US 11,745,418 B2
Method of manufacturing three-dimensionally formed object and three-dimensionally formed object manufacturing apparatus
Eiji Okamoto, Matsumoto (JP); Masaya Ishida, Hara-mura (JP); and Toshimitsu Hirai, Hokuto (JP)
Assigned to Seiko Epson Corporation, Tokyo (JP)
Filed by SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION, Tokyo (JP)
Filed on Feb. 2, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/165,604.
Application 17/165,604 is a continuation of application No. 15/292,005, filed on Oct. 12, 2016, abandoned.
Claims priority of application No. 2015-203487 (JP), filed on Oct. 15, 2015.
Prior Publication US 2021/0162730 A1, Jun. 3, 2021
Int. Cl. B29C 64/153 (2017.01); B33Y 10/00 (2015.01); B33Y 70/00 (2020.01); B29C 64/165 (2017.01); B29C 64/112 (2017.01); B29C 64/321 (2017.01); B22F 1/107 (2022.01); B22F 10/14 (2021.01); B22F 12/53 (2021.01); B22F 12/55 (2021.01); B22F 10/43 (2021.01); B22F 10/47 (2021.01); B33Y 30/00 (2015.01); B28B 1/00 (2006.01); B22F 10/36 (2021.01); B22F 10/38 (2021.01); B33Y 50/02 (2015.01); B29K 105/16 (2006.01); B29K 505/00 (2006.01)
CPC B29C 64/165 (2017.08) [B22F 1/107 (2022.01); B22F 10/14 (2021.01); B22F 10/43 (2021.01); B22F 10/47 (2021.01); B22F 12/53 (2021.01); B22F 12/55 (2021.01); B29C 64/112 (2017.08); B29C 64/153 (2017.08); B29C 64/321 (2017.08); B33Y 10/00 (2014.12); B33Y 30/00 (2014.12); B33Y 70/00 (2014.12); B22F 10/36 (2021.01); B22F 10/38 (2021.01); B22F 2998/10 (2013.01); B22F 2999/00 (2013.01); B28B 1/001 (2013.01); B29K 2105/16 (2013.01); B29K 2505/00 (2013.01); B33Y 50/02 (2014.12); Y02P 10/25 (2015.11)] 7 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method of manufacturing a three-dimensionally formed object, the method comprising:
forming a plurality of layers, each of the layers of the plurality of layers being formed using at least one of a first flowable composition including constituent material particles for forming the three-dimensionally formed object ejected from a first ejection nozzle or a second flowable composition including support portion-forming particles for forming a support portion which supports the three-dimensionally formed object during the formation of the three-dimensionally formed object ejected from a second ejection nozzle, the first ejection nozzle ejecting the first flowable composition in the form of a continuous body to form an object area having a first predetermined thickness on a per layer basis, and the second ejection nozzle ejecting the second flowable composition in the form of a continuous body to form a support area having a second predetermined thickness on a per layer basis; and
imparting energy to the plurality of layers including the constituent material particles and the support portion-forming particles,
wherein during the imparting of the energy, the energy is imparted such that a temperature of the constituent material particles in the plurality of layers and a temperature of the support portion-forming particles in the plurality of layers are equal to or higher than a melting point of the constituent material particles and are lower than a melting point of the support portion-forming particles,
wherein before the imparting of the energy, in the same layer of the plurality of layers, the first predetermined thickness of the object area is different from a second predetermined thickness of the support area, and after the imparting the energy, in the same layer of the plurality of layers, an after-imparting-of-the-energy thickness of the object area and an after-imparting-of-the-energy thickness of the support area are substantially same,
wherein a porosity of the object area is lower than a porosity of the support area in the same layer of the plurality of layers.