Computer-controlled selective hardening of 3D printed objects

Abstract

A method for variable hardness in three-dimensional (3D) printing includes receiving metadata associated with a print object as a 3D printed copy of an original object, the metadata including data indicating a level of hardness of a portion of the print object. During 3D printing, a set of parameters including an electrical voltage and duration is applied to the print material to achieve the level of hardness associated with the metadata of the original object. During printing, the level of hardness is measured using an ultrasonic device, and in response to determining that the level of hardness of the portion of the print object differs from the metadata associated with the portion of the original object, the set of parameters for the portion of the print object is adjusted to achieve the target level of hardness indicated by the metadata of the original object.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention generally relates to the field of additive manufacturing, and more particularly to three-dimensional (3D) printing utilizing selective curing of printing materials.

Background Art

[0002] Additive manufacturing techniques include 3D printing in which materials are stacked in multiple layers under computer control to create three-dimensional objects. In conventional manufacturing techniques, objects were often created by machining or removing materials, but in 3D printing, objects are created layer by layer.

[0003] 3D printing has limitations including dependence on accurate and complete data of the object to be printed obtained from object scanners or computer-aided design data. Furthermore, there is also a limitation in efficiently creating printed objects using a single printing material. When multiple materials are required, it is necessary to change the printing nozzle and material supply parts, and additional setup work is also added.

Summary of the Invention

[0004] Embodiments of the present invention disclose a method, a computer program product, and a system. The embodiments include a method for 3D printing that includes a change in the hardness of an object to be printed. The method includes one or more processors that receive metadata associated with an object to be printed as a 3D printed copy of an original object, the metadata including data indicating a level of hardness of a portion of the object to be printed. The one or more processors apply a set of predetermined parameters during 3D printing of the object to be printed, the set of parameters including an electrical voltage and a duration for applying the electrical voltage to a printing material, the set of parameters being associated with a target level of hardness of a portion of the object to be printed indicated by the metadata associated with the 3D printing of the copy of the original object. The one or more processors measure a level of hardness of a portion of the object to be printed by using an ultrasonic device during printing of the printing material onto the object to be printed, and in response to determining that the level of hardness of the portion of the object to be printed is different from the metadata associated with the level of hardness of the portion of the original object, the one or more processors adjust the set of parameters applied to the printing material to achieve the level of hardness of the portion of the object to be printed as indicated by the metadata of the original object.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0005]

Figure 1

Figure 2

Figure 3

Mode for Carrying Out the Invention

[0006] Embodiments of the present invention recognize that 3D printing of an object has limitations associated with printing an object that includes parts requiring various hardnesses. Printing an object with a hardness change currently involves, among other things, problems related to the effective bonding of different materials to produce a stable printed object, the need to change the printing material, clean and prepare the delivery device, and cause a delay in setup time. Embodiments recognize that the delays associated with material changes and setup operations lengthen the 3D printing manufacturing time and prohibit the use of this technology.

[0007] Embodiments also recognize that in some instances, an object includes levels of material hardness to provide structural strength and resistance to impact, while other parts of the object include a softer, more flexible material to accommodate adjustments and movement associated with functionality. One potential area of improvement where a change in hardness within the manufacture of an object is required includes bioprosthetics and requirements related to changes in hardness within objects that may also be applied to several other fields.

[0008] Embodiments of the present invention provide a method, computer program product, and computer system for providing selective curing of a material to a portion of an object being printed during 3D printing. Embodiments apply a low level of electrical voltage (hereinafter, "voltage") over a predetermined duration to achieve a target level of hardness for a portion of the object. The hardness is controlled by dynamically adjusting the applied voltage and duration. In embodiments, the degree of hardness can be varied within the printed object without changing the materials or nozzles used in 3D printing or requiring additional processing to ensure bonding between different materials, making it possible to improve manufacturing efficiency.

[0009] Embodiments of the present invention include the use of an instant-curing liquid material that is activated to become hard (i.e., cured) when a low-level voltage (e.g., -2V vs Ag / AgCl) is applied for a certain period of time, enabling tuning of the hardness due to variations in the voltage applied to the material and the duration of the application. Examples of electro-curing materials have been reported by Nanyang Technological University (ScienceDaily, May 29, 2016, Nanyang Technological University, "New glue instantly hardens with electric current") and further discussed in Nature Communications (Ping, J. et al. Adhesive curing through low voltage activation. Nat. Commun. 6:8050 doi:10.1038 / ncomms9050 (2015)).

