Systems and methods for construction of an instruction set for three-dimensional printing of a user-customizableimage of a three-dimensional structure

• US 9,802,364 B2
• Filed: 10/18/2012
• Issued: 10/31/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 10/18/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: 3D Systems, Inc. (3D Systems Corporation)
• Original Assignee: 3D Systems, Inc. (3D Systems Corporation)
• Inventors: Danks, Mark Edward
• Primary Examiner(s): Ali, Mohammad
• Assistant Examiner(s): Azad, Md
• Application Number:
  US13/654,578
• Publication Number:
  US 20130096708A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,839 Days
• Field of Search: 700 98, 700118, 700159, 700160, 700193, 382 10, 382 23, 382 15, 380 21, 380 28, 380 54, 493 35, 493 32, 493 94, 493 95, 345 41- 42, 345 44, 345 61- 63, 283 2, 283 4, 283 34, 219 12, 118 66- 67, 40 12, 358 1
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 64/386 Data acquisition or data processing for additive manufacturing
• 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: G06F 30/00 Computer-aided design [CAD]

Abstract

Systems and methods for construction of an instruction set for three-dimensional printing of a user-customizable image of a three-dimensional structure are provided. Methods can include receiving user input for customizing an image of a three-dimensional structure, control circuitry constructing an instruction set for the customized image of the three-dimensional structure, and control circuitry rendering the instruction set into a printable file usable by a three-dimensional printer.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving user input data via a user interface device for customizing an image of a three dimensional structure displayed on the user interface device,

wherein receiving the user input data for customizing the image of the three-dimensional structure includes receiving locations for placing objects on the image of the three-dimensional structure, the customized image of the three-dimensional structure being composed of core geometry;

control circuitry constructing an instruction set for the customized image of the three dimensional structure, and recreating the customized image of the three-dimensional structure for display on the user interface device using the instruction set, as the user input data is received via the user interface device, the instruction set for the customized image including a hierarchical skeleton of the three-dimensional structure, and a list of the core geometry of which the customized image of the three-dimensional structure is composed, and excluding the core geometry; and

control circuitry rendering the instruction set into a printable file having a computer-aided design (CAD) file format usable by a three-dimensional printer, rendering of the instruction set including creation of new geometry that conforms to one or more three-dimensional printing requirements.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the receiving locations for placing objects on the image of the three-dimensional structure includes receiving locations for placing decals on the image of the three-dimensional structure.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the control circuitry constructing the instruction set includes creating the list of the core geometry of the customized image of the three-dimensional structure.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein creating the list of the core geometry includes creating a list of properties associated with the customized image of the three-dimensional structure.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein creating the list of properties associated with the customized image of the three-dimensional structure includes creating a list of rotation, position, scale, and color values of the customized image of the three-dimensional structure.

6. The method of claim 4 wherein creating the list of properties associated with the customized image of the three-dimensional structure includes creating a list of properties associated with each of the image of the three-dimensional structure, an image of offset structures, and images of objects placed on the image of the three-dimensional structure.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein creating the list of properties associated with the images of objects placed on the three-dimensional structure includes storing at least one of position or scale of each of the images of objects in a normalized UV space.

8. The method of claim 1 further comprising transmitting the printable file to a three-dimensional printer.

9. The method of claim 1 further comprising three dimensionally printing a structure corresponding to the customized image of the three dimensional structure, the structure being three-dimensionally printed from the printable file.

10. A system comprising:

at least one programmable processor; and

a non-transitory computer readable medium storing executable control software that, in response to execution by the at least one programmable processor, causes the system to at least;

receive user input via a user interface device for customizing an image of a three-dimensional structure displayed on the user interface device, wherein the system being caused to receive user input includes being caused to receive locations for placing objects on the image of the three-dimensional structure, the customized image of the three-dimensional structure being composed of core geometry;

construct an instruction set for the customized image of the three-dimensional structure, and recreate the customized image of the three-dimensional structure for display on the user interface device using the instruction set, as the user input data is received via the user interface device, the instruction set for the customized image including a hierarchical skeleton of the three-dimensional structure, and a list of the core geometry of which the customized image of the three-dimensional structure is composed, and excluding the core geometry; and

render the instruction set into a printable file having a computer-aided design (CAD) file format usable by a three-dimensional printer, render of the instruction set including creation of new geometry that conforms to one or more three-dimensional printing requirements.

11. The system of claim 10 wherein the system being caused to receive locations for placing objects includes being caused to receive locations for placing decals on the image of the three-dimensional structure.

12. The system of claim 10 wherein the system being caused to construct the instruction set includes being caused to create the list of the core geometry of the customized image of the three-dimensional structure.

13. The system of claim 12 wherein the system being caused to create the list of the core geometry includes being caused to create a list of properties associated with the customized image of the three-dimensional structure.

14. The system of claim 13 wherein the system being caused to create the list of properties includes being caused to create a list of rotation, position, scale, and color values of the customized image of the three-dimensional structure.

15. The system of claim 13 wherein the system being caused to create the list of properties includes being caused to create a list of properties associated with each of the image of the three-dimensional structure, an image of offset structures, and images of objects placed on the image of the three-dimensional structure.

16. The system of claim 15 wherein the system being caused to create the list of properties associated with the images of objects placed on the three-dimensional structure includes being caused to store at least one of position or scale of each of the images of objects in a normalized UV space.

17. The system of claim 10 wherein in response to execution by the at least one programmable processor, the executable control software further causes the system to transmit the printable file to a three-dimensional printer.

18. The system of claim 10 further comprising a three-dimensional printer configured to three-dimensionally print a structure corresponding to the customized image of the three-dimensional structure, the structure being three-dimensionally printed from the printable file.