Enhanced digital light processing-based mask projection stereolithography method and apparatus

• US 10,639,843 B2
• Filed: 08/01/2017
• Issued: 05/05/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 12/30/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Han's Laser Technology Industry Group Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Han's Laser Technology Industry Group Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: Yuan, Jian, Li, Xilu, Qi, Yangting, Yang, Hao, Gao, Yunfeng
• Primary Examiner(s): Gambetta, Kelly M
• Application Number:
  US15/666,527
• Publication Number:
  US 20170326786A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,008 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 2035/0838 using laser
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 35/0805 using electromagnetic radiation
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 64/129 characterised by the energy source therefor, e.g. by global irradiation combined with a mask
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 64/135 the energy source being concentrated, e.g. scanning lasers or focused light sources
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 64/268 using laser beams; using electron beams [EB]
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 64/393 for controlling or regulating additive manufacturing processes
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2105/0058 Liquid or visquous
• CPC Class Codes: B33Y 10/00 Processes of additive manufacturing
• CPC Class Codes: B33Y 30/00 Apparatus for additive manufacturing; Details thereof or accessories therefor
• CPC Class Codes: B33Y 50/02 for controlling or regulating additive manufacturing processes

Abstract

An enhanced digital light processing-based mask projection stereolithography method and apparatus are disclosed, where the apparatus comprises: a control platform capable of slicing a model of a to-be-prototyped object into layers, converting the layer into a bitmap, and further dividing the layer into a main body area and boundary filling areas; a digital light processing unit that is controlled by the control platform and capable of emitting a first light beam used for the corresponding main body area of the layer of the to-be-prototyped object; and a laser marking unit that is controlled by the control platform and capable of emitting a second light beam used for the corresponding boundary filling areas of the layer of the to-be-prototyped object. The present invention can not only implement high-speed prototyping but also avoid an edge distortion, thereby improving precision of object prototyping.

Claims

1. An enhanced digital light processing-based mask projection stereolithography method, wherein comprising the following steps:

slicing a model of a to-be-prototyped object into layers, converting a layer into a bitmap, and further dividing the layer into a main body area and boundary filling areas;

prototyping, by using a digital light processing unit, the corresponding main body area of the layer of the to-be-prototyped object; and

prototyping by using a laser marking unit, the corresponding boundary filling areas of the layer of the to-be-prototyped object;

wherein the steps of slicing the model of the to-be-prototyped object into layers, converting the layer into the bitmap, and further dividing the layer into the main body area and boundary filling areas comprises;

performing lamination and slicing processing on a three-dimensional model of the to-be-prototyped object to obtain a series of vector sections composed of closed loops;

mapping the vector sections to an image area of a corresponding resolution of the digital light processing unit,

converting pixels located inside the closed loops into the bitmap, where the bitmap is defined as the main body area;

recording coordinates of a pixel intersecting with a boundary of the closed loops and intersecting points between the pixel and the boundary of the closed loops;

obtaining pixel parts inside the closed loops of a pixel according to the coordinates and the intersecting points, where each of the pixel parts is less than a size of one pixel, and the pixel parts are defined as the boundary filling areas;

the boundary filling areas are remaining in a vector diagram form.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein prototyping the main body area by the digital light processing unit and prototyping the boundary filling areas by the laser marking unit are performed simultaneously.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the prototyping the corresponding boundary filling areas of the layer of the to-be-prototyped object by the laser marking unit comprises:

scanning filling lines inside the boundary filling areas and scanning contours of the boundary filling areas.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein when a projection resolution of the digital light processing unit makes a corresponding size of the pixel smaller than a spot of the second light beam emitted by the laser marking unit, the prototyping of the corresponding boundary filling areas of the layer of the to-be-prototyped object by the laser marking unit merely refers to scanning contours of the boundary filling areas.