Layer forming apparatus, method of forming powder layer, and recording medium
AssigneeRicoh Company, Ltd.
InventorsTomoki Kai, Yasutomo Aman, Yasuyuki Yamashita
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A layer forming apparatus includes a loading unit including a stage onto which powder is supplied, a rotator that flattens the powder on the stage to form a powder layer, and circuitry. The circuitry causes the rotator to move in a first direction parallel to a surface of the stage and rotate while contacting the powder on the stage to form the powder layer. Further, the circuitry causes the rotator to move in a second direction opposite to the first direction and rotate while contacting surplus powder not on the stage.
Claims9
A layer forming apparatus comprising:
- a loading unit including a supply stage onto which powder is supplied, and a fabrication stage;
- a rotator configured to flatten the powder on the fabrication stage to form a powder layer;
- and
- circuitry programmed to control the rotator to:
- move in a first moving direction parallel to a surface of the fabrication stage and rotate while contacting the powder on the fabrication stage to form the powder layer;
- and
- move in a second moving direction opposite to the first direction and rotate while contacting surplus powder on a frame of the fabrication stage or a frame of the supply stage, the rotation of the rotator being in a first rotation direction based on overlapping the frame of the fabrication stage on a first side of the fabrication stage and a second rotation direction based on overlapping the frame of the fabrication stage on a second side of the fabrication stage, the second side of the fabrication stage being opposite to the first side of the fabrication stage in the second moving direction,
- wherein the circuitry is further programmed to cause the loading unit to lower the powder layer on the fabrication stage below a height of the frame after the rotator forms the powder layer and before the rotator moves in the second direction.
A method of forming a powder layer comprising:
- supplying powder onto a supply stage of a loading unit;
- causing a rotator to move in a first moving direction parallel to a surface of the supply stage and rotate while contacting the powder on the supply stage to move the powder to a fabrication stage and flatten the powder to form a powder layer;
- and
- causing the rotator to move in a second moving direction opposite to the first direction and rotate while contacting surplus powder on a frame of the fabrication stage or a frame of the supply stage, the rotation of the rotator being in a first rotation direction based on overlapping the frame of the fabrication stage on a first side of the fabrication stage and a second rotation direction based on overlapping the frame of the fabrication stage on a second side of the fabrication stage, the second side of the fabrication stage being opposite to the first side of the fabrication stage in the second moving direction,
- wherein the loading unit lowers the powder layer on the fabrication stage below a height of the frame after the rotator forms the powder layer and before the rotator moves in the second direction.
A non-transitory recording medium storing program codes which, when executed by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform a method, the method comprising:
- supplying powder onto a supply stage of a loading unit;
- causing a rotator to move in a first moving direction parallel to a surface of the supply stage and rotate while contacting the powder on the supply stage to move the powder to a fabrication stage and flatten the powder to form a powder layer;
- and
- causing the rotator to move in a second moving direction opposite to the first direction and rotate while contacting surplus powder on a frame of the fabrication stage or a frame of the supply stage, the rotation of the rotator being in a first rotation direction based on overlapping the frame of the fabrication stage on a first side of the fabrication stage and a second rotation direction based on overlapping the frame of the fabrication stage on a second side of the fabrication stage, the second side of the fabrication stage being opposite to the first side of the fabrication stage in the second moving direction,
- causing the loading unit to lower the powder layer on the fabrication stage below a height of the frame after the rotator forms the powder layer and before the rotator moves in the second direction.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.