Leveling method and device of stereoscopic printer, storage medium and stereoscopic printer

Abstract

The application discloses a leveling method and device of a stereoscopic printer, a storage medium and the stereoscopic printer, and relates to the technical field of stereoscopic printing. The method comprises the following steps: collecting a first distance from a sensor to a set point on the surface of a printing platform, and collecting second distances from the sensor to a plurality of sampling points on the surface of the printing platform in the same moving plane; calculating compensation heights of a plurality of printing points on the surface of the printing platform according to the first distance and the second distances; and controlling a printing component of the stereoscopic printer to perform height compensation on each printing point according to the compensation heights. The above method can save a lot of leveling time, and also facilitates the increase of more sampling points on the printing platform, and improves the calculation accuracy of the compensation heights of the printing points, so that the height compensation between a nozzle and the printing platform during model printing is more accurate, and the printing effect of the model is better.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of stereoscopic printing technology, and in particular to a leveling method, apparatus, storage medium, and stereoscopic printer for a stereoscopic printer. Background Technology

[0002] Currently, 3D printers commonly use additive manufacturing technology. During the printing process, the model is printed layer by layer. In this case, if the bottom layer of the model is not printed properly, the overall printing quality will be significantly affected. In 3D printers, the flatness of the printing platform determines the adhesion of the first layer of the model, and the printing quality of the first layer determines the quality of the entire model. Therefore, leveling the 3D printing platform is crucial.

[0003] In existing technologies, printing platform leveling methods are mainly divided into manual leveling and automatic leveling. Manual leveling requires a certain amount of experience and patience from the user, significantly impacting the user experience. Furthermore, manual leveling cannot solve the problem of platform flatness itself. Automatic leveling, through methods such as multi-point contact with the platform, obtains height information from different probe points, then approximates the planar information of the entire platform, and automatically compensates for corresponding values ​​to achieve ideal adhesion for the first layer. However, current automatic leveling technologies require descending along the Z-axis at each probe point, then rising and moving to the next probe position, which is time-consuming. In this case, if there are few probe points, the flatness information of the generated plane will have a large deviation; if there are many probe points, the time consumption will be even greater. Summary of the Invention

[0004] In view of this, this application provides a leveling method, apparatus, storage medium, and 3D printer for a 3D printer, with the main purpose of solving the technical problems of time-consuming and inefficient leveling methods for existing 3D printers.

[0005] According to a first aspect of the present invention, a leveling method for a 3D printer is provided, the method comprising:

[0006] The data is collected from the first distance between the sensor and a set point on the surface of the printing platform, and from the second distance between the sensor and multiple sampling points on the surface of the printing platform on the same moving plane.

[0007] Calculate the compensation height of multiple printing points on the surface of the printing platform based on the first distance and the second distance;

[0008] Based on the compensation height, the printing components of the 3D printer are controlled to perform height compensation at each printing point.

[0009] Optionally, the acquisition of a first distance from the sensor to a set point on the surface of the printing platform, and a second distance from the sensor to multiple sampling points on the surface of the printing platform on the same moving plane, includes: controlling the print head to contact the surface of the printing platform corresponding to the set point, and controlling the print head to move away from the printing platform by a preset height along a first direction, and acquiring the first distance from the sensor to the surface of the printing platform, wherein the sensor is mounted on the print head and moves synchronously; controlling the print head to move relative to the printing platform along a preset sampling path on the same moving plane, and acquiring the second distance from the sensor to each sampling point on the surface of the printing platform during the movement, wherein the sampling points are mapped onto the sampling path along the first direction, and the moving plane is a plane composed of the second direction and a third direction parallel to the movement of the print head relative to the printing platform.

[0010] Optionally, controlling the print head to contact the printing platform surface corresponding to the set point and controlling the print head to move away from the printing platform by a preset height along a first direction, and collecting the first distance from the sensor to the printing platform surface, includes: controlling the print head to contact the printing platform surface corresponding to the set point and controlling the print head to move away from the printing platform by a preset height along a first direction, collecting the first reference voltage sensed by the sensor on the printing platform surface, and obtaining the first distance according to the mapping relationship between the first reference voltage and a preset voltage value and height value; controlling the print head to move relative to the printing platform along a preset sampling path on the same moving plane, and collecting the second distance from the sensor to each sampling point on the printing platform surface during the movement, includes: controlling the print head to move relative to the printing platform along a preset sampling path on the same moving plane, and collecting the second reference voltage sensed by the sensor at each sampling point on the printing platform surface during the movement, and obtaining the second distance according to the mapping relationship between the second reference voltage and a preset voltage value and height value.

[0011] Optionally, a pressure sensor is installed on the print head or print platform to control the print head to contact the print platform surface corresponding to the set point, and to control the print head to move away from the print platform by a preset height along a first direction, including: controlling the print head to move relative to the print platform to the coordinates of the set point in a second direction and in a third direction; controlling the print head to move closer to the print platform along the first direction; if the signal change value of the pressure sensor reaches a set threshold, then controlling the print head to move away from the print platform by a preset height along the first direction.

[0012] Optionally, the compensation height of multiple printing points on the printing platform surface is calculated based on the first distance and the second distance, including: calculating the coordinates of each sampling point in the first direction based on the difference between the first distance and the second distance; dividing the printing platform surface into at least one sampling area based on the coordinates of each sampling point in the second direction and the coordinates in the third direction; calculating the coordinates of multiple printing points in the first direction in each sampling area based on the coordinates of each sampling point in the first direction in each sampling area; and obtaining the compensation height of multiple printing points on the printing platform surface based on the coordinates of each printing point in the first direction.

[0013] Optionally, the printing platform surface is divided into at least one sampling region based on the coordinates of each sampling point in the second direction and the coordinates in the third direction, including: determining every two sampling points to be connected based on the coordinates of each sampling point in the second direction and the coordinates in the third direction, wherein the two sampling points to be connected are two adjacent sampling points; connecting every two sampling points to be connected to obtain at least one closed pre-selected region; and extending the pre-selected region to the edge position of the printing platform surface for each pre-selected region adjacent to the edge position of the printing platform surface to obtain at least one sampling region.

