Apparatus for fabricating three-dimensional object

An apparatus for fabricating a three-dimensional object, the apparatus comprising:

• a supply chamber to supply powder for fabrication of the three-dimensional object;
• a fabrication stage on which a fabrication layer in which powder particles are bound together is formed layer-by-layer;
• a flattener including a transfer roller to transfer powder from a top portion of the supply chamber to a top portion of the fabrication stage;
• and
• a controller to control and cause the flattener to move relatively in a horizontal moving direction from above the supply chamber to above the fabrication stage, the fabrication stage being disposed downstream in the horizontal moving direction from the supply chamber,
• wherein as the flattener moves in the horizontal moving direction from the supply chamber to the fabrication stage, the controller causes the transfer roller to rotate in a counter-rotation direction counter to the horizontal moving direction, to transfer the powder from the supply chamber to the fabrication stage, and as the flattener moves in the horizontal moving direction along a stage surface of the fabrication stage, the controller causes the transfer roller to rotate in a forward rotation direction opposite to the counter-rotation direction, to flatten a surface of powder on the fabrication stage to form a powder layer,
• wherein the controller controls the fabrication stage and the flattener to be relatively movable in a height direction, and
• in formation of the powder layer on the fabrication layer formed on the fabrication stage, the controller (a) controls the flattener to be moved to a position near an edge of the fabrication layer, and then (b) controls the flattener to be elevated to increase a distance between the flattener and the stationary fabrication stage in the height direction, and then (c) controls the flattener to be moved in the moving direction, parallel to the surface of the fabrication stage.