Method, apparatus and system for quality assessment of object produced by at least one three-dimensional printer

Abstract

To provide a method for quality assessment of an object produced by at least one three-dimensional printer using a three-dimensional printing process.SOLUTION: There is provided a computer-implemented method for quality assessment, comprising: receiving, via an input unit (4), input data of at least one production parameter related to production of an object; comparing, via a processing unit (5), a received at least one production parameter with at least one predetermined required production parameter range; determining, via the processing unit (5), a print quality based on a degree of agreement between the production parameter and a predetermined required production parameter range; and providing, via an output unit (6), a quality assessment result. There are also provided a device (2) for quality assessment of a produced object, a system for providing quality assessment, a computer program, and a storage medium.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 4

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to 3D printing. In particular, the present invention relates to a computer-implemented method, a corresponding apparatus, a corresponding system, a computer program, and a computer-readable storage medium for quality assessment of an object manufactured by at least one 3D printer using a 3D printing process. [Background technology]

[0002] 3D printing technology can and has been used to produce a wide variety of objects. Depending on the intended use of the printed object, high precision may be required of the printed object, for example in terms of dimensions and / or materials.

[0003] The accuracy of a printed object can be compromised, for example, by a loss of printer calibration, which can result in a printed part not meeting the required specifications. Because the 3D printing process consists of multiple steps, multiple possible sources of error can affect the production of an object. Because printing complex parts can take hours to complete and / or use many raw materials, producing an object that meets the required specifications is particularly important, as discarding an object that does not meet the required specifications would be very costly. Summary of the Invention

[0004] It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a method for quality assessment of an object manufactured by at least one 3D printer, a corresponding device and a corresponding system.

[0005] The object of the present invention is solved by the subject matter of the independent claims, further embodiments are incorporated in the dependent claims.

[0006] According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a computer-implemented method for quality assessment of an object manufactured by at least one 3D printer using a 3D printing process.

[0007] In this context, quality refers in particular to meeting the required specifications of the object, i.e., the precision of the printed object, including the dimensions of the object, the material of the object, the material properties of the object such as stiffness, the mechanical properties of the object, and / or the optical properties of the object.

[0008] The object can be any type of object that can be produced by a 3D printer, for example a part or portion of a larger composite object, with dimensions ranging from a few microns to several meters, and can be made of any type of material suitable for 3D printing, in particular polymers or metals.

[0009] The 3D printing process can be any type of 3D printing process, specifically material extrusion, particle deposition, photopolymerization printing, powder bed printing, additive manufacturing, powder fed printing, or electron beam manufacturing. Examples of possible 3D printing file formats include .STP, IGES, STL, X3D, COLLADA, VRML, OBJ, PLY, and AMF. The printing file is a structural drawing of the object to be printed and is converted into a machine file that can use G-code. The machine file is used to control the 3D printing process.

[0010] The method according to the present invention may be executed locally on the 3D printer, on a server in a print farm including multiple 3D printers, or at a remote location. The latter is particularly useful when a customer wants to evaluate the quality of an object produced according to their specifications, or when the owner of a 3D print file allows the file to be used on demand. In the latter case, the 3D print file may be encrypted, and quality assessment may be possible only for the producer of the 3D print file.

[0011] According to the method, input data of at least one manufacturing parameter related to the manufacturing of the object is received, in particular by an input unit, which may be, for example, an interface directly connected to the 3D printer or a network interface that receives the input data via a wired or wireless network connection, for example the Internet.

[0012] The received at least one manufacturing parameter is then compared with at least one predetermined required manufacturing parameter range. The predetermined required manufacturing parameter range may be manually determined based on parameter ranges known to produce printed objects that meet the required specifications. Additionally or alternatively, the predetermined required manufacturing parameter range may be determined by machine learning techniques, particularly self-improving machine learning systems. Input data for machine learning may be a set of manufacturing parameters and measured specifications of objects manufactured using the manufacturing parameters, and may be provided by a database or via a user interface. A data-driven machine learning model is then parameterized according to a training dataset, which is based on the input data and a set of corresponding target parameters. The data-driven machine learning model may then be used to determine a manufacturing parameter range. The determined manufacturing parameter range may then be provided to a method for quality assessment, for example, via a communication interface. The predetermined required manufacturing parameter range may be a higher-dimensional parameter range that takes into account correlations between certain manufacturing parameters. As an example, multiple different polymers may be used in a material extrusion 3D printing process, each of which requires a different temperature range for heating the polymer. Additionally, the predetermined manufacturing parameter ranges may vary depending on the type of printer, and to take this into account, the data-driven machine learning model may have the printer type as an input parameter and / or different data-driven machine learning models may be used for different printer types.