[0010] In some embodiments, the electrodes are in contact when the printed matter / printing material (hereinafter simply referred to as "printing material") is printed on an object. In some embodiments, the elongated electrodes remain in contact with the printing material that enables the duration of the applied voltage. In other embodiments, the movement of the nozzle head of a 3D printing device is controlled to provide an appropriate duration of the applied voltage to the printing material. In still other embodiments, an extensible electrode that contacts the printing material is used to adjust the duration of the applied voltage to achieve a target hardness. The extensible electrode may include curling and non-curling of flexible electrodes to adjust the length of the electrode and the duration of the applied voltage to the printing material.

[0011] In some embodiments of the present invention, a computing device receives 3D metadata of an object to be printed, including information for printing the object and information regarding the hardness of a portion of the object. In some embodiments, the hardness metadata is obtained by ultrasonic measurement of a portion of the object and is included in the metadata used by a control program during 3D printing by applying a voltage to the printing material for a determined duration.

[0012] In some embodiments, a knowledge corpus of a curing and hardness process is generated by applying a plurality of printing condition parameters including voltage level and duration to an electro-curing material to associate a set of parameter values with the corresponding hardness of the printing material. The hardness of the printing condition parameters for each of the plurality of printing instances is measured by an ultrasonic measuring device. In some embodiments, a determined relationship between the voltage and duration applied to the printing material and the hardness of the resulting cured material is established and applied to subsequent 3D object printing via computer program control.

[0013] Next, the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the figures. FIG. 1 is a functional block diagram showing a distributed data processing environment generally designated 100 in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 1 provides only an example of one implementation and does not suggest any limitations regarding the environment in which different embodiments may be implemented. Many modifications to the depicted environment may be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the scope of the present invention as recited by the claims.

[0014] The distributed data processing environment 100 includes a 3D printer 140, a nozzle 160, an electrode 170, a print object 180, and a curing unit 190. The distributed data processing environment 100 also includes a computing device 110, 3D object metadata 120, a controller 130, and an ultrasonic device 135, all of which are interconnected via a network 150. The network 150 can be, for example, a local area network (LAN), a wide area network (WAN) such as the Internet, a virtual local area network (VLAN), or any combination that can include wired, wireless, or optical connections. The network 150 may be connected to a local 3D printing network. In general, the network 150 can be any combination of connections and protocols that support communication between the computing device 110, the 3D object metadata 120, and the controller 130 in accordance with embodiments of the present invention.

[0015] Computing device 110 can execute programmable operations and communicate with other devices in distributed data processing environment 100. Computing device 110 includes user interface 115 and hardened program 200. Computing device 110 communicates with 3D object metadata 120 and controller 130 via network 150. Computing device 110 accesses data from 3D object metadata 120 including 3D printing instructions and hardness data associated with print object 180, receives the data, and provides the printing instructions and hardness data to hardened program 200. Computing device 110 receives feedback from hardening unit 190 from ultrasonic device 135 via network 150 and makes hardness feedback data available to hardened program 200. In some embodiments, computing device 110 includes a knowledge corpus of voltage and duration parameters for achieving a specific level of hardness in a printing material. In other embodiments, computing device 110 receives voltage and duration parameters from a knowledge corpus in another accessible repository of distributed data processing environment 100 such as 3D object metadata 120, or another data storage repository (not shown) accessible via network 150.

[0016] In some embodiments, computing device 110 can be a server computer, laptop computer, tablet computer, smartphone, smartwatch, wearable computing device, or any programmable electronic mobile device that can communicate with various components and devices within distributed data processing environment 100 via network 150. In another embodiment, computing device 110 represents a computing system that utilizes clustered computers and components (e.g., database server computers, application server computers, etc.) that operate as a single pool of seamless resources when accessed within distributed data processing environment 100. Generally, computing device 110 represents one or more programmable electronic devices or a combination of programmable electronic devices that execute machine-readable program instructions and can communicate with hardened program 200 via network 150. Computing device 110 may include internal and external hardware components, which are depicted in more detail in FIG. 3.

