Photo-shaping method, photo-shaping system, and photo-shaping program

A photo-shaping system which includes a photo-shaping machine for photo-shaping a target object along with a processor, said photo-shaping machine having a light irradiation means irradiating a light beam to a specified position of a powder material layer to sinter a desired part of the powder material layer to form a sintered layer, covering the sintered layer with a new powder material layer, irradiating a light beam to a specified position of the new powder material layer to sinter a desired part of the new powder material layer to form a new sintered layer integral with the underlying sintered layer, repeating the process of forming the sintered layers in lamination, and having a removal processing means removing an outer face of a formed body of the sintered layers in lamination during the repetitive forming process of the sintered layers,

• said processor comprising:
• a first parameter database storing first parameter data for use in the photo-shaping process executed by the light irradiation means, the first parameter data including at least light beam irradiation spot diameter, light beam irradiation power and irradiation speed to be applied to a powder material;
• a second parameter database storing second parameter data for use in a removal process executed by the removal processing means, the second parameter data including tool master data relating to the removal process and cutting process conditions of a tool to be used in the removal process;
• first path generating means for generating a first path as a light beam irradiation path for the light irradiation means, by utilizing contour data of each section sliced at a specified pitch of three-dimensional CAD model data of the target object desired to be formed, and the first parameter data stored in the first parameter database;
• second path generating means for generating a second path as a removal processing path for the removal processing means, by utilizing the three-dimensional CAD model data, second parameter data stored in the second parameter database, and removal timing data that designates a cutting depth performed in the removal process;
• driving program generating means for generating driving programs for driving the photo-shaping machine and the removal processing means, by utilizing the first path data, the second path data and the removal timing data, whereby the photo-shaping machine and the removal processing means perform the photo-shaping and removal process according to the driving programs,
• wherein the second path generating means divides the second path generated for the entire target object in a height direction at the removal timing data to generate adjacent paths, and generates an aerial route path connecting the adjacent paths, while ignoring a shape of the target object above an object range of the second path being generated.

A computer program embodied on a computer-readable medium for executing a process of photo-shaping a target object executed by a photo-shaping machine along with a computing process, the photo-shaping process including irradiating a light beam to a specified position of a powder material layer to sinter a desired part of the powder material layer to form a sintered layer, covering the sintered layer with a new powder material layer, irradiating a light beam to a specified position of the new powder material layer to sinter a desired part of the new powder material layer to form a new sintered layer integral with the underlying sintered layer, repeating the process of forming the sintered layers in lamination, and removing an outer face of a formed body of the sintered layers in lamination during the repetitive forming process of the sintered layers, comprising:

• storing first parameter data in a first parameter database for use in the light irradiation process, the first parameter data including at least light beam irradiation spot diameter, light beam irradiation power and irradiation speed to be applied to a powder material;
• storing second parameter data in a second parameter database for use in a removal process, the second parameter data including tool master data relating to the removal process and cutting process conditions of a tool to be used in the removal process;
• generating a first path as a light beam irradiation path for the light irradiation process, by utilizing contour data of each section sliced at a specified pitch of three-dimensional CAD model data of the target object desired to be formed, and the first parameter data stored in the first parameter database;
• generating a second path as a removal processing path for the removal process, by utilizing the three-dimensional CAD model data, the second parameter data stored in the second parameter database, and removal timing data that designates a cutting depth performed in the removal process;
• and
• generating a driving program that drives the photo-shaping machine to execute the photo-shaping process including the light beam irradiation and the removal processes, by utilizing the first path data, the second path data and the removal timing data, thereby performing the photo-shaping and removal process according to the driving program,
• wherein the second path generating divides the second path generated for the entire target object in a height direction at the removal timing data to generate adjacent paths, and generates an aerial route path connecting the adjacent paths, while ignoring a shape of the target object above an object range of the second path being generated.

A photo-shaping system which includes a photo-shaping machine for photo-shaping a target object along with a processor, said photo-shaping machine having a light irradiator that irradiates a light beam to a specified position of a powder material layer to sinter a desired part of the powder material layer to form a sintered layer, covering the sintered layer with a new powder material layer, irradiating a light beam to a specified position of the new powder material layer to sinter a desired part of the new powder material layer to form a new sintered layer integral with the underlying sintered layer, repeating the process of forming the sintered layers in lamination, and having a removal processor that removes an outer face of a formed body of the sintered layers in lamination during the repetitive forming process of the sintered layers,

• said processor comprising:
• a first parameter database that stores first parameter data for use in the photo-shaping process executed by the light irradiator, the first parameter data including at least light beam irradiation spot diameter, light beam irradiation power and irradiation speed to be applied to a powder material;
• a second parameter database that stores second parameter data for use in a removal process executed by the removal processor, the second parameter data including tool master data relating to the removal process and cutting process conditions of a tool to be used in the removal process;
• a first path generator that generates a first path as a light beam irradiation path for the light irradiator, by utilizing contour data of each section sliced at a specified pitch of three-dimensional CAD model data of the target object desired to be formed, and the first parameter data stored in the first parameter database;
• a second path generator that generates a second path as a removal processing path for the removal processor, by utilizing the thee-dimensional CAD model data, second parameter data stored in the second parameter database, and removal timing data that designates a cutting depth performed in the removal process;
• a driving program generator that generates a driving program that drives the photo-shaping machine and the removal processor, by utilizing the first path data, the second path data and the removal timing data, whereby the photo-shaping machine and the removal processor perform the photo-shaping and removal process according to the driving program,
• wherein the second path generator is configured to divide the second path generated for the entire target object in a height direction at the removal timing data to generate adjacent paths, and generates an aerial route path connecting the adjacent paths, while ignoring a shape of the target object above an object range of the second path being generated.