NETWORKED THREE-DIMENSIONAL PRINTING

• US 20120092724A1
• Filed: 12/08/2011
• Published: 04/19/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 08/18/2010
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: MakerBot Industries, LLC (Ultimaker BV)
• Original Assignee: MakerBot Industries, LLC (Ultimaker BV)
• Inventors: Pettis, Nathaniel B.
• Application Number:
  US13/314,337
• Publication Number:
  US 20120092724A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 358/1.15
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 64/386 Data acquisition or data processing for additive manufacturing
• CPC Class Codes: B33Y 50/00 Data acquisition or data processing for additive manufacturing
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1204 resulting in reduced user or operator actions, e.g. presetting, automatic actions, using hardware token storing data
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1206 resulting in increased flexibility in input data format or job format or job type
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1255 Settings incompatibility, e.g. constraints, user requirements vs. device capabilities
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/126 Job scheduling, e.g. queuing, determine appropriate device
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1269 by broadcasting server
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1285 Remote printer device, e.g. being remote from client or server

Abstract

Three-dimensional fabrication resources are improved by adding networking capabilities to three-dimensional printers and providing a variety of tools for networked use of three-dimensional printers. Web-based servers or the like can provide a single point of access for remote users to manage access to distributed content on one hand, and to manage use of distributed fabrication resources on the other.

Claims

1. A method for operating a three-dimensional printer coupled to a data network, the method comprising:

receiving a print job from a requester over the data network at the three-dimensional printer, the three-dimensional printer including a plurality of sensors that provide status information for a plurality of aspects of the three-dimensional printer; and

evaluating an availability of the three-dimensional printer for the print job based upon a signal from at least one of the plurality of sensors.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein evaluating the availability includes evaluating the availability for the print job based upon an identity of a user associated with the print job.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein evaluating the availability includes assessing the availability according to a receiving state for the three-dimensional printer.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein the receiving state is selected from a group consisting of open, closed, or authenticated.

5. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

when the three-dimensional printer is available, adding the print job to a queue for the three-dimensional printer and initiating fabrication of an object according to the queue; and

when the three-dimensional printer is not available, electronically notifying the requester that the print job has been rejected.

6. The method of claim 1 further comprising providing information about a queue for the three-dimensional printer to the requester.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein evaluating the availability of the three-dimensional printer includes accepting the print job only if a supply of build material available for the three-dimensional printer exceeds an amount of build material required for the print job and one or more additional jobs ahead of the print job in the queue.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein evaluating the availability of the three-dimensional printer includes transmitting an image of the three-dimensional printer to the requester, and receiving a manual confirmation to proceed with the print job from the requester.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein evaluating the availability of the three-dimensional printer includes determining a percentage completion of a current print job at the three-dimensional printer.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein evaluating the availability of the three-dimensional printer includes estimating a wait time until the three-dimensional printer will be available and transmitting the wait time to the requester.

11. The method of claim 1 wherein evaluating the availability of the three-dimensional printer includes determining whether the three-dimensional printer is immediately available.

12. The method of claim 1 wherein the plurality of sensors includes a video camera directed toward a working volume of the three-dimensional printer.

13. The method of claim 1 wherein the plurality of sensors includes an optical sensor that detects obstructions within a working volume of the three-dimensional printer.

14. The method of claim 1 wherein the plurality of sensors includes a sensor that detects a quantity of build material available.

15. The method of claim 1 wherein the plurality of sensors includes a sensor that detects a presence of build material in a material supply feed.

16. The method of claim 1 further comprising identifying one or more alternative three-dimensional printers coupled to the data network as resources available for the print job when the three-dimensional printer is not available.

17. The method of claim 1 further comprising, when the three-dimensional printer is not available, identifying an alternative three-dimensional printer coupled to the data network and redirecting the requester to the alternative three-dimensional printer.

18. The method of claim 17 wherein redirecting includes automatically redirecting the print job without user intervention.

19. The method of claim 17 wherein redirecting includes transmitting a suggestion to the requester to use the alternative three-dimensional printer.

20. The method of claim 1 wherein the print job includes a plurality of objects, the method further comprising identifying a plurality of printers in proximity to the three-dimensional printer and allocating the plurality of objects for concurrent fabrication among the plurality of printers.

21. The method of claim 1 further comprising transmitting status information from one or more of the plurality of sensors to the requester during an execution of the print job.

22. The method of claim 21 further comprising notifying the requester of a successful completion of the print job.

23. The method of claim 21 further comprising notifying the requester if the print job fails to complete.

24. The method of claim 21 wherein the status information includes at least one photograph, and wherein transmitting the status information includes submitting the at least one photograph to a social networking platform.

25. The method of claim 24 wherein the social networking platform includes one or more of Flickr, Twitter, LinkedIn, Google+, and Facebook.

26. The method of claim 1 further comprising securing the print job using a digital rights management technique the restricts execution of the print job to one or more predetermined three-dimensional printers, wherein evaluating the availability of the three-dimensional printer includes determining whether the three-dimensional printer is one of the one or more predetermined three-dimensional printers.

27. A three-dimensional printer comprising:

a network interface configured to receive a print job from a requester over a data network;

a plurality of sensors that provide status information for a plurality of aspects of the three-dimensional printer; and

a processor configured to evaluate an availability of the three-dimensional printer for the print job based upon a signal from at least one of the plurality of sensors.

28. A computer program product embodied in a non-transitory computer readable medium that, when executing on one or more computing devices, performs the steps of:

receiving a print job from a requester over a data network at a three-dimensional printer, the three-dimensional printer including a plurality of sensors that provide status information for a plurality of aspects of the three-dimensional printer; and

evaluating an availability of the three-dimensional printer for the print job based upon a signal from at least one of the plurality of sensors.

29-102. -102. (canceled)