Systems and methods for designing programmable parts for models and optimizing 3D printing

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10078325-B2
Application number	US-201514705551-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 6, 2015
Priority date	May 6, 2014
Publication date	Sep 18, 2018
Grant date	Sep 18, 2018

Abstract

Systems and techniques include, in at least one aspect, a method including receiving user selection of parts from a plurality of virtual parts to build a virtual 3D model in a modeling environment, receiving user instruction for modifying or assembling of at least one of the selected parts within the modeling environment, validating the user instruction against physical constraints of an associated 3D printer; and outputting the virtual 3D model for 3D printing on the associated 3D printer after the validating.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A system for generating three dimensional (3D) printable models, the system comprising:
at least one memory device encoding at least one modeling engine program useable to generate the 3D printable models;
at least one processor operatively connected to the at least one memory device and configured to run the at least one modeling engine program to
display a plurality of virtual parts;
receive selection of parts from among the plurality of virtual parts and display the selected parts within a modeling environment display for the at least one modeling engine program; and
modify, automatically, programmatic definition of the selected parts responsive to assembly in the modeling environment display for the at least one modeling engine program;
wherein the at least one processor is configured to run the at least one modeling engine program to automatically modify the programmatic definition of the selected parts responsive to user modification of a part's surface in the modeling environment display;
wherein the at least one processor is configured to run the at least one modeling engine program to use a UV map for at least one of the selected parts to associate one or more images and one or more displacement maps with the at least one of the selected parts to dynamically change the at least one of the selected parts, wherein the UV map has been previously derived automatically using a programmatic definition of solids used to build the at least one of the selected parts;
wherein the at least one processor is configured to run the at least one modeling engine program to manage print characteristics of the selected parts on a 3D printer;
wherein the at least one processor is configured to run the at least one modeling engine program to prevent user modification that exceeds physical constraints of the 3D printer; and
wherein the at least one processor is configured to run the at least one modeling engine program to preserve printability after the user modification of the part's surface in the modeling environment display by ensuring any carve out Constructive Solid Geometry (CSG) subform for the part is always performed subsequent to any CSG operation adding a CSG subform for the user modification of the part's surface.

2. The system for generating 3D printable models of claim 1 , wherein the at least one processor is configured to run the at least one modeling engine program to connect the selected parts based on programmatically defined connectors associated with the selected parts.

3. The system for generating 3D printable models of claim 2 , wherein the at least one processor is configured to run the at least one modeling engine program to identify compatible connectors associated with a first of the selected parts and a second of the selected parts displayed in the modeling environment display.

4. The system for generating 3D printable models of claim 1 , wherein the at least one processor is configured to run the at least one modeling engine program to alter user modification that exceeds physical constraints of the 3D printer.

5. The system for generating 3D printable models of claim 1 , wherein the at least one processor is configured to run the at least one modeling engine program to register the 3D printer and capture printer properties of the 3D printer during registration.

6. The system for generating 3D printable models of claim 1 , wherein the at least one processor is configured to run the at least one modeling engine program to constrain physical properties of a virtual model built from the selected parts and optimize printing of the virtual model to occur directly on a print bed of the 3D printer.

7. A system for generating three dimensional (3D) printable models, the system comprising:
at least one memory device encoding at least one modeling engine program useable to generate the 3D printable models;
at least one processor operatively connected to the at least one memory device and configured to run the at least one modeling engine program to
display a plurality of virtual parts;
receive selection of parts from among the plurality of virtual parts and display the selected parts within a modeling environment display for the at least one modeling engine program; and
modify, automatically, programmatic definition of the selected parts responsive to assembly in the modeling environment display for the at least one modeling engine program;
wherein the at least one processor is configured to run the at least one modeling engine program to connect the selected parts based on programmatically defined connectors associated with the selected parts;
wherein the at least one processor is configured to run the at least one modeling engine program to identify compatible connectors associated with a first of the selected parts and a second of the selected parts displayed in the modeling environment display, wherein the compatible connectors comprise 3D shapes that are designed to snap together, once 3D printed, to build a physical object from the first part and the second part by moveably connecting the first part with the second part using the 3D shapes of the compatible connectors;
wherein the at least one processor is configured to run the at least one modeling engine program to display a visual indication of the compatible connectors responsive to a proximity between the first part and the second part in the modeling environment display, wherein the visual indication provides a user an indication that a moveable 3D connection can be made between the first part and the second part, and wherein the programmatic definition is modified to connect the first part and the second part via the compatible connectors responsive to the user releasing one of the first and second parts within the proximity of the other of the first and second parts;
wherein the at least one processor is configured to run the at least one modeling engine program to automatically modify the programmatic definition of the selected parts responsive to user modification of a part's surface in the modeling environment display; and
wherein the at least one processor is configured to run the at least one modeling engine program to preserve printability after the user modification of the part's surface in the modeling environment display by ensuring any carve out Constructive Solid Geometry (CSG) subform for the part is always performed subsequent to any CSG operation adding a CSG subform for the user modification of the part's surface.

8. The system for generating 3D printable models of claim 7 , comprising:
a mobile computing device comprising the at least one processor; and
an application for the mobile computing device, the application comprising the at least one modeling engine program;
wherein the at least one processor is configured to run the at least one modeling engine program to use a UV map for at least one of the selected parts to associate one or more images and one or more displacement maps with the at least one of the selected parts to dynamically change the at least one of the selected parts, wherein the UV map has been previously derived automatically using a programmatic definition of solids used to build the at least one of the selected parts.

9. The system for generating 3D printable models of claim 7 , wherein the at least one processor is configured to run the at least one modeling engine program to orient and display attachment points, and to display connecting lines between parts, as each of two or more parts are moved into proximity with compatible connectors.

10. The system for generating 3D printable models of claim 7 , wherein the at least one processor is configured to run the at least o

Assignees

• Autodesk Inc

Inventors

• Gunnarsson Hilmar
• Thorvaldsson Haraldur Darri
• Asgeirsson Torfi

Classifications

• G05B19/4099 Primary

  Surface or curve machining, making three-dimensional [3D] objects, e.g. desktop manufacturing · CPC title

• G05B2219/49023

  3-D printing, layer of powder, add drops of binder in layer, new powder · CPC title

• G05B15/02

  electric · CPC title

• B33Y50/00

  Data acquisition or data processing for additive manufacturing · CPC title

• B29C64/386

  Data acquisition or data processing for additive manufacturing · CPC title