阅读说明：本技术 三维造型装置及三维造型物的制造方法 (Three-dimensional modeling apparatus and method for manufacturing three-dimensional modeled object ) 是由 山崎茂 于 2021-04-23 设计创作，主要内容包括：本发明提供的三维造型装置及三维造型物的制造方法,能够抑制因造型中途更换部件而导致造型品质降低。该三维造型装置具备：塑化部,具有驱动电机、加热器以及借助驱动电机旋转的螺杆,将材料塑化生成造型材料；移动机构部,变更向载置台喷出造型材料的喷出部与载置台的相对位置；状态观测部,观测驱动电机或加热器的状态；预测部,根据状态观测部的观测结果预测驱动电机或加热器的寿命到达时期；通知部；以及控制部,根据造型数据控制塑化部及移动机构部以进行三维造型物的造型。控制部判定寿命到达时期是否在根据造型数据推定的造型时间内,当寿命到达时期在造型时间内时,在三维造型物的造型之前控制通知部以通知表示寿命判定的结果的寿命信息。(The invention provides a three-dimensional modeling device and a method for manufacturing a three-dimensional modeled object, which can prevent the degradation of modeling quality caused by replacing parts during modeling. The three-dimensional modeling apparatus includes: a plasticizing unit having a drive motor, a heater, and a screw rotated by the drive motor, for plasticizing the material to produce a molding material; a moving mechanism part for changing the relative position of the ejection part for ejecting the molding material to the loading platform and the loading platform; a state observation unit for observing the state of the drive motor or the heater; a prediction unit for predicting the life time of the drive motor or the heater based on the observation result of the state observation unit; a notification unit; and a control unit for controlling the plasticizing unit and the moving mechanism unit based on the molding data to mold the three-dimensional molded object. The control unit determines whether or not the life time is within a molding time estimated from the molding data, and controls the notification unit to notify life information indicating a result of the life determination before molding of the three-dimensional molded object when the life time is within the molding time.)

1. A three-dimensional modeling apparatus is characterized by comprising:

a plasticizing unit having a drive motor, a heater, and a screw rotated by the drive motor, and configured to plasticize a material to generate a molding material;

a discharge unit that discharges the molding material toward the mounting table;

a movement mechanism unit that changes a relative position between the discharge unit and the mounting table;

a state observation unit for observing the state of the drive motor or the heater;

a prediction unit that predicts a life time of the drive motor or the heater based on an observation result of the state observation unit;

a notification unit; and

a control unit for controlling the plasticizing unit and the moving mechanism unit to mold the three-dimensional molded object based on molding data,

the control unit performs a life determination of determining whether the life time predicted by the prediction unit is within a molding time estimated from the molding data,

when the life time reaches within the molding time, the notification unit is controlled to notify life information indicating a result of the life determination before molding of the three-dimensional molded object.

2. The three-dimensional modeling apparatus according to claim 1,

the state observation unit observes, as a state of the heater, a first arrival time required for the temperature of the heater to reach a determination temperature or a first arrival electric quantity required for the temperature of the heater to reach the determination temperature;

the predicting portion predicts a first life time period at which the heater reaches the life as the life time period by predicting the first arrival time or a time period at which the first arrival electric quantity exceeds a first determination value.

3. The three-dimensional modeling apparatus according to claim 2,

the three-dimensional modeling apparatus includes a temperature acquisition unit that acquires an ambient temperature that is a temperature outside the plasticizing unit;

the control portion determines the first determination value based on the ambient temperature.

4. The three-dimensional modeling apparatus according to any one of claims 1 through 3,

the state observation unit observes, as a state of the drive motor, a second arrival time required for the rotational speed of the drive motor to reach a determination rotational speed, or a second arrival electric quantity required for the rotational speed of the drive motor to reach the determination rotational speed;

the predicting unit predicts a second life time at which the drive motor reaches the life as the life time by predicting the second arrival time or a time at which the second arrival electric quantity exceeds a second determination value.

5. The three-dimensional modeling apparatus according to claim 4,

the three-dimensional modeling apparatus includes a temperature acquisition unit that acquires an ambient temperature that is a temperature outside the plasticizing unit;

the control unit determines the second determination value based on the ambient temperature.

6. The three-dimensional modeling apparatus according to any one of claims 1 through 3,

the three-dimensional modeling apparatus includes an instruction acquisition unit that acquires a modeling start instruction from a user to start modeling a three-dimensional modeled object;

the control unit performs the modeling of the three-dimensional modeled object after the instruction acquisition unit obtains the modeling start instruction after the notification unit notifies the life information when the life time reaches within the modeling time.

7. The three-dimensional modeling apparatus according to any one of claims 1 through 3,

the control part acquires first modeling data and second modeling data as modeling data;

when the life time is within a first molding time estimated from the first molding data in the life determination, the control portion determines whether the life time is within a second molding time estimated from the second molding data.

8. The three-dimensional modeling apparatus as recited in claim 7,

when the life time reaching timing is not within the second molding time, the control unit controls the notification unit to notify the life information indicating that the life time reaching timing is not within the second molding time, before molding of the three-dimensional molded object.

9. The three-dimensional modeling apparatus according to any one of claims 1 through 3,

the screw rotates around a rotating shaft and is provided with a groove forming surface with a groove;

the plasticizing part has a cylindrical part facing the groove forming surface.

10. A method of manufacturing a three-dimensional object, the method including plasticizing a material with a plasticizing unit including a drive motor, a heater, and a screw rotated by the drive motor to form a molding material, and ejecting the molding material from an ejection unit onto a mounting table to mold the three-dimensional object, the method comprising:

a first step of observing a state of the drive motor or the heater;

a second step of predicting a life time of the drive motor or the heater based on an observation result of the state;

a third step of performing life determination for determining whether or not the predicted life time is within a molding time estimated from molding data;

a fourth step of notifying life information as a result of the life determination before the shaping of the three-dimensional shaped object when the life arrival time is within the shaping time; and

and a fifth step of molding the three-dimensional object by controlling the plasticizing unit and a movement mechanism unit that changes a relative position between the discharge unit and the mounting table based on the molding data.

Technical Field

The present invention relates to a three-dimensional modeling apparatus and a method of modeling a three-dimensional modeled object.

Background

As for the three-dimensional modeling apparatus, patent document 1 discloses an apparatus for modeling a modeled object by curing a resin by irradiation with a UV lamp. In this device, when the output of the UV lamp decreases due to aging degradation and the amount of power supplied to the UV lamp does not reach a target output value even if the amount of power supplied to the UV lamp increases, the user is urged to replace the components constituting the UV lamp.

Patent document 1: U.S. patent application publication No. 2016/0114535 specification

In the case where the components of the three-dimensional modeling apparatus deteriorate over time as in the above-described document, for example, the user replaces the components that deteriorate over time. However, depending on the degree of aged deterioration, the parts may have a longer life in the middle of the molding of the molded object, and the parts may need to be replaced in the middle of the molding. When a part is replaced in the middle of a molding, there is a possibility that the molding quality is deteriorated due to the interruption or restart of the molding.

Disclosure of Invention

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a three-dimensional modeling apparatus. The three-dimensional modeling apparatus includes: a plasticizing unit having a drive motor, a heater, and a screw rotated by the drive motor, and configured to plasticize a material to produce a molding material; a discharge unit that discharges the molding material toward the mounting table; a movement mechanism unit that changes a relative position between the discharge unit and the mounting table; a state observation unit for observing the state of the drive motor or the heater; a prediction unit that predicts a life time of the drive motor or the heater based on an observation result of the state observation unit; a notification unit; and a control unit for controlling the plasticizing unit and the moving mechanism unit based on molding data to mold the three-dimensional object. The control unit performs a lifetime determination of determining whether or not the lifetime arrival time predicted by the prediction unit is within a molding time estimated from the molding data, and controls the notification unit to notify lifetime information indicating a result of the lifetime determination before molding of the three-dimensional molded object when the lifetime arrival time is within the molding time.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method of manufacturing a three-dimensional object, wherein a material is plasticized by a plasticizing unit including a driving motor, a heater, and a screw rotated by the driving motor to form a molding material, and the molding material is ejected from an ejection unit onto a mounting table to mold the three-dimensional object. The manufacturing method comprises the following steps: a first step of observing a state of the drive motor or the heater; a second step of predicting a life time of the drive motor or the heater based on an observation result of the state; a third step of determining whether or not the predicted life time is within a molding time estimated from molding data; a fourth step of notifying life information as a result of the life determination before the shaping of the three-dimensional shaped object when the life arrival time is within the shaping time; and a fifth step of molding the three-dimensional object by controlling the plasticizing unit and a movement mechanism unit that changes a relative position between the discharge unit and the mounting table, based on the molding data.

Drawings

Fig. 1 is a diagram showing a schematic configuration of a three-dimensional modeling apparatus according to a first embodiment.

Fig. 2 is a schematic perspective view showing a configuration of a groove forming surface side of the screw.

Fig. 3 is a plan view showing a structure of the screw-facing surface side of the cylindrical portion.

Fig. 4 is a process diagram showing the three-dimensional modeling process in the first embodiment.

Fig. 5 is a graph with the heater power on the horizontal axis and the heater temperature on the vertical axis.

Fig. 6 is a diagram showing the increase history of the first arrival power amount.

Fig. 7 is a diagram showing a schematic configuration of a three-dimensional modeling apparatus according to a second embodiment.

Fig. 8 is a process diagram showing a process of forming a three-dimensional shaped object according to the second embodiment.

Fig. 9 is a graph with the motor electric quantity on the horizontal axis and the motor rotational speed on the vertical axis.

Fig. 10 is a diagram showing the increase history of the second arrival power amount.

Fig. 11 is a diagram showing a schematic configuration of a three-dimensional modeling apparatus according to a third embodiment.

Fig. 12 is a process diagram showing a process of forming a three-dimensional shaped object according to the fourth embodiment.

Fig. 13 is a diagram showing a schematic configuration of a three-dimensional modeling apparatus according to a fifth embodiment.

Fig. 14 is a process diagram showing a process of forming a three-dimensional shaped object according to the fifth embodiment.

Fig. 15 is a graph in which the horizontal axis represents the movement time of the ejection unit and the vertical axis represents the movement speed of the ejection unit.

Fig. 16 is a diagram showing a schematic configuration of a three-dimensional modeling apparatus according to a sixth embodiment.

Fig. 17 is a graph in which the horizontal axis represents the amount of electricity consumed by the chamber heating portion and the vertical axis represents the temperature of the chamber heating portion.

Fig. 18 is a diagram showing a schematic configuration of a three-dimensional modeling apparatus according to a seventh embodiment.

Fig. 19 is a graph in which the horizontal axis represents the amount of power consumed by the air blowing unit and the vertical axis represents the amount of air blown.

Fig. 20 is a diagram showing a schematic configuration of a three-dimensional modeling apparatus according to an eighth embodiment.

Fig. 21 is a graph in which the horizontal axis represents the refrigerant flow rate and the vertical axis represents the cooled portion temperature.

Fig. 22 is a diagram showing a schematic configuration of a three-dimensional modeling apparatus according to a ninth embodiment.

Fig. 23 is a view showing a schematic configuration of the suction portion.

Fig. 24 is a graph with the horizontal axis representing the valve-opening drive time and the vertical axis representing the valve-opening drive current.

Description of the reference numerals

20 … material supply section, 22 … supply path, 30 … plasticizing section, 31 … screw box, 32 … drive motor, 35 … heater, 40 … screw, 42 … groove forming surface, 43 … side surface, 44 … material introduction port, 45 … groove, 46 … convex strip, 47 … central section, 50 … cylinder section, 52 … screw opposed surface, 53 … cooled section, 54 … guide groove, 56 … communication hole, 58 … first sensor section, 59 … second sensor section, 60i … ejection section, 61 … nozzle, 62 … supply path, 68 … nozzle path, 69 … nozzle hole, 70 … ejection amount adjustment section, 71 … drive shaft, 72 … valve core, 80 … suction section, 81 …, 82 … plunger, … drive section, 90b … temperature acquisition section, 100, 36100 b, 100c, 100e, 100f, 100g, 100i, 100h plunger …, … plunger … shaping device, … plunger …, … shaping device, …, and … shaping device, A 110 … chamber, a 115 … chamber heating unit, a 116 … third sensor unit, a 120 … cooling unit, a 121 … refrigerant flow path, a 122 … inlet unit, a 123 … outlet unit, a 124 … refrigerant cycle device, a 200, 200j … molding unit, a 300 … mounting table, a 311 … molding surface, a 400 … movement mechanism unit, a 500 … control unit, a 600 … state observation unit, a 700 … prediction unit, a 750 … instruction acquisition unit, and an 800 … notification unit.

Detailed Description

A. The first embodiment:

fig. 1 is a diagram showing a schematic configuration of a three-dimensional modeling apparatus 100 according to the present embodiment. In fig. 1, arrows along mutually orthogonal X, Y, Z directions are shown. The X, Y, Z direction is along three spatial axes X, Y, Z orthogonal to each other, including both directions along one side of the X, Y, Z axes and the opposite direction thereof, respectively. The X and Y axes are axes along the horizontal plane, and the Z axis is an axis along the vertical line. In other figures, arrows along the direction X, Y, Z are also shown as appropriate. The X, Y, Z direction in fig. 1 and the X, Y, Z direction in the other figures represent the same direction. In the following description, when the direction is designated, the positive direction is "+" and the negative direction is "-" and both positive and negative signs are used for the direction marks.

