THREE-DIMENSIONAL PRINTING DATA GENERATION DEVICE, AND THREE-DIMENSIONAL PRINTING SYSTEM INCLUDING THE SAME

• US 20170113413A1
• Filed: 10/21/2016
• Published: 04/27/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 10/22/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Roland DG Corporation
• Original Assignee: Roland DG Corporation
• Inventors: IWASE, Fumiyoshi, YAMAMOTO, Akihiro, KUNIFUJI, Tetsuhiro
• Granted Patent: US 10,456,981 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 64/165 using a combination of solid and fluid materials, e.g. a powder selectively bound by a liquid binder, catalyst, inhibitor or energy absorber
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 64/386 Data acquisition or data processing for additive manufacturing
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 64/40 Structures for supporting 3D objects during manufacture and intended to be sacrificed after completion thereof
• CPC Class Codes: B33Y 30/00 Apparatus for additive manufacturing; Details thereof or accessories therefor
• CPC Class Codes: B33Y 50/00 Data acquisition or data processing for additive manufacturing
• CPC Class Codes: B33Y 99/00 Subject matter not provided for in other groups of this subclass
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/22 Indexing; Data structures therefor; Storage structures

Abstract

A three-dimensional printing data generation device includes a storage storing data of a three-dimensional target object model, a support model generation processor generating, based on the data stored in the storage, data of a three-dimensional support model including a substrate portion located below the target object model and a handle portion extending upward from the substrate portion, the substrate portion including a through-hole larger than a particle diameter of a powder material, and an output processor outputting the data of the target object model and the data of the support model as three-dimensional printing data.

Claims

1. A three-dimensional printing data generation device generating three-dimensional printing data usable for a three-dimensional printing device of a powder stack printing type, the three-dimension printing data generation device comprising:

a storage storing data of a three-dimensional target object model representing a three-dimensional object as a printing target;

a support model generation processor configured and/or programmed to generate, based on the data stored in the storage, data of a three-dimensional support model including a substrate portion located below the target object model and a handle portion extending upward from the substrate portion, the substrate portion including a through-hole larger than a particle diameter of a powder material; and

an output processor configured and/or programmed to output the data of the target object model and the data of the support model as the three-dimensional printing data.

2. The three-dimensional printing data generation device according to claim 1, wherein the substrate portion is located at a discrete position from the target object model.

3. The three-dimensional printing data generation device according to claim 1, wherein a top end of the handle portion is located at a level higher than, or equal to, a level of a top end of the target object model.

4. The three-dimensional printing data generation device according to claim 1, wherein the handle portion is rod-shaped.

5. The three-dimensional printing data generation device according to claim 4, wherein the handle portion includes a first rod located to a side of the target object model as seen in a plan view and a second rod located at a position opposite to the first rod with respect to the target object model as seen in the plan view.

6. The three-dimensional printing data generation device according to claim 1, wherein a top end portion of the handle portion is colored differently from the powder material.

7. The three-dimensional printing data generation device according to claim 1, wherein at least a portion of the substrate portion has a mesh structure.

8. The three-dimensional printing data generation device according to claim 1, wherein the support model generation processor includes a structure analysis processor configured and/or programmed to perform a structure analysis on the target object model and the support model in a state where the target object model is placed on the support model.

9. The three-dimensional printing data generation device according to claim 1, wherein the support model includes a support pillar portion located below the target object model and extending upward from the substrate portion.

10. The three-dimensional printing data generation device according to claim 1, wherein the support model generation processor includes a contact area size adjustment processor configured and/or programmed to adjust a shape of the support model such that a size of a contact area of the support model and the target object model is less than, or equal to, a predetermined value in a state where the target object model is placed on the support model.

11. The three-dimensional printing data generation device according to claim 10, wherein the contact area size adjustment processor is configured or programmed to adjust the shape of the support model by forming a recessed portion in a surface of the support model at the side of the target object model.

12. The three-dimensional printing data generation device according to claim 10, wherein the contact area size adjustment processor is configured or programmed to adjust the shape of the support model by adding a pointed portion on a surface of the support model at the side of the target object model.

13. A three-dimensional printing system, comprising:

the three-dimensional printing data generation device according to claim 1; and

a three-dimensional printing device.