[0013] The comparison of the received at least one production parameter with the at least one predetermined required production parameter range is in particular performed by a processing unit, which is connected to the input unit.

[0014] Next, print quality is determined based on the degree of match between at least one manufacturing parameter and at least one predetermined required manufacturing parameter range. The degree of match can be measured on a scale ranging from complete match, over partial match, to complete mismatch. As an example, if the predetermined required manufacturing parameter range is 80 to 120, a manufacturing parameter of 100 can be determined as a complete match, a manufacturing parameter of 120 can be determined as a partial match, and a manufacturing parameter of 150 can be determined as a complete mismatch. Print quality is determined using the degree of match between all of the at least one manufacturing parameter and all of the predetermined required manufacturing parameters, and weights can be assigned to each manufacturing parameter. As an example, humidity in a 3D printer is less important than the type of raw material used, and therefore humidity can be assigned a smaller weight than the raw material. Another example of a critical manufacturing parameter is print speed for metal filament printing. If the print speed is too fast, the printed object will be porous and mechanical stability will be compromised. Another example of a critical manufacturing parameter is the presence of disruptions during the printing process, which can cause misalignments that can impair, for example, optical quality, and material parameters of polymers and metals, which can affect the tensile strength, yield strength, and elongation at break of the printed object.

[0015] The determination of the print quality is in particular also performed by the processing unit, more particularly directly after a comparison of the at least one production parameter with at least one predetermined required production parameter. Furthermore, the determination of the print quality can also be performed by image recognition of an image of the printed object.

[0016] Finally, a quality assessment result of the object is provided. The quality assessment result can be provided, in particular, while the object is being printed. Thus, measures can be taken before the object has finished printing, i.e., before a significant amount of 3D printer time and / or raw materials have been used. In other words, this method avoids discarding a fully printed object at the end of the printing process, saving time, raw materials, and costs.

[0017] Providing the quality assessment result of the object is performed in particular by an output unit, which may be a graphical user interface of the 3D printer and connected to the processing unit, or alternatively, the output unit may be a network interface, broadcasting the quality assessment result of the object to a remote location via a wired or wireless connection.

[0018] According to one embodiment, the method further includes calibrating at least one 3D printer based on the provided quality assessment results. The calibration is performed, in particular, by adjusting processing parameters of a control unit of the 3D printer. Calibration of the at least one 3D printer is particularly necessary when the quality assessment results indicate that the object specifications are not met. In particular, the calibration may include adjusting the settings of the 3D printer so that the adjusted settings cause the manufacturing parameters to assume values ​​indicative of higher quality. To perform the calibration of the 3D printer, it is necessary to know the dependency of the manufacturing parameters on the printer settings. Calibrating the 3D printer, in particular early in the 3D printing process, can avoid printing an object of poor quality and allow the object to be printed with manufacturing parameters known to lead to high print quality.

[0019] According to one embodiment, the method further includes aborting the production of the object based on the provided quality assessment results. The abort is performed, in particular, if at least one parameter of the quality assessment results is outside a predetermined range. This is particularly useful when it is determined that the 3D printer cannot be calibrated to achieve the required print quality. In this case, more severe changes must be made to achieve the required print quality. Aborting the production of the object is also useful when it is determined that the quality of the previously printed portions of the object is poor and that the calibration of the 3D printer will not result in an object of acceptable quality overall. In this case, the previously printed portions of the object are discarded, and a new printing process is started with the calibrated 3D printer.

[0020] Therefore, depending on the quality assessment results, it may be advisable to calibrate the 3D printer or to stop the manufacturing process, in either case avoiding the discarding of a perfectly manufactured object of poor quality, saving time, raw materials and costs.

[0021] According to one embodiment, the method further includes inspecting the manufactured object based on the provided quality assessment results. The inspection is performed, in particular, based on at least one parameter of the quality assessment results, in terms of whether the at least one parameter is within a predetermined range for the at least one parameter. This is useful, for example, when the quality assessment results indicate that the quality of the printed object may simply meet the required specifications. If the manufactured object is a test object specially manufactured to evaluate print quality based on the manufacturing parameters, inspection of the manufactured object is also performed. The inspection of such a test object can be used as feedback for adjusting the required manufacturing parameter range, in particular, when the inspection results of the test object do not match the quality assessment results.