The three-dimensional modeling apparatus 100 according to the present embodiment includes a modeling unit 200, a mounting table 300, a movement mechanism 400, a control unit 500, and a notification unit 800. The three-dimensional modeling apparatus 100 drives the moving mechanism unit 400 to change the relative position between the discharge unit 60 and the mounting table 300 while discharging the modeling material from the discharge unit 60 of the modeling unit 200 to the mounting table 300 under the control of the control unit 500, thereby modeling a three-dimensional modeled object having a desired shape on the modeling surface 311 of the mounting table 300. The molding material may be referred to as a molten material.

The movement mechanism 400 changes the relative position of the ejection unit 60 and the mounting table 300. In the present embodiment, the movement mechanism 400 moves the mounting table 300 relative to the modeling unit 200, thereby changing the relative position of the ejection unit 60 and the mounting table 300. The change in the relative position of the discharge unit 60 with respect to the mounting table 300 may be simply referred to as movement of the discharge unit 60. In the present embodiment, for example, the stage 300 may be moved in the + X direction so that the ejection unit 60 is moved in the-X direction. The relative movement speed of the ejection unit 60 with respect to the mounting table 300 may be simply referred to as a movement speed.

The movement mechanism 400 in the present embodiment is composed of a three-axis positioner that moves the mounting table 300 in three axial directions, i.e., the X, Y, Z direction, by the driving forces of three motors. Each motor is driven under the control of the control unit 500. The movement mechanism 400 may move the discharge unit 60 without moving the stage 300, instead of moving the stage 300. The movement mechanism 400 may move both the mounting table 300 and the ejection unit 60.

The molding unit 200 includes a material supply unit 20 as a supply source of the material, a plasticizing unit 30 that melts the material supplied from the material supply unit 20 to form the molding material, and a discharge unit 60 that discharges the molding material.

The material supply unit 20 contains a material in the form of particles, powder, or the like. In the present embodiment, a resin formed in a granular form is used as a material. The material supply unit 20 in the present embodiment is constituted by a hopper. A supply passage 22 connecting the material supply unit 20 and the plasticizing unit 30 is provided below the material supply unit 20. The material supply unit 20 supplies the material to the plasticizing unit 30 via the supply path 22. Hereinafter, the material will be described in detail.

The plasticizing unit 30 includes a drive motor 32, a heater 35, and a screw 40. The plasticizing unit 30 of the present embodiment further includes a screw box 31 and a cylinder 50. The plasticizing unit 30 plasticizes at least a part of the material supplied from the material supply unit 20, generates a paste-like molding material having fluidity, and supplies the molding material to the ejection unit 60. "plasticizing" refers to melting a material having thermoplastic properties by heating. "melt" means not only that a material having thermoplasticity is heated to a temperature equal to or higher than the melting point and becomes liquid, but also that the material having thermoplasticity is heated to a temperature equal to or higher than the glass transition temperature and softened to exhibit fluidity. The screw 40 of the present embodiment is a so-called flat head screw, and may be referred to as a "spool (scroll)".

The screw box 31 is a housing for housing the screw 40. A cylindrical portion 50 is fixed to the lower surface of the screw case 31, and the screw 40 is accommodated in a space surrounded by the screw case 31 and the cylindrical portion 50. A driving motor 32 is fixed to the upper surface of the screw housing 31.

The screw 40 has a substantially cylindrical shape having a height in the direction of its central axis RX smaller than the diameter. The screw 40 has a groove forming surface 42 on which a groove 45 is formed on a surface facing the cylindrical portion 50. Specifically, the groove forming surface 42 faces a screw facing surface 52 of the cylindrical portion 50 described later. The central axis RX of the present embodiment coincides with the rotation axis of the screw 40. Hereinafter, the configuration of the screw 40 on the groove forming surface 42 side will be described in detail.

The drive motor 32 is connected to a surface of the screw 40 opposite to the groove forming surface 42. The screw 40 rotates about the center axis RX by the torque generated by the rotation of the drive motor 32. The drive motor 32 is driven under the control of the control unit 500. In addition, the drive motor 32 may not be directly connected to the screw 40. For example, the screw 40 and the drive motor 32 may be connected via a speed reducer. In this case, for example, the drive motor 32 may be connected to a planetary gear of a reduction gear having a planetary gear mechanism, and the screw 40 may be connected to a sun gear.

The cylindrical portion 50 is disposed below the screw 40 so as to face the groove forming surface 42 of the screw 40. The cylindrical portion 50 has a screw facing surface 52 facing the groove forming surface 42 of the screw 40. In the cylindrical portion 50, a communication hole 56 is provided on the central axis RX of the screw 40. The molding material produced by the plasticizing unit 30 is supplied to the discharge unit 60 through the communication hole 56. The structure of the barrel 50 on the screw facing surface 52 side will be described in detail later.

The heater 35 of the present embodiment is embedded in the tube portion 50. In the present embodiment, the cylindrical portion 50 is provided with two rod-shaped heaters 35 arranged in the Y direction. The heater 35 heats the material supplied between the screw 40 and the cylinder 50 under the control of the control unit 500.

The discharge portion 60 is disposed below the cylinder portion 50. The discharge unit 60 includes a nozzle 61 for discharging the molding material onto the mounting table 300, and a supply flow path 62 for connecting the communication hole 56 and the nozzle 61.

The nozzle 61 is provided with a nozzle flow path 68 and a nozzle hole 69. The nozzle flow path 68 is a flow path provided in the nozzle 61. The nozzle flow path 68 communicates with the communication hole 56 of the cylinder 50 via the supply flow path 62. The nozzle hole 69 is a portion that is provided at an end portion of the nozzle flow path 68 on the side communicating with the atmosphere and has a reduced flow path cross section. The molding material supplied from the plasticizing unit 30 to the nozzle flow path 68 through the supply flow path 62 is ejected from the nozzle hole 69. In the present embodiment, the opening shape of the nozzle hole 69 is circular. The opening shape of the nozzle hole 69 is not limited to a circular shape, and may be a square or a polygon other than a square, for example.

Fig. 2 is a schematic perspective view showing a structure of the screw 40 on the groove forming surface 42 side. In fig. 2, the position of the central axis RX of the screw 40 is shown by a one-dot chain line. As described with reference to fig. 1, the groove forming surface 42 is provided with a groove 45.

The central portion 47 of the groove forming surface 42 of the screw 40 is configured as a concave portion connected to one end of the groove portion 45. The central portion 47 faces the communication hole 56 of the cylindrical portion 50 shown in fig. 1. The central portion 47 intersects the central axis RX.

The grooves 45 of the screw 40 constitute so-called swirl grooves. The groove 45 extends spirally from the central portion 47 toward the outer periphery of the screw 40. The groove 45 may be formed to extend in an involute curve or in a spiral shape. The groove forming surface 42 is provided with a ridge portion 46 that constitutes a side wall portion of the groove portion 45 and extends along each groove portion 45. The groove 45 continues to a material introduction port 44 formed on the side surface 43 of the screw 40. The material inlet 44 is a portion that receives the material supplied through the supply passage 22 of the material supply unit 20.

An example of a screw 40 having three grooves 45 and three raised strips 46 is shown in fig. 2. The number of the grooves 45 and the ridges 46 provided in the screw 40 is not limited to three. The screw 40 may be provided with only one groove 45, or may be provided with two or more grooves 45. In addition, any number of the raised strips 46 may be provided corresponding to the number of the grooves 45.

Fig. 2 shows an example of the screw 40 in which the material introduction port 44 is formed at three positions. The number of the material introduction ports 44 provided in the screw 40 is not limited to three. The screw 40 may be provided with the material introduction port 44 at only one position, or at two or more positions.

Fig. 3 is a plan view showing a structure of the barrel 50 on the screw facing surface 52 side. As described above, the communication hole 56 is formed in the center of the screw opposing surface 52. A plurality of guide grooves 54 are formed around the communication hole 56 of the screw opposing surface 52. One end of each guide groove 54 is connected to the communication hole 56, and extends from the communication hole 56 toward the outer periphery of the screw opposing surface 52 in a spiral shape. Each guide groove 54 has a function of guiding the modeling material to the communication hole 56. Further, in order to efficiently allow the molding material to reach the communication hole 56, the guide groove 54 is preferably formed in the tube portion 50, but the guide groove 54 may not be formed.

The control unit 500 is constituted by a computer including one or more processors, a main storage device, and an input/output interface for inputting and outputting signals to and from the outside. The control unit 500 performs various functions by executing a program or a command read in the main storage device by the processor. For example, the control unit 500 functions as a state observation unit 600, a prediction unit 700, and an instruction acquisition unit 750, which will be described later, in addition to the function of executing the three-dimensional modeling process. The control unit 500 may be a combination of a plurality of circuits instead of a computer.

The three-dimensional modeling process is a process for modeling a three-dimensional modeled object. The three-dimensional modeling process may be simply referred to as a modeling process. The control unit 500 controls the plasticizing unit 30 and the moving mechanism 400 in the three-dimensional molding process, and discharges the molding material from the discharge unit 60 to the molding surface 311. More specifically, the control unit 500 solidifies the modeling material discharged onto the modeling surface 311 to form a layer of the modeling material, thereby modeling the three-dimensional object. The solidification of the molding material means that the molding material discharged from the discharge portion 60 loses fluidity. In the present embodiment, the modeling material loses plasticity by cooling and is cured.

In the three-dimensional modeling process, the control unit 500 performs modeling of the three-dimensional modeled object based on modeling data. The molding data includes a relative movement path of the ejection unit 60 with respect to the mounting table 300 and a line width of the molding material on the movement path. The control unit 500 generates modeling data by dividing a three-dimensional object on shape data indicating the shape of the three-dimensional object created using three-dimensional CAD software or three-dimensional CG software into layers having a predetermined thickness, for example. The control unit 500 can obtain shape data from, for example, an external computer or the like connected to the three-dimensional modeling apparatus 100. The control unit 500 may directly obtain the model data from an external computer or the like without generating the model data. Further, the modeling data may be generated by, for example, microtome software.

The line width of the molding material is a width of the molding material discharged onto the molding surface 311 in a direction intersecting the movement path. The line width depends on the amount of build material ejected from the ejection part 60 per unit movement amount of the ejection part 60 and the height of the build material ejected onto the build surface 311. The deposition amount varies depending on the discharge amount of the modeling material discharged from the discharge unit 60 per unit time and the moving speed of the discharge unit 60. Further, the control section 500 may discharge the modeling material while keeping the distance in the Z direction, i.e., the gap, between the discharge section 60 and the modeling surface 311 constant, thereby keeping the height of the modeling material substantially constant.

The state observation unit 600 of the present embodiment observes the state of the heater 35 provided in the plasticizing unit 30. The state observation unit 600 of the present embodiment observes the state of the heater 35 based on the heater temperature measured or calculated as the actual temperature of the heater 35 and the heater power measured or calculated as the power consumed by the heater 35. The state observation performed by the state observation unit 600 will be described in detail later.

In the present embodiment, the heater temperature and the heater power amount are measured by the first sensor portion 58 having a temperature sensor and an electricity meter. The temperature sensor of the first sensor unit 58 may be constituted by a thermocouple, for example, or may be constituted by another contact-type temperature sensor or a noncontact-type temperature sensor such as a semiconductor temperature sensor. In the present embodiment, the heater temperature obtained by the temperature sensor of the first sensor unit 58 is also used for feedback control of the controller 500 to the heater 35.

The prediction unit 700 of the present embodiment predicts the time it takes for the lifetime of the heater 35 to reach based on the observation result of the heater 35 observed by the state observation unit 600. The time-to-life of the heater 35 is the time-to-life of the heater. The lifetime end period of the heater 35 may be referred to as a first lifetime end period. The prediction of the first life arrival time by the prediction unit 700 will be described in detail later.

The instruction acquisition unit 750 acquires a model start instruction from the user. The molding start instruction is an instruction from the user to start molding of the three-dimensional molded object. The modeling start instruction is made by, for example, an input operation to an operation panel provided in the three-dimensional modeling apparatus 100, or a computer or the like connected to the three-dimensional modeling apparatus 100. The instruction acquisition unit 750 acquires a modeling start instruction for an operation panel, a computer, or the like, for example, via an unillustrated harness. In another embodiment, the instruction obtaining unit 750 may have a receiver for obtaining a modeling start instruction by wireless communication, for example. The instruction acquiring unit 750 may be configured to acquire an instruction other than the build start instruction from the user in addition to the build start instruction.

The notification unit 800 notifies the user of information. The notification unit 800 of the present embodiment is constituted by a liquid crystal monitor connected to the control unit 500, and notifies information by displaying visual information on the liquid crystal monitor. The notification unit 800 notifies, for example, a control state of the three-dimensional modeling apparatus 100, a modeling state of the three-dimensional modeled object being modeled, an elapsed time from the start of modeling, and the like as information. For example, when the three-dimensional modeling apparatus 100 is installed in a housing, the notification unit 800 may be disposed on the outer wall surface of the housing as a monitor that can be visually confirmed from the outside of the housing.

Fig. 4 is a process diagram showing a three-dimensional modeling process for realizing the method for manufacturing a three-dimensional shaped object according to the present embodiment. When the user performs an operation for starting the three-dimensional modeling process on an operation panel provided in the three-dimensional modeling apparatus 100 or a computer connected to the three-dimensional modeling apparatus 100, the control unit 500 executes the three-dimensional modeling process. In the present embodiment, the control unit 500 acquires the modeling data immediately after the start of the three-dimensional modeling process.

