Patent ID: 7048528

Claim:
A rapid prototyping apparatus comprising: an exposure head including a forming tank which stores a photo-curable resin, a support which is elevatably provided in the forming tank for supporting a formed article, a laser device which irradiates a laser beam, a spatial light modulator in which plural pixel portions, in which a light modulation state is changed according to respective control signals, are two-dimensionally arranged on a substrate and which modulates the laser beam irradiated from the laser device, control means which controls each of a number of the plural pixel portions that is fewer than a total number of the pixel portions arranged on the substrate, using the control signals generated according to exposure information, and an optical system which focuses the laser beam modulated at each pixel portion on a liquid surface of the photo-curable resin stored in the forming tank; and moving means which relatively moves the exposure head with respect to the liquid surface of the photo-curable resin.