Method for printing colored object of 3D printer

• US 10,429,821 B2
• Filed: 02/18/2017
• Issued: 10/01/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 11/22/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kinpo Electronics Incorporated (Cal-Comp Electronics Public Company Limited), XYZprinting, Inc.
• Original Assignee: XYZprinting, Inc.
• Inventors: Shen, Shyh-Yong, Hsieh, Shih-Sen
• Primary Examiner(s): Weddle, Alexander M
• Application Number:
  US15/436,762
• Publication Number:
  US 20180143617A1
• Time in Patent Office: 955 Days
• Field of Search: 264308
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 64/106 using only liquids or viscous materials, e.g. depositing a continuous bead of viscous material
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 64/118 using filamentary material being melted, e.g. fused deposition modelling [FDM]
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 64/141 using only solid materials
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 64/386 Data acquisition or data processing for additive manufacturing
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2995/0021 Multi-coloured
• CPC Class Codes: B33Y 10/00 Processes of additive manufacturing
• CPC Class Codes: B33Y 30/00 Apparatus for additive manufacturing; Details thereof or accessories therefor
• CPC Class Codes: B33Y 50/00 Data acquisition or data processing for additive manufacturing
• CPC Class Codes: B33Y 50/02 for controlling or regulating additive manufacturing processes
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/4099 Surface or curve machining, making 3D objects, e.g. desktop manufacturing
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/35134 3-D cad-cam
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/49007 Making, forming 3-D object, model, surface
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/50 Picture reproducers for halftone screening H04N1/52

Abstract

A method for printing colored 3D object adopted by a 3D printer (1) comprising a 3D nozzle (3) and a 2D nozzle (4) is disclosed. The method comprises following steps of: inputting a 3D file corresponding to a 3D colored model (5); reading coordinate information and color information of the 3D colored model (5); executing a 3D route slicing process and a 2D image slicing process for respectively generating a route file (6) and an image file (7) for each of a plurality of printing layers; controlling the 3D nozzle (3) to print each slicing object according to each route file (6) of each printing layer; and, controlling the 2D nozzle (4) to color each printed slicing object according to each image file (7) of same printing layer.

Claims

1. A method for printing colored object using a 3D printer (1) and both 3D coordinates and color data acquired from a colored model (5), the method comprising:

a) inputting a 3D file of the colored model (5) at a processor;

b) reading coordinate information and color information of the colored model (5) by the processor;

c) performing a 3D route slicing process by the processor according to the coordinate information for respectively generating a route file (6) for each of a plurality of printing layers, wherein each route file (6) respectively records a printing route and a layer mark of one of the printing layers;

d) performing a 2D image slicing process by the processor according to the coordinate information and the color information for respectively generating an image file (7) for each of the printing layers, wherein each image file (7) respectively records color information and the layer mark of one of the printing layers; and

e) controlling a single 3D nozzle (3) of the 3D printer (1) to print a slicing object of each printing layer according to the printing route of each route file (6) of each printing layer, obtaining each image file (7) corresponding to the current printing layer according to the layer mark of each route file (6), and controlling a 2D nozzle (4) of the 3D printer (1) to perform coloring to directly on each printed slicing object of the current printing layer according to the color information of each obtained image file (7) after each slicing object is completely printed.

2. The method for printing colored object of 3D printer in claim 1, wherein the step e comprises following steps of:

e1) reading the route file (6) that is corresponding to one of the printing layers;

e2) controlling the 3D nozzle (3) to print the slicing object of the printing layer according to the route file (6);

e3) determining if the printed slicing object needs to be colored;

e4) reading the image file (7) that is corresponding to the current printing layer when determining that the printed slicing object needs to be colored;

e5) controlling the 2D nozzle (4) to perform coloring to the slicing object according to the image file (7); and

e6) re-executing the step e1 to the step e5 to print next slicing object of next printing layer and to perform coloring to the next slicing object if the current printing layer is not a last printing layer of the colored model (5).

3. The method for printing colored object of 3D printer in claim 2, further comprising a step e21:

controlling the 3D nozzle (3) to stop feeding materials and performing a material withdrawing procedure after the slicing object is printed completely.

4. The method for printing colored object of 3D printer in claim 3, wherein the image file (7) of each printing layer comprises a cyan image file (71) for describing Cyan information, a magenta image file (72) for describing Magenta information, a yellow image file (73) for describing Yellow information and a black image file (74) for describing Black information.