[0014] Optionally, the compensation height of multiple printing points on the surface of the printing platform is calculated based on the first distance and the second distance, including: subtracting the first distance from the second distance to obtain the height difference between each sampling point and the set point; fitting a fitting plane parallel to the surface of the printing platform based on the height difference of each sampling point and the coordinates of each sampling point in the second and third directions; and using the values ​​of the first direction corresponding to the coordinates of the second and third directions of the fitting plane as the compensation height of the corresponding second and third direction coordinates.

[0015] Optionally, based on the compensation height, the printing components of the 3D printer are controlled to perform height compensation at each printing point, including: for each printing point on the surface of the printing platform, when the compensation height of the printing point is greater than zero, the print head is controlled to approach the height value corresponding to the compensation height relative to the printing platform along a first direction; when the compensation height of the printing point is less than zero, the print head is controlled to move away from the height value corresponding to the compensation height relative to the printing platform along a first direction.

[0016] According to a second aspect of the present invention, a leveling device for a 3D printer is provided, the device comprising:

[0017] The information acquisition module is used to acquire the first distance from the sensor to a set point on the surface of the printing platform, and the second distance from the sensor to multiple sampling points on the surface of the printing platform on the same moving plane;

[0018] The information processing module is used to calculate the compensation height of multiple printing points on the surface of the printing platform based on the first distance and the second distance;

[0019] The height compensation module is used to control the printing components of the 3D printer to perform height compensation at each printing point based on the compensation height.

[0020] According to a third aspect of the present invention, a storage medium is provided having a computer program stored thereon, which, when executed by a processor, implements the leveling method of the above-described stereo printer.

[0021] According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, a stereo printer is provided, comprising a memory, a processor, and a computer program stored in the memory and executable on the processor, wherein the processor executes the program to implement the leveling method of the stereo printer described above.

[0022] This invention provides a leveling method, apparatus, storage medium, and 3D printer for a 3D printer. First, a first distance is collected from a sensor to a set point on the printing platform surface. Then, the sensor is controlled to collect a second distance from the sensor to multiple sampling points on the printing platform surface on the same moving plane. Based on the first and second distances, the compensation height of multiple printing points on the printing platform surface is calculated. Finally, based on the calculated compensation height, the printing components of the 3D printer are controlled to perform height compensation at each printing point. This leveling method allows the sensor to operate on a single moving plane and collect height information from each sampling point during operation, eliminating the need to raise or lower the sensor during leveling. Compared to existing technologies, this leveling method saves significant leveling time and facilitates the addition of more sampling points on the printing platform, thereby improving the accuracy of the compensation height calculation for the printing points. This ensures more precise height compensation between the nozzle and the printing platform during model printing, resulting in better printing quality.

[0023] The above description is only an overview of the technical solution of this application. In order to better understand the technical means of this application and to implement it in accordance with the contents of the specification, and to make the above and other objects, features and advantages of this application more obvious and understandable, the following are specific embodiments of this application. Attached Figure Description

[0024] The accompanying drawings, which are included to provide a further understanding of the invention and form part of this application, illustrate exemplary embodiments of the invention and, together with their description, serve to explain the invention and do not constitute an undue limitation thereof. In the drawings:

[0025] Figure 1 A flowchart illustrating a leveling method for a 3D printer according to an embodiment of the present invention is shown.

[0026] Figure 2 A flowchart illustrating a leveling method for a 3D printer according to an embodiment of the present invention is shown.

[0027] Figure 3 This diagram illustrates the sampling points and sampling path of a leveling method for a 3D printer provided in an embodiment of the present invention.

[0028] Figure 4 A schematic diagram of the structure of a leveling device for a 3D printer provided in an embodiment of the present invention is shown. Detailed Implementation

[0029] The present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings and embodiments. It should be noted that, unless otherwise specified, the embodiments and features described in the present application can be combined with each other.

[0030] In one embodiment, such as Figure 1 As shown, a leveling method for a 3D printer is provided. Taking the application of this method to the controller of a 3D printer as an example, the method includes the following steps:

[0031] 101. The first distance from the sensor to a set point on the surface of the printing platform, and the second distance from the sensor to multiple sampling points on the surface of the printing platform on the same moving plane.

[0032] The sensor is a non-contact distance sensor that emits different signals based on the distance to the object being sensed, thus confirming the distance between the sensor and the object. The specific type of sensor is not limited; it only needs to detect different distances and generate different signals to determine the distance. For example, it could be a voltage analog sensor. The distance measurement principle of a voltage analog sensor is that when the sensor detects metal at different heights, it outputs different voltage values. The 3D printer can convert the voltage value into a distance value through the mapping relationship between the voltage value and the height value. In this embodiment, the sensor can be mounted on the printing component of the 3D printer using a tooling fixture, such as on the print head. The sensor moves synchronously with the print head. Then, by controlling the movement of the printing component, the sensor can be moved. During the movement of the sensor, the controller can collect the distance between the sensor and various points on the surface of the printing platform. It is understood that the sensor can also be mounted on other components of the 3D printer; this embodiment does not impose specific limitations.

[0033] Specifically, the controller first acquires the first distance from the sensor to a set point on the printing platform surface. This set point can be any point on the printing platform surface, and its location can be preset or randomly selected based on actual conditions. The purpose of determining the set point is to facilitate the determination of the reference height. Subsequently, the controller moves the sensor on the same moving plane and acquires a second distance from the sensor to multiple sampling points on the printing platform surface during this movement. The number of sampling points is at least four. These at least four sampling points determine the plane on which the printing platform surface lies. The location of these sampling points can also be preset or randomly selected. Understandably, to improve the accuracy of the printing point compensation height setting, the number of sampling points can be set as high as possible, for example, around 10-30. These sampling points can be relatively evenly distributed across various locations on the printing platform surface. Through these sampling points, not only can the plane on which the printing platform surface lies be located, but also various points on the uneven surface of the printing platform can be located.

[0034] It should be noted that existing automatic leveling technologies, when collecting height information from sampling points, control the sensor to descend from a sampling point position to ensure that the vertical distance between the sampling point and the sensor is the same as the vertical distance between the set point and the sensor. Then, the compensation height of the current sampling point is determined based on the descent distance of the sensor. After collecting the height information of one sampling point, the sensor is raised and moved to the position of the next sampling point, and the above process is repeated for height detection. However, this leveling method is too time-consuming, especially when there are many sampling points, requiring a lot of time for leveling, resulting in low model printing efficiency. Compared with the existing technology, this embodiment collects the distance from the sensor to each sampling point on the same moving plane, which eliminates the tedious operation of repeatedly raising and lowering the sensor. Especially when there are many sampling points, it does not increase the leveling time, thus effectively improving the efficiency of sampling point height information collection, thereby improving the model printing efficiency.

