3D printing data processing and image switching method

Abstract

The invention relates to a 3D printing data processing and image switching method, and belongs to the field of 3D printing, and the method comprises the following steps: S1, model acquisition: 3D scanning acquisition and software design acquisition; s1.1, a laser 3D scanner is used for scanning the part, structured light is projected to the surface of the part to form reflection, and a reflected structured light pattern is collected by a camera; according to the 3D printing data processing and image switching method, the laser 3D scanner is adopted for scanning the part, so that reverse modeling can be achieved, the method is suitable for 3D printing of existing parts, the labor intensity of workers during 3D printing of the existing parts is effectively reduced, the 3D printing steps are reasonably optimized, and the working efficiency is improved. The 3D part in the printing process is detected in real time through the camera and the sensor, so that printing can be stopped at the first time after the 3D part has flaws, remelting repair is conducted, printing is started again until it is detected that no abnormity exists, and consumption of printing materials is reduced.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to the technical field of 3D printing, and in particular to a 3D printing data processing and image switching method. Background Art

[0002] 3D printing, also known as additive manufacturing, is a new manufacturing technology that uses powdered metal, plastic, ceramic and other bondable materials to construct objects by stacking them layer by layer based on digital model files. It is completely different from traditional subtractive manufacturing. It does not require molds and can quickly transform virtual 3D designs into real physical entities, greatly shortening the product development cycle and giving designers and manufacturers unprecedented creative freedom. 3D printing uses any of the methods of photocuring, fused deposition modeling, selective laser sintering or electron beam melting to print materials into 3D shapes. 3D printing is not subject to the geometric constraints of traditional manufacturing processes and can easily achieve complex organic shapes, hollow structures, and internal lattice designs.

[0003] In the current existing technology, the 3D printing process includes modeling, data processing, printing and post-processing steps, and the 3D modeling of parts is designed through 3D modeling software. However, the existing 3D printing process of parts is relatively cumbersome, which increases the labor intensity of the staff. In addition, the printing of 3D parts requires waiting until the parts are completely printed before they can be taken out to determine whether the parts have defects, which results in a large waste of materials. Therefore, a 3D printing data processing and image switching method is proposed to solve the above problems. Summary of the invention

[0004] In view of the shortcomings of the prior art, the present invention provides a 3D printing data processing and image switching method, which has the advantages of reverse modeling and timely remelting and repair, and solves the 3D printing process including modeling, data processing, printing and post-processing steps. The 3D modeling of parts is designed through 3D modeling software. However, the existing 3D printing process of parts is more cumbersome, thereby increasing the labor intensity of the staff. Moreover, the printing of 3D parts requires waiting until the parts are completely printed before they can be taken out to determine whether the parts have defects, thereby causing a large waste of materials.

[0005] To achieve the above object, the present invention provides the following technical solution: a 3D printing data processing method, comprising the following steps:

[0006] S1 model acquisition includes 3D scanning acquisition and software design acquisition;

[0007] S1.1 uses a laser 3D scanner to scan the part. The structured light is projected onto the surface of the part to form a reflection. The reflected structured light pattern is collected by the camera. The depth information of the part surface is calculated based on the collected reflected light pattern and the triangulation principle, and then point cloud data is generated.

[0008] S1.2 downsamples the collected original point cloud data, and pre-processes the point cloud data by merging or deleting redundant or redundant points within a certain range based on gridding and random sampling methods;

[0009] S1.3 The pre-processed point cloud data is processed by GeomagicWrap software to convert the point cloud data into a polygonal mesh model;

[0010] S2 model repair and optimization;

[0011] S2.1 Import the model into the 3D printing preprocessing software Meshmixer, which automatically detects geometric errors and repairs them with one click;

[0012] S2.2 uses a topology optimization algorithm to remove redundant materials, simulate the stress of parts and generate a honeycomb internal structure. Then, the model surface is refined through the smoothing tool of the software to control the natural and smooth transition of the model appearance.

[0013] S2.3 Accurately adjust the size of the 3D model according to the actual size of the part;

[0014] S3 slicing processing and printing;

[0015] S3.1 Slice the 3D model into multiple two-dimensional slices along the Z-axis direction to form slices, and the slicing method adopts an equal-interval slicing method;

[0016] S3.2 After slicing is completed, use software to convert each slice information into a G code that can be recognized by the 3D printer, then send the G code to the 3D printer and print the part completely.

[0017] Preferably, the software design acquisition in the S1 model acquisition can select any of 3D modeling software such as SolidWorks, Blender and 3dsMax to independently design the 3D model.

[0018] Preferably, the size of the 3D model can be adjusted by using a scaling method and a specific axial size modification method in the S2 model repair and optimization.