In step S105, the control unit 500 sets the target temperature of the heater 35 of the plasticizing unit 30 to the determination temperature Tj, and starts supplying power to the heater 35. The control unit 500 performs feedback control of the heater 35 with reference to the heater temperature acquired by the first sensor unit 58 so that the heater temperature approaches the determination temperature Tj set as the target temperature. As the determination temperature Tj, for example, a molding temperature at the time of controlling the heater 35 in the molding process of step S140 described later can be used. Specifically, when the heater 35 is controlled to 250 ℃ in step S140, the determination temperature is set to 250 ℃. Note that the determination temperature Tj may be a temperature higher or lower than the modeling temperature without using the modeling temperature of the heater 35.

In step S110, the state observation unit 600 calculates a first amount of power to be reached. The first arrival electric quantity refers to an electric quantity required for the temperature of the heater 35 to reach the determination temperature Tj. The state observation unit 600 of the present embodiment performs state observation by calculating the first amount of arriving power. The step of observing the state of the heater 35 as in step S110 may be referred to as a first step.

Fig. 5 is a graph with the heater power on the horizontal axis and the heater temperature on the vertical axis. A change X1 of the heater power amount with respect to the heater temperature in the observation period t1 and a change X2 of the heater power amount with respect to the heater temperature in the observation period t2 are shown in fig. 5, respectively. The observation period refers to a period in which state observation is performed, and the observation period t2 is an observation period after the observation period t 1. Specifically, the change X2 in the observation period t2 is measured in the three-dimensional modeling process performed after the three-dimensional modeling process in which the change X1 in the observation period t1 is measured. As shown in fig. 5, the first arrival electric quantity in the observation period t1 is an electric quantity P1. On the other hand, the first arrival electric quantity in the observation period t2 is an electric quantity P2 larger than the electric quantity P1. Therefore, in the observation period t2, the deterioration of the heater 35 is more advanced than that in the observation period t 1.

The state observing unit 600 of the present embodiment calculates the predicted first arrival electric energy at a stage before the heater temperature reaches the determination temperature Tj in step S110. Specifically, the state observation unit 600 measures a change in the heater electric energy until the heater temperature reaches a temperature Tp lower than the determination temperature Tj. Further, the state observation unit 600 calculates a change in the heater electric energy when the heater temperature rises from Tp to the determination temperature Tj, based on a change in the heater electric energy until the heater temperature reaches the temperature Tp. For example, at the observation time t1, the change X1b of the heater electric energy when the heater temperature rises from the temperature Tp to a temperature exceeding the temperature Tj is calculated from the change X1a of the heater electric energy until the heater temperature reaches the temperature Tp. That is, the change X1 at the observation time t1 was measured by measuring the change X1a and calculating the change X1 b. The state observation unit 600 can approximate the change X1a in the heater power amount by an appropriate function, for example, and calculate the change X1b in the heater power amount from the approximated function. In the observation time t2, similarly to the case of the observation time t1, the change X2b in the heater electric energy when the heater temperature rises from the temperature Tp to a temperature exceeding the temperature Tj is calculated from the change X2a in the heater electric energy until the heater temperature reaches the temperature Tp. That is, the change X2a was measured and the change X2b was calculated, thereby measuring the change X2 at the observation time t 2.

In step S115, the prediction unit 700 predicts the first life time at which the heater 35 reaches the life. The prediction unit 700 of the present embodiment predicts the first life time by predicting the time when the first amount of arriving electric energy exceeds the first determination value Pj1 shown in fig. 5. In the present embodiment, the first life time is predicted using a history of increase in the first amount of arriving electric power, which will be described later. The step of predicting the lifetime arrival time as in step S115 may be referred to as a second step.

Fig. 6 is a diagram showing the increase history of the first arrival power amount. Fig. 6 shows a change in the first arrival power amount with respect to an increase in the cumulative power consumption amount of the heater 35. Fig. 6 shows the case of the cumulative power consumption amount TP1 and the first arrival power amount P1 of the heater 35 in the observation period t1 as the history. In addition, the case of the cumulative power consumption amount TP2 and the first arrival power amount P2 in the observation period t2 as the history is shown. For example, when the state of the heater 35 is observed at the observation time t2 in step S110, the prediction unit 700 predicts the increase in the first amount of arriving electric power after the observation time t2 using the increase history before the observation time t 2. The prediction unit 700 approximates the history of increase before the observation period t2 with a function Fn1, for example, and predicts an increase in the first amount of arriving electric power with respect to an increase in the cumulative electric power consumption after the observation period t2 from the function Fn 1. The predicting unit 700 thus predicts the increase in the first arrival electric energy after the observation time t2, and calculates the cumulative electric energy consumption TPj of the heater 35 when the first arrival electric energy reaches the first determination value Pj 1. Further, in fig. 6, as the increase history in the observation period t0, the first arrival electric quantity P0 and the accumulated electric power consumption TP0 at the time when the heater 35 is operated for the first time are recorded. In this case, the relationship between the first amount of electricity P0 and the accumulated amount of electricity TP0 in the observation period t0 may be derived from a theoretical value of the change in the temperature of the heater 35 with respect to the amount of electricity consumed, for example.

Further, the prediction unit 700 predicts the first life reaching time based on the difference between the calculated cumulative power consumption amount TPj and the cumulative power consumption amount TP2 at the observation time t 2. In the present embodiment, the prediction unit 700 calculates the remaining time until the heater 35 reaches the life by dividing the difference TP2-TPj between the accumulated power consumption TP2 and the accumulated power consumption TPj by the power consumption when the heater 35 is operated at the molding temperature. Further, in the increase history shown in fig. 6, it is shown that the first arrival electric quantity becomes the determination value Pj in the period t 3. In addition, for example, in the case where the first arrival electric quantity observed in step S110 exceeds the first determination value Pj1, in step S115, the first arrival electric quantity P4 exceeding the first determination value Pj1 is recorded as an increase history in a time period t4 shown in fig. 6. The accumulated power consumption amount in the time period t4 is TP4 which is larger than TPj, and the remaining time of the heater 35 at this time is calculated as 0. In this case, the first life arrival timing coincides with the start timing of the molding process in step S140 described later.

In step S120, the control unit 500 calculates the molding time. The molding time is a molding time required for molding the three-dimensional molded object, which is calculated from the molding data and the control value when the plasticizing unit 30 and the moving mechanism unit 400 are controlled. In the present embodiment, the modeling data is acquired after the three-dimensional modeling process is started as described above, but in another embodiment, the modeling data may be acquired at another time before step S120 is executed.

In step S125, the control unit 500 performs life determination for determining whether or not the first life arrival time is within the modeling time. Specifically, in the present embodiment, the control unit 500 compares the remaining time of the heater 35 with the molding time, and determines that the first life arrival time is within the molding time when the remaining time of the heater 35 is equal to or less than the molding time. The step of determining whether or not the life time is within the molding time as shown in step S125 may be referred to as a third step.

When it is determined in step S125 that the first life time is within the molding time, the control unit 500 controls the notification unit 800 to notify the user of the life information in step S130. The lifetime information is information indicating the result of lifetime determination. In the present embodiment, specifically, in step S130, the user is notified of information indicating that the first life time has reached the modeling time or less. As shown in fig. 4, step S130 is performed before the molding process of step S140 described later. Thus, for example, the user can replace the deteriorated heater 35 with another heater 35 that is not deteriorated before the three-dimensional shaped object is shaped. In step S130, the control unit 500 may, for example, recommend the user to replace the deteriorated heater 35. The step of notifying the lifetime information as in step S130 may be referred to as a fourth step.

In step S135, the control unit 500 waits for the three-dimensional modeling apparatus 100 until the instruction obtaining unit 750 obtains a modeling start instruction. When the build start instruction is obtained by the instruction obtaining section 750, the control section 500 advances the process from step S135 to step S140. That is, when the first life time reaches within the molding time, the control unit 500 of the present embodiment performs molding of the three-dimensional molded object after the notification unit 800 notifies the life information and the instruction acquisition unit 750 obtains the molding start instruction. Therefore, the user can perform the modeling of the three-dimensional shaped object after the replacement of the heater 35 is completed by, for example, instructing the modeling start after the heater 35 that has deteriorated is replaced with another heater 35 that has not deteriorated.

In step S140, the control unit 500 performs modeling of the three-dimensional shaped object. Step S140 is executed when it is determined in step S125 that the first life arrival time is not within the modeling time. In this case, in the present embodiment, the three-dimensional shaped object is shaped in step S140 without performing the notification of the lifetime information in step S130 and the standby in step S135. The step of shaping the three-dimensional shaped object as in step S140 may be referred to as a fifth step. In another embodiment, when it is determined that the life time is not within the model time, the control unit 500 may notify the life information indicating that the life time is not within the model time, for example. In this case, the control unit 500 may perform the modeling of the three-dimensional modeled object while notifying the life information indicating that the first life time is not within the modeling time, for example.

According to the three-dimensional modeling apparatus 100 described above, when the first life time reaches within the modeling time, the control unit 500 controls the notification unit 800 to notify the life information. Thus, the user can replace the deteriorated heater 35 with another heater 35 that is not deteriorated, for example, before the three-dimensional object is formed, based on the life information notified by the notification unit 800. Therefore, even when the deterioration of the heater 35 progresses, the possibility that the heater 35 needs to be replaced during the molding of the three-dimensional molded object is reduced, and the molding quality can be prevented from being degraded due to the interruption or restart of the molding when the heater 35 is replaced.

In the present embodiment, the state observation unit 600 observes the first amount of arriving electric energy of the heater 35 as the state of the heater 35, and the prediction unit 700 predicts the first life time by predicting the time when the first amount of arriving electric energy exceeds the first determination value Pj 1. Therefore, the state of the heater 35 can be easily observed when the temperature of the heater 35 is increased, and the time when the life of the heater 35 reaches can be efficiently predicted.

In the present embodiment, when the life time of the heater 35 is within the molding time, the control unit 500 performs the molding of the three-dimensional molded object after the notification unit 800 notifies the life information and the instruction acquisition unit 750 acquires the molding start instruction. Thus, for example, the user can start the three-dimensional shaped object by issuing a shaping start instruction after replacing the deteriorated heater 35 with another heater 35. Therefore, even when the deterioration of the heater 35 is increased, the possibility that the heater 35 needs to be replaced during the molding of the three-dimensional molded object is further reduced, and the molding quality can be further prevented from being degraded due to the interruption or restart of the molding when the heater 35 is replaced.

In the present embodiment, the screw 40 rotates about the rotation axis and has the groove forming surface 42, and the plasticizing part 30 has the cylindrical part 50 facing the groove forming surface 42. This enables the plasticizing unit 30 to be downsized, and thus the three-dimensional modeling apparatus 100 to be downsized.

Here, a material of the three-dimensional object used in the three-dimensional modeling apparatus 100 will be described. In the three-dimensional modeling apparatus 100, a three-dimensional modeled object can be modeled using, as a main material, various materials such as a material having thermoplastic properties, a metal material, and a ceramic material. Here, the "main material" means a material that is the center of the shape of the three-dimensional shaped object, and means a material in which the content of the three-dimensional shaped object is 50 wt% or more. The molding material includes a material obtained by melting these main materials as a single body or a material obtained by melting a part of components contained together with the main materials to form a paste.

In the case of using a material having thermoplasticity as the main material, the molding material is produced by plasticizing the material in the plasticizing section 30.

As the material having thermoplasticity, for example, the following thermoplastic resin material can be used.

Examples of thermoplastic resin materials

Examples of the thermoplastic resin include general-purpose engineering plastics such as polypropylene resin (PP), polyethylene resin (PE), polyacetal resin (POM), polyvinyl chloride resin (PVC), polyamide resin (PA), acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene resin (ABS), polylactic acid resin (PLA), polyphenylene sulfide resin (PPs), polyether ether ketone (PEEK), Polycarbonate (PC), modified polyphenylene ether, polybutylene terephthalate, polyethylene terephthalate, and the like, and engineering plastics such as polysulfone, polyethersulfone, polyphenylene sulfide, polyarylate, polyimide, polyamideimide, polyetherimide, polyether ether ketone, and the like.

The thermoplastic material may be mixed with additives such as pigments, metals, ceramics, waxes, flame retardants, antioxidants, and heat stabilizers. The material having thermoplasticity is plasticized in the plasticizing part 30 by rotation of the screw 40 and heating of the heater 35 to be converted into a molten state.

The material having thermoplasticity is preferably ejected from the ejection portion 60 in a state of being heated to a temperature equal to or higher than its glass transition temperature and completely melted. For example, when ABS resin is used, it is preferable that the temperature is about 200 ℃.

In the three-dimensional modeling apparatus 100, for example, the following metal material may be used as a main material instead of the material having the thermoplastic property. In this case, it is preferable that a component melted at the time of producing the molding material is mixed with a powder material obtained by powdering the metal material described below, and is supplied as the material MR to the plasticizing unit 30.

Examples of the metallic materials

A single metal of magnesium (Mg), iron (Fe), cobalt (Co), chromium (Cr), aluminum (Al), titanium (Ti), copper (Cu), nickel (Ni), or an alloy containing one or more of these metals.

Examples of the alloys

Maraging steel, stainless steel, cobalt-chromium-molybdenum alloy, titanium alloy, nickel alloy, aluminum alloy, cobalt alloy, and cobalt-chromium alloy.

In the three-dimensional modeling apparatus 100, a ceramic material may be used as a main material instead of the metal material. As the ceramic material, for example, an oxide ceramic such as silica, titania, alumina, zirconia, or a non-oxide ceramic such as aluminum nitride can be used. When the metal material or the ceramic material as described above is used as the main material, the molding material discharged onto the mounting table 300 may be solidified by sintering.

The powder material of the metal material or the ceramic material charged into the material supply unit 20 by the material MR may be a mixed material obtained by mixing a single metal powder, an alloy powder, or a plurality of powders of the ceramic material. The powder material of the metal material or the ceramic material may be coated with the thermoplastic resin or other thermoplastic resins as exemplified above, for example. In this case, the thermoplastic resin may be melted in the plasticizing unit 30 to exhibit fluidity.

