System and method for test pattern formation during three-dimensional object printing

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016101568-A1
Application number	US-201414509827-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Oct 8, 2014
Priority date	Oct 8, 2014
Publication date	Apr 14, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

A three-dimensional object printer ejects drops of a build material from a plurality of ejectors in a first printhead to form an object on a first region of a member and ejects drops of a support material from a plurality of ejectors in a second printhead to support the object on the first region of the member. The second printhead ejects drops of the support material onto a second region of the member that is separate from the first region to form a substrate layer. The first printhead ejects drops of the build material onto the substrate layer to form a printed test pattern. An image sensor generates image data of the printed test pattern to identify an inoperable ejector in the first printhead.

First claim

What is claimed:

1 . A three-dimensional object printer comprising:
a member configured to receive a build material and a support material during a three-dimensional object printing process; a first printhead including a first plurality of ejectors, the first plurality of ejectors being configured to eject drops of the build material toward the member; a support material dispenser configured to emit the support material onto the member; an image sensor configured to generate scanned image data of the build material and the support material formed on the member; and a controller operatively connected to the first printhead, the support material dispenser, and the image sensor, the controller being configured to: operate the support material dispenser to form a first layer of the support material on a first region of the member; operate the first plurality of ejectors in the first printhead to eject a portion of a first predetermined pattern of drops of the build material onto the first layer of the support material to form a first portion of a first test pattern; operate the image sensor to generate scanned image data of the first portion of the first test pattern; operate the support material dispenser to form at least one additional layer of the support material on the first region of the member over the first layer of the support material and the first portion of the first test pattern; operate the first plurality of ejectors in the first printhead to eject a portion of a second predetermined pattern of drops of the build material onto the at least one additional layer to form a second portion of the first test pattern; operate the image sensor to generate scanned image data of the second portion of the test pattern; and identify at least one inoperable ejector in the first printhead with reference to the scanned image data of the first portion of the first test pattern and the scanned image data of the second portion of the first test pattern.

2 . The three-dimensional object printer of claim 1 , the controller being further configured to:
identify the at least one inoperable ejector in the first plurality of ejectors as a missing ejector in response to absence of a mark in the first predetermined test pattern that corresponds to the missing ejector in the scanned image data of the first portion of the first test pattern and the scanned image data of the second portion of the first test pattern.

3 . The three-dimensional object printer of claim 1 , the support material dispenser further comprising:
a second printhead including a second plurality of ejectors, the second plurality of ejectors being configured to eject drops of the support material toward the member; and
the controller being further configured to:
operate the second plurality of ejectors in the second printhead to form the first layer of the support material on the first region of the member; and
operate the second plurality of ejectors in the second printhead to form the at least one additional layer of the support material on the first region of the member over the first layer of the support material.

4 . The three-dimensional object printer of claim 3 further comprising:
a third printhead including a third plurality of ejectors, the third plurality of ejectors being configured to eject drops of the build material toward the member; and

the controller being operatively connected to the third printhead and further configured to:
operate the third plurality of ejectors in the third printhead to eject another portion of the first predetermined pattern of drops of the build material onto the first layer of the support material to form the first portion of the first test pattern;
operate the third plurality of ejectors in the third printhead to eject another portion of the second predetermined pattern of drops of the build material onto the at least one additional layer of the support material to form the second portion of the first test pattern; and
identify the at least one inoperable ejector in the first printhead with reference to a registration error between a first plurality of marks formed by the first printhead and a second plurality of marks formed by the second printhead in the scanned image data of the first portion and the second portion of the first test pattern.

5 . The three-dimensional object printer of claim 3 , the controller being further configured to:
operate the first plurality of ejectors in the first printhead to form a second layer of the build material on a second region of the member that is separate from the first region of the member; operate the second plurality of ejectors in the second printhead to eject a portion of a third predetermined pattern of drops of the support material onto the second layer of the build material to form a first portion of a second test pattern; operate the image sensor to generate scanned image data of the first portion of the second test pattern; operate the first plurality of ejectors in the first printhead to form at least one additional layer of the build material over the second layer of the build material and the first portion of the second test pattern; operate the second plurality of ejectors in the second printhead to eject a portion of a fourth predetermined pattern of drops of the support material onto the at least one additional layer of the build material to form a second portion of the second test pattern; operate the image sensor to generate scanned image data of the second portion of the second test pattern;
and
identify at least one inoperable ejector in the second printhead with reference to the scanned image data of the first portion of the second test pattern and the scanned image data of the second portion of the second test pattern.

6 . The three-dimensional object printer of claim 5 , the controller being further configured to:
identify the at least one inoperable ejector in the second plurality of ejectors as a missing ejector in response to absence of a mark in the second predetermined test pattern that corresponds to the missing ejector in the scanned image data of the first portion of the second test pattern and the scanned image data of the second portion of the second test pattern.

7 . The three-dimensional object printer of claim 5 further comprising:
a third printhead including a third plurality of ejectors, the third plurality of ejectors being configured to eject drops of the support material toward the member; and

the controller being operatively connected to the third printhead and further configured to:
operate the third plurality of ejectors in the third printhead to eject another portion of the third predetermined pattern of drops of the support material onto the second layer of the build material to form the first portion of the second test pattern;
operate the third plurality of ejectors in the third printhead to eject another portion of the fourth predetermined pattern of drops of the support material onto the at least one additional layer of the build material to form the second portion of the second test pattern; and
identify the at least one inoperable ejector in the second printhead with reference to a registration error between a first plurality of marks formed in the second test pattern by the second printhead and a second plurality of marks formed in the second test pattern by the third printhead.

8 . The three-dimensional object printer of claim 3 , the controller being further configured to:
operate the second plurality of ejectors in the second printhead to form the at least one additional layer of the support material on the first region of the member with a portion of the support material bein

Assignees

• Xerox Corp

Inventors

• Mizes Howard A
• Conrow Brian R
• Donaldson Patricia J
• Fokins Jeffrey J
• Hosier Paul A
• Kleckner Robert J

Classifications

• B29C64/393

  for controlling or regulating additive manufacturing processes · CPC title

• B29L2031/772

  Articles characterised by their shape and not otherwise provided for (closed loop B29L2031/709; ring-like B29L2031/7096; corrugated B29L2016/00, flat B29L2007/00; hollow B29L2022/00; screw-threaded B29L2001/00; toothed B29L2031/775; corrugated tubes B29L2023/18) · CPC title

• B29K2101/12

  Thermoplastic materials · CPC title

• B33Y50/02

  for controlling or regulating additive manufacturing processes · CPC title

• B33Y10/00 Primary

  Processes of additive manufacturing · CPC title