Rapid prototyping system and method with support region data processing

• US 5,943,235 A
• Filed: 09/27/1996
• Issued: 08/24/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 09/27/1995
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: 3D Systems, Inc. (3D Systems Corporation)
• Original Assignee: 3D Systems, Inc. (3D Systems Corporation)
• Inventors: Thayer, Jeffrey S., Manners, Chris R., Kerekes, Thomas A., Earl, Jocelyn M., Marygold, Paul H.
• Primary Examiner(s): Grant, William
• Assistant Examiner(s): PATEL, RAMESH B
• Application Number:
  US08/722,326
• Time in Patent Office: 1,061 Days
• Field of Search: 364/468.01, 364/468.26, 364/468.27, 364/468.28, 364/469.02, 364/474.24, 364/476.01, 364/490, 364/578, 364/488, 364/489, 364/491, 364/468.02 , 364/468.03, 364/468.04, 264/40.1, 264/240, 264/225, 428/546, 395/120, 395/121, 395/122, 395/123, 395/124, 395/125-127, 395/161, 395/141, 395/420
• US Class Current: 700/98
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 41/36 Feeding the material on to the mould, core or other substrate
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 64/112 using individual droplets, e.g. from jetting heads
• 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 50/00 Data acquisition or data processing for additive manufacturing
• CPC Class Codes: B33Y 50/02 for controlling or regulating additive manufacturing processes
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 17/00 Three dimensional [3D] modelling, e.g. data description of 3D objects

Abstract

Embodiments of the instant invention are directed to various methods and an apparatus for building a three-dimensional object represented by object data and support data using thermal stereolithography. Some preferred embodiments of the building techniques include multiple building materials, wherein, in some preferred embodiments, a different building material is used to build the object and the support. Embodiments of the methods for building three-dimensional objects include manipulation of the data, which is represented by a plurality of start/stop transitions to facilitate the computation of Boolean operations. In preferred embodiments, the object is built by selective disposition of the building materials in accordance with the object and support data.

Claims

1. In a rapid prototyping system, a method of generating data descriptive of a support region for a given layer of a three-dimensional object to be formed on a layer-by-layer basis, comprising the steps of:

providing object layer data descriptive of an object region for each layer of the object;

determining a first region comprising at least a portion of the object region of at least one layer of the object above the given layer;

determining a second region substantially corresponding to a boolean difference between a region of the plane covered by at least a portion of the given layer with the first region; and

defining the support region for the given layer based on said boolean difference.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the rapid prototyping system is a selective deposition modeling system.

3. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein said step of determining comprises determining the total region in a plane covered by the union of all object regions above the given object layer.

4. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein said first region comprises the entire object region of at least one layer of the object.

5. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein said second region substantially corresponds to a boolean difference between a region of the plane covered by the entire given layer and the first region.

6. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein said second region is defined as the boolean difference between a region of the plane covered by at least a portion of the given layer and the first region.

7. In a rapid prototyping system for forming a three-dimensional object on a layer-by-layer basis, a method of generating data descriptive of a plurality of layers of a support structure formed with a corresponding plurality of layers of the object, wherein each object layer is associated with a respective support structure layer and covers a region in an X-Y plane, the method comprising the steps of:

determining, for each given layer of said plurality of object layers, a total region within the X-Y plane which is covered by at least a portion of at least one object layer above the given layer;

determining, for each given layer of said plurality of object layers, a region in the X-Y plane substantially corresponding to a Boolean difference of the region in the X-Y plane covered by at least a portion of the given object layer from the total region; and

generating, for each given layer of said plurality of object layers, support layer data substantially corresponding to the Boolean difference region determined for the object layer, to define the support structure layer associated with the given object layer.

8. A method as recited in claim 7, wherein said step of determining the total region in the X-Y plane covered by at least a portion of at least one object layer above the given layer comprises the step of determining the total region in the X-Y plane covered by the combination of all of the object layers above the given layer.

