Networked three-dimensional printer with web-based video feed

• US 9,430,169 B2
• Filed: 07/24/2012
• Issued: 08/30/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 08/18/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Stratasys Incorporated
• Original Assignee: MakerBot Industries, LLC (Ultimaker BV)
• Inventors: Pettis, Nathaniel B.
• Primary Examiner(s): MINSKEY, JACOB T
• Application Number:
  US13/556,315
• Publication Number:
  US 20120287259A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,498 Days
• Field of Search: 425/145
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B33Y 30/00 Apparatus for additive manufacturing; Details thereof or accessories therefor
• CPC Class Codes: B33Y 40/00 Auxiliary operations or equipment, e.g. for material handling
• CPC Class Codes: B33Y 40/10 Pre-treatment
• 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: B33Y 70/00 Materials specially adapted for additive manufacturing
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/12 Digital output to print unit , e.g. line printer, chain printer
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1203 Improving or facilitating administration, e.g. print management
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1226 Discovery of devices having required properties
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1229 Printer resources management or printer maintenance, e.g. device status, power levels
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1259 Print job monitoring, e.g. job status
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/126 Job scheduling, e.g. queuing, determine appropriate device
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1288 in client-server-printer device configuration
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/603 controlled by characteristics of the picture signal generator or the picture reproducer

Abstract

Three-dimensional fabrication resources are improved by adding networking capabilities to three-dimensional printers and providing a variety of tools for networked use of three-dimensional printers. Web-based servers or the like can provide a single point of access for remote users to manage access to distributed content on one hand, and to manage use of distributed fabrication resources on the other.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

a three-dimensional printer including a build volume;

a video camera directed toward the build volume and configured to provide a video feed of the build volume;

a machine vision system configured to analyze image content to obtain information about the status of a print job on the three-dimensional printer by comparing actual three-dimensional results within the build volume to expected three-dimensional results from a three-dimensional model for the print job, and further configured to provide error detection for the print job and to address a fabrication error based on the comparison prior to completion of the print job;

a processor coupled to the three-dimensional printer, the processor configured to provide a web server that serves a web page displaying the video feed of the build volume; and

a network interface configured to couple the three-dimensional printer and the processor in a communicating relationship with a data network, the web server configured to host a remote user of the three-dimensional printer through the network interface, the web server including a user interface with a display of a visual alert based on the error detection.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein the three-dimensional printer is a fused deposition modeling printer.

3. The system of claim 1 wherein the three-dimensional printer is a stereolithography printer.

4. The system of claim 1 wherein the web server displays status information from one or more sensors of the three-dimensional printer.

5. The system of claim 4 wherein the one or more sensors include a temperature sensor positioned to sense a temperature of a surface of a build platform of the three-dimensional printer.

6. The system of claim 1 wherein the web server is configured to provide queue information for the three-dimensional printer.

7. The system of claim 1 wherein a queue for the three-dimensional printer is stored locally at the three-dimensional printer.

8. The system of claim 1 wherein a queue for the three-dimensional printer is stored at a remote database.

9. The system of claim 1 further comprising a second video camera directed toward other hardware associated with the printer, and to provide a second video feed for display in the web page.

10. The system of claim 1 wherein the network interface includes hardware for short range data communications.

11. The system of claim 10 wherein the network interface include a wired or wireless Ethernet interface.

12. The system of claim 1 wherein the network interface includes a cellular network interface.

13. The system of claim 1 wherein the processor is configured to autonomously connect to a data network to retrieve printable content.

14. The system of claim 1 wherein the processor is configured to respond to a remote request for status of the three-dimensional printer.

15. The system of claim 1 wherein the processor is configured to respond to a remote request for availability of the three-dimensional printer.

16. The system of claim 1 wherein the processor is configured to provide authenticated access to the remote user.

17. The system of claim 1 wherein the processor is configured to provide open access to the remote user.

18. The system of claim 1 further comprising a three-dimensional scanner directed toward the build volume and configured to extract three-dimensional information from the build volume.

19. The system of claim 18 wherein the processor is further configured to obtain status information for the working volume and display the status information on the web page.

20. The system of claim 1 wherein the user interface includes controls for sharing the video feed with a social network platform.