presence or absence of the horizontal cooling rod.
FIG. 4A is a comparative example shown for comparison with the embodiment in the present embodiment shown in FIG. 4B, and is an example of the temperature distribution when heat is radiated directly to the conventional modeling plate. It is a figure showing the temperature distribution immediately after scanning (a few seconds after scanning) of the laser beam to the portion indicated by reference numeral GA1. In this comparative example, the state after scanning the laser beam on the upper surface of the modeled body is shown (see reference numerals GA1 to GA6). In the figure (a1) on the left side of FIG. 4 (a), the temperature distribution is displayed with different concentrations, and in the figure (a2) on the right side of FIG. 4 (a), this temperature distribution is shown as an isothermal line (white line in the figure). ) Is used.
In FIG. 4A, the portion indicated by reference numeral GA1 is a molten region, which is about 1500 ° C. for, for example, a stainless alloy. At the locations indicated by the reference numerals GA2 to GA5, the temperature decreases in the order of the symbols from the reference numerals GA2 to GA5, and at the locations indicated by the reference numerals GA5, the temperature decreases to the temperature of the modeling plate portion (the temperature of the portion indicated by the reference numeral GA6). doing. In the above, the temperatures of GA1 to GA6 are as follows. GA1: 1900 ° C, GA2: 1500 ° C, GA3: 800 ° C, GA4: 250 ° C, GA5: 150-160 ° C, GA6: 150 ° C.

FIG. 4B shows the temperature when heat is dissipated to both the horizontal cooling rods (in this figure, five sets of horizontal cooling rods are used on the left and right) and the modeling plate using the apparatus configuration described in the present embodiment. An example of the distribution is shown. In the figure (b1) on the left side of FIG. 4 (b), the temperature distribution is displayed with different concentrations, and in the figure (b2) on the right side of FIG. 4 (b), this temperature distribution is shown as an isothermal line (white line in the figure). ) Is used.
In the case of the apparatus configuration described in the present embodiment, the temperature distribution immediately after scanning the laser beam at the location indicated by reference numeral GB1 (at a few seconds after scanning) is almost the same as in the case of the conventional method, but other At the locations (locations indicated by reference numerals GB2 to GB6), since the horizontal cooling rod 23 is in contact with the side surface of the modeled body, the temperature of the contacted portion is lowered, and the modeled body is as shown in FIG. 4 (b). It becomes a temperature distribution (see the locations indicated by the symbols GB2 to GB6). In the above, the temperatures of GB1 to GB6 are as follows. GB1: 1700 ° C., GB2: 1300 ° C., GB3: 750 ° C., GB4: 260 ° C., GB5: 120-130 ° C., GB6: 140-150 ° C.

From the above results, the temperature distribution is clearly different between the conventional method and the apparatus configuration described in the present embodiment, and the cooling effect of the horizontal cooling rod (which enables more efficient cooling than the conventional method) is clear.

Further, in the above description, the horizontal cooling rod has been described on the premise that it is configured to be movable by an actuator, but the present invention is not limited to this, and the installed height position is the metal three-dimensional laminated model 22. If it is arranged so as to be within the range of the height position of the side surface, it is not movable in the horizontal direction, and even if the installation position is fixed, the same cooling effect can be obtained (Fig.). 5).
Further, in the above description, a rod-shaped cooling body is referred to as a horizontal cooling rod or a vertical cooling rod, but the description is not limited to this, and the horizontal cooling rod or the vertical cooling rod is a plate-shaped cooling body. Even if it has the same effect. In other words, the horizontal cooling rod can be called a horizontal cooling body including the case where the shape is plate-shaped, and the vertical cooling rod can also be called a vertical cooling body including the case where the shape is plate-shaped. And both of these can be collectively called a cooling body.

Embodiment 2.
In the slice data in the first embodiment, since the surface of the metal three-dimensional laminated model 22 and the intrusion prohibition area form the same surface, each horizontal cooling rod 23 substantially contacts the metal three-dimensional laminated model 22. doing.