9. A method as recited in claim 7, wherein said plurality of object layers comprise successive layers of the object and wherein said method further comprises storing, for each of said plurality of successive object layers, said support layer data.

10. A method as recited in claim 7, wherein said plurality of object layers comprise successive layers of the object and wherein said method further comprises storing, for each Nth successive object layer, said support layer data, wherein N is greater than one.

11. A method as recited in claim 7, wherein said step of determining, for each given object layer, the total region in the X-Y plane covered by the combination of all layers of the object above the given layer, comprises maintaining a running total of the regions in the X-Y plane covered by each successive layer of the object, from the top layer down.

12. A method as recited in claim 11, further comprising the step of storing data representing the running total for each successive layer of the object.

13. A method as recited in claim 11, further comprising storing data representing the running total for each Nth layer of the object, and discarding the running totals for layers between each Nth layer, wherein N is greater than one.

14. A method as recited in claim 13, wherein N is 100.

15. A method as recited in claim 7, wherein:

said first determining step includes providing, for each object layer, total region data corresponding to the total region in the X-Y plane covered by the combination of all layers of the object above the given layer;

said second step of determining includes providing, for each object layer, object layer region data corresponding to the region in the X-Y plane covered by the given object layer and determining the Boolean difference between the region corresponding to the total region data and the region corresponding to the object region data.

16. A method as recited in claim 7, wherein said object layer region data for each given object layer comprises a run length encoded representation of cross-section of the object at the given layer location in the object.

17. A method as recited in claim 7, wherein said object layer region data for each given object layer comprises data corresponding to a plurality of scan lines within the X-Y plane cross-section of the object at the given layer location, wherein the raster scan lines are disposed at plural respective Y and extend in the X direction.

18. A method as recited in claim 17, wherein said data corresponding to a plurality of scan lines comprises data defining start and stop points on the X-Y plane cross-section boundary of the object at the given layer location.

19. A system as recited in claim 7, wherein said step of generating comprises generating, for each given object layer, support layer data that defines a region in the X-Y plane that is substantially coextensive with the Boolean difference region determined for the given object layer, and is spaced from the region in the X-Y plane covered by the given object layer.

20. A system as recited in claim 7, wherein said at least a portion of at least one object layer above the given layer comprises at least one entire object layer above the given layer.

21. A system as recited in claim 7, wherein said region in the X-Y plane substantially corresponding to a Boolean difference comprises a region which is defined as the Boolean difference of the region in the X-Y plane covered by at least a portion of the given object layer from the total region.

22. A system as recited in claim 7, wherein said at least a portion of the given object layer comprises the entire given object layer.

23. A rapid prototyping system for forming a three-dimensional object on a layer-by-layer basis by forming a plurality of object layers with a corresponding plurality of support structure layers, wherein each object layer is associated with a respective support structure layer and covers a region in an X-Y plane, the system comprising:

a programmable processor and computer readable medium which stores a program for controlling the processor to;

provide, for each given layer of said plurality of object layers, object layer data corresponding to the region in the X-Y plane covered by at least a portion of the given object layer;

determine, for each given layer of said plurality of object layers, a total region in the X-Y plane covered by at least a portion of at least one object layer above the given object layer;

determine, for each given layer of said plurality of object layers, a region in the X-Y plane corresponding to a Boolean difference between the region in the X-Y plane covered by at least a portion of the given object layer and the total region; and

generate, for each given layer of said plurality of object layers, support layer data substantially corresponding to a Boolean difference region determined for the object layer, to define the support structure layer associated with the given object layer; and

apparatus operably coupled to the programmable processor, for forming each given object layer based on the object layer data provided for the given object layer and for forming the support structure layer associated with the given object layer based on the support layer data generated for the given object layer.

24. A system as recited in claim 23, wherein said total region in the X-Y plane covered by at least a portion of at least one object layer above the given object layer comprises the total region in the X-Y plane covered by the combination of all object layers above the given object layer.

25. A system as recited in claim 23, wherein said apparatus for forming each given object layer and support structure layer comprises an apparatus which includes means for forming each object layer and its associated support structure layer before forming the next object layer and support structure layer.

