METHOD FOR DIGITAL MANUFACTURING OF JEWELRY ITEMS

• US 20110213482A1
• Filed: 02/25/2011
• Published: 09/01/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 02/25/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Jostens Incorporated (Newell Brands Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Jostens Incorporated (Newell Brands Inc.)
• Inventors: Saarela, Tim, Wells, Richard, Neyman, Lev, Joriman, Jon, Abernathy, Kevin
• Granted Patent: US 8,977,377 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 700/98
• CPC Class Codes: A44C 27/00 Making jewellery or other personal adornments
• CPC Class Codes: B22C 7/02 Lost patterns
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 64/386 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 15/02 electric
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 30/00 Computer-aided design [CAD]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06 Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 19/00 Manipulating 3D models or images for computer graphics
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49591 Bracelet making

Abstract

In various embodiments, digital manufacturing of jewelry items is provided, including a physical process and software automation for implementing the physical process. Further, models formed during the process, as well as the resultant jewelry items, are provided. In some embodiments, the method comprises forming a digital model of the jewelry item, forming a physical model of the jewelry item based on the digital model, and manufacturing the jewelry item in a lost wax process using the physical model.

Claims

1. A method for digital manufacturing of a jewelry item comprising:

forming a digital model of the jewelry item, the forming a digital model comprising;

creating a digital model of a customization component;

providing a digital model of a generic component; and

combining the digital model of the customization component and the digital model of the generic component to form a digital model of the jewelry item;

forming a physical model of the jewelry item based on the digital model of the jewelry item; and

manufacturing the jewelry item in a lost wax process using the physical model.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising digital of the customization jewelry component to a format suitable for merging with other digital models.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the format is STL.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein creating a digital model of a customization component comprises taking a plurality of CAD curves and surfaces, creating a toolpath from the plurality of CAD curves and surfaces wherein the toolpath removes a volume from a base piece, and computing a surface of the volume to be removed by a cutting tool following the toolpath.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein creating a toolpath is done using CAM software.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein creating a digital model of a customization component comprises extracting a plurality of curves and surface from a CAD model, extruding the plurality of curves and surfaces to create a volume, and calculating a surface geometry of the volume.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein forming a physical model of the jewelry item comprises printing a solid wax model including a build wax model and support wax, and treating the solid wax model to remove the support wax and expose the build wax model.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising treating the build wax model to strengthen the build wax.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the jewelry item is a class ring.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the generic component is a ring shank.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the ring shank is sized. such that the formed physical pattern reflects a sized ring.

12. A method for digital manufacturing of a plurality of jewelry items comprising:

receiving order data relating to one or more orders;

assigning a single-unit tracking number to each order;

retrieving a merged data set for a customized jewelry item of each order;

arranging the merged data sets on a digital substrate to form a matrix of digital jewelry items;

associating a multiple-unit tracking number with the matrix of digital jewelry items;

sending the matrix of jewelry items to a solid wax modeling machine;

using the solid wax modeling machine, printing solid wax models, each comprising support wax and a build wax model associated with each merged data set;

moving each solid wax model into a fixture;

treating the solid wax models to remove the support wax and expose the build wax model;

placing each build wax model on a stem to form a tree;

forming jewelry items associated with the build wax models using a lost wax investment process.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising treating the exposed build wax models to strengthen the build wax models.

14. The method of claim 12, further comprising affixing a sprue to each build wax model, wherein placing each build wax model on a stem to form a tree is done by fixing the sprue to the stem.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the build wax model includes a design feature for receiving the sprue.