Cooling times for three-dimensional objects

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10723115-B2
Application number	US-201415509738-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 30, 2014
Priority date	Sep 30, 2014
Publication date	Jul 28, 2020
Grant date	Jul 28, 2020

Abstract

In one example, a method of controlling generation apparatus for generating a three-dimensional object is described. For example, data indicative of at least one physical property affecting heat transfer from an object may be determined and used to determine a cooling time, and a component of the generation apparatus may be controlled in response to the determined cooling time.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A method of controlling a generation apparatus for generating a three-dimensional object, wherein the object is generated by heating a build material to cause coalescence of the build material, the method comprising:
determining data indicative of at least one physical property affecting heat transfer from the object, wherein the at least one physical property comprises at least one of:
an object weight, an object mass, an object volume, an object dimension, or a structure of an object;

determining a cooling time for the object using the determined data; and
controlling a component of the generation apparatus in response to the determined cooling time.

2. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising displaying an indication related to the cooling time.

3. The method according to claim 1 , wherein of controlling comprises controlling an interlock to allow access to the object after the determined cooling time has elapsed.

4. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the component of the generation apparatus comprises a heat extraction apparatus and wherein controlling the component comprises controlling the heat extraction apparatus to cool the object to the predetermined temperature.

5. The method according to claim 4 , wherein determining the cooling time comprises determining in which the cooling time using at least one of a desired performance criteria and a property of the heat extraction apparatus.

6. The method according to claim 4 , wherein controlling the component comprises controlling the heat extraction apparatus to control a heat extraction rate of the object.

7. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one physical property comprises at least one of a specific thermal conductivity of the object, a number of layers used in generation of the object, a volume of build material used in generation of the object, a location of another object within the object receptacle, a number of other objects within the object receptacle, an arrangement of other objects within the object receptacle, or physical properties of other objects within the object receptacle.

8. The method according to claim 1 , wherein determining the cooling time comprises determining the cooling time using a temperature associated with the generation of the object.

9. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising:
monitoring at least one temperature indicative of the temperature of the generated object; and
at least one of: recalculating the cooling time according to the monitored temperature;

controlling a heat extraction rate; or logging the temperature.

Assignees

• Hewlett Packard Development Co

Inventors

• Cortes I Herms Sebastia
• Vilajosana Xavier
• White Scott A

Classifications

• B29C35/16 Primary

  Cooling {(cooling extruded material B29C48/911; cooling preforms for blow moulding B29C49/6427; cooling blown articles B29C49/66; cooling tyres during post cure inflation B29D30/0643)} · CPC title

• B29C64/393 Primary

  for controlling or regulating additive manufacturing processes · CPC title

• B33Y30/00 Primary

  Apparatus for additive manufacturing; Details thereof or accessories therefor · CPC title

• B33Y10/00

  Processes of additive manufacturing · CPC title

• B33Y50/02

  for controlling or regulating additive manufacturing processes · CPC title