[0035] 102. Calculate the compensation height of multiple printing points on the surface of the printing platform based on the first distance and the second distance.

[0036] In a 3D printer, a coordinate system is pre-defined, including coordinates in a first direction, a second direction, and a third direction. In this application, the first direction is vertical, while the second and third directions are horizontal. It is understood that due to manufacturing errors, the angle at which the machine is positioned, etc., the first direction may not necessarily be vertical, and the second and third directions may not necessarily be horizontal.

[0037] Specifically, during a leveling process, the coordinates of the set point and the second and third directions of the sampling points are determined. Furthermore, after obtaining the first distance from the sensor to the set point on the printing platform surface and the second distances from the sensor to multiple sampling points on the printing platform surface, the height difference between each sampling point and the set point can be directly calculated. Since the coordinates of the second and third directions of each sampling point are known, a plane parallel to the printing platform surface can be fitted. The value of the third direction of this plane is the compensation height corresponding to each printing point with coordinates in the second and third directions. This compensation height can be negative or positive. It can be understood that for each printing point, if the compensation height is greater than zero, it means the moving plane of the printing point is lower than the moving plane of the set point; if the compensation height is equal to zero, it means the printing point and the set point are on the same moving plane; if the compensation height is less than zero, it means the moving plane of the printing point is higher than the moving plane of the set point.

[0038] In this embodiment, the sampling points are selected points used for sampling. Any coordinate point on the surface of the printing platform can be a printing point, meaning that the point can be used to print the model. The number of sampling points is less than the number of printing points. It is understood that, to improve the accuracy of calculating the compensation height of printing points, before printing the model, multiple model printing points corresponding to the model can be identified. A portion of these model printing points can be directly selected as sampling points for height information collection, so that the compensation height of at least some printing points can be directly measured by sensors, rather than a fitted height, thereby improving the accuracy of calculating the compensation height of printing points. Furthermore, although the surface of the printing platform appears to be a flat plane to the naked eye, it is usually not flat; the height of different points has slight errors, meaning it is uneven. Determining the spatial coordinates of each printing point using the spatial coordinates of the sampling points introduces a certain error. To reduce this error, as many sampling points as possible can be set, such as about 10-30, or even more. This embodiment improves the method of collecting height information from sampling points, which can significantly reduce the time required to collect height information from sampling points, thereby reducing the leveling time and improving the accuracy of calculating the compensation height of the printing points.

[0039] Furthermore, when calculating the compensation height of the printed points, the compensation height of all printed points on the printing platform surface can be calculated, or the compensation height of a portion of all printed points can be calculated, as long as it meets the requirements for subsequent model printing. In one scenario of this embodiment, multiple printed points can be uniformly selected as sampling points for height information collection. Then, based on the difference between the second distance and the first distance from the sensor to each sampling point, the compensation height of each sampling point is obtained. Finally, the compensation heights of these sampling points are directly used as the compensation heights of multiple printed points.

[0040] 103. Based on the compensation height, control the printing components of the 3D printer to perform height compensation at each printing point.

[0041] Specifically, after calculating the compensation height of multiple printing points, the printing components of the 3D printer can be controlled to compensate for a certain height at each printing point by moving closer to or further away from each other, based on the compensation height of each printing point. This ensures that the printing material adheres evenly and stably to the surface of the printing platform. In this embodiment, for each printing point, during the printing task, the movable printing components can be controlled to compensate for a certain height by moving closer to or further away from each other. The movable printing components can be the print head or the surface of the printing platform. For example, if printing point a is 1mm higher than the set point, the corresponding print head and printing platform will be 1mm further apart from the base distance; if printing point b is 0.5mm lower than the set point, the corresponding print head and printing platform will be 0.5mm closer together from the base distance. The base distance is the distance between the print head and the printing platform if the printing platform is a perfectly flat surface. It can be understood that since the print head and printing platform move away from each layer by one layer height, the base distance between the print head and printing platform differs when printing different layers of the model.

[0042] It is understandable that, in the actual printing process, which printing component is controlled to move can be determined according to the model of the 3D printer or the actual situation, and this embodiment does not make specific limitations here.

[0043] The leveling method for a 3D printer provided in this embodiment first acquires a first distance from a sensor to a set point on the printing platform surface. Then, it controls the sensor to acquire a second distance from the sensor to multiple sampling points on the printing platform surface on the same moving plane. Based on the first and second distances, it calculates the compensation height for multiple printing points on the printing platform surface. Finally, based on the calculated compensation height, it controls the printing components of the 3D printer to perform height compensation at each printing point. This leveling method allows the sensor to operate on the same moving plane and acquire height information for each sampling point during operation, eliminating the need to raise or lower the sensor during leveling. Compared to existing technologies, this leveling method saves significant leveling time and facilitates the addition of more sampling points on the printing platform, thereby improving the accuracy of the compensation height calculation for the printing points. This ensures more precise height compensation between the nozzle and the printing platform during model printing, resulting in better printing quality.

[0044] In an optional embodiment, step 101 can be implemented as follows: First, control the print head to contact the surface of the printing platform corresponding to the set point, and control the print head to move away from the printing platform by a preset height along a first direction, collecting the first distance from the sensor to the surface of the printing platform, wherein the sensor is mounted on the print head and moves synchronously. Further, control the print head to move relative to the printing platform along a preset sampling path on the same moving plane, and collect the second distance from the sensor to each sampling point on the surface of the printing platform during the movement, wherein the sampling points are mapped onto the sampling path along the first direction, and the moving plane is a plane parallel to the second direction and a third direction of the print head's movement relative to the printing platform. The first direction, the second direction, and the third direction are directions of a pre-established spatial coordinate system in the 3D printer. Generally, the first direction, the second direction, and the third direction are perpendicular to each other, with the first direction perpendicular to the printing platform and the second and third directions parallel to the printing platform.

