Method for processing additively manufactured part by robotically moving medium inside part cavity

• US 10,189,211 B2
• Filed: 11/20/2015
• Issued: 01/29/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 01/09/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Incodema3D, LLC
• Original Assignee: Incodema3D, LLC
• Inventors: Volk, Scott, Pinnisi, Michael D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Masinick, Michael D
• Assistant Examiner(s): Dang, Hung H
• Application Number:
  US14/947,751
• Publication Number:
  US 20160200050A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,166 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B24B 31/006 for grinding the interior surfaces of hollow workpieces
• CPC Class Codes: B24B 31/112 using magnetically consolidated grinding powder, moved relatively to the workpiece under the influence of pressure
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 9/12 electric
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 64/386 Data acquisition or data processing for additive manufacturing
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 67/00 Shaping techniques not covered by groups B29C39/00 - B29C65/00, B29C70/00 or B29C73/00
• CPC Class Codes: B33Y 10/00 Processes of 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: G05B 19/4097 characterised by using design data to control NC machines, e.g. CAD/CAM G05B19/4093 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/4099 Surface or curve machining, making 3D objects, e.g. desktop manufacturing
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/35134 3-D cad-cam
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/49007 Making, forming 3-D object, model, surface
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/49008 Making 3-D object with model in computer memory
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 901/02 Arm motion controller
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 901/30 End effector

Abstract

A three dimensional (3D) definition of a build piece, from which a build plan has been derived, is received. The computer system generates, based on the 3D definition, a processing plan that includes a plurality of robotic instructions to successively orient a build piece created by an additive manufacturing process into successive orientations. The computer system outputs the processing plan for use by a robotic controller.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

A method, comprising;

receiving, by a computer system, a three dimensional (3D) definition of a build piece from which a build plan has been derived, the 3D definition comprising a plurality of connected internal cavity sections;

generating, by the computer system, based on the 3D definition, a processing plan that comprises a plurality of robotic instructions to successively robotically move the build piece created by an additive manufacturing process into successive orientations in space, such that;

for each particular connected internal cavity section;

there is one of the successive orientations in the processing plan that corresponds to the particular connected internal cavity section;

the robotic instructions for robotic movement for the corresponding particular internal cavity section are created to ensure that the build piece is moved so that one surface of the corresponding particular connected internal cavity section and a horizontal plane in the space define an angle of constant value, wherein the angle is great enough to cause at least one medium inside the particular connected internal cavity section to have a polishing effect due to the force of gravity moving the medium along the length of the corresponding particular connected internal cavity section, wherein the constant value is the same value for all connected internal cavity sections; and

wherein the robotic instructions to successively orient a build piece into successive orientations specify a plurality of durations, each successive orientation having a corresponding duration at which the build piece is to be held at the successive orientation for a length of the corresponding duration;

outputting, by the computer system, the processing plan for use by a robotic controller;

inputting, by a robotic controller, the processing plan; and

causing, by the robotic controller, a robotic manipulator to execute the processing plan.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the processing plan further comprises instructions to vibrate the build piece.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the 3D definition comprises a cavity with a plurality of sections;

and

wherein each successive orientation corresponds to a section.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the 3D definition comprises a cavity with a plurality of sections;

and

wherein each successive orientation allows at least one medium to move in a section.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising generating robotic instructions to load at least one medium into a cavity of the build piece.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein each duration is calculated based on a length of a corresponding section defined by the 3D definition.

7. A method, comprising:

receiving, by a robotic control system, a processing plan that comprises a plurality of robotic instructions to successively robotically move the build piece created by an additive manufacturing process into successive orientations in space, wherein the processing plan is generated based on a 3D definition of the build piece, the 3D definition comprising a plurality of connected internal cavity sections, wherein;

for each particular connected internal cavity section;

there is one of the successive orientations in the processing plan that corresponds to the particular connected internal cavity section;

the robotic instructions for robotic movement for the corresponding particular internal cavity section are created to ensure that the build piece is moved so that one surface of the corresponding particular connected internal cavity section and a horizontal plane in the space define an angle of constant value, wherein the angle is great enough to cause at least one medium inside the particular connected internal cavity section to have a polishing effect due to the force of gravity moving the medium along the length of the corresponding particular connected internal cavity section, wherein the constant value is the same value for all connected internal cavity sections; and

wherein the robotic instructions to successively orient a build piece into successive orientations specify a plurality of durations, each successive orientation having a corresponding duration at which the build piece is to be held at the successive orientation for a length of the corresponding duration;

causing, by the robotic control system, a communicably coupled robot to successively orient the build piece into successive orientations.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the processing plan further comprises instructions to vibrate the build piece.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein the 3D definition comprises a cavity with a plurality of sections;

and

wherein each successive orientation corresponds to a section.