5. The method for printing colored object of 3D printer in claim 3, wherein the step d comprises following steps of:

d1) performing a transformation to levels of primary color of the color information for generating a cyan image file (71), a magenta image file (72), a yellow image file (73) and a black image file (74) corresponding to Cyan information, Magenta information, Yellow information and Black information respectively for each of the printing layers; and

d2) respectively storing the cyan image file (71), the magenta image file (72), the yellow image file (73) and the black image file (74) of each printing layer.

6. The method for printing colored object of 3D printer in claim 5, wherein the 2D nozzle (4) comprises four ink cartridges respectively corresponding to cyan ink, magenta ink, yellow ink and black ink, and the step e5 is to respectively control the four ink cartridges of the 2D nozzle (4) to jet inks to perform coloring to the slicing object according to the cyan image file (71), the magenta image file (72), the yellow image file (73) and the black image file (74).

7. The method for printing colored object of 3D printer in claim 5, wherein the image file (7) is a .BMP file, a .JPG file or a .RAW file.

8. The method for printing colored object of 3D printer in claim 3, wherein the step d comprises following steps of:

d1) setting a square boundary block (50) according to a size of the colored model (5);

d2) choosing one boundary point of the boundary block (50) as a printing origin (501) of the 2D nozzle (4); and

d3) adjusting the coordinate information of the image file (7) of each printing layer according to the printing origin (501).

9. The method for printing colored object of 3D printer in claim 8, wherein the step d2 is to choose a point on a top-left corner of the boundary block (50) as the printing origin (501) of the 2D nozzle (4).

10. The method for printing colored object of 3D printer in claim 8, further comprising a step e7:

reading a pre-stored alignment value after the step e4 and adjusting the coordinate information of the image file (7) corresponding to the current printing layer according to the alignment value;

wherein, the step e5 is to control the 2D nozzle (4) to perform coloring to the slicing object of the printing layer according to the adjusted image file (7).

11. The method for printing colored object of 3D printer in claim 10, further comprising following steps before the step a:

a01) controlling the 3D nozzle (3) to print an alignment template (A1) according to a set of default coordinates;

a02) controlling the 2D nozzle (4) to perform coloring to the printed alignment template (A2) according to the same set of default coordinates;

a03) determining a spatial distance deviation between the 3D nozzle (3) and the 2D nozzle (4) according to coloring status of the alignment template (A1); and

a04) generating and storing the alignment value according to the spatial distance deviation.

12. The method for printing colored object of 3D printer in claim 8, further comprising a step e8:

reading a pre-stored alignment value after the step e1 and adjusting the coordinate information of the route file (6) of the printing layer according to the alignment value;

wherein, the step e2 is to control the 3D nozzle (3) to print the slicing object of the printing layer according to the adjusted route file (6).

13. The method for printing colored object of 3D printer in claim 12, further comprising following steps before the step a:

a11) controlling the 3D nozzle (3) to print an alignment template (A1) according to a set of default coordinates;

a12) controlling the 2D nozzle (4) to perform coloring to the printed alignment template (A2) according to the same set of default coordinates;

a13) determining a spatial distance deviation between the 3D nozzle (3) and the 2D nozzle (4) according to coloring status of the alignment template (A1); and

a14) generating and storing the alignment value according to the spatial distance deviation.

14. The method for printing colored object of 3D printer in claim 1, wherein the 3D file is an .OBJ file or a .PLY file.

15. The method for printing colored object of 3D printer in claim 1, wherein the 3D printer comprises a printing platform and the method further comprises following steps:

f1) providing a boundary mark, wherein the boundary mark is arranged at one corner of the printing platform;

f2) accepting a paper setting upon the printing platform, wherein a set paper is aligned with the boundary mark; and

f3) controlling the 2D nozzle to move and perform a 2D printing action for printing words or image contents on the paper.

16. The method for printing colored object of 3D printer in claim 15, wherein the step f3 comprises following steps:

f31) controlling the 2D nozzle through a stepper motor of the 3D printer to move along an X axis of the 3D printer and to jet cyan ink, magenta ink, yellow ink and black ink on the paper; and

f32) controlling the 2D nozzle to move along a Y axis of the 3D printer with a width of an ink cartridge of the 2D nozzle for performing next 2D printing action after the previous 2D printing action of the X axis is completed.