Systems and Methods for Compensating for 3D Shape Deviations in Additive Manufacturing

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016320771-A1
Application number	US-201615143358-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Apr 29, 2016
Priority date	Apr 29, 2015
Publication date	Nov 3, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

Methods and systems for predicting deformation error and compensating for shape deviation in Additive Manufacturing (AM) techniques include, in one aspect, a method including: obtaining a deformation model for an AM machine; predicting deformation for the object using the deformation model applied to the 3D model; selecting an amount of deformation compensation to effect by minimizing deviation for the predicted deformation; and providing the selected amount of deformation compensation to modify the 3D model to compensate for deformation during creation by the AM machine.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A method performed by a computer system comprising processor electronics and at least one memory device, the method comprising:
obtaining a deformation model for an additive manufacturing (AM) machine, the deformation model representing deformation in a Spherical Coordinate System (SCS) including a first angular location variable and a second angular location variable, wherein the deformation model includes an in-plane deformation error model defined in a first Polar Coordinate System (PCS) using the first angular location variable from the SCS, and the deformation model includes an out-of-plane deformation error model defined in a second PCS using the second angular location variable from the SCS; receiving a three dimensional (3D) model of an object to be built using the AM machine; predicting deformation for the object using the deformation model applied to the 3D model, wherein the predicting comprises calculating for a given point on the 3D model separate in-plane and out-of-plane error components using the respective in-plane deformation error model and out-of-plane deformation error model; selecting an amount of deformation compensation to effect by minimizing deviation for the predicted deformation; and providing the selected amount of deformation compensation to modify the 3D model to compensate for deformation during creation by the AM machine.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein obtaining the deformation model for an additive manufacturing machine comprises:
obtaining data associated with the AM machine during creation of one or more standard calibration parts.

3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the deformation model for an AM machine is generated using a cookie-cutter model to trim a polygon from a cylinder.

4 . The method of claim 3 , wherein the deformation model for an AM machine is generated using a library of cookie-cutter models including a square wave model and a sawtooth wave model.

5 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the minimizing deviation for the predicted deformation comprises minimizing an area deviation in the first PCS.

6 . The method of claim 5 , wherein the minimizing an area deviation in the first PCS comprises calculating a minimized value corresponding to a total absolute area deviation.

7 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the minimizing deviation for the predicted deformation comprises calculating an amount of compensation that is equivalent to an area deviation in the first PCS.

8 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the minimizing deviation for the predicted deformation comprises minimizing volume deviation in the SCS.

9 . The method of claim 8 , wherein providing the selected amount of deformation compensation to modify the 3D model comprises applying an in-plane deformation compensation to a 3D model layer-by-layer.

10 . A system comprising:
an additive manufacturing (AM) machine; and one or more computing devices coupled with the AM machine and programmed to (i) obtain a deformation model for the AM machine, the deformation model representing deformation in a Spherical Coordinate System (SCS) including a first angular location variable and a second angular location variable, wherein the deformation model includes an in-plane deformation error model defined in a first Polar Coordinate System (PCS) using the first angular location variable from the SCS, and the deformation model includes an out-of-plane deformation error model defined in a second PCS using the second angular location variable from the SCS; (ii) receive a three dimensional (3D) model of an object to be built using the AM machine; (iii) predict deformation for the object using the deformation model applied to the 3D model, wherein the predicting comprises calculating for a given point on the 3D model separate in-plane and out-of-plane error components using the respective in-plane deformation error model and out-of-plane deformation error model; (iv) select an amount of deformation compensation to effect by minimizing volume deviation in the SCS for the predicted deformation; and (v) provide the selected amount of deformation compensation to modify the 3D model to compensate for deformation during creation by the AM machine.

Assignees

• Univ Southern California

Inventors

• Huang Qiang Sean

Classifications

• B29C67/00

  Shaping techniques not covered by groups B29C39/00 - B29C65/00, B29C70/00 or B29C73/00 · CPC title

• B33Y50/00

  Data acquisition or data processing for additive manufacturing · CPC title

• G05B2219/49023

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

• G05B19/4099 Primary

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

• B33Y30/00

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