In FIGS. 9, 10, 11, and 12, which are examples of the present embodiment, the horizontal cooling rod 23 is not in contact with the metal three-dimensional laminated model 22. That is, in the present embodiment, since the powder deposit 25 exists between the horizontal cooling rod 23 and the metal three-dimensional laminated model 22, contact thermal resistance is generated between the powder deposits 25. Therefore, although the value of the cooling efficiency is slightly smaller than that of the first embodiment, the cooling effect of the horizontal cooling rod 23 and the vertical cooling rod 24 according to the present invention is compared with the heat radiation through the conventional modeling plate. And the value of cooling efficiency is increasing.

However, in the heat dissipation path in this case, since the portion occupied by the powder deposit 25 has the worst heat conduction, as much as possible between the surface of the metal three-dimensional laminated model and between each horizontal cooling rod 23 and the vertical cooling rod 24. It is desirable to set it to a small size.

Embodiment 3.
In the third embodiment, the temperature gradient at the time of cooling of the metal three-dimensional laminated model 22 is also taken in a direction parallel to the surface of the model plate 12 (horizontal direction). Thereby, the growth of the crystal grains of the metal structure of the metal three-dimensional laminated model 22 in which the cooling time after the completion of modeling of the metal three-dimensional laminated model 22 is shortened can be randomly performed (for this effect, the above-described first embodiment 1). In addition to the above-mentioned effects (described in the second embodiment), effects other than the above-mentioned effects are exhibited.

In the third embodiment, even when the horizontal cooling rod 23 is in contact with the metal three-dimensional laminated model 22, the same effect as in the case where the horizontal cooling rod 23 is not in contact with the metal three-dimensional laminated model 22 can be obtained. Since the horizontal cooling rod 23 and the vertical cooling rod 24 are set so that the powder deposit can be pushed away and moved, the pushed powder deposit is discharged to the movable area of the recoat unit 14.

As a result, when the recoat unit 14 moves each layer in the horizontal direction in the left-right direction of the figure, the powder can be reused, so that the amount of metal powder brought into the modeling chamber 11 can be reduced accordingly. This leads to a reduction in the manufacturing price by reducing the need to have the metal powder as a stock because the metal powder for three-dimensional metal modeling is generally expensive.

Embodiment 4.
The present embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. 13, 14, and 15. FIG. 13 shows that with respect to the vertical cooling rod 24 used in the first to third embodiments of the present invention, a metal member 101 made of the same material as the metal three-dimensional laminated model 22 to be modeled is attached to the tip of the vertical cooling rod 24. , The state where it is attached by a removable method such as a screw is shown. By setting in this way, it is possible to model the metal three-dimensional laminated model 22, which has conventionally required a support, with almost no support.

This situation is as follows. That is, as shown in FIG. 13, when the metal three-dimensional laminated model 22 has an undercut portion (see the portion surrounded by the dotted line F in the figure), the metal three-dimensional laminated model is modeled. As shown in FIG. 14A, it is necessary to arrange many supports 111 in the modeling area. At this time, in order to replace the support 111 that had to be arranged in the modeling area, as shown in FIG. 14B, the metal in which the metal member 101 is integrated with the vertical cooling rod 24 according to the progress of modeling. By adjusting the length of the member 101, the use of the support 111 can be avoided. This has the effect of simplifying the support removal process after the molding is completed.

Conventionally, after the metal three-dimensional laminated model 22 is separated from the modeling plate 12 by wire cut discharge processing or a wire saw, the residue of the support 111 and the support 111 remaining on the metal three-dimensional laminated model 22 is milled or a machining center. It was removed by cutting with a machining machine such as processing, but as described above, by replacing the support 111 with the metal member 101, the work of separating the metal three-dimensional laminated model 22 and the model plate 12 is vertically cooled. Since it can be completed by removing the screw or the like connecting the rod 24 and the metal member 101, the effect of shortening the time for the disconnection work is produced.