The following solvent may be added to the powder material of the metal material or the ceramic material as the material MR to be charged into the material supply unit 20. The solvent may be one or two or more selected from the following solvents.

Examples of the solvent

Water; (poly) alkylene glycol monoalkyl ethers such as ethylene glycol monomethyl ether, ethylene glycol monoethyl ether, propylene glycol monomethyl ether, and propylene glycol monoethyl ether; acetic acid esters such as ethyl acetate, n-propyl acetate, isopropyl acetate, n-butyl acetate, and isobutyl acetate; aromatic hydrocarbons such as benzene, toluene, and xylene; ketones such as methyl ethyl ketone, acetone, methyl isobutyl ketone, ethyl n-butyl ketone, diisopropyl ketone, and acetylacetone; alcohols such as ethanol, propanol, and butanol; tetraalkylammonium acetates; sulfoxide solvents such as dimethyl sulfoxide and diethyl sulfoxide; pyridine solvents such as pyridine, γ -picoline, and 2, 6-lutidine; tetraalkylammonium acetates (e.g., tetrabutylammonium acetate, etc.); butyl carbitol acetate and the like.

The following binder may be added to the powder material of the metal material or the ceramic material supplied to the material generating portion 20, for example.

Examples of Adhesives

Acrylic, epoxy, silicone, cellulose-based or other synthetic resins or PLA (polylactic acid), PA (polyamide), PPS (polyphenylene sulfide), PEEK (polyether ether ketone) or other thermoplastic resins.

B. Second embodiment:

fig. 7 is a diagram showing a schematic configuration of a three-dimensional modeling apparatus 100b according to a second embodiment. Unlike the first embodiment, the three-dimensional modeling apparatus 100b does not include the first sensor unit 58 but includes the second sensor unit 59. In the three-dimensional modeling apparatus 100b, the state observation unit 600 observes the state of the drive motor 32, and the prediction unit 700 predicts the time to reach the life of the drive motor 32 based on the observation result of the state observation unit 600. Note that the three-dimensional modeling apparatus 100b has the same aspects as the first embodiment, which are not described in particular.

As described above, the state observation unit 600 of the present embodiment observes the state of the drive motor 32 provided in the plasticizing unit 30. The state observation unit 600 of the present embodiment observes the state of the drive motor 32 based on the motor rotation speed measured or calculated as the actual rotation speed of the drive motor 32 and the motor electric energy measured or calculated as the electric power consumed by the drive motor 32. The state observation unit 600 will be described later in detail as to the state of the drive motor 32.

In the present embodiment, the motor rotation speed and the motor electric power are measured by the second sensor unit 59 having a tachometer and an ammeter. The tachometer of the second sensor unit 59 includes a light emitting unit and a light receiving unit, which are not shown. The tachometer of the second sensor unit 59 irradiates a reflection mark, not shown, provided on the side surface of the rotating shaft of the drive motor 32 with laser light, and receives the laser light reflected from the reflection mark. The second sensor unit 59 measures the motor rotation speed by measuring the interval of the light receiving timing of the laser light reflected from the reflective mark. The tachometer of the second sensor unit 59 may be configured by another non-contact type tachometer or may be configured by a contact type tachometer. In the present embodiment, the motor rotation speed obtained by the tachometer of the second sensor unit 59 is also used for feedback control of the drive motor 32 by the control unit 500.

The prediction unit 700 of the present embodiment predicts the life time of the drive motor 32 based on the observation result of the drive motor 32 observed by the state observation unit 600. The lifetime reaching period of the drive motor 32 refers to a period during which the drive motor 32 reaches the lifetime. The life time of the drive motor 32 may be referred to as a second life time. The details of the prediction unit 700 predicting the second life arrival time will be described later.

Fig. 8 is a process diagram showing a process of forming a three-dimensional shaped object according to the second embodiment. In step S205, the control unit 500 sets the target rotation speed of the drive motor 32 to the determination rotation speed Rj, and starts driving the drive motor 32. The control unit 500 refers to the motor rotation speed obtained by the second sensor unit 59 to feedback-control the drive motor 32 so that the motor rotation speed approaches the determination rotation speed Rj set as the target rotation speed. Further, by executing step S205, the determination rotation speed Rj is determined as a value for determining the state of the drive motor 32, for example. The determination rotation speed Rj may correspond to the rotation speed of the drive motor 32 controlled in the molding step of step S240, for example. In this case, the determination rotation speed Rj may be, for example, an average value of the rotation speeds of the drive motor 32 in step S240.

In step S210, the state observation unit 600 calculates a second amount of power to be reached. The second arrival electric quantity is an electric quantity required for the rotation speed of the drive motor 32 to reach the determination rotation speed Rj. The state observation unit 600 of the present embodiment performs state observation by calculating the second amount of arriving power. Similarly to step S110 in the first embodiment shown in fig. 4, the step of observing the state of the drive motor 32 as in step S210 may be referred to as a first step. That is, in the first step, the state of the drive motor 32 or the heater 35 is observed.

Fig. 9 is a graph with the motor electric quantity on the horizontal axis and the motor rotational speed on the vertical axis. In fig. 9, a change Y1 of the motor electric quantity with respect to the motor rotation speed in the observation period t1b and a change Y2 of the motor electric quantity with respect to the motor rotation speed in the observation period t2b are shown, respectively. The observation period refers to a period in which state observation is performed, and the observation period t2b is an observation period after the observation period t1 b. Specifically, the change Y2 in the observation period t2b is measured in the three-dimensional modeling process performed after the three-dimensional modeling process in which the change Y1 in the observation period t1b is measured. As shown in fig. 9, the second arrival electric quantity in the observation period t1b is the electric quantity P1 b. On the other hand, the first arrival electric quantity in the observation period t2b is the electric quantity P2b larger than the electric quantity P1 b. Therefore, in the observation period t2b, deterioration of the drive motor 32 is more advanced than in the observation period t1 b.

The state observation unit 600 of the present embodiment calculates the predicted second arrival electric energy at a stage before the motor rotation speed reaches the determination rotation speed Rj in step S210. Specifically, the state observation unit 600 measures a change in the motor electric energy until the motor rotation speed reaches the rotation speed Rp that is lower than the determination rotation speed Rj. Further, the state observation unit 600 calculates a change in the motor electric energy when the motor rotation speed increases from Rp to the determination rotation speed Rj, based on the change in the motor electric energy until the motor rotation speed reaches the rotation speed Rp. For example, at the observation time t1b, the change Y1b of the motor electric energy when the motor rotation speed increases from the rotation speed Rp to a rotation speed exceeding the determination rotation speed Rj is calculated from the change Y1a of the motor electric energy until the motor rotation speed changes to the rotation speed Rp. That is, the change Y1 at the observation time t1b was measured by measuring the change Y1a and calculating the change Y1 b. The state observation unit 600 may approximate the change Y1a in the motor electric energy by an appropriate function, and calculate the change Y1b in the motor electric energy from the approximated function. In the observation period t2b, similarly to the observation period t1b, the change Y2b of the motor electric energy when the motor rotation speed increases from the rotation speed Rp to a rotation speed exceeding the determination rotation speed Rj is calculated from the change Y2a of the motor electric energy until the motor rotation speed reaches the rotation speed Rp. That is, the change Y2 at the observation time t2b was measured by measuring the change Y2a and calculating the change Y2 b.

In step S215, the prediction unit 700 predicts the second life time at which the drive motor 32 reaches the life. The prediction unit 700 of the present embodiment predicts the second life time by predicting the time when the second amount of arriving electric energy exceeds the second determination value Pj2 shown in fig. 9. Specifically, the second life time is predicted using a second arrival power amount increase history described later. Similarly to step S115 in the first embodiment shown in fig. 4, the step of predicting the lifetime arrival time as in step S215 may be referred to as a second step.

Fig. 10 is a diagram showing the increase history of the second arrival power amount. Fig. 10 shows a change in the second arrival power amount with respect to an increase in the cumulative power consumption amount of the drive motor 32. Fig. 10 shows the case where the cumulative power consumption amount TP1b and the second arrival power amount P1b of the heater 35 in the observation period t1b as the history. In addition, the case of the cumulative power consumption amount TP2b and the first arrival power amount P2b in the observation period t2b as the history is shown. For example, when the state of the drive motor 32 is observed at the observation time t2b in step S210, the prediction unit 700 predicts the increase in the second amount of electric energy reached after the observation time t2b using the increase history before the observation time t2 b. The prediction unit 700 approximates the history of increase before the observation period t2b with a function Fn2, for example, and predicts an increase in the second amount of arriving electric power with respect to an increase in the cumulative electric power consumption after the observation period t2b from the function Fn 2. The prediction unit 700 thus predicts the increase in the second amount of charge that occurs after the observation time t2b, and thereby calculates the cumulative power consumption amount TPjb of the heater 35 when the second amount of charge reaches the second determination value Pj 2. Further, in fig. 10, as the increase history of the observation period t0b, the second arrival electric quantity P0b and the accumulated electric power consumption amount TP0b at the time of driving the drive motor 32 for the first time are recorded. In this case, the relationship between the second arrival electric quantity P0b and the accumulated electric power consumption TP0b in the observation period t0b may be derived from a theoretical value of the change in the rotation speed of the drive motor 32 with respect to the electric power consumption, for example.

Further, the prediction unit 700 predicts the second life reaching time based on the difference between the calculated cumulative power consumption amount TPjb and the cumulative power consumption amount TP2b in the observation time t2 b. In the present embodiment, the prediction unit 700 calculates the remaining time until the drive motor 32 reaches the lifetime by dividing the difference TP2b-TPjb between the accumulated power consumption TP2b and the accumulated power consumption TPjb by the power consumption when the drive motor 32 is driven at the average rotation speed in the molding step. Further, in the increase history shown in fig. 10, it is shown that the second arrival electric quantity becomes the second determination value Pj2 in the period t3 b. Further, for example, when the second amount of arriving electric power observed in step S210 exceeds the second determination value Pj2, in step S215, the second amount of arriving electric power P4b exceeding the second determination value Pj2 is recorded as an increase history in time t4b shown in fig. 10. The accumulated power consumption amount in the period t4b is TP4b larger than TPjb, and the remaining time of the drive motor 32 at this time is calculated to be 0. In this case, the second life time period coincides with the start time of the molding process in step S240 described later.

Step S220 is the same as step S120 shown in fig. 4, and therefore, the description thereof is omitted.

In step S225, the control unit 500 performs life determination for determining whether or not the second life time is within the molding time. Specifically, in the present embodiment, the control unit 500 compares the remaining time of the drive motor 32 with the molding time, and determines that the second life arrival time is within the molding time when the remaining time of the drive motor 32 is equal to or less than the molding time. Similarly to step S125 in the first embodiment shown in fig. 4, the step of determining whether or not the life time arrival timing is within the modeling time as in step S225 may be referred to as a third step.

When it is determined in step S225 that the second life time is within the molding time, the control unit 500 controls the notification unit 800 to notify the user of the life information in step S230. In the present embodiment, specifically, in step S230, information indicating that the second life time has reached within the molding time is notified to the user. As shown in fig. 8, step S230 is performed before the molding process of step S240 described later. Thus, for example, the user can replace the deteriorated drive motor 32 with another drive motor 32 that is not deteriorated before the three-dimensional shaped object is shaped. In step S230, the control unit 500 may, for example, recommend the user to replace the deteriorated drive motor 32. Similarly to step S130 in the first embodiment shown in fig. 4, the step of notifying the lifetime information as in step S230 may be referred to as a fourth step.

In step S235, the control unit 500 waits for the three-dimensional modeling apparatus 100 until the instruction obtaining unit 750 obtains a modeling start instruction. When the instruction obtaining section 750 obtains the modeling start instruction, the control section 500 advances the process from step S235 to step S240. In step S240, the control unit 500 performs modeling of the three-dimensional shaped object. That is, when the second life time is within the molding time, the control unit 500 of the present embodiment performs molding of the three-dimensional molded object after the notification unit 800 notifies the life information and the instruction acquisition unit 750 obtains the molding start instruction. For example, the user can issue a modeling start instruction after replacing a degraded drive motor 32 with another drive motor 32 that is not degraded, and can perform modeling of the three-dimensional shaped object after the replacement of the heater 35 is completed. Step S240 is executed if it is determined in step S225 that the second life arrival time is not within the modeling time.

According to the three-dimensional modeling apparatus 100b of the second embodiment described above, when the second life time reaches within the modeling time, the control unit 500 controls the notification unit 800 to notify the life information. Thus, the user can replace the deteriorated drive motor 32 with another drive motor 32 that is not deteriorated, for example, before the three-dimensional shaped object is shaped, based on the life information notified by the notification unit 800. Therefore, even when deterioration of the drive motor 32 progresses, the possibility that the drive motor 32 needs to be replaced during the molding of the three-dimensional molded object is reduced, and thus, it is possible to suppress a reduction in molding quality due to a break in molding or a restart of molding when the drive motor 32 is replaced.

In the present embodiment, the state observation unit 600 observes the second arrival electric energy of the drive motor 32 as the state of the drive motor 32, and the prediction unit 700 predicts the second life arrival time by predicting the time when the second arrival electric energy exceeds the second determination value Pj 2. Therefore, the state of the drive motor 32 can be easily observed simply when the rotation speed of the drive motor 32 is increased, and the life time of the drive motor 32 can be predicted efficiently.