[0045] In the above embodiments, a tooling fixture can be used to mount the sensor on the print head. The sensor moves synchronously with the print head, and the distance from the sensor to the surface of the printing platform is greater than the distance from the nozzle to the surface of the printing platform to prevent the sensor from scratching the model during printing. After determining the installation position and height of the sensor, the print head can be zeroed. Zeroing the print head means that after the print head moves relative to the printing platform to the coordinates of the second and third directions corresponding to the set point, the print head is controlled to move closer to the printing platform so that the nozzle on the print head contacts the printing platform. The height coordinate of this contact point can be set as the zero point of the first direction coordinate of the printing platform. Then, the controller can control the print head to move away from the printing platform along the first direction at the set position on the printing platform by a preset height. The preset height can be set to 2mm-10mm, for example, 3mm. The purpose of controlling the print head to move away from the printing platform along the first direction by a preset height is to ensure that the nozzle will not scratch the printing platform when the surface of the printing platform has poor flatness. At this time, the distance from the sensor to the surface of the printing platform can be recorded, and this distance is the first distance from the sensor to the set point on the surface of the printing platform. It can be understood that the first distance is greater than the preset height by which the print head moves away from the print platform along the first direction from its set position on the print platform. For example, if the preset height is 3mm, then the first distance is greater than 3mm.

[0046] Furthermore, after acquiring the first distance from the sensor to a set point on the printing platform surface, the controller can continue to control the print head to move along a preset sampling path on the same moving plane. Each time the print head moves to a sampling point, the controller can acquire the distance from the sensor to that sampling point, i.e., the second distance. The position of each sampling point is mapped onto the sampling path along a first direction to facilitate the acquisition of distance information. Furthermore, after completing the movement along the preset sampling path, the second distance from the sensor to multiple sampling points can be obtained, and the acquired height data can be stored in the 3D printer's storage device. For example, the controller can control the print head to move along a preset sampling path on the same moving plane... Figure 3 The sampling path shown moves from point a to point d, then to point m, and finally to point p. The positions of the 16 sampling points set on the printing platform surface are mapped along the first direction as shown in the diagram. Figure 3On the sampling path shown. Furthermore, each time the print head moves to the mapped position of a sampling point, the controller can acquire the second distance from the sensor to that sampling point. When the print head moves to point p, the controller can acquire the second distance from the sensor to the last sampling point, thus completing the acquisition of distance information for all sampling points. This embodiment, by acquiring the distance from the sensor to each sampling point on the same moving plane, can effectively improve the acquisition efficiency of distance information for sampling points, save leveling time, and thus improve the printing efficiency and printing effect of the model.

[0047] In an optional embodiment, the acquisition of the first distance and the second distance can be achieved by: controlling the print head to contact the surface of the printing platform corresponding to the set point, and controlling the print head to move away from the printing platform by a preset height along a first direction; acquiring a first reference voltage sensed by a sensor on the surface of the printing platform; and obtaining the first distance based on the mapping relationship between the first reference voltage and a preset voltage value and height value. Further, the print head is controlled to move relative to the printing platform along a preset sampling path on the same moving plane, and during the movement, a second reference voltage sensed by a sensor at each sampling point on the surface of the printing platform is acquired; and the second distance is obtained based on the mapping relationship between the second reference voltage and a preset voltage value and height value.

[0048] In the above embodiment, taking the moving printing component as the print head as an example, after the controller controls the print head to move a preset height away from the printing platform along the first direction at a set point, the controller can record the voltage collected by the sensor at this time. This voltage is the first reference voltage sensed by the sensor on the surface of the printing platform. Using the mapping relationship between the sensor's own voltage value and height value, the first reference voltage can be converted into a first distance. Using a similar method, when the controller controls the print head to move to the mapping point of each sampling point in the first direction on the same moving plane, the controller can record the voltage collected by the sensor at this time. This voltage is the second reference voltage sensed by the sensor at the corresponding sampling point on the surface of the printing platform. Similarly, using the mapping relationship between the sensor's own voltage value and height value, the second reference voltage can be converted into a second distance. In this embodiment, the mapping relationship between the voltage value and the height value can be determined according to the sensor's own function and state. For example, the mapping relationship between the voltage value and the height value can be a linear relationship or a non-linear relationship, etc. This embodiment collects reference voltages from sensors at set points and sampling points on the surface of the printing platform, and converts the reference voltages collected by the sensors into a first distance and a second distance, respectively. This can effectively improve the sampling efficiency of the height information of the set points and sampling points, thereby saving leveling time.

[0049] In an optional embodiment, a pressure sensor is installed on the print head or print platform. The print head is controlled to contact the print platform surface corresponding to the set point, and the print head is controlled to move away from the print platform by a preset height along the first direction. This can be achieved by: controlling the print head to move relative to the print platform to the coordinates of the set point in the second direction and the coordinates in the third direction; controlling the print head to move closer to the print platform along the first direction; if the signal change value of the pressure sensor reaches a set threshold, the print head is controlled to move away from the print platform by a preset height along the first direction.

[0050] In the above embodiment, the printhead is controlled to approach the printing platform until it contacts the surface of the printing platform at a designated point. At the instant of contact, a pressure sensor mounted on the printhead or printing platform detects a pressure change and outputs a signal change value. When the controller detects that this signal change value reaches a set threshold, it can control the printhead or printing platform to stop moving. Afterward, the controller can control the printhead to move away from the printing platform along a first direction by a preset height, which can be set to 2mm-10mm, for example, 3mm. This ensures that the nozzles do not scrape against the printing platform when the surface flatness is poor. Since the printhead and printing platform are contact-based sensors, and the contact occurs at a designated point (the zero point of the first direction), the distance from the end of the printhead to the printing platform can be determined.

[0051] Specifically, step 102 can be implemented by subtracting the first distance from the second distance to obtain the height difference between each sampling point and the set point; based on the height difference between each sampling point and the coordinates of each sampling point in the second direction and the third direction, fitting a fitting plane parallel to the surface of the printing platform; and using the values ​​of the first direction corresponding to the coordinates of the second direction and the third direction of the fitting plane as the compensation height for the corresponding coordinates of the second direction and the third direction.

[0052] It is understandable that when fitting a plane based on coordinate points (i.e., height differences), the fitting can be performed using the difference compensation method. Furthermore, since the zero point of the first direction's coordinates is generated by the contact between the printing platform and the print head, the model can be accurately printed by compensating for the height difference during printing.