[0022] According to one embodiment, the method further includes automatically rejecting the manufactured object based on the provided quality assessment results. Such automatic rejection may occur, for example, at the end of the manufacturing process if the quality assessment results determine that the manufactured object does not meet the required specifications. As another example, automatic rejection may occur when the manufactured object is transferred to another manufacturing plant for further processing. In either example, rejection of the manufactured object results in the manufactured object not being used for further processing, so that the final (composite) object comprises only manufactured objects that meet the required specifications, and the final (composite) object itself meets the specified specifications. The rejected manufactured object may, for example, be discarded, reused, or recycled.

[0023] According to one embodiment, the at least one manufacturing parameter is at least one of a group including a material parameter, an environmental parameter, and a printing parameter. The material parameter is, for example, the composition of the raw material and / or specific material properties of the raw material, such as melting temperature, density, color, stiffness, etc. The environmental parameter may include environmental temperature, air pressure, humidity, and / or atmospheric composition. The environmental parameter may be measured in the print space, at the 3D printer location, in the room where the 3D printer is installed, and / or in the cabinet where the raw material is stored. As an example, the temperature at the 3D printer location is important for determining the additional heating required to melt the raw material, but also for determining the time it takes for the printed part to cool. As another example, the composition of the atmosphere in both the print space and the cabinet where the raw material is stored may be important, for example, because metals may require a protective atmosphere to prevent oxidation. The printing parameters may include the version of software installed on the printer, the date of the last calibration, the date and time of the last service, the temperature at the print head, for example, the feed rate, the adjustment rate, the reconfiguration rate, the retraction method, the print layer height, and / or the print layer density.

[0024] According to one embodiment, at least one manufacturing parameter is acquired during a print run. In particular, printing parameters and environmental parameters within the print space are most useful when acquired during a print run, as they reflect the current printing process. Additionally or alternatively, at least one manufacturing parameter is acquired before a print run. This may be important, for example, for the composition of the atmosphere within a cabinet in which raw materials are stored, because, for example, oxidation of metals during storage may occur over a longer period of time if the metals are not stored under a protective atmosphere.

[0025] According to one embodiment, at least one 3D printer is integrated into a print farm. The print farm comprises multiple 3D printers. To print an object, a 3D printer is selected from the multiple 3D printers based on the 3D printer's ability to print the object, particularly with respect to quality, size, and / or material. If multiple 3D printers in the print farm are capable of printing the object, the selection between the 3D printers can be based on availability, print speed, cost, and / or quality. The quality assessment method can be performed on each of the 3D printers individually. However, it is preferable to perform the method centrally for all 3D printers in the print farm or remotely for all 3D printers in the print farm. In that case, only one processing unit is needed to determine print quality, thus reducing extra load.

[0026] According to one embodiment, the object is marked with a unique identifier based on the quality assessment result. The unique identifier can be a barcode, a QR code, or another type of code, preferably machine-readable. The unique identifier may include a serial number that allows each printed object to be uniquely identified. The unique identifier may be issued only to objects printed with a print quality that meets the required specifications determined based on the quality assessment result. In this way, objects that meet the required print quality can be easily recognized. The unique identifier may also include information about the quality assessment result, such as a numerical score.

[0027] According to one embodiment, an object is linked to at least one production parameter using a unique identifier. In particular, a database containing both the unique identifier and the at least one production parameter may exist. Therefore, based on the unique identifier marked on the object, the database can be accessed and the at least one production parameter of the object can be retrieved. The database may, for example, contain all of the at least one production parameter for all times during the printing process, i.e., the at least one production parameter in chronological order, but it may also contain only a selection of the at least one production parameter and / or only a selection of the time at which the at least one production parameter is provided, a time average of the at least one production parameter, and / or other characteristics of the at least one production parameter, such as a minimum value, a maximum value, or a standard deviation. This can be used, for example, to later prove that the object was printed with a print quality that meets the required specifications and to provide corresponding production parameters. Knowledge of the production parameters can also be used to determine the cause of defects in the printed object. The production parameters stored in the database can also be used at a later date to perform another quality assessment or automatically issue a certificate of conformity for the manufactured object. Additionally, additional data can be added to the database, for example, via user input or a digital interface, at any time, i.e., before, during, and / or after the manufacture of the object.

