Design and manufacture materials with desired properties from base materials with defined properties

Abstract

The present invention is a design and fabrication of a material with desired properties from a base material with defined properties. In an object generation system, the available base materials are characterized in a characterization process, wherein the object generation system can use a plurality of base materials thus characterized. By using a computer or computing device, processing user input representing a desired object and a set of characteristics of the desired object to derive a map of placement locations of portions of the plurality of base materials such that when the desired When the mapping is provided to an object generator, the generated object approximates the user input representing the desired object and the set of properties. The characterization of the base material may include the elasticity of the base material, the user input may be the desired shape and elasticity, the object generator may be a 3D multi-material printer and serve as the As a result of being constructed from multiple materials, the resulting object may at least approximate the desired shape and the desired elasticity.

Description

[0001] Cross References to Related Applications [0002] This non-provisional application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Application No. 61 / 307,833, filed February 24, 2010, entitled "Design and Fabrication of Materials with Desired Deformation Behavior," 35 USC § 119(e), hereby referenced by any destination to include its entire contents. technical field [0003] The present invention relates generally to an object fabrication system, and in particular, to object fabrication using a plurality of base materials, and a device capable of placing base materials on command from a computer or electronic device. Background technique [0004] Many objects have properties that depend on the material from which they are constructed. For example, marble statues are hard, while feather pillows are soft. Typically, the properties of an object are assumed to be fixed and determined by its construction. For example, the color of a loaf of bread is expected to be white, brown, or ...

AI Technical Summary

Problems solved by technology

Although with some constraints, it is possible to send a set of computer instructions to a 3D printer to print objects of arbitrary shape, even objects that cannot be manufactured using manual object-making techniques such as casting, carving, milling, etc.

[0007] 3D printers have been used to generate prototypes, models and antiques, but are limited in that although the final shape of an object can be arbitrarily specified by a computer (or a user using a computer interface to a 3D printer), the object will be uniform, as it is made from whatever output material (resin, plastic, etc.) the particular printer uses

Of course, the problem is simple if the desired properties are those provided by the available materials, but often users have more complex needs

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