Apparatus for forming three-dimension article

An apparatus for forming a three-dimensional article on the basis of three-dimensional information about the article with a two-part curable material and a setting material therefor, the setting material being encapsulated in microcapsules which are rupturable upon light radiation or heat radiation, the apparatus comprising:

• a stage for mounting thereon the three-dimensional article to be formed;
• a dispersing unit for dispersing the microcapsules uniformly in the two-part curable material;
• an ink jet head unit positioned below the stage for jetting the two-part curable material and the microcapsules dispersed therein toward said stage to laminate the two-part curable material and the microcapsules on the stage;
• a microcapsule rupturing unit for rupturing the microcapsules and to cure the two-part curable material laminated on said stage, the microcapsule rupturing unit comprising one of light applying means and heat applying means, the light applying means applying the light radiation toward the two-part curable material and the microcapsule dispersed in the two-part curable material jetted and laminated on the stage, and the heat applying means applying the heat radiation toward the two part-curable material and the microcapsules dispersed in the two-part curable material jetted and laminated on the stage;
• a control means for controlling said ink jet head unit in order to change at least one of a jetting direction of the two-part curable material and a jetting amount of the material jetted from the ink jet head unit on the basis of the information in order to control a jetting and laminating operation of the two-part curable material on said stage, and for controlling said microcapsule rupturing unit in order to rupture the microcapsules disposed in the two-part curable material laminated on the stage after the two-part curable material is laminated on said stage, said controlling means also controlling the repetition of the jetting operation of said ink jet head and the microcapsule rupturing operation of said microcapsule rupturing unit.