[0053] In an optional embodiment, step 102 can also be implemented by the following method: calculating the coordinates of each sampling point in the first direction based on the difference between the first distance and the second distance; dividing the printing platform surface into at least one sampling area based on the coordinates of each sampling point in the second direction and the coordinates in the third direction; calculating the coordinates of multiple printing points in the first direction in each sampling area based on the coordinates of each sampling point in the first direction in each sampling area; and obtaining the compensation height of multiple printing points on the printing platform surface based on the coordinates of each printing point in the first direction.

[0054] In the above embodiments, the coordinates of each sampling point in the first direction can be calculated based on the difference between the first distance and the second distance. Specifically, if the first distance is 3mm and the coordinates of the set point in the first direction are 3mm, the coordinates of the first direction are known. If the second distance of a sampling point is 3.5mm, the difference between the second distance and the first distance is 0.5mm, which means that the corresponding printing platform of the sampling point is lower than the moving plane where the set point is located. In this case, the coordinates of the sampling point in the first direction are -0.5mm, i.e., negative 0.5mm. The coordinates of the sampling point in the second direction and the third direction are also known. Since the sampling point is also a printing point, with the coordinates of multiple sampling points known, the coordinates of each printing point on the surface of the printing platform in the first, second, and third directions can be calculated based on the difference compensation. For example, by using the coordinates of four sampling points on the surface of the printing platform in the first, second, and third directions, the coordinates of all printing points on the entire surface of the printing platform in the first, second, and third directions can be calculated. However, as mentioned earlier, the surface of a printing platform is usually not smooth and flat, but rather uneven. To reduce this error, this embodiment divides the entire printing platform surface into at least one sampling region. Then, by using coordinate point fitting, based on the coordinates of each sampling point in each sampling region in the first direction, the coordinates of multiple printing points in each sampling region in the first direction can be calculated, thereby obtaining the compensation height of multiple printing points. It can be understood that the more sampling regions are divided, the more accurate the calculation of the compensation height of each printing point will be. This embodiment improves the accuracy of calculating the compensation height of printing points by dividing the printing platform surface into at least one sampling region and calculating the compensation height of multiple printing points in each sampling region based on the height difference between each sampling point in each sampling region and a set point, thus effectively improving the leveling accuracy and model printing effect.

[0055] In an optional embodiment, the printing platform surface is divided into at least one sampling region based on the coordinates of the sampling points in the second direction and the coordinates in the third direction. This includes: determining every two sampling points to be connected based on the coordinates of each sampling point in the second direction and the coordinates in the third direction, wherein the two sampling points to be connected are two adjacent sampling points; connecting every two sampling points to be connected to obtain at least one closed pre-selected region; and extending the pre-selected region to the edge position of the printing platform surface for each pre-selected region adjacent to the edge position of the printing platform surface to obtain at least one sampling region.

[0056] In the above embodiments, based on the coordinates of each sampling point in the second direction and the coordinates in the third direction, the printing platform surface can be divided into at least one closed pre-selected region. For the region between the pre-selected region and the edge of the printing platform surface, this region can be divided into adjacent pre-selected regions by extending the pre-selected region, thereby ensuring that the divided sampling region covers the entire printing platform surface. For example, such as... Figure 3 As shown, 16 sampling points are set on the surface of the printing platform. By connecting every two adjacent sampling points in the second direction and every two adjacent sampling points in the third direction, nine closed pre-selected regions can be obtained. Among these pre-selected regions, eight pre-selected regions are adjacent to the edge of the printing platform surface. By extending these pre-selected regions to the edge of the printing platform surface, nine sampling regions can be obtained. These nine sampling regions can cover the entire printing platform surface, thereby allowing the calculation of the spatial coordinates of each printing point on the printing platform surface. It is understood that this embodiment does not impose specific limitations on the number, setting method, and connection method of sampling points. This embodiment divides the printing platform surface into at least one sampling region based on the spatial coordinates of each sampling point, which can improve the efficiency of sampling region division, thereby improving the calculation efficiency of the spatial coordinates and compensation height of each printing point on the printing platform surface.

[0057] In an optional embodiment, step 103 can be implemented by the following method: for each printing point on the surface of the printing platform, when the compensation height of the printing point is greater than zero, the print head is controlled to approach the height value corresponding to the compensation height relative to the printing platform along the first direction; when the compensation height of the printing point is less than zero, the print head is controlled to move away from the height value corresponding to the compensation height relative to the printing platform along the first direction; when the compensation height of the printing point is equal to zero, no height compensation is required.

[0058] In the above embodiments, after calculating the compensation height of multiple printing points, the printing components of the 3D printer can be controlled to compensate for a certain height at the corresponding printing points by moving closer to or further away from each other during the printing process, based on the compensation height of each printing point. This ensures that the printing material can adhere evenly and stably to the surface of the printing platform. Specifically, for each printing point on the printing platform surface, if the moving printing component is a print head, when the compensation height of the printing point is greater than zero, the print head can be controlled to move closer to the height corresponding to the compensation height relative to the printing platform along a first direction, so that the nozzle of the print head contacts the printing platform. Finally, the nozzle of the print head is controlled to print on the surface of the printing platform to complete the printing of that point. Furthermore, when the compensation height of the printing point is less than zero, the print head can be controlled to move away from the height corresponding to the compensation height relative to the printing platform along a first direction, so that the nozzle of the print head contacts the printing platform. Finally, the nozzle of the print head is controlled to print on the surface of the printing platform to complete the printing of that point. This process is repeated for each printing point until all printing points are printed. It is understandable that when printing the first layer, the distance between the print head and the printing platform can be equal to or slightly less than the thickness of one layer, which can be set as needed.

[0059] Furthermore, if the printing component is a printing platform, when the compensation height of the printing point is greater than zero, the printing platform can be controlled to move closer to the height value corresponding to the compensation height relative to the print head along the first direction, so that the nozzle of the print head contacts the printing platform. Finally, the nozzle of the print head is controlled to print on the surface of the printing platform to complete the printing of that point. Furthermore, when the compensation height of the printing point is less than zero, the printing platform can be controlled to move away from the height value corresponding to the compensation height relative to the print head along the first direction, so that the nozzle of the print head contacts the printing platform. Finally, the nozzle of the print head is controlled to print on the surface of the printing platform to complete the printing of that point. This process is repeated for each printing point until all printing points are printed. It is understood that when the compensation height of the printing point is equal to zero, no height compensation is required for the print head or the surface of the printing platform. This embodiment, by compensating the height of each printing point individually, allows the printing material to adhere evenly and stably to the surface of the printing platform, thereby improving the adhesion of the first layer of the model and thus improving the overall printing quality of the model.

