Assigning object generation tasks

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2020298495-A1
Application number	US-201716089851-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Apr 26, 2017
Priority date	Apr 26, 2017
Publication date	Sep 24, 2020
Grant date	—

Abstract

In an example, a method includes receiving object model data at a processor, the object model data characterising an object to be generated using additive manufacturing. The method may further include receiving a status indicator for each of a plurality of additive manufacturing apparatus, the status indicator comprising, for each apparatus, an indication of an adaptable build volume. The processor may assign an object generation task corresponding to the received object model data to one of the plurality of additive manufacturing apparatus based on the status indicators.

First claim

1 . A method comprising:
receiving object model data at a processor, the object model data characterising an object to be generated using additive manufacturing; receiving, at the processor, a status indicator for each of a plurality of additive manufacturing apparatus, the status indicator comprising, for each apparatus, an indication of an adaptable build volume; and assigning, by the processor, an object generation task corresponding to the received object model data to one of the plurality of additive manufacturing apparatus based on the status indicators.

2 . A method according to claim 1 wherein the object model data characterises at least one of a new object and a modification of an object under generation.

3 . A method according to claim 1 wherein the object model data is associated with a priority indicator and assigning the object generation task to one of the plurality of apparatus based on the status indicator and the priority indicator.

4 . A method according to claim 3 comprising replacing an object generation task already assigned to an apparatus when a higher priority object generation task is received.

5 . A method according to claim 1 comprising reconfiguring a virtual build volume of the apparatus to which the object generation task is assigned and generating additive manufacturing instructions for at least part of the reconfigured virtual build volume.

6 . A method according to claim 1 further comprising generating additive manufacturing instructions for an object generation task while at least part of the build volume to which the object generation task is assigned is under generation.

7 . Apparatus comprising:
an object generation task assignment module to assign an object generation task to one of a plurality of additive manufacturing apparatus; and a build volume content management module to identify an adaptable build volume in at least one of the plurality of additive manufacturing apparatus.

8 . Apparatus according to claim 7 further comprising an input module to receive data modelling at least part of an object to be generated and a status indicator comprising an indication of an adaptable build volume of an additive manufacturing apparatus,
wherein the build volume content management module is to determine if the data received models an object or object portion which can be generated within the adaptable build volume.

9 . Apparatus according to claim 8 in which the status indictor comprises at least one of:
an indication of a post processing capability associated with the additive manufacturing apparatus; and
an indication of a build volume content under generation by the additive manufacturing apparatus; and
the object generation task assignment module is to assign an object generation task based on an indication of the status indicator and the determination of the build volume content management module.

10 . Apparatus according to claim 7 wherein the build volume content management module is to determine a relative placement for objects within a virtual build volume.

11 . Apparatus according to claim 7 further comprising a control data module to generate control instructions.

12 . Apparatus according to claim 11 further comprising a plurality of additive manufacturing apparatus to generate an object using the control instructions.

13 . Apparatus according to claim 7 in which the object generation task assignment module is to assign an object generation task to one of a plurality of additive manufacturing apparatus based on at least one of:
a similarity of objects under generation by that additive manufacturing apparatus to the object to be generated in the object generation task;
a resulting packing density within the additive manufacturing apparatus;
a resulting overall build height,
a post processing capacity associated with the additive manufacturing apparatus,
a relative priority level of an object generation task of the additive manufacturing apparatus and the object generation task to be assigned;
a target completion time of the object generation task;
a predicted completion time of a build process of the additive manufacturing apparatus; and
a location of the additive manufacturing apparatus.

14 . A machine readable medium comprising instructions which, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to:
identify, for each of a plurality of additive manufacturing apparatus, an adaptable chamber content; receive data indicative of a new object generation task; and assign the new object generation task to a selected additive manufacturing apparatus which has an adaptable chamber content which is adaptable to accommodate the new object generation task.

15 . A machine readable medium according to claim 14 further comprising instructions which, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to:
release data characterising a finalised adapted chamber content to a processor to generate additive manufacturing instructions, where the data is released while an object generation task is on-going.

Assignees

• Hewlett Packard Development Co

Inventors

• Manousakis Stylianos

Classifications

• Y02P90/30

  Computing systems specially adapted for manufacturing · CPC title

• G05B2219/49023

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

• G06Q50/04 Primary

  Manufacturing · CPC title

• B33Y50/02

  for controlling or regulating additive manufacturing processes · CPC title

• G05B19/4099

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