[0017] User interface 115 provides an interface for accessing the features and functions of computing device 110. In some embodiments of the present invention, user interface 115 provides access to hardened program 200 and can also support access to other applications, features, and functions (not shown) of computing device 110. In some embodiments, user interface 115 provides the display output and input functions of computing device 110.

[0018] The user interface 115 supports access to alerts, notifications, and provides access to forms of communication. In one embodiment, the user interface 115 may be a graphical user interface (GUI) or a web user interface (WUI), receive user input, and display text, documents, web browser windows, user options, application interfaces, and instructions for operations, and may include information (such as graphics, text, sound, etc.) presented by the program to the user and control sequences used by the user for program control. In another embodiment, the user interface 115 may also include mobile application software that provides respective interfaces to the features and functions of the computing device 110. The user interface 115 enables each user of the computing device 110 to receive, display, listen to, and respond to inputs, access applications, display content of online conversations, and execute available functions.

[0019] The curing program 200 is depicted to operate on the computing device 110. In some embodiments, the curing program 200 receives scanned data and hardness data associated with portions of the print object 180 from the 3D object metadata 120. The curing program 200 provides the controller 130 with print instructions for the operation of the 3D printer 140 and instructions for applying a voltage and duration of the voltage to the electrode 170 to achieve a predetermined level of hardness of the cured portion 190. In other embodiments, the controller 130 receives the scan data of the print object 180 from the 3D object metadata 120 and receives voltage and duration parameters from the curing program 200. In some embodiments, the curing program 200 dynamically transmits curing parameter data to the controller 130, receives feedback on the hardness of the cured portion 190 via the ultrasonic device 135, and adjusts the voltage and duration parameters to achieve an appropriate level of hardness. In other embodiments, the curing program 200 accesses a knowledge corpus of voltage and duration data that results in a determined hardness of the printing material and applies each knowledge corpus data to the cured portion 190 of the 3D print object 180.

[0020] In some embodiments, the instructions from the curing program 200 to the controller 130 result in a voltage being applied to the electrode 170 and the voltage remaining applied for a predetermined duration. In some embodiments, the duration of the applied voltage to the printing material is controlled by expanding and contracting one of the electrodes 170, which is, for example, oriented in a curled configuration and can be expanded and contracted to adjust the contact duration of the electrode. In other embodiments, the duration of the applied voltage may be controlled by the printing speed of the 3D printer 140, or a combination of the printing speed and the contact adjustment of the electrode.

[0021] In an alternative embodiment of the present invention, based on data received by the controller 130 from the curing program 200, wires disposed in portions of the object 180 to be printed that require additional curing may be added during 3D printing. The inserted wires may have non-insulated regions corresponding to portions of the object 180 that require additional curing, and a voltage and duration are applied following 3D printing, after which the wires are removed from the object 180 (insertion and removal of the wires are not shown).

[0022] The 3D object metadata 120 includes stored data from a 3D scan of the original object corresponding to the object 180 to be printed. In some embodiments, the 3D object metadata 120 includes data for the controller 130 to operate the 3D printer 140 to generate the object 180 to be printed. The 3D object metadata 120 also includes data indicating the hardness requirements of various portions of the object 180 to be printed. In some embodiments, the hardness requirements of portions of the object 180 to be printed are obtained by ultrasonic measurement of the original object from a device such as the ultrasonic device 135.

[0023] The controller 130 provides control instructions to the 3D printer 140 to control the application of printing material to the object 180 via the nozzle 160. In some embodiments, the controller 130 receives from the 3D object metadata 120 control instructions for controlling the positioning of the printing material applied to the object 180, such as the curing unit 190. In such embodiments, the controller 130 receives from the curing program 200 instructions associated with applying curing parameters to the applied printing material. In other embodiments, the controller 130 receives from the curing program 200 both object scan data and hardness parameters for applying a voltage for the duration of printing the object 180. In some embodiments, the curing program 200 dynamically adjusts or both the voltage and duration of applying a voltage to the curing unit 190 based on feedback data received from the ultrasonic device 135 that measures the hardness of the curing unit 190 when the curing unit 190 is applied to the object 180.

