THREE-DIMENSIONAL PRINTING APPARATUS

摘要

A three-dimensional printing apparatus includes a controller to control first and second projectors that apply equal or substantially equal total amounts of optical energy. The controller performs first and second projecting operations. The first projecting operation involves simultaneously projecting first and second cross-sectional sub-images from the first projector onto first and second areas of an image projecting surface, respectively, and the second and third cross-sectional sub-images from the second projector onto the second and third areas of the image projecting surface, respectively. The second projecting operation involves simultaneously projecting the first cross-sectional sub-image from the first projector onto the first area and the third cross-sectional sub-image from the second projector onto the third area. The controller equalizes the number of times the first to third cross-sectional sub-images are to be respectively projected onto the first to third areas.

主权项

1. A three-dimensional printing apparatus that cures photo-curable resin so as to sequentially stack resin layers each having a predetermined cross-sectional shape, thus printing a three-dimensional object, the apparatus comprising:
a tank that stores photo-curable resin, the tank including an image projecting surface that is an interface of the tank with the photo-curable resin; a projector that projects a cross-sectional image onto the image projecting surface, the cross-sectional image representing a predetermined cross-sectional shape and including a first cross-sectional sub-image, a second cross-sectional sub-image, and a third cross-sectional sub-image; and a controller configured or programmed to control the projector; wherein the image projecting surface includes:
a first area;a second area adjacent to the first area; anda third area adjacent to the second area; the projector includes:
a first projector capable of projecting the first cross-sectional sub-image onto the first area, and the second cross-sectional sub-image onto the second area; anda second projector capable of projecting the second cross-sectional sub-image onto the second area, and the third cross-sectional sub-image onto the third area; the first projector and the second projector apply equal or substantially equal total amounts of optical energy; the controller performs a first projecting operation and a second projecting operation; the first projecting operation involves simultaneously projecting:
the first cross-sectional sub-image and the second cross-sectional sub-image from the first projector onto the first area and the second area, respectively; andthe second cross-sectional sub-image and the third cross-sectional sub-image from the second projector onto the second area and the third area, respectively; the second projecting operation involves simultaneously projecting:
the first cross-sectional sub-image from the first projector onto the first area; andthe third cross-sectional sub-image from the second projector onto the third area; and the controller equalizes a number of times the first to third cross-sectional sub-images are to be respectively projected onto the first to third areas.