Build material profile

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016332376-A1
Application number	US-201415111731-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Sep 30, 2014
Priority date	Jan 16, 2014
Publication date	Nov 17, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

Examples are described that generate control data ( 280 ) for production of a three-dimensional object. Build material profile data ( 260 ) is accessed for an indicated build material. The build material profile data for a given build material defines one or more parameter values that are dependent on the properties of the given build material and that are configured to generate a three-dimensional object with predefined build properties. Certain examples are arranged to generate control data for the production of a three-dimensional object by applying build material profile data to received object data ( 230 ).

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . An apparatus for generating control data for production of a three-dimensional object, comprising:
an interface arranged to receive:
object data for a three-dimensional object to be generated, and
selection data indicating at least one build material to be used to generate the three-dimensional object; and
a controller arranged to access build material profile data for the at least one build material indicated in the selection data,
wherein build material profile data for a given build material defines one or more parameter values that are dependent on the properties of the given build material and that are configured to generate a three-dimensional object with predefined build properties, and
wherein at least one parameter value relates to an interaction of a coalescence modifier agent and the given build material, the coalescence modifier agent being used to modify coalescence of the given build material in the production of the three-dimensional object,
the controller being arranged to generate control data for the production of a three-dimensional object by applying the accessed build material profile data to the received object data.

2 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the at least one build material comprises a build material mix, the build material mix comprising a proportion of previously-used, uncoalesced build material and a proportion of new build material, and the build material profile data indicates parameter values for production of a three-dimensional object with the build material mix, said parameter values being different from parameter values for new build material.

3 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the one or more parameter values comprise a quantity of a coalescing agent to be used for a unit volume of the given build material and a quantity of the coalescence modifier agent to be used for a unit volume of the given build material.

4 . The apparatus of claim 3 , comprising:
a first agent distributor arranged to receive the control data from the controller and to selectively deliver the coalescing agent onto portions of a layer of the at least one build material in accordance with the control data; a second agent distributor arranged to receive the control data from the controller and to selectively deliver the coalescence modifier agent onto portions of a layer of the at least one build material in accordance with the control data; and a build material distributor arranged to provide a first layer of at least one build material, and to provide subsequent layers of at least one build material on a previously provided layer, wherein the coalescing agent and the coalescence modifier agent provide selective coalescence when an energy source is applied to a layer of at least one build material during the production of the three-dimensional object according to the control data.

5 . The apparatus of claim 4 , comprising:
a build material supply arranged to supply a build material for distribution by the build material distributor, wherein the selection data is indicative of the build material supplied by the build material supply.

6 . The apparatus of claim 5 ,
wherein the build material supply is associated with a storage medium configured to store data for use in identifying the build material, and wherein the stored data comprises at least a portion of the selection data.

7 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the one or more parameters comprise one or more of, for a given build material:
a quantity of the coalescence modifier agent to be used for a unit volume of the given build material; a radius of coalescence modifier agent to be used for the given build material; a quantity of uncoalesced build material to be used in a build material mix for the given build material; a number of passes for the distribution of at least the coalescence modifier agent for a layer of the given build material; and a temperature to be applied to one or more uncoalesced areas of a layer of the given build material.

8 . The apparatus of claim 7 , wherein the one or more parameters further comprise one or more of, for a given build material:
a preheat temperature for the given build material to be used in one or more layers; a fusing energy to be delivered per unit area of a layer of the given build material; a required reheat time for the given build material; a layer thickness for the given build material; and a speed of distribution for a layer of the given build material.

9 . A method of generating control data for production of a three-dimensional object, comprising:
obtaining object data for a three-dimensional object to be generated; determining a build material to be used to generate the three-dimensional object; obtaining a build material profile for the build material; generating control data for an additive manufacturing system to produce the three-dimensional object by applying the build material profile to the object data, including:
determining a configuration of the additive manufacturing system;
obtaining a set of parameter values from the build material profile for use with the configuration of the additive manufacturing system, the parameter values being configured to generate the three-dimensional object with a predefined set of build properties,
the control data being used to instruct deposition of a coalescence modifier agent on at least one layer of the build material, the coalescence modifier agent modifying coalescence of the build material in the production of the three-dimensional object.

10 . The method of claim 9 , wherein
the build material comprises a build material mix, the build material mix comprising a proportion of previously-used, uncoalesced build material and a proportion of new build material, determining a configuration of the additive manufacturing system comprises determining the proportion of previously-used, uncoalesced build material in the build material mix, and obtaining a set of parameter values from the build material profile comprises determining control data using the build material profile that is configured for the proportion of previously-used, uncoalesced build material in the build material mix.

11 . The method of claim 9 , wherein the one or more parameter values comprise at least a quantity of a coalescing agent to be used for a unit volume of the given build material and a quantity of the coalescence modifier agent to be used for a unit volume of the given build material.

12 . The method of claim 11 , comprising:
depositing a layer of the build material; selectively depositing on the layer, in accordance with the control data, one or more of the coalescing agent and the coalescence modifier agent; and applying energy to the layer to cause portions of build material to coalesce and to solidify to form a portion of the three-dimensional object in accordance with where the coalescing agent and the coalescence modifier agent were deposited.

13 . The method of claim 9 , wherein the build material is of a given build material type and the set of parameter values are indicative of one or more of chemical and physical properties of the given build material type.

14 . The method of claim 9 wherein determining a build material to be used to generate the three-dimensional object comprises:
reading a build material identifier from a storage medium associated with a build material supply,
the build material identifier being used to access the build material profile.

15 . An additive manufacturing system comprising:
a build material distributor arranged

Assignees

• Ramirez Muela David
• Martinez Fornos Pol
• Puigardeu Aramendia Sergio
• Sanchez Ribes Salvador
• Hewlett Packard Development Co Lp

Inventors

• Ramirez Muela David
• Puigardeu Aramendia Sergio
• Fornos Pol
• Sanchez Ribes Salvador

Classifications

• B29C64/357

  Recycling · CPC title

• B29C64/321

  Feeding · CPC title

• B29C64/393

  for controlling or regulating additive manufacturing processes · CPC title

• B29C64/165

  using a combination of solid and fluid materials, e.g. a powder selectively bound by a liquid binder, catalyst, inhibitor or energy absorber · CPC title

• B29C64/40

  Structures for supporting 3D objects during manufacture and intended to be sacrificed after completion thereof · CPC title