Patent ID: 7740797
Filing Date: 2010-06-22
Classification: B22F,B29C,G05B,Y02P

Abstract:
1. A photo-shaping method which includes a process of photo-shaping a target object executed by a photo-shaping machine along with a computing process executed by a processor, the photo-shaping process including irradiating a light beam to a specified position of a powder material layer to sinter a desired part of the powder material layer to form a sintered layer, covering the sintered layer with a new powder material layer, irradiating a light beam to a specified position of the new powder material layer to sinter a desired part of the new powder material layer to form a new sintered layer integral with the underlying sintered layer, repeating the process of forming the sintered layers in lamination, and removing an outer face of a formed body of the sintered layers in lamination during the repetitive forming process of the sintered layers, the computing process executed by the processor comprising: storing first parameter data in a first parameter database for use in the light irradiation process in the photo-shaping process, the first parameter data including at least light beam irradiation spot diameter, light beam irradiation power and irradiation speed to be applied to a powder material; storing second parameter data in a second parameter database for use in a removal process, the second parameter data including tool master data relating to the removal process and cutting process conditions of a tool to be used in the removal process; generating a first path as a light beam irradiation path for the light irradiation process, by utilizing contour data of each section sliced at a specified pitch of three-dimensional CAD model data of the target object desired to be formed, and the first parameter data stored in the first parameter database; generating a second path as a removal processing path for the removal process, by utilizing the three-dimensional CAD model data, the second parameter data stored in the second parameter database, and removal timing data that designates a cutting depth performed in the removal process; and generating a driving program to drive the photo-shaping machine to execute the photo-shaping process including the light beam irradiation and the removal processes, by utilizing the first path data the second path data and the removal timing data, thereby performing the photo-shaping and removal process according to the driving program, wherein the second path generating divides the second path generated for the entire target object in a height direction at the removal timing data to generate adjacent paths, and generates an aerial route path connecting the adjacent paths, while ignoring a shape of the target object above an object range of the second path being generated.