Encoded consumable materials and sensor assemblies for use in additive manufacturing systems
First Claim
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1. A method for building a three-dimensional model with an additive manufacturing system, the method comprising:
- providing a marked filament to the additive manufacturing system, the marked filament comprising volume-increment markings that are offset from each other along a longitudinal length of the marked filament by increment lengths that vary to define segments of the filament having volumes that are substantially the same;
feeding the marked filament to an extrusion head liquefier retained by the additive manufacturing system;
reading the volume-increment markings of the fed marked filament with an optical sensor assembly retained by the additive manufacturing system;
transmitting signals relating to the read volume-increment markings from the optical sensor assembly to a control component of the additive manufacturing system;
melting the marked filament to at least an extrudable state in the extrusion head liquefier;
depositing the melted material from the extrusion head liquefier to form the three-dimensional model in a layer-by-layer manner; and
adjusting a feed rate of the marked filament to the extrusion head liquefier based in part on the transmitted signals relating to the volume-increment markings.
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Abstract
A consumable material and sensor assembly for use in an additive manufacturing system, the consumable material comprising an exterior surface having encoded markings that are configured to be read by the sensor assembly, where the consumable material is configured to be consumed in the additive manufacturing system to build at least a portion of a three-dimensional model.
67 Citations
20 Claims
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1. A method for building a three-dimensional model with an additive manufacturing system, the method comprising:
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providing a marked filament to the additive manufacturing system, the marked filament comprising volume-increment markings that are offset from each other along a longitudinal length of the marked filament by increment lengths that vary to define segments of the filament having volumes that are substantially the same; feeding the marked filament to an extrusion head liquefier retained by the additive manufacturing system; reading the volume-increment markings of the fed marked filament with an optical sensor assembly retained by the additive manufacturing system; transmitting signals relating to the read volume-increment markings from the optical sensor assembly to a control component of the additive manufacturing system; melting the marked filament to at least an extrudable state in the extrusion head liquefier; depositing the melted material from the extrusion head liquefier to form the three-dimensional model in a layer-by-layer manner; and adjusting a feed rate of the marked filament to the extrusion head liquefier based in part on the transmitted signals relating to the volume-increment markings. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. A method for building a three-dimensional model with an additive manufacturing system, the method comprising:
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providing a marked filament to the additive manufacturing system, the marked filament comprising volume-increment markings that are offset from each other along a longitudinal length of the marked filament to define a plurality of segments of the filament, wherein the plurality of segments of the filament comprise; a first segment having a first increment length and a first volume; and a second segment having a second increment length and a second volume, wherein the first increment length is different from the second increment length, and the first volume is substantially the same as the second volume; feeding the marked filament to an extrusion head liquefier retained by the additive manufacturing system; reading the volume-increment markings of the fed marked filament with an optical sensor assembly retained by the additive manufacturing system; transmitting signals relating to the read volume-increment markings from the optical sensor assembly to a control component of the additive manufacturing system; melting the marked filament to at least an extrudable state in the extrusion head liquefier; depositing the melted material from the extrusion head liquefier to form the three-dimensional model in a layer-by-layer manner; and adjusting a feed rate of the marked filament to the extrusion head liquefier based in part on the transmitted signals relating to the volume-increment markings. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A method for building a three-dimensional model with an additive manufacturing system, the method comprising:
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providing a supply source of a marked filament to the additive manufacturing system, the marked filament comprising volume-increment markings that are offset from each other along a longitudinal length of the marked filament by increment lengths that vary to define segments of the filament having volumes that are substantially the same; feeding the marked filament from the supply source to an extrusion head liquefier retained by the additive manufacturing system; reading the volume-increment markings of the fed marked filament with an optical sensor assembly located between the supply source and the extrusion head liquefier; transmitting signals relating to the read volume-increment markings from the optical sensor assembly to a control component of the additive manufacturing system; extruding a material of the marked filament from the extrusion head liquefier to form the three-dimensional model in a layer-by-layer manner; and adjusting a feed rate of the marked filament to the extrusion head liquefier based in part on the transmitted signals relating to the volume-increment markings. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification