Three-dimensional printing data generation device, and three-dimensional printing system including the same

• US 10,456,981 B2
• Filed: 10/21/2016
• Issued: 10/29/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 10/22/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Roland DG Corporation
• Original Assignee: Roland DG Corporation
• Inventors: Iwase, Fumiyoshi, Yamamoto, Akihiro, Kunifuji, Tetsuhiro
• Primary Examiner(s): Calandra, Anthony
• Assistant Examiner(s): Moreno Hernandez, Jerzi H
• Application Number:
  US15/299,904
• Publication Number:
  US 20170113413A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,103 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 64/165 using a combination of solid and fluid materials, e.g. a powder selectively bound by a liquid binder, catalyst, inhibitor or energy absorber
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 64/386 Data acquisition or data processing for additive manufacturing
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 64/40 Structures for supporting 3D objects during manufacture and intended to be sacrificed after completion thereof
• 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 99/00 Subject matter not provided for in other groups of this subclass
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/22 Indexing; Data structures therefor; Storage structures

Abstract

A three-dimensional printing data generation device includes a storage storing data of a three-dimensional target object model, a support model generation processor generating, based on the data stored in the storage, data of a three-dimensional support model including a substrate portion located below the target object model and a handle portion extending upward from the substrate portion, the substrate portion including a through-hole larger than a particle diameter of a powder material, and an output processor outputting the data of the target object model and the data of the support model as three-dimensional printing data.

Claims

1. A three-dimensional printing system comprising:

a three-dimensional printing data generation device; and

a three-dimensional printing device, wherein

the three-dimensional printing device includes;

a printing processor that accommodates a powder material including particles having a particle diameter;

a powder material supply that supplies the powder material to the printing processor;

a binder supply head that atomizes a binder toward the powder material accommodated on the printing processor; and

a controller;

the three-dimension printing data generation device includes;

a memory that stores data of a three-dimensional target object model representing the three-dimensional object;

a support model generation processor configured to generate, based on the data stored in the memory, data of a three-dimensional support model; and

an output processor configured to output the data of the three-dimensional target object model and the data of the support model as three-dimensional printing data to the controller;

the data of the three-dimensional support model includes;

a substrate portion located below the three-dimensional target object model at a first discrete position spaced from the target object model such that the substrate portion is out of contact with the target object model and including at least one through-hole larger than the particle diameter of the particles of the powder material; and

and a handle portion extending upward from the substrate portion, located at a second discrete position spaced from the target object model such that the handle portion is out of contact with the target object model, and including a top end that is located at a level higher than a level of a top end of the three-dimensional target object model;

the controller is configured to control the printing processor, the powder material supply, and the binder supply head based on the received three-dimensional printing data;

the three-dimensional printing device is configured to print a three-dimensional object based on the three-dimensional target object model and a support based on the three-dimensional support model, the support includes the substrate portion and the handle portion;

the handle portion and the substrate portion of the support are configured to facilitate lifting and removal of the three-dimensional object from the printing processor; and

at least portion of unsolidified particles of the powder material are configured to pass through the least one through-hole of the substrate portion when the three-dimensional object is lifted from the printing processor via the handle portion.

2. The three-dimensional printing system according to claim 1, wherein the handle portion is rod-shaped.

3. The three-dimensional printing system according to claim 2, wherein the handle portion includes a first rod located to a side of the target object model as seen in a plan view and a second rod located at a position opposite to the first rod with respect to the target object model as seen in the plan view.

4. The three-dimensional printing system according to claim 1, wherein a top end portion of the handle portion is colored differently from the powder material.

5. The three-dimensional printing system according to claim 1, wherein at least a portion of the substrate portion has a mesh structure.

6. The three-dimensional printing system according to claim 1, wherein the support model generation processor includes a structure analysis processor configured and/or programmed to perform a structure analysis on the target object model and the support model in a state where the target object model is placed on the support model.

7. The three-dimensional printing system according to claim 1, wherein the support model includes a support pillar portion located below the target object model and extending upward from the substrate portion.

8. The three-dimensional printing system according to claim 1, wherein the support model generation processor includes a contact area size adjustment processor configured and/or programmed to adjust a shape of the support model such that a size of a contact area of the support model and the target object model is less than, or equal to, a value in a state where the target object model is placed on the support model.

9. The three-dimensional printing system according to claim 8, wherein the contact area size adjustment processor is configured or programmed to adjust the shape of the support model by forming a recessed portion in a surface of the support model at the side of the target object model.

10. The three-dimensional printing system according to claim 8, wherein the contact area size adjustment processor is configured or programmed to adjust the shape of the support model by adding a pointed portion on a surface of the support model at the side of the target object model.

11. The three-dimensional printing system according to claim 1, wherein the particle diameter of the particles of the powder material is determined by an average particle diameter between about 50% volume-based cumulative average particle diameter (D₅₀) and about 95% volume-based cumulative particle diameter (D₉₅).

12. The three-dimensional printing system according to claim 1, wherein a diameter of the through-hole is set by the three-dimension printing data generation device to be between ten times the particle diameter of the particles of the powder material and one hundred times the particle diameter of the particles of the powder material.

13. The three-dimensional printing system according to claim 1, wherein the printing processor includes:

a printing tank that accommodates the powder material;

a printing table defining a lower surface of the printing tank; and

a table elevator that moves the printing table upward or downward inside the printing tank.