Generating three-dimensional objects

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016332384-A1
Application number	US-201415111685-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Apr 29, 2014
Priority date	Jan 16, 2014
Publication date	Nov 17, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

A controller may be to receive temperature data representing a temperature distribution of at least part of a current layer of build material that is measured by a temperature sensor. The controller may be to determine one or more weighting factors representing a degree of influence of each of one or more previous layers of the build material beneath the current layer on a property of the current layer. The controller may be to identify one or more regions in the current layer based on the one or more weighting factors and based on how the property is exhibited by each of the one or more regions. The controller may be to cause the current layer to achieve a target temperature if the temperature data in a selected region of the identified one or more regions does not match the target temperature.

First claim

1 . A system comprising:
a controller to:
receive temperature data representing a temperature distribution of at least part of a current layer of build material that is measured by a temperature sensor;
determine one or more weighting factors representing a degree of influence of each of one or more previous layers of the build material beneath the current layer on a property of the current layer;
identify one or more regions in the current layer based on the determined one or more weighting factors and based on how the property is exhibited by each of the one or more regions; and
cause the current layer to achieve a target temperature if the temperature data in a selected region of the identified one or more regions does not match the target temperature.

2 . The system of claim 1 further comprising:
an agent distributor to selectively delivering coalescing agent to a portion of the current layer to cause the portion to coalesce when the energy is applied; and
an energy source to apply energy to the current layer to cause the portion to coalesce and subsequently solidify,
the controller to:
after causing the current layer to achieve the target temperature, control the agent distributor to selectively deliver the coalescing agent to the portion of the current layer; and
control the energy source to apply energy to the current layer to cause the portion to coalesce and subsequently solidify.

3 . The system of claim 1 wherein the one or more previous layers comprise at least two previous layers, and wherein the one or more weighting factors comprise at least two weighting factors each representing the degree of influence of a respective one of the previous two layers on the property.

4 . The system of claim 1 wherein the property of the current layer is the temperature distribution of the current layer.

5 . The system of claim 1 wherein the property of the current layer comprises one or more emissivities of the respective one or more regions.

6 . The system of claim 5 wherein the one or more regions comprise at least two regions having different emissivities from each other.

7 . The system of claim 6 wherein each of the identified two regions has a substantially constant emissivity.

8 . The system of claim 6 wherein the controller is to cause the current layer to achieve the target temperature if the temperature data in the selected region of the identified two regions does not match the target temperature.

9 . The system of claim 5 wherein the controller is to correct the temperature data based on the one or more emissivities prior to causing the current layer to achieve the target temperature.

10 . The system of claim 1 wherein the temperature data comprises an average temperature of a plurality of temperature values of respective areas in the one or more regions.

11 . The system of claim 1 wherein the selected region is above an un-solidified region of build material in one of the previous layers.

12 . The system of claim 1 wherein the selected region is above a coalescing, solidifying, or solidified region of build material in one of the previous layers.

13 . The system of claim 1 wherein the target temperature is achieved by heating the current layer to the target temperature.

14 . A non-transitory computer readable storage medium including executable instructions that, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to:
receive, from a temperature sensor, temperature data representing a measured temperature distribution across a current layer of build material; determine an effect of the current layer or a previous layer of the build material beneath the current layer on emissivities across the current layer; based on the determined effect, determine a plurality of regions in the current layer each having different emissivities from each other; cause the current layer to reach a target temperature if the temperature data in a selected region of the determined regions is different from the target temperature.

15 . A method comprising:
by a controller: receiving, from a temperature sensor, temperature data comprising a plurality of temperatures of a current layer of build material; determine a weighting factor representing an effect of a previous layer of the build material underneath the current layer on a property of the current layer, the property affecting measurement of the plurality of temperatures; identify regions in the current layer based on the determined weighting factor and based on how the property is exhibited by each of the one or more regions; and achieve a target temperature in the current layer in response to a temperature of a selected region of the identified regions not matching the target temperature.

Assignees

• Hewlett Packard Development Co Lp

Inventors

• De Pena Alejandro Manuel
• Jover Fernando Juan
• Cortes I Herms Sebastia

Classifications

• B29C64/40

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

• B33Y10/00 Primary

  Processes of additive manufacturing · CPC title

• B29C67/0051

  Operations & Transport · mapped topic

• B29C67/0088 Primary

  Operations & Transport · mapped topic

• B29C67/0092

  Operations & Transport · mapped topic