[0060] Furthermore, as a refinement and extension of the specific implementation of the above embodiments, and to fully illustrate the implementation process of this embodiment, a control method for a 3D printer is provided, such as... Figure 2 As shown, the method includes the following steps:

[0061] 201. Control the print head to contact the surface of the printing platform corresponding to the set point, and control the print head to move away from the printing platform by a preset height along the first direction, and collect the first distance from the sensor to the surface of the printing platform, wherein the sensor is set on the print head and moves synchronously.

[0062] In this scenario, if a pressure sensor is installed on the print head or print platform, the print head is controlled to contact the print platform surface corresponding to a set point, and the print head is controlled to move away from the print platform by a preset height along a first direction. This includes: controlling the print head relative to the print platform to move to the coordinates of the set point in a second direction and a third direction; controlling the print head to move closer to the print platform along the first direction; and if the signal change value of the pressure sensor reaches a set threshold, then the print head is controlled to move away from the print platform by a preset height along the first direction. The first distance from the sensor to the set point on the print platform surface is collected, including: collecting the first reference voltage sensed by the sensor on the print platform surface, and obtaining the first distance based on the first reference voltage and the preset mapping relationship between the voltage value and the height value.

[0063] 202. Control the print head to move relative to the printing platform on the same moving plane along a preset sampling path, and collect the second distance from the sensor to each sampling point on the surface of the printing platform during the movement, wherein the sampling points are mapped on the sampling path along the first direction.

[0064] The moving plane is a plane composed of a second direction parallel to the movement of the printhead relative to the printing platform and a third direction. The second distance from the sensor to each sampling point on the surface of the printing platform includes: acquiring the second reference voltage sensed by the sensor at each sampling point on the surface of the printing platform, and obtaining the second distance based on the second reference voltage and a preset mapping relationship between the voltage value and the height value.

[0065] 203. Calculate the coordinates of each sampling point in the first direction based on the difference between the first distance and the second distance.

[0066] 204. Based on the coordinates of each sampling point in the second direction and the coordinates in the third direction, divide the surface of the printing platform into at least one sampling area.

[0067] The process of dividing the printing platform surface into at least one sampling region includes: determining every two sampling points to be connected based on the coordinates of each sampling point in the second direction and the coordinates in the third direction, wherein the two sampling points to be connected are two adjacent sampling points; connecting every two sampling points to be connected to obtain at least one closed pre-selected region; and extending each pre-selected region to the edge position of the printing platform surface for each pre-selected region adjacent to the edge position of the printing platform surface to obtain at least one sampling region.

[0068] 205. Based on the coordinates of each sampling point in the first direction in each sampling area, calculate the coordinates of multiple printing points in the first direction in each sampling area.

[0069] 206. Based on the coordinates of each printing point in the first direction, obtain the compensation height of multiple printing points on the surface of the printing platform.

[0070] Optionally, steps 203 to 206 can be replaced with the following steps: subtract the first distance from the second distance to obtain the height difference between each sampling point and the set point; based on the height difference between each sampling point and the coordinates of each sampling point in the second and third directions, fit a fitting plane parallel to the surface of the printing platform; use the values ​​of the first direction corresponding to the coordinates of the second and third directions of the fitting plane as the compensation height for the corresponding second and third direction coordinates. By using the values ​​of the first direction corresponding to the coordinates of the second and third directions on the fitting plane as the compensation height for the corresponding second and third direction coordinates, the compensation height of any printing point on the printing platform can be calculated.

[0071] 207. For each printing point on the surface of the printing platform, when the compensation height of the printing point is greater than zero, control the print head to approach the height value corresponding to the compensation height relative to the printing platform along the first direction.

[0072] 208. When the compensation height of the print point is less than zero, control the print head to move away from the print platform along the first direction at the height value corresponding to the compensation height.

[0073] The implementation process and beneficial effects of the above steps can be referred to the descriptions in the previous embodiments, and will not be repeated here. The leveling method for the 3D printer provided in this embodiment can eliminate the tedious operation of repeatedly raising and lowering the sensor by collecting the second distance from the sensor to each sampling point on the same moving plane, especially when a large number of sampling points are set, without increasing the leveling time. In addition, by dividing the printing platform surface into at least one sampling area using sampling points and calculating the compensation height of the printing point in each sampling area, the accuracy of the calculation of the compensation height of the printing point can be effectively improved. Based on this, the above method can effectively reduce the leveling time of the 3D printer and improve the accuracy of the calculation of the compensation height of the printing point, thereby improving the leveling efficiency and leveling accuracy of the model.

[0074] Furthermore, as Figure 1 , Figure 2 The specific implementation of the method shown in this embodiment provides a leveling device for a 3D printer, such as... Figure 3 As shown, the device includes: an information acquisition module 31, an information processing module 32, and a height compensation module 33, wherein:

[0075] Information acquisition module 31 can be used to acquire the first distance from the sensor to a set point on the surface of the printing platform, and the second distance from the sensor to multiple sampling points on the surface of the printing platform on the same moving plane;

[0076] Information processing module 32 can be used to calculate the compensation height of multiple printing points on the surface of the printing platform based on the first distance and the second distance;

[0077] The height compensation module 33 can be used to control the printing components of the 3D printer to perform height compensation at each printing point based on the compensation height.

[0078] In a specific application scenario, the information acquisition module 31 can be used to control the print head to contact the printing platform surface corresponding to the set point, and control the print head to move away from the printing platform by a preset height along a first direction, and acquire the first distance from the sensor to the printing platform surface, wherein the sensor is set on the print head and moves synchronously; control the print head to move relative to the printing platform along a preset sampling path on the same moving plane, and acquire the second distance from the sensor to each of the sampling points on the printing platform surface during the movement, wherein the sampling points are mapped on the sampling path along the first direction, and the moving plane is a plane parallel to the second direction of the print head moving relative to the printing platform and a third direction.

