User-assisted parts packing optimization

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11914932-B2
Application number	US-201816978281-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 27, 2018
Priority date	Apr 27, 2018
Publication date	Feb 27, 2024
Grant date	Feb 27, 2024

Abstract

A parts packing method is used to optimize build bed part placement for additive manufacturing. The method includes a user interface to parts packing software, enabling a process engineer to select parts from a pool of parts, group parts to have uniform orientation, and specify a range of angles and rotation of the parts. Additionally, the user interface accepts input related to process variations among different printers as well as drift over time of a single printer. The user interface feeds the data into the parts packing program to optimize build bed part placement.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A method comprising:
receiving, by a parts-packing software, a request for a display of images of a plurality of parts in a new build volume;
receiving, by the parts packing software, one or more constraints of a build volume via a user interface (UI), wherein the constraints include an orientation for identical parts making up the build volume, and wherein the build volume comprises images of the plurality of parts, at least some of which are identical to one another, the build volume be used during additive manufacture of the plurality of parts;
determining, by the parts packing software, the new build volume based on the build volume, a packing density, a packing z-height, and the one or more constraints, wherein the packing density relates to how densely packed the plurality of parts are within the new build volume, and
automatically displaying images of the plurality of parts in the new build volume via the user interface on a screen of a computing device based on the new build volume.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
tagging the identical parts of the plurality of parts; and
specifying a range of angles of rotation of one of the identical parts;

wherein the parts packing software limits the part and the tagged identical parts to the specified range of angles of rotation in the new build volume.

3. The method of claim 2 , further comprising:
identifying via the UI, at least two parts of the plurality of parts in the build volume that are stackable; and
moving the at least two parts so as to be disposed atop one another and stacked in the new build volume.

4. The method of claim 2 , further comprising:
selecting the part from a parts pool.

5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising specifying a printer characteristic of a printer, wherein the printer is to additive manufacture the part;
wherein the parts packing software generates the new build volume based on the printer characteristic.

6. The method of claim 5 , further comprising:
affixing a symbol denoting an orientation to each of the plurality of parts.

7. The method of claim 5 , wherein the printer characteristic comprises drift over time.

8. One or more non-transitory computer-readable storage media storing instructions that, when executed by one or more computing devices, cause the one or more computing devices to perform a specified method comprising:
receiving a request for a display of a plurality of parts in a new build volume, by a parts-packing software, via a user interface to a parts packing software program, the user interface to enable a user to:
supply an image of a build volume generated by the parts packing software program, wherein the build volume is a three-dimensional (3D) representation of a plurality of parts to be simultaneously 3D manufactured in a build bed; and
enable manipulation of one or more of the plurality of parts in the build volume image, resulting in a modified build volume image, wherein the manipulation include manipulating placement of one or more of the plurality of parts based on a packing density, a packing z-height, and an orientation for identical parts in the modified build volume;

determining, by the parts packing software, the new build volume by processing the modified build volume image by the parts packing software; and
automatically displaying, by the parts packing software, the plurality of parts via the user interface on a screen of a computing device based on the new build volume.

9. The media of claim 8 , further comprising:
a parts pool comprising the plurality of parts in the build volume; and
a symbol to be used with the image of the build volume, wherein the symbol is placed on an edge of a part of the plurality of parts, wherein the parts packing software program orients the part based on the symbol.

10. The media of claim 9 , further comprising an identifier to group the part with other identical parts, wherein the parts packing software program orients the part and the other identical parts based on the symbol.

11. The media of claim 8 , further comprising a stacking specifier to enable the user to stack the part, along with a plurality of similar parts, in the modified build volume image.

12. A non-transitory machine-readable medium having instructions stored therein that, in response to being executed on a computing device, cause the computing device to:
receive, by a parts-packing software, a request for a display of a plurality of parts in a new build volume;
receive, by the parts packing software, a build volume comprising images of the plurality of parts and constraints, wherein at least some of the images are identical to one another, wherein the build volume is to be used during additive manufacture of the plurality of parts, and wherein the constraints include an orientation for identical parts making up the build volume;
identify at least two parts of the plurality of parts in the build volume that are stackable;
determine, by the parts packing software, a modified build volume by moving the at least two parts so as to be disposed atop one another based on a packing density, a packing z-height, and the one or more constraints and
stacked in the build volume;

generate, by the parts packing software, a new build volume based on the modified build volume; and
automatically display the plurality of parts via the user interface on a screen of a computing device based on the new build volume.

13. The machine-readable medium of claim 12 , further having instructions stored therein that, in response to being executed on the computing device, cause the computing device to:
tag a subset of parts of the plurality of parts, wherein each part of the subset of parts is similar to each other part; and
orient one part of the subset of parts in a particular direction;
wherein the parts packing software automatically orients each part of the subset of parts in the particular direction when generating the new build volume.

14. The machine-readable medium of claim 12 , further having instructions stored therein that, in response to being executed on the computing device, cause the computing device to generate the new build volume based on printer process variations received via the user interface.

15. The machine-readable medium of claim 12 , further having instructions stored therein that, in response to being executed on the computing device, cause the computing device to generate the new build volume based on drift of a single printer received via the user interface.

16. One or more non-transitory computer-readable storage media storing instructions that, when executed by one or more computing devices, cause the one or more computing devices to perform a specified method comprising:
receiving a request for a display of a plurality of parts in a new build volume, by a parts-packing software, via a user interface to a parts packing software program, the user interface to enable a user to:
supply an image of a build volume generated by the parts packing software program, wherein the build volume is a three-dimensional (3D) representation of a plurality of parts to be simultaneously 3D manufactured in a build bed; and
enable manipulation of one or more of the plurality of parts in the build volume image, resulting in a modified build volume image, wherein the manipulation include an orientation for identical parts in the modified build volume, wherein a symbol is placed on an edge of a part of the plurality of parts, wherein the parts packing software program orients the part based on the symb

Assignees

• Hewlett Packard Development Co

Inventors

• Tucker David
• Saunders Nicholas
• Zeng Jun

Classifications

• G06F2113/10

  Additive manufacturing, e.g. three-dimensional [3D] printing · CPC title

• G06F30/12

  characterised by design entry means specially adapted for CAD, e.g. graphical user interfaces [GUI] specially adapted for CAD · CPC title

• G06F2111/04

  Constraint-based CAD · CPC title

• G06F30/20 Primary

  Design optimisation, verification or simulation (optimisation, verification or simulation of circuit designs G06F30/30) · CPC title

• B22F10/20

  Direct sintering or melting · CPC title