3d object part section formation

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2021197485-A1
Application number	US-201716075676-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Mar 30, 2017
Priority date	Mar 30, 2017
Publication date	Jul 1, 2021
Grant date	—

Abstract

According to examples, an apparatus may include forming components and a controller to control the forming components to fuse build material particles located in a selected area of a layer of build material particles forming a part section of a 3D object, in which the selected area is within and borders a selected boundary. The controller may also wait for a period of time to allow the part section to shrink to form a shrunken part section and, following the period of time, fuse build material particles located in a certain area around the shrunken part section, in which the certain area occupies a preset distance originating around the selected boundary of the layer of build material particles and extending toward an interior of the part section, and the preset distance corresponds to an amount of shrinkage predicted to occur in the part section during the period of time.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . An apparatus comprising:
forming components; and a controller to control the forming components to:
fuse build material particles located in a selected area of a layer of build material particles, wherein build material particles in the selected area form a part section of a three-dimensional (3D) object, and wherein the selected area is within and borders a selected boundary on the layer;
wait for a period of time to allow the part section to shrink to form a shrunken part section; and
following the period of time, fuse build material particles located in a certain area around the shrunken part section, wherein the certain area occupies a preset distance originating around the selected boundary of the layer of build material particles and extending toward an interior of the part section, and wherein the preset distance corresponds to an amount of shrinkage predicted to occur in the part section during the period of time.

2 . The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the forming components include an energy source that is movable over the layer of build material particles and wherein the controller is to control the energy source to apply energy onto the layer of build material particles to fuse build material particles located in the selected area during a pass and to control the energy source to apply energy onto the layer of build material particles to fuse build material particles in the certain area around the part section during a subsequent pass.

3 . The apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein the forming components further include an agent delivery device, wherein the controller is to control the agent delivery device to deliver a fusing agent onto the build material particles in the selected area, and wherein application of energy onto the layer of build material particles is to cause the build material particles upon which the fusing agent has been delivered to fuse and form the part section.

4 . The apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein the forming components further include an agent delivery device and wherein the controller is to control the agent delivery device to deliver a fusing agent onto the build material particles in the certain area, and wherein application of energy onto the layer of build material particles during the subsequent pass is to cause the build material particles upon which the fusing agent has been delivered to fuse and form a boundary portion of the part section.

5 . The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the controller is further to control the forming components to, following the period of time, fuse build material particles located in another certain area adjacent to the shrunken part section, wherein the another certain area occupies a second present distance originating from the selected boundary and extending toward the interior of the part section, the second preset distance corresponding to a second amount of shrinkage predicted to occur in the part section at the another certain area.

6 . The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the controller is to determine a print quality setting for the 3D object and to fuse build material particles located in the certain area in response to a determination that the print quality setting for the 3D object exceeds a predetermined level.

7 . The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the selected area includes an interior boundary and wherein the controller is to control the forming components to fuse build material particles located in a second certain area following shrinkage of the part section, wherein the second certain area occupies a predefined distance originating near the interior boundary and extending toward the selected boundary.

8 . A method comprising:
fusing build material particles located in a selected area of a layer of build material particles, wherein build material particles in the selected area of the layer of build material particles form a part section of a three-dimensional (3D) object, and wherein the selected area is within and borders a selected boundary on the layer; waiting for a period of time, wherein the part section is to shrink during the period of time to form a shrunken part section; and following the period of time, fusing build material particles located in a certain area around the shrunken part section, wherein the certain area occupies a preset distance originating at the selected boundary of the layer of build material particles and extending toward an interior of the shrunken part section, and wherein the preset distance corresponds to an amount of shrinkage that is expected to occur by the part section during the period of time.

9 . The method according to claim 8 , wherein fusing the build material particles located in the selected area of the layer comprises:
delivering a fusing agent onto build material particles in the selected area; and during a fusing pass of an energy source, applying fusing energy onto the layer of build material particles to cause build material particles upon which the fusing agent has been delivered to melt and subsequently fuse together.

10 . The method according to claim 9 , wherein fusing the build material particles located in the certain area comprises:
delivering the fusing agent onto build material particles in the certain area; and during a subsequent fusing pass of the energy source, applying fusing energy onto the layer of build material particles to cause build material particles in the certain area upon which the fusing agent has been delivered to melt and subsequently fuse together.

11 . The method according to claim 8 , further comprising:
following the period of time, fusing build material particles located in another certain area adjacent to the shrunken part section, wherein the another certain area occupies a second present distance originating from the selected boundary and extending toward the interior of the part section, the second preset distance corresponding to a second amount of shrinkage predicted to occur in the part section at the another certain area.

12 . The method according to claim 8 , wherein the selected area includes an interior boundary, said method further comprising:
following the period of time, fusing build material particles located in a second certain area, wherein the second certain area occupies a second preset distance originating at the interior boundary and extending toward the selected boundary, and wherein the second preset distance corresponds to an amount of shrinkage that is expected to occur by the part section along the second certain area during the period of time.

13 . A three-dimensional (3D) printer comprising:
a recoater to spread build material particles into a layer; an agent delivery device; an energy source; and a controller to:
control the agent delivery device to deliver a fusing agent within a selected boundary on a layer of build material particles, wherein build material particles in the selected area form a part section of a three-dimensional (3D) object;
control the energy source to apply fusing energy onto the layer of build material particles to melt and fuse the build material particles located within the selected boundary;
wait for a period of time, wherein the part section is to shrink during the period of time to form a shrunken part section;
control the agent delivery device to deliver fusing agent onto build material particles located in a certain area around the shrunken part section after the period of time; and
control the energy source to apply fusing energy onto the layer of build material particles to melt build material particles loca

Assignees

• Hewlett Packard Development Co

Inventors

• Woodlock David C
• Dockstader Lee

Classifications

• B22F12/42

  Light-emitting diodes [LED] · CPC title

• B29C64/153 Primary

  using layers of powder being selectively joined, e.g. by selective laser sintering or melting · CPC title

• B22F12/67

  Blades · CPC title

• B22F12/52

  Hoppers · CPC title

• B22F10/14

  by jetting of binder onto a bed of metal powder · CPC title