COMPLEX-SHAPE THREE-DIMENSIONAL POLYMERIC ITEM BUILT UP OF LAYERS, ITS MANUFACTURING PROCESS AND DEVICE Russian patent published in 2000 - IPC

FIELD: manufacture of physical shape carriers using geometric or mathematical model. SUBSTANCE: three-dimensional polymeric item is built up of layers successively shaped from liquid photopolymer curing under effect of radiation. Layers are attached to each other during shaping. Item is composed of m other than planar layers, thickness h, continuously turning one into another. Bases of layers have finite number N_m of points of linear size L_m. Position of center of any point of item on Z axis is described by equation C_n,m= (m-1)•h+h•n_m/N_m, where Z_n,m is coordinate of point n of layer m; m is layer number: m = 1, 2, 3, etc.; h is layer thickness; n_m is point number according to sequence of layer m building; N_m is total number of points of layer m. Manufacturing process includes placing photopolymer between substrate whereon item is grown and separating medium transparent to radiation initiating photopolymer curing. Then photopolymer is irradiated by scanning beam with item-carrying substrate continuously displaced vertically at speed found from formula W_n= W_sc•h/N_m•d, where W_n is substrate speed, mm/s; W_sc is speed of beam initiating curing of photopolymer layer m > 1, mm/s; h is layer thickness; N_m is total number of points of layer m; d is diameter of beam initiating photopolymer curing; in the course of shaping first layer beam scanning speed continuously varies obeying following law: W_sc1,n= W_sc1,1-(W_sc1,1-W_sc)•n₁/N₁, where W_sc1,n is beam scanning speed, mm/s, when shaping first layer at point n; W_sc1,1 is beam scanning speed when shaping first layer at n = 1; W_sc is beam scanning speed when curing layer m > 1; n₁ is point number in first layer building sequence; N₁ is total number of points in first layer. Device implementing this process has vessel with separating medium, substrate, its vertical displacement drive, radiation source, beam interrupter, and computer. In addition, it has adhesion-preventive layer on separating medium surface, irradiating facility spatial displacement scanner, and dosing apparatus used to maintain desired level of liquid photopolymer. Substrate drive has mechanism providing for varying speed of substrate. Computer program interface controlling item shaping process ensures simultaneous scanning irradiation of liquid photopolymer layer and displacement of substrate at varying speed. EFFECT: improved quality of three-dimensional polymeric items of various configurations produced. 6 cl, 5 dwg