System and method for accurate printing of three dimensional models utilizing adjustment parameters

• US 7,209,797 B2
• Filed: 05/15/2006
• Issued: 04/24/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 01/03/2002
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Stratasys Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Objet Geometries
• Inventors: Kritchman, Eliahu M., Gothait, Hanan, Rodin-Entin, Tatyana, Chechik, Dani
• Primary Examiner(s): KOSOWSKI, ALEXANDER J
• Application Number:
  US11/433,513
• Publication Number:
  US 20060206227A1
• Time in Patent Office: 344 Days
• Field of Search: 700118-120, 700 97- 98, 358/1.11, 358/1.2, 264/401, 264/497
• US Class Current: 700/118
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 37/005 Compensating volume or shape change during moulding, in general
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 41/48 Compensating volume change, e.g. retraction
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 41/52 Measuring, controlling or regulating
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 64/112 using individual droplets, e.g. from jetting heads
• 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 50/02 for controlling or regulating additive manufacturing processes
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 11/00 Component parts of measuring arrangements not specially adapted for a specific variable G01D13/00, G01D15/00 take precedence

Abstract

A system and method for building three dimensional objects may adjust data used to build the objects to, for example, improve quality or correct for defects. A printer may, for example, accept data representing the object and modify the data according to an adjustment parameter; the printer may build the object according to the parameter. The parameter may be, for example, fixed in the printer, user entered, and/or calculated by the printer. In one embodiment, a support pedestal may be built of deposited material before the object is built.

Claims

1. A method for building a three-dimensional object by depositing materials onto a printing surface, layer upon layer, within a printing system, the method comprising:

providing data representing a three-dimensional object, the data comprising X, Y and Z coordinates;

calculating an adjustment parameter to compensate for a height error caused by material rounding at a top surface of thin walls or structures, said adjustment parameter including a set of non-printed pixels in the interior of said thin walls or structures;

modifying the data representing the three dimensional-object based on the adjustment parameter; and

printing at least one layer of the three-dimensional object according to modified data.

2. A method according to claim 1, comprising applying the set of non-printed pixels to prevent thin walls or structures from being built higher than thicker walls or structures.

3. A method according to claim 1, wherein the number of said non-printed pixels is a function of thickness of walls or structures.

4. A method according to claim 1, comprising calculating the number of the non-printed pixels based on whether a support material is to be dispensed adjacent to a section of the object, the non-printed pixels being for the section of the object.

5. A system for building a three-dimensional object, the system comprising:

a controller capable of accepting data representing a three-dimensional object, calculating an adjustment parameter to compensate for a height error caused by material rounding at a top surface of thin walls or structures, the adjustment parameter including a set of non-printed pixels in the interior of said thin walls or structures and modifying in the data representing the three dimensional-object according to the adjustment parameter;

a printing head connected to the controller capable of depositing materials onto a surface according to said data to form the three-dimensional object; and

a curing unit.

6. A system according to claim 5, wherein the set of non-printed pixels is used to prevent thin walls or structures from being printed higher than thicker walls or structures.

7. A system according to claim 5, wherein the number of non-printed pixels is a function of wall thickness.

8. A system according to claim 5, wherein the number of non-printed pixels is based on whether a support material is to be dispensed adjacent to a section of the three-dimensional object.