Method, apparatus, and article of manufacture for a control system in a selective deposition modeling system

• US 6,490,496 B1
• Filed: 02/25/1999
• Issued: 12/03/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 02/25/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: 3D Systems, Inc. (3D Systems Corporation)
• Original Assignee: 3D Systems, Inc. (3D Systems Corporation)
• Inventors: Dacey, Edward J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Von Buhr, Maria N.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Rapp, Chad
• Application Number:
  US09/257,357
• Time in Patent Office: 1,377 Days
• Field of Search: 700/20, 700/98, 700/118, 700/119, 700/120, 700/123, 700/94, 700/100, 700/101, 700/102
• US Class Current: 700/118
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 2948/92628 Width or height
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 2948/92638 Length
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 2948/92704 Temperature
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 2948/9298 Start-up, shut-down or parameter setting phase; Emergency shut-down; Material change; Test or laboratory equipment or studies
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 48/12 Articles with an irregular circumference when viewed in cross-section, e.g. window profiles
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 48/13 Articles with a cross-section varying in the longitudinal direction, e.g. corrugated pipes
• 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 50/02 for controlling or regulating additive manufacturing processes
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/31378 Queue control
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/49021 Deposit layer, machine, mill layer, then new layer, SDM solid deposit manufacting

Abstract

Techniques for controlling jobs in a selective deposition modeling (Selective Deposition Modeling) system. A client computer system can connect directly to a Selective Deposition Modeling system to work with a job queue located at the Selective Deposition Modeling system. Jobs in the job queue may be previewed in three-dimensional form. Moreover, the jobs in the job queue may be manipulated to move the jobs to different positions in the job queue or to delete a job. Additionally, multiple jobs may be automatically combined to generate a single build process.

Claims

1. A rapid prototyping system, comprising:

at least one rapid prototyping apparatus;

at least one client computer in communication with the rapid prototyping apparatus;

means for receiving jobs from the client computer and for combining at least two jobs in one build process, each job corresponding to a three-dimensional object to be built; and

means for performing the build process to form the three-dimensional objects corresponding to the combined jobs.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the rapid prototyping apparatus is selected from the group consisting of a selective deposition modeling apparatus, a stereolithography apparatus, a laminated object manufacturing apparatus, and a laser sintering apparatus.

3. The system of claim 1, further comprising means for maintaining a job queue for holding the jobs when received from the client computer.

4. The system of claim 3, further comprising means for determining which jobs can be combined to form their corresponding three-dimensional object in one build process.

5. The system of claim 3 wherein the job queue resides with the rapid prototyping apparatus.

6. The system of claim 1 wherein the client computer is directly connected to the rapid prototyping apparatus.

7. A method of creating three-dimensional objects in a rapid prototyping system, the method comprising the steps of:

connecting at least one client computer to at least one rapid prototyping apparatus;

receiving jobs from the client computer, each job corresponding to a three-dimensional object to be built;

combining at least two jobs into one build process; and

performing the build process by the rapid prototyping apparatus to form the three-dimensional objects corresponding to the combined jobs.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the rapid prototyping apparatus is selected from the group consisting of a selective deposition modeling apparatus, a stereolithography apparatus, a laminated object manufacturing apparatus, and a laser sintering apparatus.

9. The method of claim 7, further comprising the step of maintaining a job queue for holding the jobs when received from the client computer.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising the step of determining which jobs can be combined to form their corresponding three-dimensional objects in one build process.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein the jobs are combined into the one build process according to a common attribute of the jobs.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the common attribute is the height of the three-dimensional object associated with the job.

13. The method of claim 7 further comprising the step of providing an option for a user to identify a job that is not to be combined with other jobs.

14. An article of manufacture comprising a computer program carrier readable by a computer and embodying one or more instructions executable by the computer to perform method steps for creating a three-dimensional object in a rapid prototyping system having at least one rapid prototyping apparatus, the method comprising the steps of:

connecting at least one client computer to the rapid prototyping system;

receiving jobs from the client computer, each job corresponding to a three-dimensional object to be built;

combining at least two jobs into one build process; and

performing the build process by the rapid prototyping apparatus to form the three-dimensional objects corresponding to the combined jobs.

15. The article of manufacture of claim 14, wherein the rapid prototyping apparatus is selected from the group consisting of a selective deposition modeling apparatus, a stereolithography apparatus, a laminated object manufacturing apparatus, and a laser sintering apparatus.

16. The article of manufacture of claim 14, further comprising the step of maintaining a job queue for holding the jobs when received from the client computer.

17. The article of manufacture of claim 16, further comprising the step of determining which jobs can be combined to form their corresponding three-dimensional objects in one build process.

18. The article of manufacture of claim 17 wherein the jobs are combined into the one build process according to a common attribute of the jobs.

19. The article of manufacture of claim 14 further comprising the step of providing an option for a user to identify a job that is not to be combined with other jobs.

20. A rapid prototyping system, comprising:

at least one rapid prototyping apparatus;

at least one client computer in communication with the rapid prototyping apparatus;

means for accepting multiple jobs from the client computer to be placed in a job queue, wherein each job comprises a request to build a three-dimensional object; and

means for previewing a three-dimensional object corresponding to a job in the job queue, the object being previewed in three-dimensional form at the client computer as the three-dimensional object will be rendered by the rapid prototyping apparatus while the job is in the job queue.

21. The system of claim 20 further comprising:

means for providing a list of jobs in the job queue to the client computer; and

means for selecting the job to be previewed by the client computer.

22. The system of claim 20 wherein the client computer is directly connected to the rapid prototyping apparatus.

23. The system of claim 20 wherein the job queue resides with the rapid prototyping apparatus.

24. A rapid prototyping system of claim 20 further comprising:

means for combining at least two jobs into one build process; and

wherein the means for previewing a three-dimensional object corresponding to a job in the job queue previews all three-dimensional objects combined into the one build process as they will he rendered by the rapid prototyping apparatus.

