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Abstract

There is provided an apparatus for solidifying and shaping fluid which can be optically cured, including (a) an optically scanning device for scanning a level of fluid which can be optically cured, with a light beam, (b) a sinking device for sinking a layer having been cured by scanning carried out by the optically scanning device, below a level of the fluid, and (c) a recoat device for covering a cured layer having been sunk in the step (b), with a fluid which is not yet cured. The recoat device is formed with a recoater blade which horizontally moves above a level of the cured layer with a predetermined gap kept therebetween to smooth a level of the not yet cured fluid. The optically scanning device scans a level of not yet cured fluid having been smoothed by the recoater blade, with a light beam, simultaneously with scanning of the optically scanning device. The above mentioned apparatus makes it possible to carry out an optically scanning process simultaneously with a recoat process to thereby significantly shorten a time for optical solidification and shaping. In addition, since the above mentioned apparatus optically scans and simultaneously recoats, it is scarcely necessary to stop an optically scanning process during a recoat process, thereby making it possible to effectively utilize output of an optically scanning apparatus such as a laser beam radiating device.

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