Patent ID: 6896839

Claim:
A three-dimensional molding apparatus for forming a three-dimensional molded article by binding a powder material, said apparatus comprising: (a) a layer formation device for sequentially forming a layer of a powder material; (b) a binder applying device for applying a binder which will harden in response to certain energy to a selected region in said layer of the powder material; and (c) an energy supply device for supplying said certain energy to said binder applied to said powder material, wherein a bound body of said powder material is formed by said binder to harden in response to said certain energy supplied from said energy supply device, said energy supply device and said binder applying device are integrally configured, and said binder applying device applies binder during a primary scanning in a first direction while said energy supplying device supplies said certain energy during a secondary scanning in a second direction, reverse said first direction.