[0079] In a specific application scenario, the information acquisition module 31 can be used to control the print head to contact the surface of the printing platform corresponding to the set point, and control the print head to move away from the printing platform by a preset height along a first direction, acquire the first reference voltage sensed by the sensor on the surface of the printing platform, and obtain the first distance according to the first reference voltage and the preset mapping relationship between the voltage value and the height value; control the print head to move relative to the printing platform on the same moving plane along a preset sampling path, and acquire the second reference voltage sensed by the sensor at each of the sampling points on the surface of the printing platform during the movement, and obtain the second distance according to the second reference voltage and the preset mapping relationship between the voltage value and the height value.

[0080] In specific application scenarios, if a pressure sensor is installed on the print head or the printing platform, the information acquisition module 31 can also be used to control the print head to move relative to the printing platform to the coordinates of the set point in the second direction and the coordinates in the third direction; control the print head to move closer to the printing platform along the first direction; if the signal change value of the pressure sensor reaches a set threshold, control the print head to move away from the printing platform by a preset height along the first direction.

[0081] In a specific application scenario, the information processing module 32 can be used to calculate the coordinates of each sampling point in the first direction based on the difference between the first distance and the second distance; divide the printing platform surface into at least one sampling area based on the coordinates of each sampling point in the second direction and the coordinates in the third direction; calculate the coordinates of multiple printing points in the first direction in each sampling area based on the coordinates of each sampling point in the first direction; and obtain the compensation height of multiple printing points on the printing platform surface based on the coordinates of each printing point in the first direction.

[0082] In a specific application scenario, the information processing module 32 can be used to determine every two sampling points to be connected based on the coordinates of each sampling point in the second direction and the coordinates in the third direction, wherein the two sampling points to be connected are two adjacent sampling points; connect every two sampling points to be connected to obtain at least one closed pre-selected region; for each pre-selected region adjacent to the edge position of the printing platform surface, extend the pre-selected region to the edge position of the printing platform surface to obtain at least one sampling region.

[0083] In specific application scenarios, the information processing module 32 can also be used to subtract the first distance from the second distance to obtain the height difference between each sampling point and the set point; based on the height difference between each sampling point and the coordinates of each sampling point in the second direction and the third direction, fit a fitting plane parallel to the surface of the printing platform; and use the values ​​of the first direction corresponding to the coordinates of the second direction and the third direction of the fitting plane as the compensation height of the corresponding coordinates of the second direction and the third direction.

[0084] In a specific application scenario, the height compensation module 33 can be used to control the print head to approach the height value corresponding to the compensation height relative to the print platform along a first direction when the compensation height of the print point is greater than zero; and to control the print head to move away from the height value corresponding to the compensation height relative to the print platform along a first direction when the compensation height of the print point is less than zero.

[0085] It should be noted that other corresponding descriptions of the functional units involved in the leveling device for a 3D printer provided in this embodiment can be found in [reference needed]. Figure 1 , Figure 2 The corresponding descriptions in [the document] will not be repeated here.

[0086] Based on the above, Figure 1 , Figure 2 Accordingly, this embodiment also provides a storage medium storing a computer program that, when executed by a processor, implements the above-described method. Figure 1 , Figure 2 The leveling method for a 3D printer is shown.

[0087] Based on this understanding, the technical solution of this application can be embodied in the form of a software product. The software product to be identified can be stored in a non-volatile storage medium (such as a CD-ROM, USB flash drive, mobile hard drive, etc.) and includes several instructions to cause a 3D printer (such as a personal computer, server, or network device, etc.) to execute the methods described in the various implementation scenarios of this application.

[0088] Based on the above, Figure 1 , Figure 2 The method shown, and Figure 3 The illustrated embodiment of the leveling device for a 3D printer, in order to achieve the above objectives, also provides a 3D printer for leveling a 3D printer. Specifically, this can be a personal computer, server, smartphone, tablet computer, smartwatch, or other network device, etc. The 3D printer includes a storage medium and a processor; the storage medium stores computer programs and an operating system; the processor executes the computer programs to achieve the above-described... Figure 1 and Figure 2 The method shown.

[0089] Optionally, the 3D printer may also include internal memory, a communication interface, a network interface, a camera, radio frequency (RF) circuitry, sensors, audio circuitry, a Wi-Fi module, a display screen, and input devices such as a keyboard. The communication interface may also include a USB interface, a card reader interface, etc. The network interface may optionally include a standard wired interface or a wireless interface (such as a Wi-Fi interface).

[0090] Those skilled in the art will understand that the 3D printer structure for recognizing operational actions provided in this embodiment does not constitute a limitation on the 3D printer, and may include more or fewer components, or combine certain components, or have different component arrangements.

[0091] The storage medium may also include an operating system and a network communication module. The operating system is a program that manages the aforementioned 3D printer hardware and the software resources to be identified, supporting the operation of the information processing program and other software and / or programs to be identified. The network communication module is used to enable communication between the various components within the storage medium, as well as communication with other hardware and software in the information processing 3D printer.

[0092] Through the above description of the embodiments, those skilled in the art can clearly understand that this application can be implemented using software plus necessary general-purpose hardware platforms, or it can be implemented in hardware. By applying the technical solution of this application, firstly, a first distance is collected from the sensor to a set point on the surface of the printing platform. Then, the sensor is controlled to collect a second distance from the sensor to multiple sampling points on the surface of the printing platform on the same moving plane. Based on the first and second distances, the compensation height of multiple printing points on the surface of the printing platform is calculated. Finally, based on the calculated compensation height, the printing components of the 3D printer are controlled to perform height compensation at each printing point. Compared with the prior art, the above leveling method can save a significant amount of leveling time. It also facilitates adding more sampling points to the printing platform, thereby improving the accuracy of the calculation of the compensation height of the printing points. This ensures that the height compensation between the nozzle and the printing platform is more precise during model printing, resulting in better model printing quality.

[0093] Those skilled in the art will understand that the accompanying drawings are merely schematic diagrams of a preferred embodiment, and the modules or processes shown in the drawings are not necessarily essential for implementing this application. Those skilled in the art will understand that the modules in the apparatus of the embodiment can be distributed within the apparatus of the embodiment as described, or can be modified to be located in one or more apparatuses different from this embodiment. The modules of the above-described embodiment can be combined into one module, or further divided into multiple sub-modules.

