CONVERSION OF STEREOLITHOGRAPHIC MODEL INTO LOGICAL SUBCOMPONENTS

• US 20160107388A1
• Filed: 10/15/2014
• Published: 04/21/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 10/15/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Adobe Inc.
• Original Assignee: Adobe Systems Incorporated (Adobe Inc.)
• Inventors: Chopra, Harsh Vardhan, Goel, Naveen Prakash, Mittal, Amit
• Granted Patent: US 9,789,650 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 64/386 Data acquisition or data processing for additive manufacturing
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 64/393 for controlling or regulating additive manufacturing processes
• CPC Class Codes: B33Y 50/02 for controlling or regulating additive manufacturing processes
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 15/02 electric
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/4099 Surface or curve machining, making 3D objects, e.g. desktop manufacturing
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/35117 Define surface by elements, meshes
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/49008 Making 3-D object with model in computer memory
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 17/00 Three dimensional [3D] modelling, e.g. data description of 3D objects
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 17/10 Constructive solid geometry [CSG] using solid primitives, e.g. cylinders, cubes

Abstract

Techniques are disclosed for converting a stereolithographic model into an STL data file that defines logically related components and subcomponents of an object. A user can categorize elements of an object to form logically related components and subcomponents of the object. Each element is represented by a triangle. All triangles representing each of these components and subcomponents are then reordered and listed sequentially within the STL. Each list is delimited at the beginning and end by two hidden triangles, one or both of which store unique identification values that are associated with the respective individual components. Additionally, a reference table can be added to the STL. The reference table includes instructions, operations or other information that is specifically associated with each component and subcomponent using the unique identification values. These instructions and operations enable users to have better control over 3D print quality than is possible using existing techniques.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented data processing method comprising:

receiving, by a processor, facet data representing a stereolithographic model, the facet data including a plurality of visible facets each representing a visible surface of the stereolithographic model;

associating at least one of the visible facets with a component of the stereolithographic model;

reordering, by the processor, a portion of the facet data such that each of the visible facets associated with the component is listed sequentially;

assigning a unique identification value to the component;

delimiting, by the processor, the reordered portion of the facet data with at least one of a beginning facet and an ending facet containing the unique identification value, the beginning facet and the ending facet each representing an invisible surface of the stereolithographic model; and

generating, by the processor, reference table data representing a mapping between the unique identification value and custom data associated with the component.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising performing an operation on each of the visible facets associated with the component until a hidden triangle is reached, which marks the end of the component, wherein the custom data represents the operation.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising performing an operation on each of the visible facets associated with the component until a hidden triangle is reached, which marks the end of the component, according to a priority or weight associated with the component, and wherein the custom data represents the operation and the priority or weight.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising performing at least one of a re-meshing operation, a search/extract/delete operation, and an unwrapping operation on each of the visible facets associated with the component, until a hidden triangle is reached, which marks the end of the component.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising appending the reordered portion of the facet data to the reference table data.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising storing the reordered portion of the facet data in a Standard Tessellation Language (STL) file format.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising viewing or printing the stereolithographic model using the reordered portion of the facet data.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein each of the visible facets includes data representing a unit normal vector and three vertices in Cartesian space.

9. A system comprising:

a storage; and

a processor operatively coupled to the storage, the processor configured to execute instructions stored in the storage that when executed cause the processor to carry out a process comprising;

receiving facet data representing a stereolithographic model, the facet data including a plurality of visible facets each representing a visible surface of the stereolithographic model;

associating at least one of the visible facets with a component of the stereolithographic model;

reordering a portion of the facet data such that each of the visible facets associated with the component is listed sequentially;

assigning a unique identification value to the component;

delimiting the reordered portion of the facet data with at least one of a beginning facet and an ending facet containing the unique identification value, the beginning facet and the ending facet each representing an invisible surface of the stereolithographic model; and

generating reference table data representing a mapping between the unique identification value and custom data associated with the component, wherein the custom data includes a method, operation or transformation that can be applied to a component of the stereolithographic model.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the process includes performing an operation on each of the visible facets associated with the component until a hidden triangle is reached, which marks the end of the component, and wherein the custom data represents the operation.

11. The system of claim 9, wherein the process includes performing an operation on each of the visible facets associated with the component until a hidden triangle is reached, which marks the end of the component, according to a priority or weight associated with the component, and wherein the custom data represents the operation and the priority or weight.

12. The system of claim 9, wherein the process includes performing at least one of a re-meshing operation, a search/extract/delete operation, and an unwrapping operation on each of the visible facets associated with the component until a hidden triangle is reached, which marks the end of the component.

13. The system of claim 9, wherein the process includes appending the reordered portion of the facet data to the reference table data.

14. The system of claim 9, wherein the process includes storing the reordered portion of the facet data in a Standard Tessellation Language (STL) file format.

15. The system of claim 9, wherein the process includes viewing or printing the stereolithographic model using the reordered portion of the facet data.

16. The system of claim 9, wherein each of the visible facets includes data representing a unit normal vector and three vertices in Cartesian space.

17. A non-transient computer program product having instructions encoded thereon that when executed by one or more processors cause a process to be carried out, the process comprising:

receiving facet data representing a stereolithographic model, the facet data including a plurality of visible facets each representing a visible surface of the stereolithographic model;

associating at least one of the visible facets with a component of the stereolithographic model;

reordering a portion of the facet data such that each of the visible facets associated with the component is listed sequentially;

assigning a unique identification value to the component; and

delimiting the reordered portion of the facet data with at least one of a beginning facet and an ending facet containing the unique identification value, the beginning facet and the ending facet each representing an invisible surface of the stereolithographic model.

18. The computer program product of claim 17, wherein the process includes performing an operation on each of the visible facets associated with the component until a hidden triangle is reached, which marks the end of the component.

19. The computer program product of claim 17, wherein the process includes performing an operation on each of the visible facets associated with the component until a hidden triangle is reached, which marks the end of the component, according to a priority or weight associated with the component.

20. The computer program product of claim 17, wherein the process includes appending the reordered portion of the facet data to the reference table data.