In the other embodiment, the state observation unit 600 may observe both the state of the drive motor 32 and the state of the heater 35, or may observe only either one of the states as in the first embodiment or the second embodiment. The prediction unit 700 may predict both the life time of the drive motor 32 and the life time of the heater 35, or may predict the life time of either one of the drive motor and the heater as in the first or second embodiment.

C. The third embodiment:

fig. 11 is a diagram showing a schematic configuration of a three-dimensional modeling apparatus 100c according to a third embodiment. Unlike the first embodiment, the three-dimensional modeling apparatus 100c includes a temperature acquisition unit 90. Note that the three-dimensional modeling apparatus 100c has the same aspects as the first embodiment, which are not described in particular.

The temperature acquisition unit 90 acquires the ambient temperature, which is the temperature outside the plasticizing unit 30. In the present embodiment, the temperature acquisition unit 90 includes a temperature sensor, and measures and acquires the temperature of the room in which the three-dimensional modeling apparatus 100c is installed as the ambient temperature. The temperature sensor of the temperature acquisition unit 90 may be constituted by a thermocouple, for example, or may be constituted by another contact-type temperature sensor or a non-contact-type temperature sensor such as a semiconductor temperature sensor. In another embodiment, for example, when the plasticizing unit 30 is housed in a housing such as a chamber, the temperature acquisition unit 90 may measure the temperature of the space outside the plasticizing unit 30 in the housing.

In the present embodiment, the control unit 500 executes the three-dimensional modeling process similar to the process shown in fig. 4. The control unit 500 of the present embodiment changes the first determination value Pj1 in step S115 in accordance with the ambient temperature obtained by the temperature acquisition unit 90. Specifically, when the ambient temperature is the second ambient temperature that is higher than the first ambient temperature, the control unit 500 sets the first determination value Pj1 at the second ambient temperature to a value that is higher than the first determination value Pj1 at the first ambient temperature.

As shown in fig. 5, the degree of change in the heater power amount with respect to the change in the heater temperature changes according to the ambient temperature of the heater 35. For example, when the ambient temperature is the second ambient temperature, the amount of heater power required to achieve the same heater temperature is reduced compared to when the ambient temperature is the first ambient temperature. Therefore, when the ambient temperature is the second ambient temperature, the apparently predicted lifetime arrival timing of the heater 35 may be later than when the ambient temperature is the first ambient temperature. In the present embodiment, since the first determination value Pj1 is determined based on the ambient temperature as described above, the influence of the ambient temperature is taken into consideration in predicting the first life arrival time. The first determination value Pj1 for each ambient temperature is determined in advance from, for example, the results of an experiment for examining the change in the amount of electric charge that reaches in response to a change in the ambient temperature.

According to the three-dimensional modeling apparatus 100c of the third embodiment described above, when deterioration of the heater 35 progresses, the possibility that the heater 35 needs to be replaced during modeling of the three-dimensional modeled object is also reduced, and thus, it is possible to suppress a reduction in modeling quality due to a break or restart of modeling when the heater 35 is replaced. Particularly in the present embodiment, when the ambient temperature is the second ambient temperature higher than the first ambient temperature, the control portion 500 determines the determination value as the second determination value lower than the first determination value. Thus, the influence of the ambient temperature is taken into consideration in the prediction of the lifetime arrival timing of the heater 35 by the prediction unit 700, and the lifetime arrival timing of the heater 35 can be predicted more appropriately. Therefore, the possibility that the heater 35 needs to be replaced during the molding of the three-dimensional molded object is further reduced, and the molding quality can be further prevented from being degraded due to the interruption or restart of the molding when the heater 35 is replaced.

In another embodiment, the control unit 500 may change the second determination value Pj2 according to the ambient temperature. In this case, the control unit 500 executes, for example, the same three-dimensional modeling process as the process shown in fig. 8, and changes the second determination value Pj2 in step S215 in accordance with the ambient temperature obtained by the temperature obtaining unit 90. The degree of change in the motor electric quantity with respect to the change in the motor rotation speed as shown in fig. 8 changes according to the ambient temperature of the drive motor 32. Therefore, the predicted life arrival timing of the drive motor 32 may be apparently early or late depending on the ambient temperature. By determining the second determination value Pj2 from the ambient temperature as described above, the influence of the ambient temperature is taken into consideration in predicting the second life reaching timing, and the life reaching timing of the drive motor 32 can be predicted more appropriately. Therefore, the possibility that the drive motor 32 needs to be replaced during the molding of the three-dimensional molded object is further reduced, and the molding quality can be further prevented from being degraded due to the interruption or restart of the molding when the drive motor 32 is replaced. The second determination value Pj2 for each ambient temperature is determined in advance, for example, from the results of experiments for examining the change in the amount of electric charge that reaches in response to a change in the ambient temperature.

In the case where the state observation unit 600 observes both the state of the drive motor 32 and the state of the heater 35 and the prediction unit 700 predicts both the life time of the drive motor 32 and the life time of the heater 35, the control unit 500 may determine both the first determination value Pj1 and the second determination value Pj2 based on the ambient temperature.

D. Fourth embodiment:

fig. 12 is a process diagram showing a process of forming a three-dimensional shaped object according to the fourth embodiment. In the fourth embodiment, the control section 500 acquires the first modeling data and the second modeling data as modeling data. In the life determination, when the life time reaching timing is within the first model time, the control unit 500 determines whether the life time reaching timing is within the second model time. The first build time is a build time inferred from the first build data. The second build time is a build time inferred from the second build data. The configuration of the three-dimensional modeling apparatus 100 according to the second embodiment is the same as that of the first embodiment, and therefore, the description thereof is omitted.

Steps S305 to S315 in fig. 12 are the same as steps S105 to S115 in fig. 4, and therefore, the description thereof is omitted.

In step S320, the control unit 500 calculates a first molding time. The first molding time is calculated from the first molding data and the control value for controlling the plasticizing unit 30 and the moving mechanism unit 400.

In step S325, the control unit 500 calculates a second molding time. The second molding time is calculated based on the second molding data and the control value for controlling the plasticizing unit 30 and the moving mechanism unit 400.

In step S330, the control unit 500 performs life determination for determining whether or not the first life time is within the first molding time. In the present embodiment, in step S330, the control unit 500 compares the remaining time of the heater 35 with the first molding time to determine the life, as in step S125 shown in fig. 4.

If it is determined in step S330 that the first life time is within the first molding time, the control unit 500 determines whether the first life time is within the second molding time in step S335. In the present embodiment, the control unit 500 performs the life determination by comparing the remaining time of the heater 35 with the second molding time, in the same manner as the life determination by comparing the remaining time of the heater 35 with the first molding time in step S330.

When it is determined in step S335 that the first life time is within the second model time, the control unit 500 controls the notification unit 800 to notify the user of the first life information in step S340. The first life information is information indicating a result of the life determination, and is information indicating that the first life arrival time is within the first model time and the second model time.

When it is determined in step S335 that the first life time is not within the second model time, the control unit 500 controls the notification unit 800 to notify the user of the second life information in step S345. The second life information is information indicating a result of the life determination, and is life information indicating that the first life arrival time is not within the second model time. The user can give an instruction to the control unit 500 based on the second life information so that, for example, the three-dimensional object is formed based on the second formation data before the three-dimensional object is formed based on the first formation data. The second life information may include, for example, information indicating that the first life arrival time is within the first molding time. In step S335, the control unit 500 may instruct the user to start modeling the three-dimensional shaped object based on the second modeling data, for example.

In step S350, the control unit 500 waits for the three-dimensional modeling apparatus 100 until the instruction obtaining unit 750 obtains a modeling start instruction. When the modeling start instruction is obtained by the instruction obtaining portion 750, the control portion 500 advances the process from step S350 to step S355. When step S350 is executed after step S340, the user may issue a modeling start instruction to start modeling the three-dimensional object based on the first modeling data or the second modeling data, for example, after replacing the deteriorated heater 35 with another heater 35 that is not deteriorated. When step S350 is executed after step S345, the user may issue a molding start instruction to start molding the three-dimensional molded object based on the second molding data, for example, based on the second life information.

In step S355, the control unit 500 performs the modeling of the three-dimensional shaped object. When step S355 is executed after step S350, the control unit 500 performs modeling of the three-dimensional object based on the first modeling data or the second modeling data in response to a modeling start instruction issued by the user during standby. In addition, step S355 is executed when it is determined in step S330 that the first life arrival time is not within the modeling time. In this case, in step S355, the three-dimensional shaped object is shaped based on the first shaping data.

According to the three-dimensional modeling apparatus 100 of the fourth embodiment described above, when deterioration of the heater 35 is advanced, the possibility that the heater 35 needs to be replaced during modeling of the three-dimensional modeled object is also reduced, and thus, it is possible to suppress a reduction in modeling quality due to a break in modeling or a restart when the heater 35 is replaced. Particularly, in the present embodiment, when the first life time is within the first model time, the control unit 500 determines whether the life time is within the second model time. Thus, even when the first life arrival time is within the first modeling time, the control unit 500 can model the three-dimensional modeled object based on the second modeling data when the first life arrival time is not within the second modeling time. Therefore, the heater 35 can be used for a longer time before the heater 35 is newly replaced.

In the present embodiment, when the first life time is not within the second molding time, the control unit 500 controls the notification unit 800 before the molding of the three-dimensional molded object to notify the life information indicating that the first life time is not within the second molding time. Therefore, the user can perform the three-dimensional shaped object by issuing a shaping start instruction to start the shaping of the three-dimensional shaped object based on the second shaping data to the control unit 500 based on the life information, for example.

In another embodiment, when the second life time is within the first model time, the control unit 500 may determine whether the second life time is within the second model time. Further, when the second life time is not within the second molding time, the control unit 500 may control the notification unit 800 before the molding of the three-dimensional molded object to notify the life information indicating that the second life time is not within the second molding time. In this case, the control unit 500 may execute the above-described processing in the same configuration as the three-dimensional modeling apparatus 100b according to the second embodiment, for example.

In another embodiment, when the life time reaching timing is not within the second molding time, the control unit 500 may not notify the life information indicating that the life time reaching timing is not within the second molding time. In this case, the control unit 500 may start the three-dimensional object modeling based on the second modeling data without notifying the user of the three-dimensional object modeling.

E. Fifth embodiment:

fig. 13 is a diagram showing a schematic configuration of a three-dimensional modeling apparatus 100b according to a fifth embodiment. In the present embodiment, the control unit 500 predicts the life time of the movement mechanism unit 400 in addition to the life time of the heater 35 in the three-dimensional modeling process. Note that the three-dimensional modeling apparatus 100e has the same aspects as the first embodiment, which are not described in particular.

Fig. 13 shows a region L1 and a region L2. The regions L1 and L2 are planar regions extending in the X direction and the Y direction, which are the extending directions of the molding surface 311. Fig. 13 shows a position L1a as the-X direction end of the region L1, a position L1b as the + X direction end of the region L1, a position L2a as the-X direction end of the region L2, and a position L2b as the + X direction end of the region L2, respectively. The region L1 and the region L2 also have one end and the other end of each region in the Y direction, and are not shown in fig. 13.

The region L1 is the movable range of the ejection section 60 managed by the control section 500. Specifically, when the control unit 500 controls the movement mechanism unit 400 to move the ejection unit 60, the control value of the movement mechanism unit 400 is controlled so that the nozzle 61 does not move outside the area L1 by calculating the relative position of the ejection unit 60 with respect to the mounting table 300 based on the control value of the movement mechanism unit 400. That is, the region L1 is a so-called soft movable range. The coordinates representing the position L1a or the position L2a are also sometimes referred to as soft limits. The region L2 is a so-called hard movable range of the ejection unit 60 managed by a limit switch or the like, not shown. The area L2 is also managed by a proximity switch using a photoelectric sensor, a magnetic sensor, or the like, for example. The region L1 may include, for example, a region different from a region in which the three-dimensional shaped object is shaped, or may include, for example, a region in which a shaping material not used for shaping the object is ejected. For example, when recognizing that the nozzle 61 moves out of the region L1, the controller 500 may notify the error information through the notification unit 800 while the ejection unit 60 moves out of the region L1.

Fig. 14 is a process diagram showing a process of forming a three-dimensional shaped object according to the fifth embodiment. Steps S405 to S435 are the same as steps S105 to S135 shown in fig. 4, and therefore, the description thereof is omitted.

In step S440, the prediction unit 700 predicts the third life arrival time. The third life time period is a time period during which the heater 35 and a specific component other than the drive motor 32 reach their lives. In the present embodiment, the prediction unit 700 predicts the life time of the moving mechanism unit 400 based on the observation result of the state observation unit 600 with respect to the moving mechanism unit 400 as the third life time. In another embodiment, the state observation of the moving mechanism unit 400 and the prediction of the life time arrival time may be performed by a computer or the like separate from the state observation unit 600 and the prediction unit 700.

The state observation unit 600 observes a movement time required for the movement of the moving unit 60 that moves a fixed distance as the state of the moving mechanism unit 400. Specifically, in the present embodiment, the controller 500 moves the ejection unit 60 from the position L1a to the position L1 b. The state observation unit 600 measures the moving speed and moving time of the ejection unit 60 at this time. At this time, for example, when the motor constituting the movement mechanism unit 400 deteriorates, the acceleration of the ejection unit 60 decreases and the movement time increases. Further, in the observation of the state of the ejection unit 60, the movement speed and the movement time of the ejection unit 60 when the ejection unit 60 moves for a long distance in the region L1 are measured by measuring the movement speed and the movement time of the ejection unit 60 when the ejection unit 60 moves from the position L1a to the position L1b, and therefore, it is possible to improve the observation accuracy of the state of the movement mechanism unit 400 while suppressing the malfunction of the movement mechanism unit 400. In another embodiment, the state observation unit 600 may measure the moving speed and moving time of the ejection unit 60 moving between other points. The state observation unit 600 may observe the state of the movement mechanism unit 400 by statistically processing a plurality of measurement results measured by a plurality of reciprocating movements of the ejection unit 60, for example.

