Matching the scale of independent objects or intelligently scaling objects when 3D printing

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9889608-B2
Application number	US-201414537138-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 10, 2014
Priority date	Nov 10, 2014
Publication date	Feb 13, 2018
Grant date	Feb 13, 2018

Abstract

A computer program product includes a computer readable storage medium having program instructions embodied therewith, where the program instructions are executable by a processor to cause the processor to perform a method. The method includes identifying a first data file that includes first dimensions that may be used by a three-dimensional printer to form a physical three-dimensional model of a first object, identifying a second data file that includes second dimensions that may be used by a three-dimensional printer to form a physical three-dimensional model of a second object, determining a proportionality factor between the first dimensions and the second dimensions, multiplying the dimensions in the second data file by the proportionality factor, and causing the three-dimensional printer to form a physical three-dimensional model of the second object using the scaled dimensions.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A computer program product comprising a non-transitory computer readable storage medium having program instructions embodied therewith for printing an object with a three-dimensional printer, the program instructions executable by a processor to cause the processor to perform a method comprising:
identifying a first data file that includes first dimensions that may be used by a three-dimensional printer to form a physical three-dimensional model of a first object;
identifying a second data file that includes second dimensions that may be used by a three-dimensional printer to form a physical three-dimensional model of a second object;
determining a proportionality factor between the first dimensions and the second dimensions, wherein the proportionality factor includes a fraction or percentage increase or decrease in the second dimensions;
multiplying the dimensions in the second data file by the proportionality factor; and
causing the three-dimensional printer to form a physical three-dimensional model of the second object using a product of the multiplication of the second dimensions.

2. The computer program product of claim 1 , wherein the dimensions in the first data file are historical dimensions that were previously used by the three-dimensional printer to form a physical three-dimensional model of the first object.

3. The computer program product of claim 2 , wherein the first data file includes parameters that were previously used by the three-dimensional printer to form the physical three-dimensional model of the first object, wherein the parameters are selected from scale value, color, texture, and material.

4. The computer program product of claim 3 , wherein the scale value is a ratio of the dimensions in the first data file to dimensions of a full scale instance of the first object.

5. The computer program product of claim 3 , wherein the scale value is a percentage of a maximum print envelope of the three-dimensional printer.

6. The computer program product of claim 1 , further comprising:
generating and displaying a first image of the first object as described by the first data file and a second image of the second object as described by the second data file, wherein the dimensions of the first image are proportional to dimensions in the first data file and the dimensions of the second image are proportional to the dimensions in the second data file, and wherein determining a proportionality factor between the first dimensions and the second dimensions, includes accepting user input that is determinative of the proportionality factor.

7. The computer program product of claim 6 , wherein the user input modifies the relative sizes of the first and second images.

8. The computer program product of claim 6 , wherein the user input identifies a first feature of the first image and a second feature of the second image that should be the same dimensions.

9. The computer program product of claim 6 , wherein the second data file includes a dimensional limitation specified by an author of the second data file, the method further comprising:
notifying the user that the dimensional limitation of the second data file prohibits forming the second object using the proportionality factor.

10. The computer program product of claim 1 , further comprising:
scaling the dimensions of both the first data file and the second data file so that the first dimensions of the three-dimensional model of the first object and the second dimensions of the three-dimensional model of the second object do not exceed dimensions of a print envelop of the three-dimensional printer, wherein the proportionality factor between the first dimensions and the second dimensions is maintained.

11. The computer program product of claim 1 , further comprising:
scaling the dimensions of the first data file so that dimensions of the three-dimensional model of the first object do not exceed dimensions of a print envelop of a first three-dimensional printer;
scaling the dimensions of the second data file so that dimensions of the three-dimensional model of the second object do not exceed dimensions of a print envelop of a second three-dimensional printer, wherein the proportionality factor between the first dimensions and the second dimensions is maintained;
causing the first three-dimensional printer to form the three-dimensional model of the first object using the scaled dimensions of the first data file; and
causing the second three-dimensional printer to form the three-dimensional model of the second object using the scaled dimensions of the second data file.

12. The computer program product of claim 1 , further comprising:
identifying a resolution capability of the three-dimensional printer;
identifying a resolution required by the first data file and the second data file; and
scaling the dimensions of the first data file and the second data file so that the three-dimensional printer can form the three-dimensional model of the first object and the three-dimensional model of the second object with the required detail level while maintaining the proportionality factor between the first and second objects.

13. The computer program product of claim 1 , further comprising:
modifying a second color specified in the second data file to match a first color specified in the first data file.

14. The computer program product of claim 13 , further comprising:
modifying at least a third color specified in the second data file to maintain a relative color association between the second color and the third color in response to the second color being modified to match the first color.

15. The computer program product of claim 1 , further comprising:
substituting a second color for a first color specified in either the first data file or the second data file according to a predetermined color substitution rule.

16. The computer program product of claim 1 , further comprising:
substituting a predetermined color for a first color specified in either the first data file or the second data file in response to the first data file or the second data file specifying a predetermined object type.

17. The computer program product of claim 1 , further comprising:
scaling the dimensions of the first data file or the second data file by a further predetermined amount in response to the first data file or the second data file specifying a predetermined origin.

18. The computer program product of claim 1 , further comprising:
creating the first data file from a picture of the first object including at least one known dimension or reference dimension.

19. The computer program product of claim 1 , further comprising:
substituting a lighter material for a first material specified in either the first data file or the second data file and filling internal voids specified the first data file or the second data file in order to increase the weight of the three-dimensional model of the first object or the three-dimensional model of the second object.

Assignees

• IBM

Inventors

• Cudak Gary D
• Flores Luis J
• Hardee Christopher J
• Schneider Scott E

Classifications

• B33Y50/02

  for controlling or regulating additive manufacturing processes · CPC title

• G05B2219/49008

  Making 3-D object with model in computer memory · CPC title

• B25J9/1679 Primary

  characterised by the tasks executed · CPC title

• G05B19/4099

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

• B29C64/393

  for controlling or regulating additive manufacturing processes · CPC title