Powder removing apparatus, molding system, and method of manufacturing molded object

摘要

A powder removing apparatus includes a box, a stage moving mechanism, and a powder removing processing mechanism. The box has a main body with an opening and a stage movably provided in the main body. The box is capable of accommodating a molded object and non-bonding powder so as to arrange the molded object, which is formed using powder according to a rapid prototyping technique, on the stage together with the non-bonding powder. The stage moving mechanism is capable of moving the stage upward relative to the main body inside the main body. The powder removing processing mechanism is configured to remove the non-bonding powder existing around the molded object extruded by a driving operation of the stage moving mechanism via the opening.

主权项

1. An apparatus, comprising:
a chamber with a floor, the floor having an opening; a box having a main body with an opening and a stage movable within the main body, the box being capable of accommodating therein a formed object and non-bonded powder on the stage within the box; a box holding mechanism to hold the box in registration with the opening in the floor of the chamber; a stage moving mechanism capable of controllably moving the stage vertically inside the main body and relative to the main body to expose the formed object and the non-bonded powder to the chamber; a powder removing processing mechanism configured to remove the non-bonded powder existing around the formed object by moving the stage relative to the box opening while applying a gas to the formed object and the non-bonded powder, the powder removing processing mechanism including an exhaust fan system to remove powder entrained in the gas and holes in the floor via which the non-bonded powder can fall through; a container positioned to catch the non-bonded powder falling through the holes in the floor; and a nozzle driving mechanism configured to control ejection of the gas onto the formed object according to a weight of the non-bonded powder collected into the container,
wherein the exhaust fan system is structured to direct exhaust gas to the container.