[0019] Another technical problem to be solved by the present invention is to provide a 3D printing image switching method, comprising the following steps:

[0020] S1 Image switching during printing;

[0021] S1.1 In multi-color 3D printing scenarios, the printed image is switched according to the slice layer information to achieve layer-by-layer switching operations with different appearance effects;

[0022] S1.2 Real-time monitoring: using cameras and sensors to observe the molding status of printed 3D parts in real time, and to remelt and repair defective parts of 3D parts;

[0023] Image switching during S2 preview;

[0024] S2.1 Use the visual preview window provided by the 3D printing software to switch between different perspectives to view the model and observe the internal structure;

[0025] S2.2 utilizes the interactive operation function of the 3D printing software to click on the characteristic parts of the 3D model and automatically switch to display the image display window associated with it.

[0026] Preferably, a computer is included for reading instructions of the 3D printing image switching method, wherein the instructions of the 3D printing image switching method are used to enable the 3D printer to execute the slicing processing and printing steps in the 3D printing data processing method.

[0027] Compared with the prior art, the present invention provides a 3D printing data processing and image switching method, which has the following beneficial effects:

[0028] 1. The 3D printing data processing and image switching method can realize reverse modeling by scanning the parts with a laser 3D scanner, which is suitable for 3D printing of existing parts and effectively reduces the labor intensity of workers during 3D printing of existing parts. The 3D printing steps are reasonably optimized, and the 3D modeling software is used for design and modeling, which can be suitable for newly designed parts, thereby further increasing the scope of application of the 3D printing data processing and image switching method.

[0029] 2. The 3D printing data processing and image switching method uses cameras and sensors to perform real-time detection of 3D parts during the printing process, so that printing can be stopped and remelted as soon as defects appear in the 3D parts, and printing can be restarted after no abnormalities are detected, thereby reducing the consumption of printing materials and reducing the cost of 3D printed parts. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0030] The following will be combined with the embodiments of the present invention to clearly and completely describe the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention. Obviously, the described embodiments are only part of the embodiments of the present invention, not all of the embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by ordinary technicians in this field without creative work are within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0031] In this embodiment, the 3D printing data processing method includes the following steps:

[0032] S1 model acquisition includes 3D scanning acquisition and software design acquisition;

[0033] S1.1 uses a laser 3D scanner to scan the part. The structured light is projected onto the surface of the part to form a reflection. The reflected structured light pattern is collected by the camera. The depth information of the part surface is calculated based on the collected reflected light pattern and the triangulation principle, and then point cloud data is generated.

[0034] S1.2 downsamples the collected original point cloud data, and pre-processes the point cloud data by merging or deleting redundant or redundant points within a certain range based on gridding and random sampling methods;

[0035] S1.3 The pre-processed point cloud data is processed by GeomagicWrap software to convert the point cloud data into a polygonal mesh model;

[0036] Among them, S1 model acquisition can use any 3D modeling software SolidWorks, Blender and 3dsMax to independently design 3D models, and it is realized that laser 3D scanners are preferred for model acquisition when printing existing parts, and 3D modeling software is preferred for printing new designed parts;

[0037] It should be noted that the structured light scanner of the laser 3D scanner projects a specific pattern of light onto the surface of the object, calculates the three-dimensional coordinates or point cloud data by analyzing the deformation of the reflected light, converts it into a polygonal mesh model through software processing, and finally exports it into a printable format;

[0038] S2 model repair and optimization;

[0039] S2.1 Import the model into the 3D printing preprocessing software Meshmixer, which automatically detects geometric errors and repairs them with one click;

[0040] Geometric errors include non-manifold geometry, broken faces, self-intersections, and dangling edges. The software provides methods for filling broken faces and splitting overlapping faces to meet printing specifications.

[0041] It should be noted that after the geometric error is repaired, the wall thickness detection and repair are required to check whether the model wall thickness is uniform and meets the requirements of the 3D printer. The software can be used to mark the abnormal wall thickness area and adjust the wall thickness to the appropriate range through operations such as stretching and offset.

[0042] S2.2 uses a topology optimization algorithm to remove redundant materials, simulate the stress of parts and generate a honeycomb internal structure. Then, the model surface is refined through the smoothing tool of the software to control the natural and smooth transition of the model appearance.

[0043] Among them, simulating the stress of parts and generating a honeycomb internal structure can effectively reduce the amount of material used and shorten the printing time;

[0044] S2.3 Accurately adjust the size of the 3D model according to the actual size of the part;

[0045] S3 slicing processing and printing;

[0046] S3.1 Slice the 3D model into multiple two-dimensional slices along the Z-axis direction to form slices, and the slicing method adopts an equal-interval slicing method;

[0047] S3.2 After slicing is completed, use the software to convert each slice information into a G code that the printer can recognize, then send the G code to the 3D printer and print the part completely.

[0048] Among them, when the model has overhanging parts, support structures need to be added to ensure smooth printing. The software automatically identifies the overhanging areas and generates corresponding tree-like and columnar supports.

