Color switching for three-dimensional printing
First Claim
1. A computer program product for switching filaments in a three-dimensional printer, the computer program product comprising non-transitory computer executable code embodied in a memory of a three-dimensional printer having an extruder with a first input port, a second input port, an extrusion port, and a chamber coupling the first input port, the second input port, and the extrusion port in fluid communication, the chamber disposed within the extruder and heated to liquefy filaments received through the first input port and the second input port, wherein the computer executable code, when executing on a controller of the three-dimensional printer, controls the three-dimensional printer to perform the steps of:
- driving a first build material through the first input port until the first build material extrudes through the extrusion port;
withdrawing the first build material through the first input port a predetermined amount, wherein the predetermined amount is selected to move a material transition region between the first build material and a second build material out of the chamber but not enough to completely withdraw the first build material from the extruder; and
driving a second build material through the second input port until the second build material extrudes through the extrusion port.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
By reversing the direction of a first build material fed into an extruder, the first build material can be wholly or partially evacuated from the extruder before a second material is introduced. This approach mitigates transition artifacts and permits faster, more complete changes from one build material to another.
13 Citations
18 Claims
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1. A computer program product for switching filaments in a three-dimensional printer, the computer program product comprising non-transitory computer executable code embodied in a memory of a three-dimensional printer having an extruder with a first input port, a second input port, an extrusion port, and a chamber coupling the first input port, the second input port, and the extrusion port in fluid communication, the chamber disposed within the extruder and heated to liquefy filaments received through the first input port and the second input port, wherein the computer executable code, when executing on a controller of the three-dimensional printer, controls the three-dimensional printer to perform the steps of:
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driving a first build material through the first input port until the first build material extrudes through the extrusion port; withdrawing the first build material through the first input port a predetermined amount, wherein the predetermined amount is selected to move a material transition region between the first build material and a second build material out of the chamber but not enough to completely withdraw the first build material from the extruder; and driving a second build material through the second input port until the second build material extrudes through the extrusion port. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A three-dimensional printer comprising:
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an extruder having a first input port, a second input port, an extrusion port, and a chamber coupling the first input port, the second input port, and the extrusion port in fluid communication, the chamber disposed within the extruder and heated to liquefy filaments received through the first input port and the second input port; and a controller including computer executable code that, when executing on the controller, causes the three-dimensional printer to switch the extrusion port from a first build material passing through the first input port, the chamber, and the extrusion port to a second build material supplied at the second input port by performing the steps of withdrawing the first build material through the first input port a predetermined amount, wherein the predetermined amount is selected to move a material transition region between the first build material and a second build material out of the chamber but not enough to completely withdraw the first build material from the extruder, and driving the second build material through the second input port until the second build material extrudes through the extrusion port. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. A three-dimensional printer comprising:
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an extruder having a first input port, a second input port, an extrusion port, and a chamber disposed within the extruder and coupling the first input port, the second input port, and the extrusion port in fluid communication; and a controller including computer executable code that, when executing on the controller, causes the three-dimensional printer to switch the extrusion port from a first build material passing through the first input port, the chamber, and the extrusion port to a second build material supplied at the second input port by performing the steps of; withdrawing the first build material through the first input port a predetermined amount, wherein the predetermined amount is selected to move a material transition region out of the chamber but not enough to completely withdraw the first build material from the extruder, the material transition region defined by an identifiable volume that includes mixing between the first build material and the second build material; and driving the second build material through the second input port until the second build material extrudes through the extrusion port.
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Specification