It also has the effect of shortening the laser light scanning time of each layer spent on forming the support 111 and reducing the amount of metal powder used on forming the support 111.

When there is no undercut portion directly above the metal member 101 integrated with the vertical cooling rod 24, as shown in FIG. 15, the undercut portion is expanded from the metal member 101 integrated with the vertical cooling rod 24. Modeling is possible by forming a minimum support 121 that supports the entire surface of the portion.

In this case as well, the volume of the metal member 101 integrated with the vertical cooling rod 24 and the vertical cooling rod 24 does not require the formation of a support, so that the amount of metal powder used can be reduced and the scanning time of the laser beam can be reduced. This is shortened, and there is an effect that the modeling time required for modeling the metal three-dimensional laminated model 22 can be shortened.

Further, when the conventional support is used, the undercut portion in the modeling plate 12 and the metal three-dimensional laminated model 22 as shown in FIG. 13 (see the portion of the symbol F surrounded by the dotted line in the figure). When they are far apart (in this figure, the case where they are separated in the vertical direction), even if the support is formed, the length of the support (the size in the vertical direction) and the metal three-dimensional laminated model 22 Since the heat dissipation path of the model becomes long and the thermal resistance increases, there is a possibility that defects in modeling quality such as overheating and oxidation of the modeled body due to insufficient heat dissipation often occur. In addition, thermal strain may occur inside the metal three-dimensional laminated model 22 during modeling, and a part of the model may be deformed and come into contact with the recoat unit 14 to damage the recoat unit 14. ..

In the present embodiment, after replacing the metal member 101 connected to the vertical cooling rod 24 with, for example, a metal having good thermal conductivity, spraying or PVD (physical vapor deposition, that is, physical vapor deposition) is performed only on the shaped surface of the metal member 101. By forming a metal of the same type as the metal three-dimensional laminated model 22 by processing, or by joining by brazing, the cooling efficiency to the vertical cooling rod 24 via the metal member 101 is improved. This has the effect of suppressing the occurrence of the above-mentioned poor molding quality and preventing accidents during molding.

In the present invention, each embodiment can be freely combined, and each embodiment can be appropriately modified or omitted within the scope of the invention. For example, in the present invention, a device or a method for directly modeling a metal three-dimensional laminated model without using a metal part on the model plate has been described, but the present invention is not limited to this, and the metal parts installed on the model plate in advance are not limited to this. The same can be applied to a device or method for additionally modeling a metal three-dimensional laminated model for a part.

Further, as a modeling method, a method of melting unmelted powder deposits with laser light or the like has been described, but the present invention is not limited to this, and unsintered powder deposits may be sintered with laser light or an electron beam or the like. Is also applicable. Further, the powder material used for modeling has been described by taking metal as an example, but the powder material is not limited to this, and can be similarly applied to powders such as resins having good thermal conductivity.

11 modeling chamber, 12 modeling plate, 13 powder feeder, 14 recoat unit, 15 laser oscillator, 16 galvanometer mirror, 17 optical path, 18 condenser lens, 19
Protective lens, 21 lift plate, 22 metal 3D laminated body, 23 horizontal cooling rod, 24 vertical cooling rod, 25 powder deposit, 26 actuator, 41, 111 support, 101 metal member, 121 minimum support

Claims (8)

