METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR ADAPTING A 3D PRINTING MODEL

• US 20160144574A1
• Filed: 11/20/2015
• Published: 05/26/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 11/25/2014
• Status: Active Application

• Current Assignee: Airbus Operations GmbH (Airbus SE)
• Original Assignee: Airbus Operations GmbH (Airbus SE)
• Inventors: FELGENHAUER, Henning, EILKEN, Wolfgang, TIRYAKI, Memis
• Granted Patent: US 10,259,163 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: B33Y 10/00 Processes of additive manufacturing
• CPC Class Codes: B33Y 50/00 Data acquisition or data processing for additive manufacturing
• 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 2219/2021 Shape modification

Abstract

A method for adapting a 3D printing model includes calculating a layer representation model on the basis of a 3D object model of an object; determining a plurality of overhang regions in the layer representation model where the boundary edges of first layers extend over the boundary edges of second layers, the first layers being directly adjacent and subsequent to the second layers when going into the build-up direction of the layer representation model; determining a local overhang angle in each of the plurality of overhang regions; adapting the layer representation model by re-defining the boundary edges of layers in the overhang regions so that the local overhang angle remains below a predetermined overhang threshold angle; and outputting the adapted layer representation model as 3D printing model to the 3D printing apparatus.

Claims

1. A method for adapting a 3D printing model, the method comprising:

calculating a layer representation model on the basis of a 3D object model of an object, the layer representation model being built up from a multitude of coplanar and confined adjacent layers, wherein the build-up direction corresponds to a printing direction of a 3D printing apparatus;

determining a plurality of overhang regions in the layer representation model where the boundary edges of first layers extend over the boundary edges of second layers, the first layers being directly adjacent and subsequent to the second layers when going into the build-up direction of the layer representation model;

determining a local overhang angle in each of the plurality of overhang regions, the local overhang angle being defined as the angle between the normal axis of the coplanar layers in build-up direction and the local tangent between the boundary edges of two adjacent layers;

adapting the layer representation model by re-defining the boundary edges of layers in the overhang regions so that the local overhang angle remains below a predetermined overhang threshold angle; and

outputting the adapted layer representation model as 3D printing model to the 3D printing apparatus.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the overhang regions corresponds to an upper arc of a cylindrical cavity structure in the 3D object model of the object.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the overhang regions corresponds to a spheroid cap of a spheroidal cavity structure in the 3D object model of the object.

4. The method according to claim 2, wherein adapting the layer representation model includes re-defining the boundary edges of layers in the overhang regions so that the upper arc of the cylindrical cavity structure is re-defined as triangular prism.

5. The method according to claim 3, wherein adapting the layer representation model includes re-defining the boundary edges of layers in the overhang regions so that the spheroid cap of a spheroidal cavity structure is re-defined as cone.

6. The method according to claim 4, wherein adapting the layer representation model includes re-defining the boundary edges of layers in the overhang regions so that the whole cylindrical cavity structure is re-defined as triangular prism.

7. The method according to claim 2, wherein adapting the layer representation model includes re-defining the boundary edges of layers in the overhang regions so that the whole cylindrical cavity structure is re-defined as Reuleaux triangular prism.

8. A system for adapting a 3D printing model, the system comprising:

a calculation module configured to receive 3D object model of an object as input and to calculate a layer representation model on the basis of the received 3D object model, the layer representation model being built up from a multitude of coplanar and confined adjacent layers, wherein the build-up direction corresponds to a printing direction of a 3D printing apparatus;

a determination module coupled to the calculation module and configured to receive the calculated layer representation model, to determine a plurality of overhang regions in the layer representation model where the boundary edges of first layers extend over the boundary edges of second layers, the first layers being directly adjacent and subsequent to the second layers when going into the build-up direction of the layer representation model, and to determine a local overhang angle in each of the plurality of overhang regions, the local overhang angle being defined as the angle between the normal axis of the coplanar layers in build-up direction and the local tangent between the boundary edges of two adjacent layers; and

an adaptation module coupled to the determination module and configured to adapt the layer representation model by re-defining the boundary edges of layers in the overhang regions so that the local overhang angle remains below a predetermined overhang threshold angle, and to output the adapted layer representation model as 3D printing model.

9. The system according to claim 8, wherein at least one of the overhang regions corresponds to an upper arc of a cylindrical cavity structure in the 3D object model of the object.

10. The system according to claim 8, wherein at least one of the overhang regions corresponds to a spheroid cap of a spheroidal cavity structure in the 3D object model of the object.

11. The system according to claim 9, wherein the adaption module is configured to re-define the boundary edges of layers in the overhang regions so that the upper arc of the cylindrical cavity structure is re-defined as triangular prism.

12. The system according to claim 10, wherein the adaption module is configured to re-define the boundary edges of layers in the overhang regions so that the spheroid cap of a spheroidal cavity structure is re-defined as cone.

13. The system according to claim 11, wherein the adaption module is configured to re-define the boundary edges of layers in the overhang regions so that the whole cylindrical cavity structure is re-defined as triangular prism.

14. The system according to claim 9, wherein the adaption module is configured to re-define the boundary edges of layers in the overhang regions so that the whole cylindrical cavity structure is re-defined as Reuleaux triangular prism.

15. Computer-readable medium comprising computer-executable instructions which, when executed on a data processing apparatus, cause the data processing apparatus to perform a method for adapting a 3D printing model, the method comprising:

calculating a layer representation model on the basis of a 3D object model of an object, the layer representation model being built up from a multitude of coplanar and confined adjacent layers, wherein the build-up direction corresponds to a printing direction of a 3D printing apparatus;

determining a plurality of overhang regions in the layer representation model where the boundary edges of first layers extend over the boundary edges of second layers, the first layers being directly adjacent and subsequent to the second layers when going into the build-up direction of the layer representation model;

determining a local overhang angle in each of the plurality of overhang regions, the local overhang angle being defined as the angle between the normal axis of the coplanar layers in build-up direction and the local tangent between the boundary edges of two adjacent layers;

adapting the layer representation model by re-defining the boundary edges of layers in the overhang regions so that the local overhang angle remains below a predetermined overhang threshold angle; and

outputting the adapted layer representation model as 3D printing model to the 3D printing apparatus.