Fig. 15 is a graph in which the horizontal axis represents the movement time of the ejection unit 60 and the vertical axis represents the movement speed of the ejection unit 60. Fig. 15 shows an example of the measurement results of the movement time and the movement speed of the ejection unit 60 when the ejection unit 60 is moved from the position L1a to the position L1b shown in fig. 13. As shown in fig. 15, the movement time of the ejection unit 60 at the observation time t2e is longer than the movement time at the observation time t1 e. Therefore, the deterioration of the movement mechanism unit 400 at the observation time t2e is more advanced than that at the observation time t1 e.

The prediction unit 700 predicts the life time of the movement mechanism unit 400 based on the result of the state observation by the state observation unit 600. In the present embodiment, the prediction unit 700 predicts the time when the movement time of the ejection unit 60 exceeds the third determination value Pj3, thereby predicting the time when the life of the movement mechanism unit 400 reaches. The prediction unit 700 may predict the life time of the moving mechanism unit 400 using the history of increase in the moving time of the moving mechanism unit 400, for example, in the same manner as the first life time is predicted using the history of increase in the first amount of power reached in the first embodiment.

In step S445, the control unit 500 determines whether or not the third life arrival time is within the modeling time. That is, in the present embodiment, the control unit 500 determines whether or not the life time of the moving mechanism unit 400 is within the modeling time in step S445.

When it is determined in step S445 that the third life time is within the modeling time, the control unit 500 controls the notification unit 800 to notify the user of the third life information in step S450. The third life information is information indicating the result of determination regarding the third life arrival time in step S445. In the present embodiment, specifically, in step S450, the user is notified of information indicating that the life time of the moving mechanism unit 400 is within the molding time. Thus, the user can replace the components constituting the deteriorated moving mechanism section 400 before the modeling step in step S460, for example. In step S450, the control unit 500 may, for example, recommend the user to replace the deteriorated component.

In step S455, the control unit 500 waits for the three-dimensional modeling apparatus 100e until the instruction obtaining unit 750 obtains a modeling start instruction. When the instruction obtaining unit 750 obtains the modeling start instruction, the control unit 500 advances the process from step S455 to step S460. In step S460, the control unit 500 performs the three-dimensional object modeling. The user may issue a build start instruction after, for example, replacing a component constituting the degraded moving mechanism unit 400 with another component that is not degraded. Step S460 is also executed when it is determined in step S445 that the third life arrival time is not within the molding time.

According to the three-dimensional modeling apparatus 100e of the fifth embodiment described above, when deterioration of the heater 35 is advanced, the possibility that the heater 35 needs to be replaced during modeling of the three-dimensional modeled object is also reduced, and thus, it is possible to suppress a reduction in modeling quality due to a break or restart of modeling when the heater 35 is replaced. Particularly in the present embodiment, when the life time of the moving mechanism 400 reaches within the molding time, the control unit 500 controls the notification unit 800 to notify the information on the life time of the moving mechanism 400. Thus, the user can replace the component constituting the deteriorated moving mechanism unit 400 with another component that is not deteriorated, for example, before the three-dimensional shaped object is shaped, based on the information notified by the notification unit 800. Therefore, even when the deterioration of the moving mechanism section 400 is increased, the possibility that a part needs to be replaced during the molding of the three-dimensional molded object is reduced, and the molding quality can be prevented from being deteriorated due to the interruption or restart of the molding when the part is replaced.

F. Sixth embodiment:

fig. 16 is a diagram showing a schematic configuration of a three-dimensional modeling apparatus 100f according to a sixth embodiment. Unlike the first embodiment, the three-dimensional modeling apparatus 100f of the present embodiment is provided with a chamber 110. The three-dimensional modeling apparatus 100f includes a temperature acquisition unit 90b, a chamber heating unit 115, and a third sensor unit 116 in the chamber 110. Note that the three-dimensional modeling apparatus 100f is the same as the first embodiment in terms of the aspects not specifically described.

The chamber 110 is a housing that houses a part of the apparatus of the three-dimensional modeling apparatus 100 f. In the present embodiment, the chamber 110 houses the molding unit 200, the table 300, and the moving mechanism 400. The chamber 110 may be provided with, for example, an opening, a door for opening and closing the opening, and the like. In this case, the user can take out the shaped object in the chamber 110 through the opening by opening the door to open the opening.

The temperature acquisition unit 90b is constituted by the same temperature sensor as the temperature acquisition unit 90 of the second embodiment. The temperature acquisition portion 90b acquires the temperature inside the chamber 110.

The chamber heating part 115 is disposed in the chamber 110. The chamber heating part 115 heats a space inside the chamber 110. The chamber heating unit 115 may be configured by, for example, a heater that heats the inside of the chamber 110, or may be configured by a circulation device that takes in heated air from the outside of the chamber 110 and circulates the air inside and outside the chamber 110. The chamber heating section 115 of the present embodiment is controlled by the control section 500. The control section 500 adjusts the temperature in the chamber 110 by adjusting the output of the chamber heating section 115 with reference to the temperature obtained by the temperature obtaining section 90 b.

The third sensor portion 116 is disposed within the chamber 110. The third sensor portion 116 measures the temperature of the chamber heating portion 115 and the amount of electricity consumed by the chamber heating portion 115. The third sensor unit 116 is constituted by, for example, an ammeter and a temperature sensor similar to the temperature acquisition unit 90 b.

In the present embodiment, the control unit 500 executes the same three-dimensional modeling process as that in the fifth embodiment shown in fig. 14. In step S440 of the present embodiment, the predicting unit 700 predicts the lifetime reaching timing of the chamber heating unit 115 based on the observation result of the state observing unit 600 with respect to the chamber heating unit 115 as the third lifetime reaching timing. In another embodiment, the state of the chamber heating unit 115 and the lifetime reaching time may be observed and predicted by a computer or the like separate from the state observing unit 600 and the predicting unit 700.

Fig. 17 is a graph in which the horizontal axis represents the amount of power consumed by the chamber heating part 115 and the vertical axis represents the temperature of the chamber heating part 115. The state observation unit 600 of the present embodiment can perform state observation by calculating the third arrival electric quantity necessary for the temperature of the chamber heating portion 115 to reach the determination temperature Tjf, for example, as in the state observation of the heater 35 of the first embodiment. As shown in fig. 17, the third amount of arriving power in the observation period t2f is the power P2f, which is greater than the third amount of arriving power P1f in the observation period t1 f. Therefore, in the observation time t2f, deterioration of the chamber heating section 115 is more advanced than that in the observation time t1 f.

The predicting section 700 predicts the lifetime end timing of the chamber heating section 115 based on the result of the state observation by the state observing section 600. In the present embodiment, the prediction unit 700 predicts the time at which the third arrival electric energy exceeds the fourth determination value Pj4, thereby predicting the time at which the life of the chamber heating portion 115 will arrive. The predicting unit 700 may predict the lifetime reaching time of the chamber heating portion 115 using the increase history of the third amount of arriving power, for example, in the same manner as the first embodiment uses the increase history of the first amount of arriving power to predict the first lifetime reaching time.

In the present embodiment, in step S445, the control unit 500 determines whether or not the third life arrival time is within the modeling time. That is, in the present embodiment, the control unit 500 determines whether or not the lifetime end timing of the chamber heating unit 115 is within the modeling time in step S445. When it is determined in step S445 that the third lifetime arrival time is within the modeling time, in step S450, the control unit 500 controls the notification unit 800 to notify the user of information indicating that the lifetime arrival time of the chamber heating portion 115 is within the modeling time.

According to the three-dimensional modeling apparatus 100f of the sixth embodiment described above, when deterioration of the heater 35 is advanced, the possibility that the heater 35 needs to be replaced during modeling of the three-dimensional modeled object is also reduced, and thus, it is possible to suppress a reduction in modeling quality due to a break or restart of modeling when the heater 35 is replaced. Particularly in the present embodiment, when the lifetime of the chamber heating unit 115 reaches the end of the molding time, the control unit 500 controls the notification unit 800 to notify the information on the lifetime of the chamber heating unit 115. Thus, the user can replace the component constituting the deteriorated chamber heating section 115 with another component that is not deteriorated, for example, before the three-dimensional shaped object is shaped, based on the information notified by the notification section 800. Therefore, even when the deterioration of the chamber heating section 115 is progressed, the possibility that a part needs to be replaced during the molding of the three-dimensional molded object is reduced, and the molding quality can be prevented from being deteriorated due to the interruption or restart of the molding when the part is replaced.

G. The seventh embodiment:

fig. 18 is a diagram showing a schematic configuration of a three-dimensional modeling apparatus 100g according to a seventh embodiment. Unlike the first embodiment, the three-dimensional modeling apparatus 100g of the present embodiment includes the air blowing unit 105. Note that the three-dimensional modeling apparatus 100g has the same aspects as the first embodiment, which are not described in particular.

The blowing unit 105 includes four pipes 106 arranged around the discharge unit 60 at equal angular intervals. In fig. 18, only two tubes 106 are shown for ease of illustration. These pipes 106 are fixed to the discharge unit 60 or the screw box 31 by, for example, a jig 91. The compressed air is introduced into each tube 106, and the air is blown from the tip of each tube 106 toward the molding material discharged from the discharge portion 60 onto the molding surface 311. The air blowing unit 105 blows air to the molding material on the molding surface 311, thereby lowering the temperature of the molding material on the molding surface 311 and promoting the solidification of the molding material. The air blowing unit 105 can adjust the speed of the temperature decrease of the molding material by adjusting the amount of air blown to the molding material, thereby adjusting the curing of the molding material. The amount of air blown from the air blowing unit 105 is adjusted by the control unit 500. Specifically, the control unit 500 adjusts the amount of air blown by adjusting the amount of compressed air introduced into the pipe 106. For example, in the case where a sensor for measuring the temperature of the molding material on the molding surface 311 is provided, the control unit 500 may adjust the amount of air blown in accordance with the temperature of the molding material on the molding surface 311.

In the present embodiment, the control unit 500 executes the same three-dimensional modeling process as that in the fifth embodiment shown in fig. 14. In step S440 of the present embodiment, the prediction unit 700 predicts the life time of the air blowing unit 105 based on the observation result of the state observation unit 600 with respect to the air blowing unit 105 as the third life time. In another embodiment, the state of the air blowing unit 105 and the life time may be observed and predicted by a computer or the like separate from the state observing unit 600 and the predicting unit 700.

Fig. 19 is a graph in which the horizontal axis represents the amount of power consumed by the blower unit 105 and the vertical axis represents the amount of air blown. The electric power and the air flow shown in fig. 19 are measured by, for example, an electric meter and a flow meter, not shown. The state observation unit 600 of the present embodiment can perform state observation by calculating the fourth amount of arrival power necessary for the air blowing amount to reach the judgment air blowing amount Af, for example, in the same manner as the state observation of the heater 35 in the first embodiment. As shown in fig. 19, the fourth amount of arriving power in the observation period t2g is the power P2g, which is greater than the third amount of arriving power P1g in the observation period t1 g. Therefore, in observation time t2g, deterioration of air blower 105 is more advanced than in observation time t1 g.

The prediction unit 700 predicts the life time of the air blowing unit 105 based on the result of the state observation by the state observation unit 600. In the present embodiment, the prediction unit 700 predicts the time when the fourth amount of arriving power exceeds the fifth determination value Pj5, thereby predicting the time when the life of the blower unit 105 reaches. The prediction unit 700 may predict the life time of the blower unit 105 using the increase history of the fourth arrival power amount, for example, in the same manner as the first life time of the first embodiment is predicted using the increase history of the first arrival power amount.

In the present embodiment, in step S445, the control unit 500 determines whether or not the third life arrival time is within the modeling time. That is, in the present embodiment, the control unit 500 determines whether the life time of the blower unit 105 is within the modeling time in step S445. When it is determined in step S445 that the third life time is within the molding time, in step S450, the control unit 500 controls the notification unit 800 to notify the user of information indicating that the life time of the blower unit 105 is within the molding time.

According to the three-dimensional modeling apparatus 100g of the sixth embodiment described above, when deterioration of the heater 35 is advanced, the possibility that the heater 35 needs to be replaced during modeling of the three-dimensional modeled object is also reduced, and thus, it is possible to suppress a reduction in modeling quality due to a break or restart of modeling when the heater 35 is replaced. Particularly in the present embodiment, when the life of the blower unit 105 reaches the time within the molding time, the controller 500 controls the notification unit 800 to notify information on the life of the blower unit 105. Thus, the user can replace the component constituting the deteriorated air blowing unit 105 with another component that is not deteriorated, for example, before the three-dimensional shaped object is shaped, based on the information notified by the notification unit 800. Therefore, even when the deterioration of the air blowing unit 105 progresses, the possibility that a part needs to be replaced during the molding of the three-dimensional molded object is reduced, and the molding quality can be prevented from being degraded due to the interruption or restart of the molding when the part is replaced.

In another embodiment, the state observation unit 600 may measure the temperature of the upper surface of the molded surface 311 by using a temperature sensor, for example, and observe the power consumption of the air blowing unit 105 with respect to the temperature of the upper surface of the molded surface 311 as the state of the air blowing unit 105.

H. Eighth embodiment:

fig. 20 is a diagram showing a schematic configuration of a three-dimensional modeling apparatus 100h according to the eighth embodiment. Unlike the first embodiment, the three-dimensional molding machine 100h of the present embodiment includes a cooling unit 120 that cools the plasticizing unit 30. Note that the three-dimensional modeling apparatus 100h is the same as the first embodiment in terms of the aspects not specifically described.