10. The method of claim 7, wherein the 3D definition comprises a cavity with a plurality of sections;

and

wherein each successive orientation allows at least one medium to move in a section.

11. The method of claim 7, wherein the processing plan further comprises a plurality of robotic instructions to load at least one medium into a cavity of the build piece.

12. The method of claim 7, wherein each duration is calculated based on a length of a corresponding section defined by the 3D definition.

13. A method, comprising:

robotically move, by a robot, a build piece into successive orientations in space, wherein;

the build piece is created by an additive manufacturing process according to a build plan;

the build plan is created based on a (3D) definition of the build piece, the 3D definition comprising a plurality of connected internal cavity sections, wherein;

for each particular connected internal cavity section;

there is one of the successive orientations in the processing plan that corresponds to the particular connected internal cavity section;

the robotic instructions for robotic movement for the corresponding particular internal cavity section are created to ensure that the build piece is moved so that one surface of the corresponding particular connected internal cavity section and a horizontal plane in the space define an angle of constant value, wherein the angle is great enough to cause at least one medium inside the particular connected internal cavity section to have a polishing effect due to the force of gravity moving the medium along the length of the corresponding particular connected internal cavity section, wherein the constant value is the same value for all connected internal cavity sections;

the successive orientations are defined based on the (3D) definition of the build piece, each successive orientation having a corresponding duration at which the build piece is to be held at the successive orientation for a length of the corresponding duration.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising vibrating the build piece.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein the build piece comprises a cavity with a plurality of sections;

and

wherein each successive orientation corresponds to a section.

16. The method of claim 13, wherein the build piece comprises a cavity with a plurality of sections;

and

wherein each successive orientation allows at least one medium to move in a section.

17. The method of claim 13, further comprising loading at least one medium into a cavity of the build piece.

18. A non-transitory computer storage device encoded with computer program instructions that, when executed by one or more processors, cause a computer device to perform operations, comprising:

receiving, by a computer system, a three dimensional (3D) definition of a build piece from which a build plan has been derived, the 3D definition comprising a plurality of connected internal cavity sections;

generating, by the computer system, based on the 3D definition, a processing plan that comprises a plurality of robotic instructions to successively robotically move the build piece created by an additive manufacturing process into successive orientations in space, such that;

for each particular connected internal cavity section;

there is one of the successive orientations in the processing plan that corresponds to the particular connected internal cavity section;

the robotic instructions for robotic movement for the corresponding particular internal cavity section are created to ensure that the build piece is moved so that one surface of the corresponding particular connected internal cavity section and a horizontal plane in the space define an angle of constant value, wherein the angle is great enough to cause at least one medium inside the particular connected internal cavity section to have a polishing effect due to the force of gravity moving the medium along the length of the corresponding particular connected internal cavity section, wherein the constant value is the same value for all connected internal cavity sections; and

wherein the robotic instructions to successively orient a build piece into successive orientations specify a plurality of durations, each successive orientation having a corresponding duration at which the build piece is to be held at the successive orientation for a length of the corresponding duration;

outputting, by the computer system, the processing plan for use by a robotic controller;

inputting, by a robotic controller, the processing plan; and

causing, by the robotic controller, a robotic manipulator to execute the processing plan.

19. The computer storage device of claim 18, wherein the processing plan further comprises instructions to vibrate the build piece.

20. The computer storage device of claim 18, wherein the 3D definition comprises a cavity with a plurality of sections;

and

wherein each successive orientation corresponds to a section.

21. The computer storage device of claim 18, wherein the 3D definition comprises a cavity with a plurality of sections;

and

wherein each successive orientation allows at least one medium to move in a section.

22. The computer storage device of claim 18, wherein the operations further comprise generating robotic instructions to load at least one medium into a cavity of the build piece.

23. The computer storage device of claim 18, wherein each duration is calculated based on a length of a corresponding section defined by the 3D definition.