Patent ID: 7736577

Claim:
A stereolithography apparatus that forms a three-dimensional model by sequentially laminating cured resin layers through repetition of a cycle of selectively applying light to liquid photocurable resin to form a cured resin layer, further applying liquid photocurable resin on the cured resin layer and applying light to form a cured resin layer, comprising: a table; a dispenser to supply the liquid photocurable resin onto the table; a recoater to apply a layer of the photocurable resin onto the table or onto a cured resin layer already applied to the table, by moving in a sweep across the surface of the table or across the surface of the cured resin layer already applied to the table; and a controller to slow down a moving speed of the recoater during the sweep as a function of a moving distance of the recoater during the sweep such that the moving speed of the recoater at the beginning of the sweep is greater than the moving speed of the recoater at the end of the sweep.