[0049] By adopting the above technical solution, it is possible to 3D print existing parts and newly designed parts in different ways, and by adopting the topology optimization algorithm, it is possible to effectively reduce the material consumption and shorten the printing time.

[0050] In this embodiment, the 3D printing image switching method includes the following steps:

[0051] S1 Image switching during printing;

[0052] S1.1 In multi-color 3D printing scenarios, the printed image is switched according to the slice layer information to achieve layer-by-layer switching operations with different appearance effects;

[0053] S1.2 Real-time monitoring: using cameras and sensors to observe the molding status of printed 3D parts in real time, and to remelt and repair defective parts of 3D parts;

[0054] If the camera and sensor find a defect in a certain area, such as an uneven surface or abnormal material accumulation, the control system can urgently interrupt the current printing process and switch to the image corresponding to the preset repair program. For example, it can switch to a low-flow rate, high-temperature printing instruction set to perform local remelting repair on the defective part, and then switch back to the original printing program.

[0055] Image switching during S2 preview;

[0056] S2.1 Use the visual preview window provided by the 3D printing software to switch between different perspectives to view the model and observe the internal structure;

[0057] S2.2 utilizes the interactive operation function of the 3D printing software to click on the characteristic parts of the 3D model and automatically switch to display the image display window associated with it.

[0058] In addition, a computer is included for reading instructions of the 3D printing image switching method, and the instructions of the 3D printing image switching method are used to enable the 3D printer to execute the slicing processing and printing steps in the 3D printing data processing method.

[0059] By adopting the above technical solution, it is possible to monitor whether there are defects in parts in real time during the 3D printing process, and repair the defects in time, and then perform 3D printing operations after the repairs are completed, which can effectively avoid material waste caused by the scrapping of parts due to printing defects.

[0060] Although embodiments of the present invention have been shown and described, it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that various changes, modifications, substitutions and variations may be made to the embodiments without departing from the principles and spirit of the present invention, and that the scope of the present invention is defined by the appended claims and their equivalents.

Claims

1. A 3D printing data processing method, characterized in that: The following steps are involved: S1 model acquisition includes 3D scanning acquisition and software design acquisition; S1.1 uses a laser 3D scanner to scan the part. The structured light is projected onto the surface of the part to form a reflection. The reflected structured light pattern is collected by the camera. Based on the collected reflected light pattern and the principle of triangulation, the depth information of the part surface is calculated, and then point cloud data is generated. S1.2 downsamples the collected original point cloud data, and preprocesses the point cloud data by merging or deleting redundant or redundant points within a certain range based on gridding and random sampling methods; S1.3 The pre-processed point cloud data is processed by GeomagicWrap software to convert the point cloud data into a polygonal mesh model; S2 model repair and optimization; S2.1 Import the model into the 3D printing preprocessing software Meshmixer, which automatically detects geometric errors and repairs them with one click; S2.2 uses a topology optimization algorithm to remove redundant materials, simulate the stress of parts and generate a honeycomb internal structure. Then, the model surface is refined through the smoothing tool of the software to control the natural and smooth transition of the model appearance. S2.3 Accurately adjust the size of the 3D model according to the actual size of the part; S3 slicing processing and printing; S3.1 Slice the 3D model into multiple two-dimensional slices along the Z-axis direction to form slices, and the slicing method adopts an equal-interval slicing method; S3.2 After slicing is completed, use software to convert each slice information into a G code that can be recognized by the 3D printer, then send the G code to the 3D printer and print the part completely.

2. The 3D printing data processing method according to claim 1, characterized in that; The software design acquisition in the S1 model acquisition can use any of the 3D modeling software SolidWorks, Blender and 3dsMax to independently design the 3D model.

3. The 3D printing data processing method according to claim 1, characterized in that: In the repair and optimization of the S2 model, the size of the 3D model can be adjusted by using a scaling method and a specific axial size modification method. 4.3D printing image switching method, characterized in that: The following steps are involved: S1 Image switching during printing; S1.1 In multi-color 3D printing scenarios, the printed image is switched according to the slice layer information to achieve layer-by-layer switching operations with different appearance effects; S1.2 Real-time monitoring: using cameras and sensors to observe the molding status of printed 3D parts in real time, and to remelt and repair defective parts of 3D parts; Image switching during S2 preview; S2.1 Use the visual preview window provided by the 3D printing software to switch between different perspectives to view the model and observe the internal structure; S2.2 utilizes the interactive operation function of the 3D printing software to click on the characteristic parts of the 3D model and automatically switch to display the image display window associated with it.

5. The 3D printing image switching method according to claim 4, characterized in that: It also includes a computer for reading instructions of the 3D printing image switching method, and the instructions of the 3D printing image switching method are used to enable the 3D printer to execute the slicing processing and printing steps in the 3D printing data processing method.