The cooling unit 120 of the present embodiment includes: a refrigerant flow path 121 provided along the outer periphery of the cylindrical portion 50, an inlet portion 122 for introducing the refrigerant into the refrigerant flow path 121, an outlet portion 123 communicating with the refrigerant flow path 121 and discharging the refrigerant to the outside of the refrigerant flow path 121, and a refrigerant circulation device 124. The refrigerant cycle device 124 of the present embodiment includes a pump, not shown, and a refrigerator for cooling the refrigerant. In other embodiments, the refrigerant passage 121 may not be provided in the tube 50, and may be provided in the screw 40, for example.

The cooling unit 120 is controlled by the control unit 500. Specifically, the control unit 500 drives the refrigerant cycle device 124, circulates the refrigerant inside and outside the refrigerant flow path 121 through the inlet portion 122 and the outlet portion 123, and cools the refrigerant in the refrigerant cycle device 124. The control unit 500 circulates the refrigerant in this manner to cool the plasticizing unit 30.

The control unit 500 can adjust the temperature of the plasticizing unit 30 by adjusting the output of the cooling unit 120. For example, by increasing the output of the cooling portion 120, an excessive increase in the temperature in the plasticizing portion 30 is suppressed. In addition, when the coolant flow path 121 is provided along the outer periphery of the cylindrical portion 50 as in the present embodiment, the control portion 500 can keep the temperature low near the outer periphery of the cylindrical portion 50 and keep the temperature high near the central portion of the cylindrical portion 50 while suppressing the temperature increase of the entire cylindrical portion 50 by adjusting the output of the cooling portion 120. In the case of adjusting the output of the cooling unit 120, the control unit 500 may adjust the flow rate of the refrigerant in the cooling unit 120 by adjusting the output of the pump of the refrigerant cycle device 124, or may adjust the temperature of the refrigerant by adjusting the output of the refrigerator, for example.

In the present embodiment, the control unit 500 executes the same three-dimensional modeling process as that in the fifth embodiment shown in fig. 14. In step S440 of the present embodiment, the prediction unit 700 predicts the life time of the cooling unit 120 based on the observation result of the state observation unit 600 with respect to the cooling unit 120 as the third life time. In another embodiment, the state observation of the cooling unit 120 and the prediction of the life time may be performed by a computer or the like separate from the state observation unit 600 and the prediction unit 700.

Fig. 21 is a graph in which the horizontal axis represents the refrigerant flow rate and the vertical axis represents the cooled portion temperature. The refrigerant flow rate is a flow rate of the refrigerant flowing through the refrigerant flow path 121. The cooled portion temperature is the temperature of the cooled portion 53 cooled by the cooling portion 120. In the present embodiment, as shown in fig. 20, the cooled portion 53 constitutes a part of the outer peripheral portion of the cylindrical portion 50. The refrigerant flow rate and the cooled portion temperature are measured by, for example, a flow meter and a temperature sensor, not shown. The state observation unit 600 observes the coolant flow rate, that is, the arrival flow rate when the temperature of the cooled portion is cooled to the arrival temperature T1h, as the state of the cooling unit 120. As shown in fig. 21, the arrival flow rate f2 in the observation period t2h is larger than the arrival flow rate f1 in the observation period t1 h. That is, in observation time T2h, the flow rate of the refrigerant for achieving the arrival temperature T1h is increased as compared with that in observation time T1h, and the efficiency of cooling the refrigerant in cooling unit 120 is decreased. Therefore, cooling unit 120 deteriorates more rapidly in observation time t2h than in observation time t1 h.

The prediction unit 700 predicts the life time of the cooling unit 120 based on the result of the state observation by the state observation unit 600. In the present embodiment, the prediction unit 700 predicts the life of the cooling unit 120 by predicting the time when the arrival flow rate exceeds the sixth determination value Pj 6. The prediction unit 700 may predict the life time of the cooling unit 120 using the increase history of the arrival flow rate, for example, in the same manner as the first life time is predicted using the increase history of the first arrival electric energy in the first embodiment.

In the present embodiment, in step S445, the control unit 500 determines whether or not the third life arrival time is within the modeling time. That is, in the present embodiment, the control unit 500 determines whether or not the life time of the cooling unit 120 is within the modeling time in step S445. When it is determined in step S445 that the third life time is within the molding time, in step S450, the control unit 500 controls the notification unit 800 to notify the user of information indicating that the life time of the cooling unit 120 is within the molding time.

According to the three-dimensional modeling apparatus 100h of the eighth embodiment described above, when deterioration of the heater 35 is advanced, the possibility that the heater 35 needs to be replaced during modeling of the three-dimensional modeled object is also reduced, and thus, it is possible to suppress a reduction in modeling quality due to a break or restart of modeling when the heater 35 is replaced. Particularly in the present embodiment, when the life of the cooling unit 120 reaches the time within the molding time, the control unit 500 controls the notification unit 800 to notify the information on the life of the cooling unit 120. Thus, the user can replace the component constituting the deteriorated cooling unit 120 with another component that is not deteriorated, for example, before the three-dimensional shaped object is shaped, based on the life information notified by the notification unit 800. Therefore, even when the deterioration of the cooling unit 120 is increased, the possibility that the component needs to be replaced during the molding of the three-dimensional molded object is reduced, and the molding quality can be prevented from being deteriorated due to the interruption or restart of the molding when the component is replaced.

In another embodiment, the state observation unit 600 may observe the amount of power consumed by the cooling unit 120 with respect to the temperature of the refrigerant flowing through the refrigerant flow path 121, for example, as the state of the cooling unit 120.

I. Ninth embodiment:

fig. 22 is a diagram showing a schematic configuration of a three-dimensional modeling apparatus 100i according to the ninth embodiment. Unlike the first embodiment, the ejection unit 60i of the modeling unit 200i of the present embodiment includes an ejection rate adjustment unit 70 and a suction unit 80. Note that the three-dimensional modeling apparatus 100i has the same aspects as the first embodiment, which are not described in particular.

The discharge amount adjusting section 70 is provided in the supply flow path 62. The ejection rate adjusting section 70 of the present embodiment is constituted by a butterfly valve. The discharge amount adjusting section 70 includes a drive shaft 71 as a shaft-like member and a plate-like valve body 72 that rotates in accordance with the rotation of the drive shaft 71. The drive shaft 71 transmits a rotational force of a motor, not shown, to the valve body 72 to rotate the valve body 72. The drive shaft 71 is inserted through the cross hole 66 so that a direction along the center axis of the drive shaft 71 intersects with a flow direction of the molding material in the supply passage 62.

The discharge amount adjusting unit 70 adjusts the discharge amount by adjusting the flow rate of the molding material flowing through the supply passage 62. Specifically, the discharge amount adjusting section 70 adjusts the flow rate of the molding material flowing through the supply passage 62 by changing the rotation angle of the valve body 72. The degree of rotation of the spool 72 is sometimes referred to as the opening rate of the spool 72. When the plate-like surface of the valve body 72 is perpendicular to the flow direction of the molding material in the supply flow path 62 by the rotation of the drive shaft 71, the valve opening ratio becomes 0. When the valve opening ratio is 0, the plasticizing unit 30 is not communicated with the nozzle 61, and the molding material stops being ejected from the nozzle 61. When the plate-like surface of the valve body 72 is parallel to the flow direction of the molding material in the supply flow path 62, the valve opening ratio becomes 100. The ejection rate adjusting section 70 of the present embodiment is controlled by the control section 500.

Fig. 23 is a diagram showing a schematic configuration of the suction unit 80. The suction unit 80 includes: a cylindrical cylinder 81 connected to the downstream of the discharge amount adjusting section 70 in the supply passage 62, a plunger 82 housed in the cylinder 81, and a plunger driving section 83 for driving the plunger 82. In the present embodiment, the plunger driving section 83 is configured by a motor driven under the control of the control section 500 and a rack and pinion pair that converts the rotation of the motor into a movement in the translational direction along the axial direction of the cylinder 81. The plunger driving unit 83 may be constituted by, for example, a ball screw that converts rotation of a motor into movement in a translational direction along the axial direction of the cylinder 81, or may be constituted by an actuator such as a solenoid mechanism or a piezoelectric element.

As shown by an arrow in fig. 23, when the plunger 82 moves in the + Y direction away from the supply passage 62, the inside of the cylinder 81 becomes a negative pressure, and therefore, the modeling material from the supply passage 62 to the nozzle 61 is sucked into the cylinder 81. On the other hand, when the plunger 82 moves in the-Y direction close to the supply passage 62, the molding material in the cylinder 81 is pushed out to the supply passage 62 by the plunger 82. Further, the movement of the plunger 82 in the direction away from the supply flow path 62 may be referred to as the retreat of the plunger 82. Further, the movement of the plunger 82 in the direction approaching the supply channel 62 may be referred to as the forward movement of the plunger 82.

When the ejection of the modeling material from the ejection portion 60i is stopped, the control portion 500 retracts the plunger 82 and sucks the modeling material ejected from the ejection portion 60i toward the cylinder 81, thereby suppressing the tailing of the modeling material that sags from the nozzle hole 69 of the ejection portion 60i in a drawstring manner. The suppression of tailing is also sometimes referred to as tailing. The control section 500 can control the start and stop of the ejection of the modeling material from the ejection section 60i with high accuracy by controlling the ejection amount adjusting section 70 and the suction section 80.

In the present embodiment, the control unit 500 executes the same three-dimensional modeling process as that in the fifth embodiment shown in fig. 14. In step S440 of the present embodiment, the predicting unit 700 predicts the life time of the discharge rate adjusting unit 70 based on the observation result of the discharge rate adjusting unit 70 by the state observing unit 600 as the third life time. In another embodiment, the state observation of the discharge rate adjusting unit 70 and the prediction of the life time may be performed by a computer or the like separate from the state observing unit 600 and the predicting unit 700.

Fig. 24 is a graph in which the horizontal axis represents the valve opening driving time of the discharge amount adjusting unit 70 and the vertical axis represents the valve opening driving current of the discharge amount adjusting unit 70. The valve opening driving time is a time required to change the valve opening rate of the valve 72 of the discharge rate adjusting portion 70 from 0 to 100, and the valve opening driving current is a current value required to change the valve opening rate of the valve 72 of the discharge rate adjusting portion 70 from 0 to 100. For example, when the motor constituting the discharge amount adjusting portion 70 is deteriorated, the current value for rotating the valve body 72 is increased, and the valve opening drive current or the valve opening drive time is increased. The state observation unit 600 of the present embodiment observes the valve opening drive time as the state of the discharge amount adjustment unit 70. As shown in fig. 24, the valve-opening drive time in the observation time t2i is longer than the valve-opening drive time in the observation time t1 i. Therefore, the discharge rate adjustment unit 70 is more deteriorated in the observation time t2i than in the observation time t1 i.

The prediction unit 700 predicts the life time of the discharge amount adjustment unit 70 based on the result of the state observation by the state observation unit 600. In the present embodiment, the prediction unit 700 predicts the life of the discharge amount adjusting unit 70 by predicting when the valve-opening drive time exceeds the seventh determination value Pj 7. The prediction unit 700 may predict the lifetime reaching timing of the discharge amount adjustment unit 70 using the history of increase in the valve opening drive time, for example, in the same manner as the first lifetime reaching timing is predicted using the history of increase in the first reaching power amount in the first embodiment.

In the present embodiment, in step S445, the control unit 500 determines whether or not the third life arrival time is within the modeling time. That is, in the present embodiment, the control unit 500 determines in step S445 whether or not the life time of the discharge amount adjusting unit 70 is within the modeling time. When it is determined in step S445 that the third life time is within the molding time, in step S450, the control unit 500 controls the notification unit 800 to notify the user of information indicating that the life time of the discharge rate adjusting unit 70 is within the molding time.

According to the three-dimensional modeling apparatus 100i of the eighth embodiment described above, when deterioration of the heater 35 is advanced, the possibility that the heater 35 needs to be replaced during modeling of the three-dimensional modeled object is also reduced, and thus, it is possible to suppress a reduction in modeling quality due to a break or restart of modeling when the heater 35 is replaced. Particularly in the present embodiment, when the end of life of the discharge rate adjusting unit 70 is within the molding time, the control unit 500 controls the notification unit 800 to notify the information on the life of the discharge rate adjusting unit 70. Thus, the user can replace the component constituting the deteriorated discharge amount adjusting unit 70 with another component that is not deteriorated, for example, before the three-dimensional shaped object is shaped, based on the information notified by the notifying unit 800. Therefore, even when the deterioration of the discharge amount adjusting section 70 is increased, the possibility that a part needs to be replaced during the formation of the three-dimensional shaped object is reduced, and the formation quality can be prevented from being degraded due to the interruption or restart of the formation when the part is replaced.

In another embodiment, the state observation unit 600 may observe the state of the discharge amount adjustment unit 70 based on the relationship between the valve-opening drive time and the valve-opening drive current, for example. In this case, for example, a deviation degree of a graph (plot) of a relationship between the measured valve opening drive time and the valve opening drive current from a graph of a relationship between the valve opening drive time and the valve opening drive current when the valve opening ratio of the unused discharge amount adjusting portion 70 is changed from 0 to 100 may be observed as the state of the discharge amount adjusting portion 70, and a time when the deviation degree exceeds a specific value may be predicted as the life time reaching time of the discharge amount adjusting portion 70. For example, a current value or an electric quantity required to change the valve opening ratio from 0 to 100 may be observed as the state of the discharge amount adjusting unit 70.

