Three-dimensional printing method, three-dimensional printing apparatus, and three-dimensional modeled object

Abstract

A three-dimensional printing method includes a filament forming step, and a laminating step in order to laminate filaments possessing thermoplasticity and thereby obtain a three-dimensional modeled object. In the filament forming step, a coating material made of a thermoplastic resin, which is plasticized by heating, is adhered to at least a part of an outer circumferential surface of a core material, which is made of a thermoplastic resin having a lower temperature than that of the plasticized coating material, thereby obtaining the filaments. In the laminating step, the filaments, which are made up from the plasticized coating material, and the core material that is plastically deformable but at a lower temperature than the plasticized coating material, are laminated while being pressed with respect to a portion to be laminated.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A three-dimensional printing method for obtaining a three-dimensional modeled object by laminating filaments possessing thermoplasticity, comprising:
 a filament forming step of adhering a coating material made of a thermoplastic resin, which is plasticized by heating, to at least a part of an outer circumferential surface of a core material, which is made of a thermoplastic resin having a lower temperature than that of the plasticized coating material, thereby forming the filaments; and   a laminating step of pressing and laminating the filaments, which are made up from the plasticized coating material, and the core material that is plastically deformable but at a lower temperature than the plasticized coating material, with respect to a portion to be laminated.   
     
     
         2 . The three-dimensional printing method according to  claim 1 , wherein:
 in the laminating step, the filaments are laminated with respect to the portion to be laminated, using a nozzle configured to discharge the filaments; and   the nozzle is moved in a state in which a discharging direction of the filaments is inclined with respect to a stacking direction in which the filaments are laminated, in a manner so that the filaments are pressed from a front side in a direction of travel of the nozzle.