25. A method of creating a three-dimensional object in a rapid prototyping system, the method comprising the steps of:

accepting multiple jobs to be placed in a job queue from at least one client computer, wherein each job comprises a request to build a three-dimensional object by a rapid prototyping apparatus; and

previewing a three-dimensional object corresponding to a job in the job queue, the object being previewed in three-dimensional form at the client computer as the three-dimensional object will be rendered by the rapid prototyping apparatus while the job is in the job queue.

26. The method of claim 25, further comprising the steps of:

providing a list of jobs in the job queue to the client computer; and

selecting a job to be previewed by the client computer.

27. A method of claim 25 further comprising:

combining at least two jobs into one build process; and

wherein the step of previewing a three-dimensional object corresponding to a job in the job queue previews all three-dimensional objects combined into the one build process as they will be rendered by the rapid prototyping apparatus.

28. The method of claim 25 further comprising the step of combining at least two jobs into one build process wherein the three-dimensional objects associated with the combined jobs can be previewed in three-dimensional form at the client computer.

29. A rapid prototyping system, comprising:

means for accepting multiple jobs to be placed in a job queue, wherein each job comprises a request to build a three-dimensional object by a rapid prototyping apparatus; and

means for manipulating the jobs to combine at least two jobs into one build process performed by the rapid prototyping apparatus.

30. The system of claim 29, wherein the means for manipulating further comprises means for promoting a said job in the job queue.

31. The system of claim 29, wherein the means for manipulating further comprises means for demoting a said job in the job queue.

32. The system of claim 29, wherein the means for manipulating further comprises means for moving a said job to a head of the job queue.

33. The system of claim 29, wherein the means for manipulating further comprises means for moving a said job to a bottom of the job queue.

34. The system of claim 29, wherein the means for manipulating further comprises means for deleting a said job in the job queue.

35. The system of claim 29, wherein the means for manipulating further comprises means for receiving a command from a client computer to manipulate a said job in the job queue.

36. A method of creating a three-dimensional object in a rapid prototyping system, the method comprising the steps of:

accepting multiple jobs to be placed in a job queue, wherein each job comprises a request to build a three-dimensional object by a rapid prototyping apparatus; and

manipulating the jobs to combine at least two jobs into one build process performed by the rapid prototyping apparatus.

37. The method of claim 36, wherein the step of manipulating further comprises the step of promoting a job in the job queue.

38. The method of claim 36, wherein the step of manipulating further comprises the step of demoting a job in the job queue.

39. The method of claim 36, wherein the step of manipulating further comprises the step of moving a job to a head of the job queue.

40. The method of claim 36, wherein the step of manipulating further comprises the step of moving a job to a bottom of the job queue.

41. The method of claim 36, wherein the step of manipulating further comprises the step of deleting a job in the job queue.

42. A rapid prototyping system, comprising:

means for accepting multiple jobs to be placed in a job queue, wherein each job comprises a request to build a three-dimensional object by at least one rapid prototyping apparatus; and

means for combining two or more jobs in one build process performed by the rapid prototyping apparatus.

43. The system of claim 42, further comprising means for identifying jobs in the job queue to be combined.

44. The system of claim 43, further comprising means for identifying that a said job is marked as not combinable.

45. The system of claim 43, further comprising means for identifying that a particular combination of jobs would result in objects corresponding to the jobs overlapping.

46. The system of claim 43, further comprising means for identifying that a combination of jobs fills a build platform.

47. Th system of claim 42, wherein the means for combining two or more jobs into one build process further comprises means for combining jobs by maximizing a Z-dimension.

48. The system of claim 42, wherein the means for combining two or more jobs into one build process further comprises means for combining jobs by maximizing a Y-dimension.

49. A method of creating a three-dimensional object in a rapid prototyping system, the method comprising the steps of:

accepting multiple jobs to be placed in a job queue, wherein each job comprises a request to build a three-dimensional object; and

generating a build by combining two or more jobs in the job queue.

50. The method of claim 49, further comprising the step of identifying jobs in the job queue to be combined.

51. The method of claim 50, further comprising the step of identifying that a job is marked as not combinable.

52. The method of claim 50, further comprising the step of identifying that a particular combination of jobs would result in objects corresponding to the jobs overlapping.

53. The method of claim 50, further comprising the step of identifying that a combination of jobs fills a build platform.

54. The method of claim 49, wherein the step of generating a build further comprises the step of combining jobs by maximizing a Z-dimension.

55. The method of claim 49, wherein the step of generating a build further comprises the step of combining jobs by maximizing a Y-dimension.

56. An article of manufacture comprising a computer program carrier readable by a computer and embodying one or more instructions executable by the computer to perform method steps for creating a three-dimensional object in a rapid prototyping system, the method comprising the steps of:

accepting multiple jobs to be placed in a job queue, wherein each job comprises a request to build a three-dimensional object; and

generating a build by combining two or more jobs in the job queue.

57. The article of manufacture of claim 56, further comprising the step of identifying jobs in the job queue to be combined.

58. The article of manufacture of claim 57, further comprising the step of identifying that a job is marked as not combinable.

59. The article of manufacture of claim 57, further comprising the step of identifying that a particular combination of jobs would result in objects corresponding to the jobs overlapping.

60. The article of manufacture of claim 59, further comprising the step of identifying that a combination of jobs fills a build platform.

61. The article of manufacture of claim 56, wherein the step of generating a build further comprises the step of combining jobs by maximizing a Z-dimension.

62. The article of manufacture of claim 56, wherein the step of generating a build further comprises the step of combining jobs by maximizing a Y-dimension.