In another embodiment, for example, in step S440, the life time of the suction unit 80 may be predicted as the third life time. In this case, the state observation unit 600 may observe, for example, the time, current value, electric quantity, and the like required for the forward movement or the backward movement of the plunger 82 as the state of the plunger 82, or may observe the state of the plunger 82 from the relationship between the time and the current value required for the forward movement or the process of the plunger 82. The prediction unit 700 may predict the life time of the plunger 82 using the increase history, similarly to the prediction of the life time of the discharge amount adjustment unit 70. In this case, when it is determined in step S445 that the life time of the suction unit 80 is within the molding time, information on the life time of the suction unit 80 is notified to the user in step S450. Thus, the user can replace the component constituting the deteriorated suction unit 80 with another component that is not deteriorated, for example, before the three-dimensional shaped object is shaped, based on the notified information.

J. Other embodiments are as follows:

(J-1) in the above embodiment, the state observing section 600 calculates the predicted first arrival electric quantity at a stage before the heater temperature reaches the determination temperature. In contrast, for example, the first arrival electric energy may be calculated as an actual measurement value after the heater temperature reaches the determination temperature Tj. Similarly, the state observation unit 600 may calculate the second arrival electric energy as the actual measurement value after the motor rotation speed reaches the determination rotation speed Rj.

(J-2) in the above embodiment, the state observation unit 600 observes the first amount of arriving electric power as the state of the heater 35. In contrast, the state observation unit 600 may observe, as the state of the heater 35, the first arrival time required for the temperature of the heater 35 to reach the determination temperature, instead of the first arrival electric quantity. Specifically, the state observation unit 600 may observe the first arrival time from a change in the heater temperature with respect to the operating time of the heater 35, as in the observation of the first arrival electric quantity shown in fig. 5. In this case, the prediction unit 700 may predict the first life time by predicting a time when the first arrival time exceeds the determination value. Specifically, the prediction unit 700 may predict the first life time using the increase history of the first arrival time, similarly to the increase history of the first arrival power amount shown in fig. 6. Further, the state observation unit 600 may not observe the first amount of arrival power or the first arrival time as the state of the heater 35. For example, the state observation unit 600 may observe the accumulated power consumption of the heater 35 as the state of the heater 35. In this case, the predicting part 700 may predict the first life time by predicting a time when the accumulated power consumption amount of the heater 35 exceeds the first determination value. Similarly, the state observation unit 600 may observe, as the state of the drive motor 32, a second arrival time required for the rotation speed of the drive motor 32 to reach the determination rotation speed or an accumulated power consumption amount of the drive motor 32, instead of the second arrival power amount. For example, the plastifiable amount of the material by the screw 40 may be calculated by measuring the discharge amount of the molding material, and the control value of the rotational speed of the drive motor 32 or the plastifiable amount of the material with respect to the electric quantity of the motor may be observed.

(J-3) in the above embodiment, when the life time is within the modeling time, the control unit 500 performs modeling of the three-dimensional modeled object after receiving a modeling start instruction from the user. In contrast, the control unit 500 may perform the modeling of the three-dimensional modeled object without receiving a modeling start instruction from the user. For example, the control unit 500 may perform the modeling of the three-dimensional shaped object after a predetermined time has elapsed after determining that the lifetime arrival time is within the modeling time.

(J-4) in the above embodiment, the screw 40 is a flat head screw. In contrast, the screw 40 may be another screw instead of the flat head screw. The screw 40 may be, for example, a coaxial inline screw rotated by the drive motor 32. In this case, the plasticizing part 30 may not have the tube part 50.

(J-5) in the above embodiment, the notification unit 800 is constituted by a liquid crystal monitor that displays visual information. In contrast, the notification unit 800 may not be configured by a liquid crystal monitor. The notification unit 800 may be configured as a speaker that notifies voice information, for example. The notification unit 800 may be a communication device that notifies information by transmitting a message to another computer or the like. Further, the notification unit 800 may be configured to notify information by a plurality of notification means as described above in combination.

(J-6) in the above embodiment, the two rod-shaped heaters 35 are embedded in the tube portion 50. In contrast, the heater 35 may not be embedded in the tube 50. For example, the heater 35 may be provided in the screw 40. The number of the heaters 35 may be one, or three or more.

(J-7) in the above embodiment, the molding unit 200 plasticizes and forms a granular material into a molding material, and deposits the molding material on the mounting table 300 to mold the three-dimensional molded object. In contrast, the molding unit 200 may be configured to mold a three-dimensional object by plasticizing a wire-like material into a molding material and stacking the molding material on the mounting table 300, for example, in a so-called FDM method.

(J-8) in the above embodiment, the control unit 500 functions as the state observation unit 600, the prediction unit 700, and the instruction acquisition unit 750. On the other hand, the control unit 500 may not function as the state observation unit 600, the prediction unit 700, and the instruction acquisition unit 750. For example, the state observation unit 600 and the prediction unit 700 may not be configured as a part of the functions of the control unit 500, but the state observation unit 600 and the prediction unit 700 may be configured by a computer including one or more processors, a main storage device, and an input/output interface for inputting and outputting signals to and from the outside. The instruction acquiring unit 750 may be configured as an acquiring unit that acquires a modeling start instruction via electrical wiring or wireless communication separately from the control unit 500, or may be configured as a computer or the like having such an acquiring unit. In this case, the control section 500 may acquire the modeling start instruction acquired by the instruction acquisition section 750 via, for example, electric wiring or wireless communication.

(J-9) in the fifth to ninth embodiments, the first life time reaching timing and the third life time reaching timing are predicted in the three-dimensional modeling process shown in fig. 14. In contrast, in the fifth to ninth embodiments, for example, the second life arrival time and the third life arrival time may be predicted, or the first life arrival time, the second life arrival time, and the third life arrival time may be predicted. In addition, in the one-time three-dimensional modeling process, as the third life time reaching timing, for example, the lives of the plurality of components shown in the fifth to ninth embodiments may be predicted. Further, the third life arrival time may be predicted before the first life arrival time or the second life arrival time, or may be predicted simultaneously with the first life arrival time or the second life arrival time.

K. Other modes are as follows:

the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and can be implemented in various forms without departing from the spirit thereof. For example, the present invention can be realized in the following manner. Technical features in the above-described embodiments corresponding to technical features in the respective embodiments described below may be appropriately replaced or combined in order to solve part or all of the problems of the present invention or to achieve part or all of the effects of the present invention. In addition, as long as the technical features are not described as essential features in the present specification, the technical features can be appropriately deleted.

(1) According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a three-dimensional modeling apparatus. The three-dimensional modeling apparatus includes: a plasticizing unit having a drive motor, a heater, and a screw rotated by the drive motor, and configured to plasticize a material to produce a molding material; a discharge unit that discharges the molding material toward the mounting table; a movement mechanism unit that changes a relative position between the discharge unit and the mounting table; a state observation unit for observing the state of the drive motor or the heater; a prediction unit that predicts a life time of the drive motor or the heater based on an observation result of the state observation unit; a notification unit; and a control unit for controlling the plasticizing unit and the moving mechanism unit based on molding data to mold the three-dimensional object. The control unit performs a lifetime determination of determining whether or not the lifetime arrival time predicted by the prediction unit is within a molding time estimated from the molding data, and controls the notification unit to notify lifetime information indicating a result of the lifetime determination before molding of the three-dimensional molded object when the lifetime arrival time is within the molding time.

According to this aspect, the user can replace the deteriorated drive motor or heater with another drive motor or heater that is not deteriorated, for example, before the three-dimensional shaped object is shaped, based on the life information notified by the notification unit. Therefore, even when deterioration of the driving motor or the heater is increased, the possibility that the driving motor or the heater needs to be replaced during the molding of the three-dimensional molded object is reduced, and thus, the molding quality can be prevented from being degraded due to the interruption or restart of the molding when the driving motor or the heater is replaced.

(2) In the three-dimensional modeling apparatus according to the above aspect, the state observation unit may observe, as the state of the heater, a first arrival time required for the temperature of the heater to reach a determination temperature or a first arrival electric quantity required for the temperature of the heater to reach the determination temperature, and the prediction unit may predict, as the lifetime arrival time, a first lifetime arrival time at which the heater reaches the lifetime by predicting the first arrival time or a time at which the first arrival electric quantity exceeds a first determination value. According to this aspect, the state of the heater can be easily observed when the temperature of the heater is raised, and the life time of the heater can be efficiently predicted.

(3) In the three-dimensional molding machine according to the above aspect, the three-dimensional molding machine may further include a temperature acquisition unit that acquires an ambient temperature that is a temperature outside the plasticizing unit, and the control unit may determine the first determination value based on the ambient temperature. According to this aspect, the influence of the ambient temperature is taken into account in the prediction of the first life arrival time by the prediction unit, and the first life arrival time can be predicted more appropriately. Therefore, the possibility that the heater needs to be replaced during the molding of the three-dimensional molded object is further reduced, and the molding quality can be further prevented from being degraded due to the interruption or restart of the molding when the heater is replaced.

(4) In the three-dimensional modeling apparatus according to the above aspect, the state observation unit may observe a second arrival time required for the rotational speed of the drive motor to reach a determination rotational speed or a second arrival electric quantity required for the rotational speed of the drive motor to reach the determination rotational speed as the state of the drive motor, and the prediction unit may predict a second life arrival time at which the drive motor reaches the life as the life arrival time by predicting the second arrival time or a time at which the second arrival electric quantity exceeds a second determination value. According to this aspect, the state of the drive motor can be easily observed when the rotation speed of the drive motor is increased, and the life time of the drive motor can be efficiently predicted.

(5) In the three-dimensional molding machine according to the above aspect, the three-dimensional molding machine may further include a temperature acquisition unit that acquires an ambient temperature that is a temperature outside the plasticizing unit, and the control unit may determine the second determination value based on the ambient temperature. According to this aspect, the influence of the ambient temperature is taken into consideration in the prediction of the second life arrival time by the prediction unit, and the second life arrival time can be predicted more appropriately. Therefore, the possibility that the drive motor needs to be replaced during the molding of the three-dimensional molded object is further reduced, and the molding quality can be further prevented from being degraded due to the interruption or restart of the molding when the drive motor is replaced.

(6) In the three-dimensional modeling apparatus according to the above aspect, the control unit may be configured to perform modeling of the three-dimensional modeled object after the instruction acquisition unit obtains the modeling start instruction after the notification unit notifies the lifetime information when the lifetime arrival time is within the modeling time. According to this aspect, the user can start the three-dimensional shaped object by issuing a shaping start instruction after replacing the deteriorated drive motor or heater with another drive motor or heater, for example. Therefore, even when deterioration of the driving motor or the heater is increased, the possibility that the driving motor or the heater needs to be replaced during the molding of the three-dimensional molded object is further reduced, and the molding quality can be further prevented from being degraded due to the interruption or restart of the molding when the driving motor or the heater is replaced.

(7) In the three-dimensional modeling apparatus according to the above aspect, the control unit may acquire first modeling data and second modeling data as the modeling data, and when the life time is within a first modeling time estimated from the first modeling data in the life determination, the control unit may determine whether the life time is within a second modeling time estimated from the second modeling data. According to this aspect, even when the first life arrival time is within the first modeling time, the control unit can model the three-dimensional modeled object based on the second modeling data when the first life arrival time is not within the second modeling time. Therefore, the heater can be used for a longer time before the heater is newly replaced.

(8) In the three-dimensional modeling apparatus according to the above aspect, when the life time arrival timing is not within the second modeling time, the control unit may control the notification unit to notify the life information indicating that the life time arrival timing is not within the second modeling time, prior to modeling of the three-dimensional modeled object. In this way, the user can give a build start instruction to start building the three-dimensional shaped object according to the second build data to the control unit, for example, based on the life information. Therefore, the heater can be used for a longer time before the heater is newly replaced.

(9) In the three-dimensional molding machine according to the above aspect, the screw may have a groove forming surface that rotates about a rotation axis and that has a groove, and the plasticizing unit may have a cylindrical portion that faces the groove forming surface. According to this aspect, the plasticizing unit can be made smaller, and therefore, the three-dimensional modeling apparatus can be made smaller.

(10) According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method of manufacturing a three-dimensional object, wherein a material is plasticized by a plasticizing unit including a driving motor, a heater, and a screw rotated by the driving motor to form a molding material, and the molding material is ejected from an ejection unit onto a mounting table to mold the three-dimensional object. The manufacturing method comprises the following steps: a first step of observing a state of the drive motor or the heater; a second step of predicting a life time of the drive motor or the heater based on an observation result of the state; a third step of determining whether or not the predicted life time is within a molding time estimated from molding data; a fourth step of notifying life information as a result of the life determination before the shaping of the three-dimensional shaped object when the life arrival time is within the shaping time; and a fifth step of molding the three-dimensional object by controlling the plasticizing unit and a movement mechanism unit that changes a relative position between the discharge unit and the mounting table, based on the molding data.

In this way, the user can replace the deteriorated drive motor or heater with another drive motor or heater that is not deteriorated, for example, before the three-dimensional shaped object is shaped, based on the notified life information. Therefore, even when deterioration of the driving motor or the heater is increased, the possibility that the driving motor or the heater needs to be replaced during the molding of the three-dimensional molded object is reduced, and thus, the molding quality can be prevented from being degraded due to the interruption or restart of the molding when the driving motor or the heater is replaced.

The present invention is not limited to the three-dimensional modeling apparatus and the method of manufacturing a three-dimensional modeled object described above, and can be implemented in various ways. For example, the present invention can be realized as a control method for a three-dimensional modeling apparatus, a computer program for modeling a three-dimensional modeled object, a non-transitory tangible recording medium on which the computer program is recorded, and the like.