Abstract: A selective laser sintering method reduces a warping deformation of a three-dimensional shaped object, the warping deformation being due to the scanning of a light beam. The manufacturing method is a method for manufacturing a three-dimensional shaped object by alternate repetition of a powder-layer forming and a solidified-layer forming, wherein a scanning of the light irradiation is divided into light beam-scannings “A” and “B”, the light beam-scanning “A” being for the light irradiation of a peripheral portion corresponding to a periphery of the three-dimensional shaped object, and the light beam-scanning “B” being for the light irradiation of an internal portion corresponding to a region of the three-dimensional shaped object, the region being located inside the periphery. In particular, the peripheral portion is subjected to a discontinuous light beam-irradiation in the light beam-scanning “A” such that an irradiation path of the light beam is divided into a plurality of sub-irradiation paths.

Abstract: There is provided a selective laser sintering method capable of reducing the trouble in chipping or breakage of the machining tool and the like. The manufacturing method according to an embodiment of the present invention is a method for manufacturing a three-dimensional shaped object by repetition of a powder-layer forming and a solidified-layer forming, the repetition including the steps of (i) forming a solidified layer by irradiating a predetermined portion of a powder layer with a light beam, thereby allowing a sintering of the powder in the predetermined portion or a melting and subsequent solidification thereof, and (ii) forming another solidified layer by newly forming a powder layer on the resulting solidified layer, followed by the irradiation of a predetermined portion of the powder layer with the light beam.

Abstract: An apparatus for producing a laminated object, includes a powder layer forming unit for forming a powder layer of a powdery material, a material supply unit for feeding the powdery material to the powder layer forming unit; and a solidified layer forming unit for forming a solidified layer by irradiating a light beam on a specified portion of the powder layer and sintering or melting the specified portion of the powder layer. The apparatus is configured to produce an integrally laminated three-dimensional object by repeating formation of the powder layer and formation of the solidified layer. The material supply unit includes a cartridge unit charged with the powdery material, the cartridge unit being configured to allow the powdery material to drop downwards.

Abstract: There is provided a selective laser sintering method capable of reducing the trouble in chipping or breakage of the machining tool and the like. The manufacturing method according to an embodiment of the present invention is a method for manufacturing a three-dimensional shaped object by repetition of a powder-layer forming and a solidified-layer forming, the repetition including the steps of (i) forming a solidified layer by irradiating a predetermined portion of a powder layer with a light beam, thereby allowing a sintering of the powder in the predetermined portion or a melting and subsequent solidification thereof, and (ii) forming another solidified layer by newly forming a powder layer on the resulting solidified layer, followed by the irradiation of a predetermined portion of the powder layer with the light beam.

Abstract: There is provided a selective laser sintering method capable of reducing the trouble in chipping or breakage of the machining tool and the like. The manufacturing method according to an embodiment of the present invention is a method for manufacturing a three-dimensional shaped object by repetition of a powder-layer forming and a solidified-layer forming, the repetition including the steps of (i) forming a solidified layer by irradiating a predetermined portion of a powder layer with a light beam, thereby allowing a sintering of the powder in the predetermined portion or a melting and subsequent solidification thereof, and (ii) forming another solidified layer by newly forming a powder layer on the resulting solidified layer, followed by the irradiation of a predetermined portion of the powder layer with the light beam.

Abstract: An apparatus for producing a laminated object, includes a powder layer forming unit for forming a powder layer of a powdery material, a material supply unit for feeding the powdery material to the powder layer forming unit; and a solidified layer forming unit for forming a solidified layer by irradiating a light beam on a specified portion of the powder layer and sintering or melting the specified portion of the powder layer. The apparatus is configured to produce an integrally laminated three-dimensional object by repeating formation of the powder layer and formation of the solidified layer. The material supply unit includes a cartridge unit charged with the powdery material, the cartridge unit being configured to allow the powdery material to drop downwards.

