Printing method for 3D printer

• US 10,040,275 B2
• Filed: 07/27/2015
• Issued: 08/07/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 05/06/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cal-Comp Electronics & Communications Company Limited (Cal-Comp Electronics Public Company Limited), Kinpo Electronics Incorporated (Cal-Comp Electronics Public Company Limited), XYZprinting, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Cal-Comp Electronics & Communications Company Limited (Cal-Comp Electronics Public Company Limited), Kinpo Electronics Incorporated (Cal-Comp Electronics Public Company Limited), XYZprinting, Inc.
• Inventors: Lu, Ting-Yu, Chen, Hsien-Chung
• Primary Examiner(s): Daniels, Matthew J
• Assistant Examiner(s): Ameen, Mohammad M
• Application Number:
  US14/809,850
• Publication Number:
  US 20160325502A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,107 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 64/112 using individual droplets, e.g. from jetting heads
• CPC Class Codes: B33Y 10/00 Processes of additive manufacturing

Abstract

A printing method for a 3D printer is present. After opening a 3D model, the method divides the 3D model into several area objects which are separately corresponding to different areas of the 3D model being formed on a forming platform of the printer. When executing printing procedures, the method firstly determines a lowest area object of the several unfinished area objects. Then, a nozzle array of the 3D printer is controlled to move to upon an area according to the determined area object, and to jet ink upon the area for stacking the determined area object. After the determined area object is stacked completely, the nozzle array is then controlled to move to other area and stack other area object.

Claims

1. A printing method for a 3D printer, the 3D printer at least having a nozzle array and a forming platform, and the printing method comprising:

a) dividing a 3D model vertically into a plurality of area objects, wherein each of the plurality of area objects is corresponded to an area of the forming platform and has multiple layers;

b) determining a specific area object having a lowest height among the plurality of area objects which are not stacked;

c) controlling the nozzle array to move and fix at a position upon the area corresponding to the specific area object;

d) after the step c, controlling the nozzle array to jet ink for completely stacking all layers of the specific area object at the area; and

e) re-executing the step b to the step d before the plurality of area objects are stacked by executing a stacking action,

wherein a width of each of the plurality of area objects is equal to a width of the nozzle array.

2. The printing method of claim 1, wherein the step d comprises following steps of:

d1) determining whether a height of the specific area object is higher than a threshold height;

d2) if the height of the specific area object is not higher than the threshold height, controlling the nozzle array to keep jetting for completing the stacking action for the specific area object; and

d3) if the height of the specific area object is higher than the threshold height, controlling the nozzle array to stop jetting when the specific area object is stacked to the threshold height.

3. The printing method of claim 2, wherein further comprises a step f:

after the step e, executing a compensative stacking action for area objects which are not finished stacking of the plurality of area objects.

4. The printing method of claim 3, wherein the step f comprises following steps of:

f1) controlling the nozzle array to move and fix at a position upon an area corresponding to the area object which needs to be executed with the compensative stacking action;

f2) after the step f1, controlling the nozzle array to jet ink for executing the compensative stacking action for the area object in the step f1; and

f3) re-executing the step f1 to the step f2 before the plurality of area objects which are not finished stacking are executed with the compensative stacking action.

5. The printing method of claim 3, wherein the threshold height is corresponding to a distance between the nozzle array and the forming platform.

6. A printing method for a 3D printer, the 3D printer at least having a nozzle array and a forming platform, and the printing method comprising:

a) dividing a 3D model vertically into a plurality of area objects, wherein each of the plurality of area objects is corresponded to an area of the forming platform;

b) determining a specific area object having a lowest height among the plurality of area objects which are not stacked;

c) controlling the nozzle array to move and fix at a position upon the area corresponding to the specific area object;

d) after the step c, controlling the nozzle array to jet ink for stacking the specific area object at the area, which includes the following steps of;

d1) determining whether a height of the specific area object is higher than a threshold height;

d2) if the height of the specific area object is not higher than the threshold height, controlling the nozzle array to keep jetting for completing the stacking action for the specific area object;

d3) if the height of the specific area object is higher than the threshold height, controlling the nozzle array to stop jetting when the specific area object is stacked to the threshold height; and

e) re-executing the step b to the step d before the plurality of area objects are stacked by executing a stacking action,

wherein the threshold height is corresponding to a sum of a distance between the nozzle array and the forming platform plus a tolerance of ink splattering.

7. A printing method for a 3D printer, the 3D printer at least having a nozzle array and a forming platform, and the printing method comprising:

a) dividing a 3D model vertically into a plurality of area objects, wherein each of the plurality of area objects is corresponded to an area of the forming platform and has multiple layers;

b) determining a height of a specific area object having a lowest height among the plurality of area objects;

c) selecting one of the plurality of area objects;

d) after the step c, controlling the nozzle array to move and fix at a position upon an area corresponding to the selected area object and jet ink for completely printing multiple layers of the selected area object for stacking the selected area object to the height determined in the step b;

e) re-executing the step c to the step d before the plurality of area objects are stacked to the height determined in the step b; and

f) after the step e, executing a compensative stacking action for area objects which are not finished stacking of the plurality of area objects,

wherein a width of each of the plurality of area objects is equal to a width of the nozzle array.

8. The printing method of claim 7, wherein the step f comprises following steps of:

f1) determining a height of a specific area object having a lowest height among the plurality of area objects which are not finished stacking;

f2) selecting one of the plurality of area objects which are not finished stacking;

f3) after the step f2, controlling the nozzle array to move and fix at a position upon an area corresponding to the selected area object and jet ink for compensating and stacking the selected area object to the height determined in the step f1;

f4) re-executing the step f2 to the step f3 before the plurality of area objects which are not finished stacking are compensated to the height determined in the step f1; and

f5) re-executing the step f1 to the step f4 before the plurality of area objects are finished stacking.