Manufacturing method of three-dimensionally shaped object

• US 8,163,224 B2
• Filed: 10/23/2008
• Issued: 04/24/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 10/26/2007
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Panasonic Corporation (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Panasonic Corporation (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Higashi, Yoshikazu, Abe, Satoshi
• Primary Examiner(s): Johnson, Christina
• Assistant Examiner(s): SCHIFFMAN, BENJAMIN A
• Application Number:
  US12/440,675
• Publication Number:
  US 20100176539A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,279 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 264/406
• CPC Class Codes: B22F 10/28 Powder bed fusion, e.g. selective laser melting [SLM] or electron beam melting [EBM]
• CPC Class Codes: B22F 12/224 for motion along a direction within the plane of a layer
• CPC Class Codes: B22F 12/41 characterised by the type, e.g. laser or electron beam
• CPC Class Codes: B22F 12/42 Light-emitting diodes [LED]
• CPC Class Codes: B22F 12/90 Means for process control, e.g. cameras or sensors
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 35/08 by wave energy or particle radiation B29C64/00, B29C71/04 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 64/153 using layers of powder being selectively joined, e.g. by selective laser sintering or melting
• CPC Class Codes: B33Y 10/00 Processes of additive manufacturing
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 10/25 Process efficiency

Abstract

An equipment for metal-laser sintering process includes a powder layer forming unit, an irradiation unit which irradiates light beams, a correction target on which a correction mark serving as a fiducial in correction of the irradiation points of the light beams is formed, and an imaging camera which takes an image of the correction mark. The correction target is formed of a material which is melted by irradiation of light beam so as to be formed a through hole. The correction target is disposed on the substrate and the light beams are irradiated to penetrate the correction target so that the correction mark is formed. Subsequently, the imaging camera takes an image of the correction mark and the location of the correction mark is measured, and thus, correction of the irradiation points is performed. Since the correction mark is formed to be a through hole, contrast becomes clear so that location of the correction mark can be measured easily, and the correction of the irradiation points of the light beams can be performed easily.

Claims

1. A method of manufacturing three-dimensionally molded articles, the method comprising:

forming a powder layer by supplying pulverized material on a molding plate;

forming a sintered layer by irradiating light beams on the powder layer;

laminating the sintered layer by repeating the powder layer forming and the irradiation the method further comprising;

disposing a correction plate, having a cavity or cavities provided at a predetermined position or predetermined positions, on the molding plate;

setting a correction target on the correction plate;

forming a mark or marks, at a position or positions corresponding to the cavity or the cavities, on the correction target by irradiating laser beams having a same power as in the radiation of the powder layer, so as to penetrate the correction target;

measuring a position of the mark or positions of the marks formed in the marking, and correcting irradiation points of the light beams based on deviation from a predetermined point; and

measurement of the position of the mark or positions of the marks in the correction is performed by illuminating the correction target and imaging the contrast due to the illumination.

2. The method of manufacturing three-dimensionally molded articles in accordance with claim 1 wherein in the marking, a plurality of the marks are formed independently of each other so as to not overlap.

3. The method of manufacturing three-dimensionally molded articles in accordance with claim 2 wherein the mark has or the marks have a cross-shape.

4. The method of manufacturing three-dimensionally molded articles in accordance with claim 2, wherein the mark has or the marks have a circular shape.

5. The method of manufacturing three-dimensionally molded articles in accordance with claim 1, wherein the mark has or the marks have a cross-shape.

6. The method of manufacturing three-dimensionally molded articles in accordance with claim 1, wherein the mark has or the marks have a circular shape.

7. The method of manufacturing three-dimensionally molded articles in accordance with claim 1, wherein the mark or marks are each formed by irradiation of the laser beams.

8. The method of manufacturing three-dimensionally molded articles in accordance with claim 1, wherein the mark or marks penetrate from one surface of the correction target to a second opposite surface of the correction target.

9. The method of manufacturing three-dimensionally molded articles in accordance with claim 1, wherein the correction target is distinct from the plate.

10. The method of manufacturing three dimensionally molded articles in accordance with claim 1, said cavity or cavities of the correction plate being positioned in an overlying relationship with the mark or marks of the correction target.