Abstract: There is provided a manufacturing method of the three-dimensional shaped object, the method being capable of suitably reducing the local raised portion which can occur during the light beam irradiation under the condition of the divided sub-irradiation paths. The manufacturing method of the present invention is performed by repetition of a powder-layer forming and a solidified-layer forming, wherein an irradiation path of the light beam is divided into a plurality of sub-irradiation paths including a short sub-irradiation path with its length being shorter than a predetermined length and a long sub-irradiation path with its length being the predetermined length or longer, and wherein an irradiation mode of the light beam is changed depending on the lengths of the sub-irradiation paths.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing a three-dimensional shaped object, comprising: (i) forming a powder layer on a base plate by a sliding movement of a squeegee blade, followed by forming a solidified layer by irradiating a predetermined portion of the powder layer with a light beam, thereby allowing sintering of the powder of the predetermined portion or melting and subsequent solidification thereof; and (ii) forming another solidified layer by newly forming a powder layer on the resulting solidified layer, and then irradiating another predetermined portion of the new powder layer with the light beam, steps (i) and (ii) being repeatedly performed, wherein machining is performed at least once on an outer surface of a shaped object precursor obtained during manufacturing, and after machining, at least one solidified layer is formed, and followed by upper face machining to remove a raised solidified portion generated at a peripheral edge of the solidified layer.

Abstract: There is provided a method for manufacturing a three-dimensional shaped object. The method of the present invention comprises the repeated steps of: (i) forming a solidified layer by irradiating a predetermined portion of a powder layer on a base plate with a light beam, thereby allowing a sintering of the powder in the predetermined portion or a melting and subsequent solidification thereof; and (ii) forming another solidified layer by newly forming a powder layer on the resulting solidified layer, followed by the irradiation of a predetermined portion of the powder layer with the light beam; wherein the solidified layers are formed such that they have a high-density portion whose solidified density is 95 to 100% and a low-density portion whose solidified density is 0 to 95% (excluding 95%); and wherein the high-density portion is a portion of the three-dimensional shaped object, to which the force is applied when the three-dimensional shaped object is used.

Abstract: There is provided a method for manufacturing a three-dimensional shaped object, comprising the steps of: (i) forming a solidified layer by irradiating a predetermined portion of a powder layer with a light beam, thereby allowing sintering of the powder of the predetermined portion or melting and subsequent solidification thereof; and (ii) forming another solidified layer by newly forming a powder layer on the resulting solidified layer, and then irradiating another predetermined portion of the new powder layer with the light beam, the steps (i) and (ii) being repeatedly performed, wherein the three-dimensional shaped object is manufactured such that it has three different solidified portions of high-density, intermediate-density and low-density solidified portions in at least a part of the object, and wherein the intermediate-density solidified portion is formed to be located in a part of a surface of the three-dimensional shaped object.

Abstract: An apparatus for making a three-dimensional object includes a table, a powdery layer-former that forms a powdery layer on the table, and an optical beam-irradiator that irradiates an optical beam on a predetermined region of the powdery layer to sinter the predetermined region of the powdery layer. A chamber for accommodating the table and the powdery layer-former and a lid for opening and closing an opening defined in the chamber at a location immediately above an optical beam-irradiating range are provided. The three-dimensional object is taken out from the chamber through the opening upon completion of the sintering, and the optical beam-irradiator is disposed at a position deviated from immediately above the optical beam-irradiating range to obliquely irradiate the optical beam on the powdery layer.

Abstract: There is provided a stacked-layers forming device including a powder layer-forming part for forming a powder layer, an optical device for forming a solidified layer by irradiating a predetermined portion of the powder layer with a light beam and a powder replenishing means for supplying the powder material to above a base on which the powder layer and the solidified layer are stacked or onto an upper surface of a base frame which surrounds the base. The powder replenishing means includes an approximately cylindrical member in which the powder material is charged and a screw member which is installed within the approximately cylindrical member wherein a rotation of the screw member conveys the powder material in the approximately cylindrical member.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing a three-dimensional shaped object wherein the warping of the base plate is suitably addressed. The method of the present invention comprises: (i) forming a solidified layer by irradiating a predetermined portion of a powder layer on a base plate with a light beam, thereby allowing sintering of the powder of the predetermined portion or melting and subsequent solidification thereof; and (ii) forming another solidified layer by newly forming a powder layer on the resulting solidified layer, and then irradiating another predetermined portion of the new powder layer with the light beam, the steps (i) and (ii) being repeatedly performed; wherein, prior to or upon the manufacturing of the three-dimensional shaped object, the base plate is subjected to a heat treatment, thereby causing the base plate to be warped, and at least a lower surface of the warped base plate is subjected to a flattening process.

