Three-dimensional shaping system and data generation apparatus
View Patent ↗A three-dimensional shaping system includes a three-dimensional shaping apparatus and a control apparatus. The control apparatus analyzes path data including a plurality of paths indicating a route along which a nozzle moves relative to a shaping table of the three-dimensional shaping apparatus, and generates shaping data by adding a stop command to the path data in order to temporarily stop change of a relative position and temporarily close an opening and closing mechanism at the time of switching two consecutive paths, when a length of the two consecutive paths or an angle at which the two consecutive paths are connected satisfies a predetermined condition. The control portion of the three-dimensional shaping apparatus shapes a three-dimensional shaping object by controlling the opening and closing mechanism to open and close a flow path of a shaping material connected to the nozzle and a movement mechanism which changes the relative position between the shaping table and the nozzle, according to the shaping data.
1. A three-dimensional shaping system comprising:
a shaping table;
a nozzle discharging a shaping material toward the shaping table;
an opening and closing mechanism having an open state and a closed state that opens and closes a flow path of the shaping material connected to the nozzle, nozzle, respectively;
a movement mechanism changing a relative position between the shaping table and the nozzle;
a memory configured to store a program, path data, and a stop command, the path data including a plurality of linear paths indicating a route along which the nozzle moves relative to the shaping table, the stop command temporarily stopping a change of the relative position and temporarily maintaining the opening and closing mechanism in the closed state; and
a processor configured to execute the program so as to:
maintain the opening and closing mechanism in the closed state when the movement mechanism does not change the relative position;
maintain the opening and closing mechanism in the open state when the movement mechanism changes the relative position;
determine whether a first length of a first linear path of the plurality of linear paths is equal to or more than a predetermined length, the first linear path corresponding to first data of the path data;
determine whether a second length of a second linear path of the plurality of linear paths is equal to or more than the predetermined length, the second linear path being subsequent to the first linear path, the second linear path corresponding to second data of the path data;
determine whether an angle between the first linear path and the second linear path is equal to or less than a predetermined angle;
add the stop command between the first data and the second data to create modified path data when the first length is equal to or more than the predetermined length and the angle is equal to or less than the predetermined angle;
add the stop command between the first data and the second data to create the modified path data when the first length is less than the predetermined length, the second length is equal to or more than the predetermined length, and the angle is equal to or less than the predetermined angle; and
cause the nozzle to discharge the shaping material toward the shaping table according to the modified path data.
2. The three-dimensional shaping system according to claim 1 ,
wherein the processor is further configured to:
determine whether a movement speed of the nozzle relative to the shaping table is equal to or more than a predetermined movement speed;
add the stop command between the first data and the second data to create the modified path data when the movement speed is equal to or more than the predetermined movement speed, the first length is equal to or more than the predetermined length, and the angle is equal to or less than the predetermined angle; and
cause the nozzle to discharge the shaping material toward the shaping table according to the modified path data.
3. The three-dimensional shaping system according to claim 1 ,
wherein the processor is further configured to:
determine whether the path data is for shaping a predetermined area;
not add the stop command in the path data; and
cause the nozzle to discharge the shaping material toward the shaping table according to the path data.
4. The three-dimensional shaping system according to claim 1 ,
wherein the processor is further configured to:
determine whether the path data is for shaping an area other than contour of the three-dimensional shaping object;
not add the stop command in the path data; and
cause the nozzle to discharge the shaping material toward the shaping table according to the path data.
5. The three-dimensional shaping system according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a flat screw configured to generate the shaping material by rotating the flat screw and by melting a portion of a source material; and
a material flow path configured to guide the melted shaping material from the flat screw to the nozzle.
6. A data generation apparatus generating shaping data to be used by a three-dimensional shaping apparatus, the three-dimensional shaping apparatus including:
a shaping table;
a nozzle discharging a shaping material toward the shaping table:
an opening and closing mechanism having an open state and a closed state that opens and closes a flow path of the shaping material connected to the nozzle, respectively; and
a movement mechanism changing a relative position between the shaping table and the nozzle, the opening and closing mechanism maintaining the closed state when the movement mechanism does not change the relative position, the opening and closing mechanism maintaining the open state when the movement mechanism changes the relative position,
the data generation apparatus comprising:
a memory configured to store a program and a stop command, the stop command temporarily stopping a change of the relative position and temporarily maintaining the opening and closing mechanism in the close state; and
a processor configured to execute the program so as to:
acquire path data, the path data including a plurality of linear paths indicating a route along which the nozzle moves relative to the shaping table;
determine whether a first length of a first linear path of the plurality of linear paths is equal to or more than a predetermined length, the first linear path corresponding to first data of the path data;
determine whether a second length of a second linear path of the plurality of linear paths is equal to or more than the predetermined length, the second linear path being subsequent to the first linear path, the second linear path corresponding to second data of the path data;
determine whether an angle between the first linear path and the second linear path is equal to or less than a predetermined angle;
add the stop command between the first data and the second data to create modified path data when the first length is equal to or more than the predetermined length and the angle is equal to or less than the predetermined angle; and
add the stop command between the first data and the second data to create the modified path data when the first length is less than the predetermined length, the second length is equal to or more than the predetermined length, and the angle is equal to or less than the predetermined angle,
wherein the nozzle of the three-dimensional shaping apparatus discharges the shaping material toward the shaping table according to the modified path data.