Fabrication of non-homogeneous articles via additive manufacturing using three-dimensional voxel-based models
First Claim
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1. A system for fabricating a non-homogeneous article, the system comprising:
- a design application configured to create a 3D voxel-based model of the non-homogeneous article, whereinthe 3D voxel-based model comprises a multi-dimensional array of voxel elements, whereineach voxel element of the multi-dimensional array of voxel elements is assigned one or more values representing one or more physical properties M; and
a rapid prototyping machine for fabrication of the non-homogeneous article, wherein said rapid prototyping machine is configured to fabricate the non-homogeneous article via additive manufacturing using the 3D voxel-based model, whereinthe rapid prototyping machine is configured to fabricate the non-homogenous article using one or more materials; and
the one or more physical properties of the voxel elements of the multi-dimensional array of voxel elements correspond to properties of a plurality of 3D dots of the non-homogeneous article, whereinfor each 3D dot of the plurality of 3D dots, a respective transfer function T(M) identifies at least one of the one or more materials to produce a material having the respective one or more physical properties of the respective 3D dot;
wherein fabricating the non-homogenous article comprises curing a resin identified by the transfer function associated with at least a portion of the dots of the plurality of 3D dots, wherein the transfer function associated with the portion of the dots identifies at least one light frequency for curing the respective dot.
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Abstract
The invention provides systems and methods for manufacture of a non-homogeneous article using a 3D voxel-based model of the article and a rapid prototyping device. Use of a voxel-based model provides processing advantages and offers improved realism of the manufactured object with regard to non-homogeneous (i) color, (ii) translucency, and/or (iii) hardness, for example.
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Citations
16 Claims
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1. A system for fabricating a non-homogeneous article, the system comprising:
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a design application configured to create a 3D voxel-based model of the non-homogeneous article, wherein the 3D voxel-based model comprises a multi-dimensional array of voxel elements, wherein each voxel element of the multi-dimensional array of voxel elements is assigned one or more values representing one or more physical properties M; and a rapid prototyping machine for fabrication of the non-homogeneous article, wherein said rapid prototyping machine is configured to fabricate the non-homogeneous article via additive manufacturing using the 3D voxel-based model, wherein the rapid prototyping machine is configured to fabricate the non-homogenous article using one or more materials; and the one or more physical properties of the voxel elements of the multi-dimensional array of voxel elements correspond to properties of a plurality of 3D dots of the non-homogeneous article, wherein for each 3D dot of the plurality of 3D dots, a respective transfer function T(M) identifies at least one of the one or more materials to produce a material having the respective one or more physical properties of the respective 3D dot; wherein fabricating the non-homogenous article comprises curing a resin identified by the transfer function associated with at least a portion of the dots of the plurality of 3D dots, wherein the transfer function associated with the portion of the dots identifies at least one light frequency for curing the respective dot. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4)
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5. A system for fabricating a non-homogenous article, the system comprising:
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a 3D printer configured to fabricate the non-homogenous article; a processor; and a memory having instructions stored thereon, wherein the instructions, when executed, cause the processor to; receive a 3D voxel-based model of the non-homogenous article, wherein the 3D voxel-based model comprises a multi-dimensional array of voxel elements, wherein each voxel element of the multi-dimensional array of voxel elements is assigned one or more values representing one or more physical properties; based upon the 3D voxel-based model, define a plurality of 3D dots, wherein each dot of the plurality of 3D dots comprises a respective one or more physical properties, wherein the respective one or more physical properties are defined at a resolution of the 3D printer, and the plurality of 3D dots, upon agglomeration as one or more materials deposited by the 3D printer, are configured to produce the shape of the non-homogenous article; determine, for each 3D dot of the plurality of 3D dots, a respective transfer function T(M), wherein the respective transfer function identifies the one or more materials, and the one or more materials, when deposited by the 3D printer, are configured to produce a closest matching material to a material having the one or more prescribed physical properties associated with the respective 3D dot; and provide instructions to the 3D printer, based upon the plurality of 3D dots, to produce the non-homogenous article; wherein the 3D printer is configured to deposit each dot of the plurality of 3D dots as the one or more materials, and producing the non-homogenous article comprises curing a resin identified by the transfer function associated with at least a portion of the dots of the plurality of 3D dots, wherein the transfer function associated with the portion of the dots identifies at least one light frequency for curing the respective dot. - View Dependent Claims (6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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Specification