Systems and methods for calibration feedback for additive manufacturing

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2019329501-A1
Application number	US-201916508825-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jul 11, 2019
Priority date	Apr 24, 2017
Publication date	Oct 31, 2019
Grant date	—

Abstract

Complexity of a geometry of a desired (i.e., target) three-dimensional (3D) object being produced by an additive manufacturing system, as well as atypical behavior of the processes employed by such a system, pose challenges for producing a final version of the desired 3D object with fidelity relative to the desired object. An example embodiment enables such challenges to be overcome as a function of feedback to enable the final version to be produced with fidelity. The feedback may be at least one value that is associated with at least one characteristic of a printed object following processing of the printed object. Such feedback may be obtained as part of a calibration process of the 3D printing system or as part of an operational process of the 3D printing system.

First claim

1 - 73 . (canceled)

74 . A printer system configured to print a three-dimensional (3D) metal object, the system comprising:
a carrier configured to dispense a build material; a build plate configured to receive the build material from the carrier during printing; a coordinate measurement machine configured to measure a geometry of a printed object formed from the build material; a controller configured to compare the measured geometry of the printed object to a target geometry of a target object; and a display configured to display a graphical representation of one or more of the measured geometry or the measured geometry relative to the target geometry.

75 . The system according to claim 74 , wherein the controller is further configured to modify a computer aided design (CAD) file if there is a discrepancy between the measured geometry and the target geometry.

76 . The system according to claim 75 , wherein the controller is further configured to convert the modified CAD file to one or more instructions for controlling the printer system to dispense the build material to form a subsequent printed object.

77 . The system according to claim 74 , wherein the graphical representation includes one or more of a defect or a void in the measured geometry.

78 . The system according to claim 74 , wherein the graphical representation identifies one or more areas of the target geometry to be adjusted based on the measured geometry.

79 . The system according to claim 74 , wherein the coordinate measuring machine includes at least one of a laser scanner or a contact measuring device.

80 . A printer system configured to print a three-dimensional (3D) metal object, the system comprising:
a carrier for dispensing a build material; a build surface configured to receive the build material during printing; a laser scanner configured to measure a printed object formed from the build material to generate a laser measurement; and a controller configured to compare the laser measurement to a representation of a target object, and to modify a computer aided design (CAD) file to change the representation of the target object if there is a discrepancy between the laser measurement and the representation of the target object.

81 . The system according to claim 80 , wherein the controller is further configured to convert the modified CAD file to one or more instructions for controlling the carrier to dispense the build material based on the changed representation of the target object.

82 . The system according to claim 80 , wherein the controller is further configured to control the printer system to dispense the build material to form a subsequent printed object based on the modified CAD file.

83 . The system according to claim 80 , wherein modifying the CAD file includes modifying the representation of the target object to include two or more supports, wherein the two or more supports are configured to be printed with the target object, wherein a first of the two or more supports, once printed, is configured to be removed from the printed object during a first post-printing process, and wherein a second of the two or more supports, once printed, is configured to be removed from the printed object during a second post-printing process.

84 . The system according to claim 80 , wherein modifying the CAD file includes changing a size of the representation of the target object.

85 . The system according to claim 84 , wherein changing the size of the representation of the target object includes changing a plurality of dimensions of the representation of the target object by a same ratio.

86 . The system according to claim 80 , wherein the modified CAD file causes the controller to control an output parameter of the print system, wherein the output parameter includes one or more of a print speed, a print temperature, or a toolpath.

87 . The system according to claim 80 , wherein modifying the CAD file includes incorporating a base plate, and wherein the controller is configured to control the print system to print the base plate and the printed object.

88 . The system according to claim 87 , wherein the modified CAD file further includes an interface layer between the base plate and the target object, and wherein the controller is configured to control the print system to dispense the interface layer between the base plate and the printed object.

89 . The system according to claim 80 , wherein the controller is configured to change an output parameter of the printer system for a subsequently printed object based on the modified CAD file.

90 . The system according to claim 80 , further comprising a contact measurement device configured to measure a geometry of the printed object formed from the build material.

91 . The system according to claim 80 , further comprising a display, wherein the display is configured to display a graphical representation of one or more of the laser measurement or the laser measurement relative to the representation of the target object.

92 . The system according to claim 80 , wherein the laser scanner is configured to be manually operated.

93 . A method of printing a three-dimensional (3D) metal object using a printer system, the method comprising:
dispensing a build material to form a printed object; measuring at least one characteristic of the printed object using a laser scanner; comparing the at least one measured characteristic of the printed object to a corresponding characteristic of a target object; and generating an image of the printed object, wherein the image shows a comparison between the at least one measured characteristic of the printed object and the corresponding characteristic of the target object.

94 . The method according to claim 93 , further comprising modifying a computer aided design (CAD) file to change a representation of the target object if there is a discrepancy between the at least one measured characteristic of the printed object and the corresponding characteristic of the target object.

95 . The method according to claim 94 , further comprising converting the modified CAD file to one or more instructions for controlling the printer system to dispense the build material to form a subsequent printed object.

96 . The method according to claim 94 , wherein modifying the CAD file includes changing a size of the representation of the target object.

97 . The method according to claim 96 , wherein changing the size of the representation of the target object includes changing a plurality of dimensions of the representation of the target object by a same ratio.

98 . The method according to claim 94 , further comprising controlling an output parameter of the print system based on the modified CAD file, wherein the output parameter includes one or more of a print speed, a print temperature, or a toolpath.

99 . The method according to claim 93 , wherein the at least one measured characteristic of the printed object and the corresponding characteristic of the target object are geometric characteristics.

100 . The method according to claim 94 , further comprising changing an output parameter of the printer system for a subsequently printed object based on the modified CAD file.

101 . The method according to claim 93 , wherein the image identifies one or more areas of the target o

Assignees

• Desktop Metal Inc

Inventors

• Tobia Jay
• Tuncer Nihan
• Preston Aaron
• Fulop Ricardo
• Gibson Michael A
• Fontana Richard Remo
• Hart Anastasios John

Classifications

• G06F30/20

  Design optimisation, verification or simulation (optimisation, verification or simulation of circuit designs G06F30/30) · CPC title

• B22F10/28

  Powder bed fusion, e.g. selective laser melting [SLM] or electron beam melting [EBM] · CPC title

• B22F10/31

  Calibration of process steps or apparatus settings, e.g. before or during manufacturing · CPC title

• B22F10/12

  by photopolymerisation, e.g. stereolithography [SLA] or digital light processing [DLP] · CPC title

• B22F12/90

  Means for process control, e.g. cameras or sensors · CPC title