[0024] When the printing material contacts the electrode 170, the ultrasonic device 135 irradiates an ultrasonic beam toward the printing material and measures the hardness of materials such as the cured portion 190. The ultrasonic device 135 transmits a detection signal for measuring the hardness of the cured portion 190 to the curing program 200 operating on the computing device 110 via the network 150. In some embodiments of the present invention, the ultrasonic device 135 (or a similar device) measures a plurality of printing materials that receive various sets of voltage and duration parameters, resulting in variations in the level of hardness of the printing materials. In some embodiments, the plurality of measurement values are used to generate a knowledge corpus related to the level of hardness of the printing material with respect to the voltage and duration parameters applied to the printing material. In some embodiments, the knowledge corpus related to the hardness of the printing material with respect to the voltage and duration parameters applied to the printing material is used to provide an indication for achieving the intended level of hardness for a portion of the object to be printed 180.

[0025] The 3D printer 140 represents the mechanical and electrical devices for performing a 3D printing operation and a printing material source. The 3D printer 140 receives input from a controller 130 that manages the printing direction and speed, as well as the deposition rate of the printing material via a printing nozzle 160. The 3D printer 140 includes an electro-curable printing material in a form that enables continuous deposition via the printing nozzle 160 and contact of the printing material by an electrode 170. In some embodiments of the present invention, the 3D printer 140 includes an electrode 170 positioned to contact the printing material when applied to a printing object 180. In other embodiments, the 3D printer 140 includes the placement of a wire during printing (insertion of the wire is not shown) such that the wire can receive a predetermined voltage for a predetermined duration to achieve a target hardness for a specific portion of the printing object 180. In still other embodiments, an initial set of voltage parameters and voltage duration is applied to the 3D printing of the printing object 180 such that a minimum level of hardness required for the printing material of the printing object 180 is achieved. Following the 3D printing, a hole is made in the printing object 180 to insert a wire, and a higher target level of hardness of the printing material is achieved for a portion of the printing object 180. Following additional curing of a portion of the printing object 180, the wire is removed (drilling, wire insertion, and wire removal are not shown).

[0026] The printing nozzle 160 is a component of the 3D printer 140 and performs the deposition of the printing material onto the printing object 180. In some embodiments, the printing nozzle 160 may include an electrode 170 at adjacent positions that enables contact with the printing material. In some embodiments, the printing nozzle 160 may receive input from a controller 130 that adjusts the deposition rate of the printing material. In an embodiment of the present invention, the printing nozzle 160 receives one type of electro-curable printing material and avoids changes to the printing nozzle 160 to achieve various levels of hardness within the printing object 180.

[0027] Electrode 170 is a set of electrical contacts that conduct the applied voltage to the printing material for a predetermined duration. In some embodiments, one of the electrodes 170 is elongated to extend and maintain contact with the printing material, such as the cured portion 190. In some embodiments, the duration of contact of the electrode 170 is controlled by the movement of the print head of the 3D printer 140. In other embodiments, at least one of the electrodes 170 is configured to perform a length adjustment to increase or decrease the contact duration with the printing material to achieve a target level of hardness. For example, one of the electrodes 170 may be composed of a flexible material having a conductive surface and may include a curled portion that can be extended to lengthen and contracted to shorten the amount of contact between the electrode 170 and the printing material.

[0028] The object to be printed 180 is a 3D printed copy of the original Object The object to be printed 180 includes metadata received from the 3D object metadata 120 and is generated by 3D printing with a layer of applied printing material positioned according to instructions from the controller 130 from the curing program 200 transmitted via the network 150. The object to be printed 180 results from a plurality of layers of printing material applied to the previous layer, such as the cured portion 190, which is a portion of the printing material applied to the object to be printed 180 and cured to a target level of hardness by applying a voltage with the electrode 170.

