Forming apparatus and forming method

Abstract

A forming apparatus configured to form a three-dimensional object includes a head configured to extrude build materials and a controller configured to control extrusion of the materials by the head. The three-dimensional object includes a colored region that is colored using a coloring material among the materials. The head includes a head for coloring that is an extrusion head configured to extrude the coloring material in multi-step variable amounts of droplets. The controller is configured to control the amount of droplets of the coloring material extruded by the head for coloring.

1 - 10 . (canceled) 
     
     
         11 . A forming method for forming a three-dimensional object, the forming method comprising:
 controlling extrusion of build materials by a head configured to extrude the materials,   wherein the three-dimensional object includes a colored region that is colored using a coloring material among the materials,   wherein the head includes a head for coloring that is an extrusion head configured to extrude the coloring material in multi-step variable amounts of droplets, and   wherein the amount of droplets of the coloring material extruded by the head for coloring is controlled.   
     
     
         12 - 20 . (canceled) 
     
     
         21 . The forming method according to  claim 11 , wherein the head further includes a fixed capacity head that is an extrusion head configured to extrude a single amount of droplets of the material. 
     
     
         22 . The forming method according to  claim 21 ,
 wherein the forming apparatus is configured to form the object including an inner region on an inner side of the object, and the colored region on an outer side of the inner region,   wherein the head further includes a head for forming the inner region that is an extrusion head configured to extrude the material for use in formation of the inner region, and   wherein the head for forming the inner region is the fixed capacity head.   
     
     
         23 . The forming method according to  claim 11 ,
 wherein the coloring material is ink of a chromatic color,   wherein the head includes a plurality of heads for coloring configured to extrude ink of different chromatic colors, and a clear ink head that is an extrusion head configured to extrude transparent clear ink,   wherein the colored region is a region formed of the ink of the chromatic colors and the clear ink,   wherein the controller is configured to cause the heads for coloring to change the amount of ink droplets the heads extrude on positions depending on colors to be provided to the respective positions on the colored region, and   wherein the amount of the clear ink extruded by the clear ink head on the positions is set depending on the total amount of ink extruded by the plurality of heads for coloring on the respective positions.   
     
     
         24 . The forming method according to  claim 23 ,
 wherein the clear ink head is an extrusion head configured to extrude the clear ink in multi-step variable amounts of droplets, and   wherein the controller is further configured to set the amount of droplets of the clear ink extruded by the clear ink head on the positions based on the amount of ink droplets extruded by the heads for coloring on the respective positions.   
     
     
         25 . The forming method according to  claim 23 , wherein the clear ink head is an extrusion head configured to extrude a single amount of droplets of the material. 
     
     
         26 . The forming method according to  claim 11 , wherein the controller is configured to cause the head for coloring to color at least part of the colored region in such a manner that the color of an inner part of the obj ect in a normal direction perpendicular to the outer surface of the object is darker than the color of an outer part of the object. 
     
     
         27 . The forming method according to  claim 26 , wherein the controller is configured to cause the plurality of heads for coloring to color at least part of the colored region in such a manner that the color of the object becomes darker toward an inner side. 
     
     
         28 . The forming method according to  claim 26 ,
 wherein the head for coloring is configured to extrude the material in the multi-step variable amounts of droplets and to form a plurality of types of dots having different sizes as dots formed after the material hits a surface, and   wherein where a ratio of smallest size dots among the plurality of types of dots to the dots formed by the head for coloring is defined as a small dot ratio, the controller is configured to cause the head for coloring to form the dots in such a manner that the small dot ratio in the inner part of at least part of the colored region in the normal direction is smaller than the small dot ratio in the outer part.   
     
     
         29 . The forming method according to  claim 28 , wherein an average diameter of the dots formed on respective positions of at least part of the colored region in the normal direction is calculated, and a smaller average diameter of the dots is set for a second position that is on the outer part of a first position in the normal direction than the average diameter of the dots for the first position in the normal direction.