Systems and methods for forming contracting build supports

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2021078259-A1
Application number	US-202017018466-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Sep 11, 2020
Priority date	Sep 13, 2019
Publication date	Mar 18, 2021
Grant date	—

Abstract

Systems and methods for forming an object using additive manufacturing. One method includes receiving a digital model of the object, predicting a shrinking characteristic or receiving a predicted shrinking characteristic of the object that will occur during thermal processing of the object, once formed, and generating, based on the shrinking characteristic of the object, instructions for forming a raft on which the object will be formed. The instructions for forming the raft are configured to form a raft having a shrinking characteristic that reflects the shrinking characteristic of the object.

First claim

1 . A method of forming an object using additive manufacturing, the method comprising:
receiving a digital model of the object; predicting a shrinking characteristic or receiving a predicted shrinking characteristic of the object that will occur during thermal processing of the object, once formed; and based on the shrinking characteristic of the object, generating instructions for forming a raft on which the object will be formed, wherein the instructions for forming the raft are configured to form a raft having a shrinking characteristic that reflects the shrinking characteristic of the object.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the printing instructions include a toolpath of a print head used to form the raft.

3 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising generating instructions for forming a support structure to uphold at least one portion of the object during formation of the object.

4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the instructions for forming the raft include instructions for forming a multi-layer raft.

5 . The method of claim 4 , wherein the instructions for forming the raft include a toolpath of a print head used to form the raft, wherein the toolpath is configured to form a top layer having plurality of raft segments, wherein each raft segment is spaced apart from an adjacent raft segment, and wherein each raft segment is made up of a plurality of parallel line segments.

6 . The method of claim 4 , wherein the instructions for forming the raft include instructions for forming one or more layers of non-sintering ceramic material under the raft or between one or more adjacent layers of the raft.

7 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising determining a center of mass of the object, wherein generating instructions for forming the raft includes generating a toolpath configured to orient a plurality of strands formed by the toolpath towards the center of mass of the object.

8 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising determining at least one of a dimension, a density, or a mass of the object or a dimension, a density, or a mass distribution of the object, and wherein generating instructions for forming the raft is also based on the at least one of the dimension, the density, or the mass of the object or the dimension, the density, or the mass distribution of the object.

9 . The method of claim 8 , wherein a thickness of the raft for which instructions are generated increases as the at least one of the dimension, the density, or the mass of the object or the dimension, the density, or the mass distribution of the object increases.

10 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the instructions for forming the raft are configured to form one or more drainage paths extending through the raft.

11 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising determining an orientation of the part for formation of the part, wherein generating instructions for forming the raft is also based on the orientation of the part for forming the part.

12 . A method of forming an object using additive manufacturing, the method comprising:
receiving a digital model of the object; predicting a shrinking characteristic or receiving a predicted shrinking characteristic of the object that will occur during thermal processing of the object, once formed; and based on the shrinking characteristic of the object, generating instructions for forming a raft on which the object will be formed so that a shrinking characteristic of the raft reflects the shrinking characteristic of the object, wherein the instructions for forming the raft include instructions for forming a base layer and one or more top layers, wherein the base layer and one or more top layers collectively form one or more drainage paths extending through the raft.

13 . The method of claim 12 , wherein the instructions for forming the raft include a toolpath of a print head used to form the raft, wherein the toolpath is configured to form a first of the one or more top layers having a plurality of raft segments, wherein each raft segment is spaced apart from an adjacent raft segment, and wherein each raft segment is made up of a plurality of parallel line segments.

14 . The method of claim 13 , wherein the toolpath is configured to print the plurality of raft segments of the first of the one or more top layers at a first angle along an x-y plane of the first of the one or more top layers, and wherein the toolpath is configured to print the plurality of the raft segments of a second of the one or more top layers at a second angle, different than the first angle.

15 . The method of claim 14 , wherein the toolpath is configured to print a plurality of the first of the one or more top layers at the first angle, followed by a plurality of the second of the one or more top layers at the second angle.

16 . The method of claim 12 , wherein the instructions for forming the raft include a toolpath of a print head used to form the raft, wherein the toolpath is configured to form a first of the one or more top layers having a plurality of raft segments, the method further comprising:
determining a center of mass of the object, wherein the toolpath is configured to orient the plurality of raft segments relative to the center of mass of the object.

17 . A method of forming an object using additive manufacturing, the method comprising:
receiving a digital model of the object; predicting a shrinking characteristic or receiving a predicted shrinking characteristic of the object that will occur during thermal processing of the object, once formed; and based on the shrinking characteristic of the object, generating a toolpath for forming a multi-layer raft on which the object will be formed so that a shrinking characteristic of the raft reflects the shrinking characteristic of the object, wherein the toolpath is configured to form a base layer and one or more top layers.

18 . The method of claim 17 , wherein the toolpath is further configured to form a middle layer.

19 . The method of claim 17 , wherein the base layer and one or more top layers collectively form one or more drainage paths extending through the raft.

20 . The method of claim 17 , further comprising determining at least one of a dimension, a density, or a mass of the object or a dimension, a density, or a mass distribution of the object, and wherein the toolpath is also generated based on the at least one of the dimension, the density, or the mass of the object or the dimension, the density, or the mass distribution of the object.

Assignees

• Desktop Metal Inc

Inventors

• Tobia Jay
• Preston Aaron M
• Barbati Alexander C

Classifications

• Y02P10/25

  Process efficiency · CPC title

• B33Y10/00

  Processes of additive manufacturing · CPC title

• B22F10/18

  by mixing binder with metal in filament form, e.g. fused filament fabrication [FFF] · CPC title

• B22F10/47

  characterised by structural features · CPC title

• B22F10/80

  Data acquisition or data processing · CPC title