[0029] FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing the operation steps of an embodiment of the curing program 200. The curing program 200 receives scanned data and hardness data associated with a portion of the printed object 180 from the 3D object metadata 120. The curing program 200 provides the controller 130 with a printing instruction for the operation of the 3D printer 140 and an instruction to apply a voltage and a duration of the voltage to the electrode 170 to achieve a predetermined target level of hardness of the curing unit 190. The hardness program 200 receives real-time measurement data of the hardness of the printing material applied to the printed object 180 and receives the voltage of the duration due to the contact of the electrode. The hardness program 200 receives measurement data from the ultrasonic measurement device, determines whether the printing material has reached the target level of hardness for a specific portion of the printed object, and in response to determining that the hardness of that portion is different from the target level of hardness, the curing program 200 adjusts the parameter set of the applied voltage and the duration of the applied voltage to achieve the target level of hardness for that portion.

[0030] The curing program 200 receives object metadata for 3D printing, including data indicating the level of hardness for a portion of the object (step 210). In some embodiments of the present invention, the curing program 200 accesses and receives metadata from a scan of the object for 3D printing and hardness information associated with portions of the object that require variation in the level of hardness for each portion. In some embodiments, the hardness of a portion of the object is determined by an ultrasonic measurement device during a scan of the object or before printing and is included in the object metadata. The portion of the printed object may be a subset of the area or volume of the object and may be of any size from a single deposition line of the printing material to a layer area of the printing material, multiple layers of the printing material, and a large percentage of the volume of the printed object.

[0031] For example, the original object receives a 3D scan and an ultrasonic measurement of the hardness level of a portion of the original object. The data from the scan and the ultrasonic measurement are included in a metadata file and stored in the 3D object metadata 120. The curing program 200 accesses the 3D object metadata 120 and receives the 3D scan and hardness measurement metadata of the original object.

[0032] During 3D printing of the object, the curing program 200 applies a predetermined set of parameters including voltage and the duration of the applied voltage to the printing material (step 220). Based on the level of hardness required for the portion of the object currently being printed, the curing program 200 applies a low voltage (e.g., -2V Ag / AgCl) to the printing material during the printing activity. The curing program 200 maintains the applied voltage for a predetermined duration corresponding to the level of hardness required for each portion that results in an increase in the level of hardness of the printing material as the duration of the applied voltage increases. In some embodiments, the curing program 200 can adjust the voltage to affect the hardness of the printing material. In other embodiments, the curing program 200 can utilize a combination of voltage adjustment and the duration of the applied voltage to achieve a target level of hardness for a portion of the printed object.

[0033] In some embodiments, a knowledge corpus is generated by depositing a plurality of electro-curable printing materials, applying a range of parameters including applying a low voltage to the printing material for a duration, and measuring the hardness achieved for each instance of the voltage / duration combination. The knowledge corpus includes data indicating the levels of hardness achieved by applying a particular voltage for a range of durations, at a certain voltage, and in some embodiments at different voltages.

[0034] For example, the curing program 200 applies a charge of -2V to the curing part 190 via the electrode 170, expands one of the electrodes 170 to maintain the voltage applied to the curing part 190 for a predetermined duration, and is controlled through instructions to the controller 130 by the curing program 200 and inputs from the controller 130 to the 3D printer 140 based on the printing speed. The predetermined duration for applying the voltage is based on data included in a knowledge corpus generated for a specific electro-curable printing material.

[0035] The curing program 200 receives measurement data of the hardness level of the printing material from an ultrasonic device (step 230). During the 3D printing of a copy of the original object, hardness measurement is performed by the ultrasonic device and sent to the curing program 200. In some embodiments, the ultrasonic device is configured and positioned to provide a measured reading of the hardness level to the curing program 200 when the 3D printer deposits the printing material and a voltage is applied for a predetermined duration.

[0036] In some embodiments, the ultrasonic measurement of the hardness level of the printing material is performed during the generation of a knowledge corpus that includes the hardness level reached with a corresponding set of parameters and is not measured during printing. In other embodiments, the ultrasonic measurement is performed during printing to provide dynamic feedback of the hardness level achieved with a set of parameters. The hardness level reached is based on the values of a set of parameters of the applied voltage and the duration of the voltage applied to the printing material. The ultrasonic contact impedance method and the ultrasonic wave velocity method have been used for non-destructive hardness measurement. The shift in the ultrasonic wave velocity provides an average hardness with respect to the thickness of the material.

