Method of producing a three-dimensional object

A method of producing a three-dimensional object by sequentially forming a plurality of layers, comprising:

• a) setting a plurality of coordinate points each at a predetermined interval along a profile of a model section corresponding to a layer of the three-dimensional object which is to be formed;
• b) determining a maximally spaced pair of coordinate points;
• c) determining a scan direction which renders parallel scan lines, which each interconnect an opposed pair of coordinate points, shorter than a maximum length line which interconnects maximally spaced coordinate point pairs;
• c) scanning a material surface with a material modifying beam from a predetermined beam source so as to follow the scan lines;
• and
• repeating steps a)-c) to form the plurality of layers and produce the three-dimensional object.

A method of producing a three-dimensional object comprising:

• dividing a shape of a three-dimensional object into a stack of hypothetical, horizontal, shaped slices;
• determining an outer profile of each slice,
• determining, based on the extracted profile of each slice, a line which spans the slice in predetermined spatial relationship with a shape of the slice;
• determining, based on a predetermined parameter of the line, a plurality of scan lines for each slice which are selected to avoid a predetermined detrimental effect in the three-dimensional object;
• scanning a fluid base material, which is contained in an accommodation vessel, along the plurality of scan lines for a selected slice, with an irradiating beam which turns the fluid base material into a solid layer having a shape which is the same as the selected slice;
• and
• immersing the solid layer in a predetermined amount of fluid base material and repeating the scanning for a sequentially subsequent slice which is located above the selected slice so as to form another solid layer which becomes unitary with the solid layer thereunder, and repeating the irradiating and immersing steps for each remaining slice until the three-dimensional object is developed.

An apparatus for producing a three-dimensional object comprising:

• means for dividing a shape of a three-dimensional object into a stack of hypothetical, horizontal, shaped slices;
• means for determining an outer profile of each slice,
• means for determining, based on the extracted profile of each slice, a line which spans the slice in predetermined spatial relationship with a shape of the slice;
• means for determining, based on a predetermined parameter of the line, a plurality of scan lines for each slice which are selected to avoid a predetermined detrimental effect in the three-dimensional object;
• means for scanning a fluid base material, which is contained in an accommodation vessel, along the plurality of scan lines for a selected slice, with an irradiating beam which turns the fluid base material into a solid layer having a shape which is the same as the selected slice;
• and
• means for immersing the solid layer in a predetermined amount of fluid base material and repeating the scanning for a sequentially subsequent slice which is located above the selected slice so as to form another solid layer which becomes unitary with the solid layer thereunder, and repeating the irradiating and immersing steps for each remaining slice until the three-dimensional object is developed.