APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR PRINTING MULTI-COLOR THREE DIMENSIONAL OBJECT

• US 20170252968A1
• Filed: 09/20/2016
• Published: 09/07/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 03/07/2016
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Inventec Appliances Company Limited (Inventec Corporation), Inventec Appliances Corporation (Inventec Corporation), Inventec Appliances (Pudong) Corp. (Inventec Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Inventec Appliances Company Limited (Inventec Corporation), Inventec Appliances Corporation (Inventec Corporation), Inventec Appliances (Pudong) Corp. (Inventec Corporation)
• Inventors: Wang, Jin, Shen, Wei, Tsai, Shih-Kuang
• Application Number:
  US15/270,131
• Publication Number:
  US 20170252968A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 64/112 using individual droplets, e.g. from jetting heads
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 64/336 of two or more materials
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2995/0021 Multi-coloured
• CPC Class Codes: B33Y 10/00 Processes of additive manufacturing
• 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

Abstract

A method for printing a multi-color three dimensional (3D) object includes the following steps. A 3D object is layered to configure multiple layer-printing documents. The multiple layer-printing documents are integrated into a model printing document of the 3D object. The 3D object is printed according to the model printing document.

Claims

1. A method for printing a multi-color three dimensional (3D) object, comprising:

layering a 3D object to configure a plurality of layer-printing documents;

integrating the plurality of layer-printing documents into a model printing document of the 3D object; and

printing the 3D object according to the model printing document.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein a number of the plurality of layer-printing documents are determined by a number of colors relating to the 3D object.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of layer-printing documents are composed of a plurality of triangle meshes.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of layer-printing documents includes a color information and a layer-height information corresponding to the color information, and the layer-height information includes a layer-height value.

5. The method according to claim 4, wherein the color information includes a color mixing ratio which determines a ratio relationship between three primary colors, and

the layer-height information further includes a plurality of sub-layer-height values which are determined according to the color mixing ratio and the layer-height value.

6. The method according to claim 5, wherein the step of configuring the plurality of layer-printing documents further comprises:

obtaining a target color according to the color mixing ratio and the plurality of sub-layer-height values corresponding to the color mixing ratio.

7. The method according to claim 4, wherein the color information includes a grayscale color mixing ratio which determines a ratio relationship between black and white, and the layer-height value further includes a plurality of sub-layer-height values which are determined according to the grayscale color mixing ratio and the layer-height value.

8. The method according to claim 7, wherein the step of configuring the plurality of layer-printing documents further comprises:

obtaining a target color according to the grayscale color mixing ratio and the plurality of sub-layer-height values corresponding to the grayscale color mixing ratio.

9. The method according to claim 1, wherein the step of integrating the plurality of layer-printing documents into the model printing document of the 3D object comprises:

integrating the plurality of layer-printing documents into the model printing document of the 3D object according to a height of the 3D object and a printing order of a bottom up.

10. The method according to claim 1, wherein the step of printing the 3D object according to the model printing document comprises:

inputting the model printing document into a multi-nozzle 3D printer to print the 3D object.

11. An apparatus for printing a multi-color three dimensional (3D) object, comprising:

a document setting unit for layering a 3D object to configure a plurality of layer-printing documents; and

a document processing unit for integrating the plurality of layer-printing documents into a model printing document of the 3D object;

wherein a multi-nozzle 3D printer prints the 3D object according to the model printing document.

12. The apparatus according to claim 11, wherein a number of the plurality of layer-printing documents is determined by a number of colors relating to the 3D object.

13. The apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the plurality of layer-printing documents are composed of a plurality of triangle meshes.

14. The apparatus according to claim 11, wherein each of the plurality of layer-printing documents includes a color information and a layer-height information corresponding to the color information, and the layer-height information includes a layer-height value.

15. The apparatus according to claim 14, wherein the color information includes a color mixing ratio which determines a ratio relationship between three primary colors, and

the layer-height information further includes a plurality of sub-layer-height values which are determined according to the color mixing ratio and the layer-height value.

16. The apparatus according to claim 15, wherein the document setting unit further obtains a target color according to the color mixing ratio and the plurality of sub-layer-height values corresponding to the color mixing ratio.

17. The apparatus according to claim 14, wherein the color information includes a grayscale color mixing ratio which determines a ratio relationship between black and white, and

the layer-height value further includes a plurality of sub-layer-height values which are determined according to the grayscale color mixing ratio and the layer-height value.

18. The apparatus according to claim 17, wherein the document setting unit further obtains a target color according to the grayscale color mixing ration and the plurality of sub-layer-height values corresponding to the grayscale color mixing ratio.

19. The apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the document setting unit integrates the plurality of layer-printing documents into the model printing document of the 3D object according to a height of the 3D object and a printing order of a bottom up.

20. The apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the document processing unit inputs the model printing document into the multi-nozzle 3D printer to print the 3D object.