Variable slicing for 3d modeling

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016176117-A1
Application number	US-201514964916-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Dec 10, 2015
Priority date	Dec 23, 2014
Publication date	Jun 23, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

Varying a slicing thickness for 3D modeling may include: receiving 3D modeling data from a user device; slicing the 3D modeling data, in accordance with a first thickness, into multiple cross-sections; calculating a complexity of one or more of the multiple cross-sections; and determining a slicing thickness of the 3D modeling data based on the complexity of the one or more of the multiple cross-sections

First claim

We claim:

1 . A method of varying a slicing thickness for 3D modeling, comprising:
receiving 3D modeling data from a user device; slicing the 3D modeling data, in accordance with a first thickness, into multiple cross-sections; calculating a complexity of one or more of the multiple cross-sections; and determining a slicing thickness of the 3D modeling data based on the complexity of the one or more of the multiple cross-sections.

2 . The method of claim 1 , the calculating comprises:
counting at least one of vertexes or lines that intersect with one or more of the multiple cross-sections; and calculating the complexity of the one or more of the multiple cross-sections based on at least one of the counted number of vertexes or the counted number of lines.

3 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
slicing the 3D modeling data in the determined slicing thickness; generating a G-code based on the sliced 3D modeling data; and transmitting the G-code to a 3D printer.

4 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
changing the first thickness to a second thickness; and slicing the 3D modeling data in accordance with the second thickness.

5 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the slicing utilizes a 3D polygon mesh model that is formed based on the 3D modeling data.

6 . The method of claim 2 , wherein the calculating includes:
assigning a first weight to the counted number of vertexes and assigning a second weight to the counted number of lines, and calculating the complexity of the sliced cross-sections based on the first weight and the second weight.

6 . The method of claim 2 , wherein the determined complexity of the one or more of the multiple cross-sections is proportional to at least one of the counted number of vertexes or the counted number of lines.

7 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the slicing thickness of the 3D modeling data is determined to be inversely proportional to the complexity of the one or more of the multiple cross-sections.

9 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
dividing the 3D modeling data into a plurality of parts based on the complexity of the one or more of the multiple cross-sections; calculating a respective complexity of each of the parts; and determining a respective slicing thickness of each of the parts based on the respective complexity of each part.

10 . The method of claim 9 , further comprising:
slicing each of the parts in accordance with the respectively determined slicing thickness; generating a G-code for each sliced part; and transmitting each G-code to a 3D printer.

11 . A 3D modeling device, comprising:
a receiver configured to receive 3D modeling data from a user device; a simulator configured to slice the 3D modeling data in, accordance with a first thickness, into multiple cross-sections; a calculator configured to calculate a complexity of one or more of the multiple cross-sections; and a slice thickness determination unit configured to determine a slicing thickness of the 3D modeling data based on the complexity of the sliced cross-sections.

12 . The device of claim 11 , wherein the calculator is further configured to:
count at least one of vertexes or lines that intersect with the one or more of the multiple cross-sections; and calculate the complexity of the one or more of the multiple cross-sections based on at least one of the counted number of vertexes or the counted number of lines.

13 . The device of claim 11 , further comprises:
a data slicer configured to slice the 3D modeling data in accordance with the determined thickness; a G-code generator configured to generate a G-code based on the sliced 3D modeling data; and a transmitter configured to transmit the G-code to a 3D printer.

14 . The device of claim 11 , wherein the simulator is further configured to:
change the first thickness to a second thickness, and slice the 3D modeling data in accordance with the second thickness.

15 . The device of claim 12 , wherein the calculator is configured to determine the complexity of the one or more of the multiple cross-sections by:
assigning a first weight to the counted number of vertexes; assigning a second weight to the counted number of lines; and calculating the complexity of the one or more of the multiple cross-sections based on the first weight and the second weight.

16 . The device of claim 12 , wherein the determined complexity of the one or more of the multiple cross-sections is proportional to at least one of the counted number of vertexes or the counted number of lines.

17 . The device of claim 11 , wherein the slicing thickness of the 3D modeling data is determined to be inversely proportional to the complexity of the one or more of the multiple cross-sections.

18 . The device of claim 13 , wherein the slice thickness determination unit is further configured to divide the 3D modeling data into a plurality of parts,
wherein the calculator is further configured to calculate a complexity of each of the parts, and wherein the slice thickness determination unit is further configured to determine each slicing thickness of each of the parts based on the respective complexity of each part.

19 . The device of claim 18 , wherein:
the data slicer is further configured to slice each of the parts in accordance with the respectively determined slicing thickness, the G-code generator is further configured to generate a G-code based on each sliced part, and the transmitter is further configured to transmit each G-code to a 3D printer.

20 . A computing device, comprising:
a memory; and a processing unit configured to:
receive 3D modeling data from a user device,
perform a virtual simulation to produce cross-sections of the 3D modeling data,
calculate a complexity of cross-sections produced by the virtual simulation, and
determine a thickness of the 3D modeling data based on the complexity of the cross-sections.

Assignees

• Kt Corp

Inventors

• Lee Zucheul
• Kim Daehwan
• Seo Yeong-Il

Classifications

• G05B2219/49007

  Making, forming 3-D object, model, surface · CPC title

• G05B19/4099 Primary

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

• B33Y50/02

  for controlling or regulating additive manufacturing processes · CPC title

• B29C67/0088 Primary

  Operations & Transport · mapped topic

• G05B2219/35134

  3-D cad-cam · CPC title