[0028] According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided an apparatus for quality assessment of an object produced by at least one 3D printer using a 3D printing process, the apparatus comprising an input unit, a processing unit and an output unit, the input unit, the processing unit and the output unit being configured to perform the method according to the above description.

[0029] In particular, the input unit is configured to receive input data for at least one manufacturing parameter related to the manufacturing of the object. The input unit may be an interface directly connected to the 3D printer or a network interface that receives input data via a wired and / or wireless network connection. In the latter case, the input unit may be configured to receive input data from two or more 3D printers. The network connection may be a local network connection within a print farm or the Internet. The input unit may further include a user interface that allows a user to select which 3D printer and / or which object to perform the quality assessment on.

[0030] The processing unit may particularly comprise at least one processor, which may be configured, in particular by programming, to compare the received at least one manufacturing parameter with at least one predetermined required manufacturing parameter range, and may particularly be configured to determine, in particular calculate, print quality based on the degree of match between the at least one manufacturing parameter and the at least one predetermined required manufacturing parameter range.

[0031] The output unit may be configured to provide the quality assessment results, particularly while the object is being printed. The output unit may be, for example, a graphical user interface in a 3D printer for outputting the quality assessment results directly to a user. Alternatively, the output unit may be a network interface configured to broadcast the quality assessment results of the object to a remote location, for example, a central data interface, via a wired or wireless connection.

[0032] According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a system for providing a quality assessment of an object manufactured by at least one 3D printer using a 3D printing process. The system includes an apparatus according to the above description and a web server. The web server is configured to interface with a user, and the system is configured to provide a graphical user interface to the user. The interfacing with the user and providing the graphical user interface to the user may be performed via a web page provided by the web server and / or via an application program. Providing a graphical user interface to a user, particularly a remote user, allows the user to assess the quality of an object printed by the 3D printer regardless of where the user and the 3D printer are located. Thus, the user can assess the quality of an object printed according to their order and / or their specifications. In particular, the printed object can be shipped to a third party without requiring additional quality control by the user.

[0033] According to another aspect of the invention, there is provided a computer program comprising instructions which, when the program is executed by an apparatus, in particular a processor of the apparatus, according to the above description and / or by a system according to the above description, cause the apparatus and / or system to carry out a method according to the above description.

[0034] According to another aspect of the present invention there is provided a computer readable storage medium, which may for example be a CD-ROM, USB stick or hard drive, containing instructions which, when executed by an apparatus according to the above description and / or a system according to the above description, cause the apparatus and / or system to carry out a method according to the above description.

[0035] These and other aspects of the invention will be apparent from and elucidated with reference to the embodiments described by way of example in the following description and with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: FIG. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0036] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram illustrating an embodiment of a 3D printer and a quality evaluation device. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a flow chart illustrating one embodiment of a computer-implemented method for quality assessment. [Figure 3] FIG. 3 is a flowchart of another embodiment of a computer-implemented method for quality assessment. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram illustrating one embodiment of a print farm and quality evaluation system. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0037] It should be noted that the drawings are purely diagrammatic and are not drawn to scale. In the drawings, elements corresponding to elements already described may have the same reference numerals. Examples, embodiments, or any features, whether shown as non-limiting, are not to be understood as limiting the claimed invention.

[0038] Figure 1 shows a schematic diagram of a 3D printer 1 and an apparatus 2 for quality assessment of an object 3 produced by the 3D printer 1. The 3D printer 1 can use any kind of 3D printing process, such as material extrusion, particle deposition, photopolymerization printing, powder bed printing, additive manufacturing, powder fed printing or electron beam manufacturing, among others.

[0039] The 3D printer 1 is connected to an apparatus 2 for quality assessment of an object 3 produced by the 3D printer 1. The apparatus 2 comprises an input unit 4, a processing unit 5 and an output unit 6.

[0040] The input unit 4 is configured to receive input data of at least one manufacturing parameter related to the manufacturing of the object 3. In particular, the input unit 4 receives many manufacturing parameters. The manufacturing parameters may include material parameters, environmental parameters, and printing parameters. The material parameters are, for example, the composition of the raw material and / or specific material properties of the raw material, such as melting temperature, density, color, stiffness, etc. The environmental parameters may include environmental temperature, air pressure, humidity, and / or atmospheric composition. The printing parameters may include the version of the software installed on the 3D printer 1, the date of the last calibration, the date and time of the last service, the temperature at the printing head, for example, the feed rate, adjustment rate, reconfiguration rate, retraction method, printed layer height, and / or printed layer density.