[0037] In another embodiment, an initial level of hardness is achieved across all parts of the printed object, and a conductive wire is added during printing to contact the parts of the printed object that require a higher level of hardness. After printing, a voltage is applied to each wire for a duration corresponding to the required hardness level, and the wire is removed.

[0038] For example, the 3D printer 140 deposits printing material onto a print object 180 such as a curing part 190. The ultrasonic device 135 dynamically performs ultrasonic measurement of the hardness of the curing part 190 during the printing operation. The ultrasonic device 135 transmits hardness measurement data to the curing program 200 via the network 150.

[0039] The curing program 200 determines whether the hardness of a portion of the print object has reached a target level of hardness (determination step 240). Upon receiving dynamic hardness measurement data of the printing material, the curing program 200 determines whether the measured hardness meets the predicted target level of hardness of the portion of the print object by comparing the hardness measurement data obtained by ultrasonic measurement with the metadata associated with the original object.

[0040] If the curing program 200 determines that the target level of hardness of a portion of the print object has not been achieved (step 240, branch “NO”), the curing program 200 proceeds to step 250 and adjusts the set of parameters of the voltage and duration applied to the printing material to achieve the target level of hardness for each portion of the print object. The curing program 200 determines the adjustment of the parameters of the voltage and duration applied to the printing material to achieve the target level of hardness for each portion of the print object. In some embodiments, the curing program 200 continuously receives dynamic measurements of the level of hardness of the printing material as the printing material is deposited and cured by the application of parametric voltage and duration from the ultrasonic device. In other embodiments, the curing program 200 instructs the ultrasonic device to perform snapshot measurements of the printing material at predetermined intervals. In yet other embodiments, the curing program 200 activates ultrasonic measurements to coincide with the printing of portions of the print object where the level of hardness is changing.

[0041] After making adjustments to the set of parameters applied to the printing material, the curing program 200 returns to step 240, determines whether the portion of the print object is at the target level of hardness determined by ultrasonic measurement of the printing material, and proceeds as described above.

[0042] When the curing program 200 determines that the target level of hardness for a portion of the printed object has been achieved (step 240, the "YES" branch), the curing program 200 proceeds to step 260 and continues 3D printing based on a set of predetermined parameters of the voltage and duration applied during printing of the object. In some embodiments, the curing program 200 continues to receive ultrasonic hardness measurements, and if the measurement data indicates that the target level of hardness is not achieved as the printing material is deposited (step 240, the "NO" branch; note the two paths between step 240, the "YES" branch and step 260), the curing program 200 proceeds to step 250 and performs an adjustment to the set of parameters. In some embodiments, the curing program 200 continues the printing activity until the metadata of the printed object indicates a change in the target level of hardness for the next portion of the printed object.

[0043] The curing program 200 determines whether the 3D printing of the object is complete (decision step 270). The curing program 200 continues the printing activity and the curing of the hardness by applying a set of parameters to the printed material deposited for each portion of the printed object. The curing program 200 determines whether the 3D metadata of the original object has been fully executed by the 3D printer and whether there are other portions of the printed object to be printed. In the case where the curing program 200 determines that the 3D printing is not complete, the curing program 200 proceeds to the next portion of the printed object (step 280) and proceeds to decision step 240 to determine whether the target level of hardness for the next portion of the printed object has been reached, and proceeds as described above.

[0044] When the curing program 200 determines that the 3D printing of all portions of the printed object is complete, the curing program 200 ends.

[0045] Figure 3 is a block diagram of the components of a computing system 300 that includes a computing device 305 configured to include or operatively connect the components depicted in FIG. 1 and having the ability to operatively execute the hardening program 200 of FIG. 2.

[0046] The computing device 305 includes components of the computing device 110, components and functional capabilities similar to (FIG. 1) in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. It should be understood that FIG. 3 provides only an example of one implementation and does not imply any limitation regarding the environment in which different embodiments may be implemented. Many changes can be made to the depicted environment.

[0047] The computing device 305 includes a communication fabric 302 that provides communication between a computer processor 304, a memory 306, a persistent storage device 308, a communication unit 310, and an input / output (I / O) interface 312. The communication fabric 302 can be implemented in any architecture designed to pass data or control information or combinations thereof between processors (such as microprocessors, communications, and network processors), system memory, peripheral devices, and any other hardware components within the system. For example, the communication fabric 302 can be implemented using one or more buses.