Abstract: In a method for producing a three-dimensionally shaped object, (i) a solidified layer is formed by irradiating a light beam on a specified portion of a powder layer to sinter or melt the specified portion. Further, (ii) another solidified layer is formed by placing a new powder layer on the solidified layer obtained in step (i), and irradiating the light beam on a specified portion of the new powder layer to sinter or melt the specified portion of the new powder layer. The steps (i) and (ii) are repeated to produce a three-dimensionally shaped object. In the method, a gas is supplied to a mirror used in scanning the light beam.

Abstract: Disclosed is a mold for resin injection molding that can realize rapid heating or cooling. A resin injection molding mold includes a cavity mold and a core mold and is produced on a base plate by metal photofabrication. The cavity mold is provided with a cavity warm water circuit for allowing warm water for heating to flow and a cavity cold water circuit for allowing cold water for cooling to flow. The core mold is also provided with a core warm water circuit and a core cold water circuit. The core mold includes an air blowing passage for feeding warm air or cold air into a resin molding part and a suction passage (36) for sucking a gas within the resin molding part. The resin molding part side of the air blowing passage and the suction passage is formed of a low-density shaping part that has a low metallic powder sintered density and is permeable to gas.

Abstract: An apparatus for making a three-dimensional object includes a table, a powdery layer-former that forms a powdery layer on the table, and an optical beam-irradiator that irradiates an optical beam on a predetermined region of the powdery layer to sinter the predetermined region of the powdery layer. A chamber for accommodating the table and the powdery layer-former and a lid for opening and closing an opening defined in the chamber at a location immediately above an optical beam-irradiating range are provided. The three-dimensional object is taken out from the chamber through the opening upon completion of the sintering, and the optical beam-irradiator is disposed at a position deviated from immediately above the optical beam-irradiating range to obliquely irradiate the optical beam on the powdery layer.

Abstract: A method for producing a three-dimensionally shaped object, includes the steps of: (i) forming a solidified layer by irradiating a light beam on a specified portion of a powder layer placed on a shaping table to sinter or melt the specified portion; (ii) forming another solidified layer by placing a new powder layer on the solidified layer thus obtained, and irradiating the light beam on a specified portion of the new powder layer to sinter or melt the specified portion of the new powder layer; and (iii) repeating the step (ii) to produce a three-dimensionally shaped object. When performing the steps (i) to (iii) within a chamber, at least a part of an ambient gas in the chamber is exhausted from the chamber through a gas passage of a shaping tank.

Abstract: There is provided a method for manufacturing a three-dimensional shaped object. The method of the present invention comprises the repeated steps of: (i) forming a solidified layer by irradiating a predetermined portion of a powder layer with a light beam, thereby allowing a sintering of the powder in the predetermined portion or a melting and subsequent solidification thereof; and (ii) forming another solidified layer by newly forming a powder layer on the resulting solidified layer, followed by the irradiation of a predetermined portion of the powder layer with the light beam; wherein only the surface portion of the solidified layer, to which a force is applied when the three-dimensional shaped object is used, is subjected to a machining process.

Abstract: There is provided a method for manufacturing a three-dimensional shaped object. The method of the present invention comprises the repeated steps of: (i) forming a solidified layer by irradiating a predetermined portion of a powder layer on a base plate with a light beam, thereby allowing a sintering of the powder in the predetermined portion or a melting and subsequent solidification thereof; and (ii) forming another solidified layer by newly forming a powder layer on the resulting solidified layer, followed by the irradiation of a predetermined portion of the powder layer with the light beam; wherein the solidified layers are formed such that they have a high-density portion whose solidified density is 95 to 100% and a low-density portion whose solidified density is 0 to 95% (excluding 95%); and wherein the high-density portion is a portion of the three-dimensional shaped object, to which the force is applied when the three-dimensional shaped object is used.

Abstract: An apparatus for making a three-dimensional object includes a powdery layer-forming unit for forming a powdery layer on a table and an optical beam-irradiating unit for irradiating an optical beam on a predetermined region of the powdery layer to sinter the predetermined region. The optical beam-irradiating unit is disposed at a position spaced from immediately above an optical beam-irradiating range to obliquely irradiate the optical beam on the powdery layer. Because fumes generated by irradiating and heating the powdery layer with the optical beam rise towards a position immediately above them, the optical beam is irradiated from the position spaced from immediately above the optical beam-irradiating range, thereby reducing a cloud of the optical beam-irradiating unit that may be caused by the fumes.