[0041] In Figure 1, the input unit 4 is connected directly to the 3D printer 1. Alternatively, the input unit 4 may be a network interface that receives input data via a wired or wireless network connection.

[0042] The processing unit 5 includes at least one processor, not shown here for clarity, configured to compare at least one manufacturing parameter received by the input unit 4 with at least one predetermined required manufacturing parameter range. The predetermined required manufacturing parameter range may be determined manually based on parameter ranges known to produce a printed object 3 that meets the required specifications. Additionally or alternatively, the predetermined required manufacturing parameter range may be determined by machine learning techniques. The predetermined required manufacturing parameter range may be given for each parameter individually, or may be a higher-dimensional range that takes into account correlations between certain manufacturing parameters.

[0043] The processing unit 5 is further configured to determine a print quality based on a degree of match between the at least one manufacturing parameter received by the input unit 4 and at least one predetermined required manufacturing parameter range.

[0044] The output unit 6 is configured to receive the quality assessment from the processing unit 5 and to provide the quality assessment results. In the embodiment of Fig. 1, the output unit 6 is a network interface and is configured to broadcast the quality assessment results to a computer 7 located nearby or remotely from the apparatus 2. This broadcasting can be performed via a wired and / or wireless network connection. Alternatively, the output unit can be, for example, a graphical user interface located directly on the 3D printer 1.

[0045] 2 shows a flowchart of an embodiment of a computer-implemented method 100 that can be executed by the apparatus 2. As a first step, input data of at least one manufacturing parameter is received (101), particularly via the input unit 4. Next, the received at least one manufacturing parameter is compared (102), particularly via the processing unit 5, with at least one predetermined required manufacturing parameter. Based on the degree of match between the at least one manufacturing parameter and the at least one predetermined required manufacturing parameter range, particularly via the processing unit 5, a print quality is determined (103). Finally, a quality assessment result of the object 3 is provided (104), particularly via the output device 6.

[0046] A flowchart of another, more elaborate embodiment of a computer-implemented method 100 that may be executed by the apparatus 2 is shown in Figure 3. If the provided (104) quality assessment results indicate that the printed object 3 matches the required specifications (105), printing of the object 3 continues. In particular, as printing of the object 3 progresses, further input data is received (101). At the end of the 3D printing, if the quality assessment results match the required specifications (105), the object 3 is marked with a unique identifier (106). The unique identifier may be a barcode or a QR code and may contain information about the quality assessment results and / or may be used to link the object 3 to at least one manufacturing parameter thereof.

[0047] On the other hand, if the provided quality assessment results indicate (107) that the printed object 3 does not conform to the required specifications, several options exist, depending in particular on the extent of the discrepancy (107): If the discrepancy (107) is such that it can be corrected by calibrating the 3D printer 1, and the portions of the object 3 printed so far are of acceptable quality, the 3D printer is calibrated (108) and printing continues; thus, the object 3 can be printed in conformance with the required specifications.

[0048] However, if the discrepancy (107) is such that it cannot be corrected by 3D printer calibration (108), production of object 3 is stopped (109) and the portion of object 3 printed so far is discarded, saving the 3D printer 1 time and raw materials, since no object 3 that does not meet the required specifications will be printed to completion.

[0049] FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram illustrating one embodiment of a print farm 8 and a quality assessment system 9. The print farm 8 comprises multiple 3D printers 1 and multiple cabinets 10 in which raw materials for 3D printing are stored. Production parameters from the 3D printers and cabinets 10 are received by an input unit 4 of the device 2. Other production parameters, such as environmental parameters collected by sensors 11 in the rooms of the print farm 8, may also be received by the input unit 4. Examples of sensors 11 include oxygen sensors, temperature sensors, humidity sensors, and / or cameras, and images captured by the cameras may be processed by image recognition techniques.

[0050] The apparatus 2 is incorporated into a system 9 for quality assessment of an object 3 produced by the 3D printer 1. The system 9 further comprises a web server 12 configured to interface with a user, for example via the user's computer 7. In particular, the web server 12 provides the user with a graphical user interface, allowing the user to access and control the quality of the object 3 printed by the 3D printer 1 according to the user's order and / or specifications.

[0051] It should be noted that embodiments of the present invention are described with reference to different subject matters. In particular, some embodiments are described with reference to method-type claims, and other embodiments are described with reference to apparatus-type claims. However, from the above and following description, a person skilled in the art will understand that, unless otherwise specified, any combination of features belonging to one type of subject matter, as well as any combination between features related to different subject matters, is disclosed in the present application. However, all features can be combined to provide a synergistic effect that is greater than the simple sum of the features.