26. A system as recited in claim 23, wherein said apparatus for forming each given object layer and support structure layer comprises a selective deposition apparatus.

27. A system as recited in claim 23, wherein said apparatus for forming each given object layer and support structure layer comprises a print head and print head controller for controlling the print head to selectively dispense solidifiable medium in a non-solid state into an environment which promotes solidification of the material.

28. A system as recited in claim 23, wherein said plurality of object layers comprise successive layers of the object and wherein said system further comprises a memory for storing, for each of said plurality of successive object layers, said support layer data.

29. A system as recited in claim 23, wherein said plurality of object layers comprise successive layers of the object and wherein said system further comprises a memory for storing, for each Nth successive object layer, said support layer data, wherein N is greater than one.

30. A system as recited in claim 23, wherein said processor is programmed to maintain a running total of the regions in the X-Y plane covered by each successive layer of the object, from the top layer down.

31. A system as recited in claim 30, further comprising a memory for storing data representing the running total for each successive layer of the object.

32. A system as recited in claim 30, further comprising a memory for storing data representing the running total for each Nth layer of the object, and discarding the running totals for layers between each Nth layer, wherein N is greater than one.

33. A system as recited in claim 23, wherein said stored program controls the processor to generate, for each given object layer, support layer data that defines a region in the X-Y plane that is substantially coextensive with the Boolean difference region determined for the given object layer, and is spaced from the region in the X-Y plane covered by the given object layer.

34. A rapid prototyping method for forming a three-dimensional object on a layer-by-layer basis, wherein each object layer is associated with a respective support structure layer and covers a region in an X-Y plane, the method comprising the steps of:

providing, for each given object layer, object layer data corresponding to the region in the X-Y plane covered by the given layer;

determining, for each given object layers, total region data corresponding the total region in the X-Y plane covered by at least a portion of at least one object layer above the given layer;

determining, for each given object layers, the region in the X-Y plane substantially corresponding to the Boolean difference of the region in the X-Y plane covered by at least a portion of the given object layer from the total region;

generating, for each given object layers, support layer data substantially corresponding to the Boolean difference region determined for the object layer, to define the region in the support structure layer associated with the given object layer; and

forming each given object layer based on the object layer data provided for the given layer and forming the support structure layer associated with the given object layer based on the support layer data generated for the given object layer.

35. A rapid prototyping system for forming a three-dimensional object on a layer-by-layer basis by forming a plurality of object layers with a corresponding plurality of support structure layers, wherein each object layer is associated with a respective support structure layer and covers a region in an X-Y plane, the system comprising:

means for providing, for each given layer of said plurality of object layers, object layer data corresponding to the region in the X-Y plane covered by the given object layer;

means for determining, for each given layer of said plurality of object layers, the total region in the X-Y plane covered by at least a portion of at least one object layer above the given object layer;

means for determining, for each given layer of said plurality of object layers, the region in the X-Y plane substantially corresponding to the Boolean difference between the region in the X-Y plane covered by at least a portion of the given object layer and the total region;

means for generating, for each given layer of said plurality of object layers, support layer data substantially corresponding to the Boolean difference region determined for the object layer, to define the support structure layer associated with the given object layer; and

means for forming each given object layer based on the object layer data provided for the given object layer and for forming the support structure layer associated with the given object layer based on the support layer data generated for the given object layer.

36. A computer readable media containing a program for controlling a processor to generate data descriptive of a plurality of layers of a support structure associated with a corresponding plurality of layers of a three-dimensional object, each covering a respective region in an X-Y plane, according to the method comprising the steps of:

determining, for each object layer, a total region in the X-Y plane covered by at least a portion of at least one object layer above the given layer;

determining, for each object layer, a region in the X-Y plane substantially corresponding to a Boolean difference of the region in the X-Y plane covered by at least a portion of the given object layer from the total region; and

generating, for each object layer, support layer data substantially corresponding to the Boolean difference region determined for the object layer, to define the support structure layer associated with the given object layer.