[0094] The serial numbers in this application are for descriptive purposes only and do not represent the superiority or inferiority of any particular implementation scenario. The above disclosures are merely a few specific implementation scenarios of this application; however, this application is not limited thereto, and any variations conceived by those skilled in the art should fall within the protection scope of this application.

Claims

1. A leveling method for a 3D printer, characterized in that, Applied to a 3D printer, the method includes: The sensor is used to collect a first distance from a set point on the surface of the printing platform, and a second distance from the sensor to multiple sampling points on the surface of the printing platform on the same moving plane. Calculate the compensation height of multiple printing points on the surface of the printing platform based on the first distance and the second distance; Based on the compensation height, the printing components of the 3D printer are controlled to perform height compensation at each printing point; The sensor is mounted on the print head and moves synchronously. The method for acquiring the second distance includes: controlling the print head to move relative to the printing platform along a preset sampling path on the same moving plane, and acquiring the second distance from the sensor to each sampling point on the surface of the printing platform during the movement. The sampling points are mapped on the sampling path along a first direction, and the moving plane is a plane composed of the second direction of the print head moving relative to the printing platform and a third direction. Wherein, the first direction is perpendicular to the printing platform, and the second direction and the third direction are parallel to the printing platform.

2. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that, The method for acquiring the first distance includes: The print head is controlled to contact the surface of the printing platform corresponding to the set point, and the print head is controlled to move away from the printing platform by a preset height along the first direction, and the first distance from the sensor to the surface of the printing platform is collected.

3. The method according to claim 2, characterized in that, The control of the print head to contact the surface of the printing platform corresponding to the set point, and the control of the print head to move away from the printing platform by a preset height along a first direction, and to collect the first distance from the sensor to the surface of the printing platform, includes: The print head is controlled to contact the surface of the printing platform corresponding to the set point, and the print head is controlled to move away from the printing platform by a preset height along the first direction. The first reference voltage sensed by the sensor on the surface of the printing platform is collected, and the first distance is obtained according to the first reference voltage and the preset mapping relationship between the voltage value and the height value. The control of the print head to move relative to the printing platform along a preset sampling path on the same moving plane, and to collect the second distance from the sensor to each sampling point on the surface of the printing platform during the movement, includes: The print head is controlled to move relative to the printing platform along a preset sampling path on the same moving plane. During the movement, the second reference voltage of each sampling point on the surface of the printing platform sensed by the sensor is collected. The second distance is obtained according to the second reference voltage and the preset mapping relationship between the voltage value and the height value.

4. The method according to claim 2, characterized in that, A pressure sensor is installed on the print head or the print platform. Controlling the print head to contact the surface of the print platform corresponding to the set point and controlling the print head to move a preset height away from the print platform along a first direction includes: Control the print head to move relative to the printing platform to the coordinates of the set point in the second direction and the coordinates in the third direction; Control the print head to move closer to the printing platform along the first direction; If the signal change value of the pressure sensor reaches a set threshold, the print head is controlled to move away from the printing platform by a preset height along the first direction.

5. The method according to claim 2, characterized in that, The step of calculating the compensation height of multiple printing points on the surface of the printing platform based on the first distance and the second distance includes: Based on the difference between the first distance and the second distance, calculate the coordinates of each sampling point in the first direction; The surface of the printing platform is divided into at least one sampling area based on the coordinates of each sampling point in the second direction and the coordinates in the third direction. Based on the coordinates of each sampling point in each sampling area in the first direction, calculate the coordinates of multiple printing points in each sampling area in the first direction; The compensation height of multiple printing points on the surface of the printing platform is obtained based on the coordinates of each printing point in the first direction. The step of dividing the surface of the printing platform into at least one sampling region based on the coordinates of each sampling point in the second direction and the coordinates in the third direction includes: Based on the coordinates of each sampling point in the second direction and the coordinates in the third direction, determine every two sampling points to be connected, wherein the two sampling points to be connected are two adjacent sampling points; Connect every two sampling points to be connected to obtain at least one closed pre-selected region; For each of the pre-selected regions adjacent to the edge position of the printing platform surface, the pre-selected region is extended to the edge position of the printing platform surface to obtain at least one sampling region.

6. The method according to claim 2, characterized in that, The step of calculating the compensation height of multiple printing points on the surface of the printing platform based on the first distance and the second distance includes: Subtracting the first distance from the second distance yields the height difference between each sampling point and the set point. Based on the height difference of each sampling point and the coordinates of each sampling point in the second direction and the third direction, a fitting plane parallel to the surface of the printing platform is fitted. The values ​​of the first direction corresponding to the coordinates of the second and third directions of the fitted plane are used as the compensation heights of the corresponding second and third direction coordinates.

7. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that, The step of controlling the printing components of the 3D printer to perform height compensation at each printing point based on the compensation height includes: For each of the printing points on the surface of the printing platform, when the compensation height of the printing point is greater than zero, the print head is controlled to approach the height value corresponding to the compensation height relative to the printing platform along the first direction. When the compensation height of the printed point is less than zero, the print head is controlled to move away from the printing platform along the first direction from the height value corresponding to the compensation height.

8. A leveling device for a 3D printer, characterized in that, The device includes: The information acquisition module is used to acquire the first distance from the sensor to a set point on the surface of the printing platform, and the second distance from the sensor to multiple sampling points on the surface of the printing platform on the same moving plane; The information processing module is used to calculate the compensation height of multiple printing points on the surface of the printing platform based on the first distance and the second distance; A height compensation module is used to control the printing components of the 3D printer to perform height compensation at each printing point based on the compensation height. The sensor is mounted on the print head and moves synchronously. The information acquisition module is specifically used to: control the print head to move relative to the printing platform along a preset sampling path on the same moving plane, and acquire the second distance from the sensor to each sampling point on the surface of the printing platform during the movement. The sampling points are mapped on the sampling path along the first direction, and the moving plane is a plane parallel to the second direction of the print head's movement relative to the printing platform and the third direction. Wherein, the first direction is perpendicular to the printing platform, and the second direction and the third direction are parallel to the printing platform.

9. A storage medium having a computer program stored thereon, characterized in that, When the computer program is executed by a processor, it implements the steps of the method according to any one of claims 1 to 7.

10. A 3D printer, comprising a memory, a processor, and a computer program stored in the memory and executable on the processor, characterized in that, When the computer program is executed by a processor, it implements the steps of the method according to any one of claims 1 to 7.

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