It is a manufacturing apparatus for a laminated model, which is formed by laminating and modeling a molten bond formed in a planar shape by selectively melt-bonding powders of a powder aggregate.
A modeling chamber for modeling the laminated model, and
A modeling plate installed below the modeling chamber for joining and fixing the laminated model,
A lift plate that is arranged below the modeling plate and raises and lowers the modeling plate, and a powder feeder for supplying the powder into the modeling chamber.
A recoat unit that receives the powder from this powder feeder and forms a powder layer on the modeling plate.
A laser oscillator that excites a laser beam that serves as a heat source for melting the powder in the powder layer,
A galvano mirror installed above the modeling chamber and scanning the laser beam,
Parallel to the laminated layer of the molten bond, at the same height position as any one of the layers in which the melt-bond is laminated , the melt-bond is individually movable by an actuator while being in contact with the melt-bond. A temperature sensor is incorporated in the tip portion, and the outer surface of the laminated body or a cooling body having a temperature lower than that of the powder is formed.
With
The powder in the powder layer formed by the recoat unit is melted by scanning the laser beam with the galvano mirror, and the modeling plate is moved at a constant pitch by the lift plate to form the molten bond. While forming, the laminated model formed by melting the powder in the powder layer is cooled by the cooling body at the height position of the layer of the uppermost melt-bonded body in which the laminated model is laminated. A manufacturing device for a laminated body, which is characterized by. The pre Kia actuator, and wherein the move to the vicinity of the melt has been shaped by a laminate shaping body, cooling the residual powder remaining without being molded by the laminated shaped bodies or melted are melted The apparatus for manufacturing a laminated model according to claim 1. One or more vertical cooling bodies movably installed in a direction orthogonal to the laminated surface of the molten coupling body for cooling the molten shaped body or the residual powder, and the vertical cooling body. With an actuator for moving, further equipped,
The laminated molding according to claim 2, wherein the vertical cooling body is moved to the vicinity of the laminated molding formed by melting and the molten shaped body or the residual powder is cooled. Body manufacturing equipment. When the laminated model has an undercut portion,
The apparatus for manufacturing a laminated model according to claim 3, wherein a removable metal member of the same type as the laminated model is attached to the tip of the vertical cooling body. It is a method for manufacturing a laminated model in which the powder of a powder aggregate is selectively melt-bonded and the melt-bonded bodies formed in a planar shape are laminated to form a model.
A modeling chamber for modeling the laminated model, and
A modeling plate installed below the modeling chamber for joining and fixing the laminated model,
A lift plate that is arranged below the modeling plate and raises and lowers the modeling plate, and a powder feeder for supplying the powder into the modeling chamber.
A recoat unit that receives the powder from this powder feeder and forms a powder layer on the modeling plate.
A laser oscillator that excites a laser beam that serves as a heat source for melting the powder in the powder layer,
A galvano mirror installed above the modeling chamber and scanning the laser beam,
Parallel to the laminated layer of the molten bond, at the same height position as any one of the layers in which the melt-bond is laminated , the melt-bond is individually movable by an actuator while being in contact with the melt-bond. A temperature sensor is incorporated in the tip portion, and the outer surface of the laminated body or a cooling body having a temperature lower than that of the powder is formed.
Using the manufacturing equipment of the laminated model equipped with
While forming a powder layer from the powder and melting the powder in the formed powder layer to form a laminated model,
It is characterized in that the laminated model formed by melting the powder in the powder layer is cooled by the cooling body at the height position of the layer of the uppermost melt-bonded body in which the laminated model is laminated. A method for manufacturing a laminated model. Before Symbol the powder by moving the cooling body in the vicinity of has been shaped by a laminate shaping body melted by an actuator, cooling the residual powder remaining without being molded by the laminated shaped bodies or melted are melted The method for manufacturing a laminated model according to claim 5. The laminated model manufacturing apparatus includes a plurality of the actuators.
The cooling body is moved in a direction orthogonal to the laminated surface of the molten coupling by the second actuator and the horizontal cooling body which is movably installed in parallel with the laminated surface of the molten coupling by the first actuator. The method for manufacturing a laminated model according to claim 6, further comprising a vertically installed vertical cooling body. The laminated model has an undercut portion and has an undercut portion.
A feature is that a removable metal member of the same type as the laminated model is attached to the tip of the vertical cooling body, and the length of the metal member is set so as to be adjustable according to the progress of modeling of the laminated model. The method for manufacturing a laminated model according to claim 7.

Images