[0052] While the invention has been illustrated and described in detail in the drawings and the foregoing description, such illustration and description are illustrative or exemplary and not restrictive. The invention is not limited to the disclosed embodiments. Other variations to the disclosed embodiments can be understood and effected by those skilled in the art in practicing the claimed invention, from a study of the drawings, the disclosure, and the dependent claims. In the claims, the word "comprising" does not exclude other elements or steps, and the indefinite article "a" or "an" does not exclude a plurality. A single processor or other unit may fulfill the functions of several items recited in a claim. The mere fact that certain measures are recited in mutually different dependent claims does not indicate that a combination of these measures cannot be used to advantage. Any reference signs in the claims are not to be construed as limiting their scope.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for quality assessment of an object (3) manufactured by at least one 3D printer (1) using a 3D printing process, said method (100) comprising: receiving (101) input data of at least one manufacturing parameter related to the manufacturing of an object (3); comparing (102) the received at least one production parameter with at least one predetermined required production parameter range corresponding to said at least one production parameter; determining (103) print quality based on a degree of agreement between at least one manufacturing parameter and at least one predetermined required manufacturing parameter range; providing (104) a quality assessment result for said object (3); Including, The at least one manufacturing parameter is: material parameters, which are the composition of the raw material and / or specific material properties of the raw material; Environmental parameters measured in the print space of the 3D printer (1), at the location where the 3D printer (1) is installed, and / or at the location where raw materials are stored; and Printing parameters are required specifications for printing by the 3D printer (1). A computer-implemented method, which is at least one of the group comprising:

2. calibrating (108) the at least one 3D printer (1) based on the provided quality assessment results; The computer-implemented method of claim 1 further comprising:

3. A step (109) of discontinuing the manufacture of the object (3) based on the provided quality assessment results. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 further comprising:

4. Inspecting the manufactured object (3) based on the provided quality assessment results. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 further comprising:

5. - automatically rejecting the manufactured object (3) based on the provided quality assessment results; The computer-implemented method of claim 1 further comprising:

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the at least one manufacturing parameter is obtained during and / or before a print run.

7. 2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the at least one 3D printer (1) is integrated into a print farm (8).

8. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the object (3) is marked (106) with a unique identifier based on the quality assessment result.

9. 9. The computer-implemented method of claim 8, wherein the object (3) is marked (106) with a barcode or a QR code based on the quality assessment result.

10. 9. The computer-implemented method of claim 8, wherein the object (3) is linked to at least one manufacturing parameter of the object (3) using the unique identifier.

11. 2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the step of receiving input data (101) is performed via an input unit (4).

12. 2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the step of comparing (102) the received at least one production parameter with at least one predetermined required production parameter range is performed via a processing unit (5).

13. 2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein determining (103) print quality based on a degree of agreement between at least one production parameter and at least one predetermined required production parameter range is performed via a processing unit (5).

14. 2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein providing (104) a quality assessment result for the object (3) is performed via an output unit (6).

15. 1. An apparatus for quality assessment of an object (3) manufactured by at least one 3D printer (1) using a 3D printing process, said apparatus comprising: an input unit (4); a processing unit (5); Output unit (6) and Equipped with An apparatus, wherein the input unit (4), the processing unit (5) and the output unit (6) are configured to perform the method (100) of any one of claims 1 to 14.

16. 16. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the processing unit (5) comprises at least one processor.

17. 1. A system for providing a quality assessment of an object (3) manufactured by at least one 3D printer (1) using a 3D printing process, said system comprising: A device (2) according to claim 15, a web server (12) configured to interface with a user; Equipped with The system (9) is configured to provide a graphical user interface to a user.

18. 18. The system of claim 17, wherein the web server (12) is configured to interface with users via one or both of web pages and application programs provided by the web server (12).

19. 18. The system of claim 17, wherein the system (9) is configured to provide a graphical user interface to the user by means of one or both of a web page and an application.

20. A computer program comprising instructions that, when executed by the device (2) of claim 15, cause the device (2) to perform the method (100) of any one of claims 1 to 14.

21. 21. A computer program according to claim 20, wherein the program is executed by a processor of the device (2).

22. A computer readable storage medium comprising instructions that, when executed by the device (2) of claim 15, cause the device (2) to perform the method (100) of any one of claims 1 to 14.

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