Slicing method for 3D colored object, updating method for slicing data, and printing system for using the same

• US 10,661,553 B2
• Filed: 03/15/2018
• Issued: 05/26/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 12/06/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kinpo Electronics Incorporated (Cal-Comp Electronics Public Company Limited), XYZprinting, Inc.
• Original Assignee: XYZprinting, Inc.
• Inventors: Hsieh, Hsin-Ta, Shih, Ko-Wei
• Primary Examiner(s): Hartman, Jr., Ronald D
• Application Number:
  US15/922,368
• Publication Number:
  US 20190168499A1
• Time in Patent Office: 803 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 41/36 Feeding the material on to the mould, core or other substrate
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 64/112 using individual droplets, e.g. from jetting heads
• 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 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: G06T 19/20 Editing of 3D images, e.g. changing shapes or colours, aligning objects or positioning parts
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2219/2012 Colour editing, changing, or manipulating; Use of colour codes
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/50 Picture reproducers for halftone screening H04N1/52
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/52 Circuits or arrangements for halftone screening

Abstract

A processor imports a 3D object, performs a 3D route slicing on the 3D object for generating printing routes respectively corresponding to printing layers of the 3D object, and performs a 2D image slicing on the 3D object for generating image files corresponding to each printing layer. The processor stores one printing route of one printing layer into a route file; stores a jetting command of the image files of the same printing layer into the route file; and stores a jetting route of the same printing layer into the route file. The processor, according to a slicing order of the multiple printing layers, stores the printing route, the jetting command, and the jetting route of each printing layer respectively into the route file, so as to complete record the route file and then outputs the route file and the multiple image files.

Claims

1. A slicing method for three-dimensional (3D) colored object, the slicing method comprising:

a) importing a 3D file (9) through a processor, the 3D file (9) storing a 3D object;

b) the processor performing a 3D route slicing for the 3D object to generate a plurality of printing routes (51) corresponding to a plurality of printing layers;

c) the processor performing a 2D image slicing for the 3D object to generate a plurality of image files (6) corresponding to the plurality of printing layers, where each of the printing layers is corresponding to one or more image files (6);

d) the processor storing the printing route (51) of one of the printing layers in a route file (5); and

e) after the step d), the processor storing a jetting command (52) for one or more image files (6) of the one of the printing layers in the route file (5), and storing a jetting route (53) of the one of the printing layers in the route file (5).

2. The slicing method in claim 1, wherein in the step c), the processor generates the jetting route (53) of each of the printing layers based on a dimension of the one or more image files (6) corresponding to the printing layer.

3. The slicing method in claim 2, wherein in the step c), the processor determines a jetting range for each of the printing layers based on a content of one or more image files (6) corresponding to the printing layer, and the processor sets the jetting route (53) of each of the printing layers based on each of the jetting ranges.

4. The slicing method in claim 1, wherein in each of the jetting routes (53) comprises a jetting origin (531) and a jetting destination (532) for one or more image files (6) corresponding to each of the printing layers.

5. The slicing method in claim 4, wherein the each of the jetting routes (53) further comprises a jetting movement speed for each of the printing layers.

6. The slicing method in claim 1, wherein the plurality of image files (6) respectively stores a layer-number mark, in the step e), the processor further stores a jetting height of the printing layer in the route file (5), wherein the jetting height is corresponding to the layer-number mark of one or more image files in this printing layer.

7. The slicing method in claim 1, wherein each of the printing layers is corresponding to at most four image files (6), where the four image files (6) includes a cyan image file (61), a magenta image file (62), a yellow image file (63), and a black image file (64).

8. The slicing method in claim 1, wherein the route file (5) is a G-code file.

9. An update method for slicing data of a 3D colored object, the update method applied to the route file (5) generated by the slicing method of claim 1 and comprising:

a) the processor receiving a modification command to modify a color data of the 3D object and to generate a modified 3D object;

b) the processor performing the 2D image slicing for the modified 3D object to generate a plurality of modified image files (6) for the plurality of printing layers, wherein each of the printing layers is corresponding to one or more modified image files (6);

c) the processor obtaining the route file (5) for the 3D object;

d) the processor updating the jetting command (52) and the jetting route (53) in the route file (5) based on one or more modified image files (6) for one of the printing layers;

e) after the step d), the processor determining whether data of all printing layers in the route file (5) are updated;

f) before the data of all printing layers in the route file (5) are updated, the processor performing the step d) for next printing layer based on a slicing order;

g) after the data of all printing layers in the route file (5) are updated, the processor outputting the updated route file (5) and the plurality of modified image files (6).

10. The update method in claim 9, wherein in the step d), the processor updates the route file (5) by deleting the jetting command (52) of the printing layer in the route file (5) and storing the jetting command (52) of one or more modified image files (6) for the printing layer in corresponding data entry of the route file (5).

11. A printing system (8) using the slicing method of claim 1, the printing system (8) comprising:

a processing device (81) configured to import a 3D file (9) storing a 3D object, the processing device (81) configured to perform 3D route slicing for the 3D object to generate a plurality of printing routes (51) respectively corresponding to the plurality of printing layers, and to perform a 2D image slicing for the 3D object to generate a plurality of image files (6) corresponding to the plurality of printing layers, the processing device (81) configured to store the printing route (51) of one of the printing layers in a route file (5), and store a jetting command (52) of one or more image files (6) for the one of the printing layers in the route file (5), and store a jetting route (53) of the one of the printing layers in the route file (5); and

a printing device (82) having communication with the processing device (81), the printing device (82) having a 3D print head (821) and a 2D print head (822),

wherein in a printing operation, the printing device (82) is configured to read the printing route (51) for the printing layer from the route file (5) and to control the 3D print head (821) to move and print based on the printing route (51) such that a slicing object (7) corresponding to the printing layer is generated;

wherein in a coloring operation, the printing device (82) is configured to read the jetting command (52) and the jetting route (53) for the printing layer from the route file (5) and to verify and read one or more image files (6) for the one of the printing layers based on a content of the jetting command (52), the printing device (82) is configured to control the 2D print head (822) to jet ink and to move to a ink-jetting destination (532) marked in the jetting route (53) based on one or more image files (6) for the one of the printing layers.

12. The printing system in claim 11, wherein the processing device (81) is configured to store the printing route (51) for each printing layer of the 3D object, the jetting command (52) for one or more image files (6) and the jetting route (53) in the route file (5) based on a slicing order, wherein the printing device (82) is configured to read the route file (5) based on the slicing order to perform the printing operation and the coloring operation for each printing layer.

13. The printing system in claim 11, wherein the processing device (81) is configured to generate the jetting route (53) of each of the printing layers based on a dimension of one or more image files (6) corresponding to the printing layer, or the processing device (81) is configured to determine a jetting range for each of the printing layers based on a content of one or more image files (6) corresponding to the printing layer, and set the jetting route (53) of each of the printing layers based on each of the jetting ranges.

14. The printing system in claim 11, wherein the processing device (81) is configured to store a jetting movement speed for each of the printing layers in the route file (5), the printing device (82) is configured to control a movement speed of the 2D print head (822) during the coloring operation based on the jetting movement speed.

15. The printing system in claim 11, wherein the plurality of image files (6) respectively stores a layer-number mark, the processing device (81) is configured to store a jetting height of the printing layer in the route file (5), wherein the jetting height is corresponding to the layer-number mark of one or more image files (6) in this printing layer.