Method for building three-dimensional objects with extrusion-based layered deposition systems

• US 7,555,357 B2
• Filed: 01/31/2006
• Issued: 06/30/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 01/31/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Stratasys Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Stratasys Incorporated
• Inventors: Holzwarth, Donald J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Bahta; Kidest
• Assistant Examiner(s): Laughlin; Nathan
• Application Number:
  US11/343,355
• Publication Number:
  US 20070179657A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,246 Days
• Field of Search: 700118-119, 700/184, 700/98, 264219-220, 264/401
• US Class Current: 700/119
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 64/106 using only liquids or viscous materials, e.g. depositing a continuous bead of viscous material
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 64/118 using filamentary material being melted, e.g. fused deposition modelling [FDM]
• CPC Class Codes: B33Y 50/02 for controlling or regulating additive manufacturing processes

Abstract

A method of forming a three-dimensional object using an extrusion-based layered deposition system, the method comprising generating a build path for building a layer of the three-dimensional object, where the build path defines a void region. The method further comprising generating at least one intermediate path in the void region, and generating a remnant path based at least in part on the at least one intermediate path.

Claims

1. A method of forming a three-dimensional object using an extrusion-based layered deposition system, the method comprising:

generating a build path for building a layer of the three-dimensional object, wherein the build path defines a void region;

generating at least one intermediate path in the void region;

determining dimensions of the void region based at least in part on the at least one generated intermediate path; and

generating a remnant path in the void region based at least in part on the at least one intermediate path, wherein the remnant path comprises deposition rates that are configured to vary based on the determined dimensions of the void region.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one intermediate path is generated based on a road width resolution limit that is higher than a road width resolution used to generate the build path.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one intermediate path comprises a raster path.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the raster path comprises a plurality of raster legs, and wherein determining the dimensions of the void region comprises:

determining center points of the raster legs; and

determining void widths of the void region at the center points.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising assigning the deposition rates to the center points.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one intermediate path comprises a first raster path and a second raster path, wherein the first raster path is offset at a rotational angle from the second raster path.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

depositing first deposition roads according to the generated build path to form the layer of the three-dimensional object having a cavity corresponding to the defined void region; and

depositing the second deposition road in at least part of the cavity according to the generated remnant path.

8. A method of forming a three-dimensional object using an extrusion-based layered deposition system, the method comprising:

generating a build path for building a layer of the three-dimensional object, the build path being based on a first road width resolution;

identifying a void region in the build path;

determining dimensions of the void region; and

generating a remnant path in the void region, wherein the remnant path comprises deposition rates that are configured to vary based on the determined dimensions of the void region.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the dimensions of the void region are determined based at least in part on a second road width resolution that is a higher resolution than the first road width resolution.

10. The method of claim 8 further comprising generating an intermediate path in the void region based on the second road width resolution.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the intermediate path comprises a raster path.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the raster path comprises a plurality of raster legs, and wherein determining the dimensions of the void region comprises:

determining center points of the raster legs; and

determining void widths of the void region at the center points.

13. The method of claim 8, further comprising generating a first raster path and a second raster path, wherein the first raster path is offset at a rotational angle from the second raster path.

14. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

depositing first deposition roads according to the generated build path to form the layer of the three-dimensional object having a cavity corresponding to the defined void region; and

depositing the second deposition road in at least part of the cavity according to the generated remnant path.

15. A method of forming a three-dimensional object using an extrusion-based layered deposition system, the method comprising:

generating a build path for building a layer of the three-dimensional object with a plurality of first deposition roads based on a first road width resolution, wherein the build path defines a void region having dimensions that are smaller than the first road width resolution along at least one axis; and

generating a remnant path in the void region for filling at least pan of a cavity corresponding to the defined void region with a second deposition road based on deposition rates that are configured to vary based on the dimensions of the void region.

16. The method of claim 15 further comprising generating an intermediate path in the void region.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the intermediate path comprises a raster path.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the raster path comprises a plurality of raster legs, and wherein generating the remnant path comprises:

determining center points of the raster legs;

determining void widths of the void region at the center points; and

determining the remnant path based at least in part on the center points and the void widths.

19. The method of claim 15, further comprising generating a first raster path and a second raster path, wherein the first raster path is offset at a rotational angle from the second raster path.