[0048] The memory 306, cache memory 316, and persistent storage device 308 are computer-readable storage media. In this embodiment, the memory 306 includes a random access memory (RAM) 314. In general, the memory 306 can include any suitable volatile or non-volatile computer-readable storage medium.

[0049] In one embodiment, the hardening program 200 is stored in the persistent storage device 308 for execution by one or more of the respective computer processors 304 via one or more memories of the memory 306. In this embodiment, the persistent storage device 308 includes a magnetic hard disk drive. Alternatively, or in addition to the magnetic hard disk drive, the persistent storage device 308 can include a solid state hard drive, a semiconductor memory device, a read only memory (ROM), an erasable programmable read only memory (EPROM), a flash memory, or any other computer-readable storage medium capable of storing program instructions or digital information.

[0050] Also, the medium used by the persistent storage device 308 may be removable. For example, a removable hard disk may be used for the persistent storage device 308. Other examples include optical disks, magnetic disks, thumb drives, smart cards that are inserted into a drive for transfer onto another computer-readable storage medium that is also part of the persistent storage device 308.

[0051] The communication unit 310 provides communication with other data processing systems or devices that include resources of the distributed data processing environment 100 in these examples. In these examples, the communication unit 310 includes one or more network interface cards. The communication unit 310 may provide communication through the use of either or both physical and wireless communication links. The hardening program 200 may be downloaded to the persistent storage device 308 through the communication unit 310.

[0052] The I / O interface 312 enables the input and output of data with other devices that can be connected to the computing system 300. For example, the I / O interface 312 can provide a connection to an external device 318 such as a keyboard, keypad, touch screen, or some other suitable input device or a combination thereof. The external device 318 can also include, for example, a portable computer-readable storage medium such as a thumb drive, portable optical or magnetic disk, and memory card. Software and data used to practice embodiments of the present invention, such as the hardened program 200, can be stored on such a portable computer-readable storage medium and loaded into the persistent storage device 308 via the I / O interface 312. The I / O interface 312 is also connected to a display 320.

[0053] The display 320 provides a mechanism for displaying data to the user and may be, for example, a computer monitor.

[0054] The programs described herein are identified based on the applications in which they are implemented in particular embodiments of the present invention. However, it should be understood that any specific program nomenclature herein is used for convenience only, and thus the present invention should not be limited to use in any specific application that is specified or implied or both by such nomenclature.

[0055] The present invention can be a system, method, or computer program product or a combination thereof integrated at any possible technical detail level. The computer program product may include a computer-readable storage medium storing computer-readable program instructions for causing a processor to execute aspects of the present invention.

[0056] A computer-readable storage medium can be a tangible device that holds and stores instructions for use by an instruction execution device. As an example, the computer-readable storage medium may be an electronic storage device, a magnetic storage device, an optical storage device, an electromagnetic storage device, a semiconductor storage device, or a suitable combination thereof. As a more specific example of a computer-readable storage medium, there may be a portable computer diskette, a hard disk, a RAM, a ROM, an EPROM (or flash memory), an SRAM, a CD-ROM, a DVD, a memory stick, a floppy disk, a punched card, or a mechanically encoded device with instructions recorded thereon such as a raised structure in a groove, and suitable combinations thereof. A computer-readable storage device as used herein should not be construed as a transient signal per se, such as a radio wave or other freely propagating electromagnetic wave, an electromagnetic wave propagating through a waveguide or other transmission medium (e.g., an optical pulse passing through an optical fiber cable), or an electrical signal transmitted via a wire.

[0057] The computer-readable program instructions described herein can be downloaded from a computer-readable storage medium to respective computer devices / processing devices. Alternatively, they can be downloaded via a network (e.g., the Internet, a LAN, a WAN, or a wireless network, or a combination thereof) to an external computer or an external storage device. The network can comprise a copper transmission cable, an optical transmission fiber, a wireless transmission, a router, a firewall, a switch, a gateway computer, or an edge server, or a combination thereof. A network adapter card or network interface within each computer device / processing device receives the computer-readable program instructions from the network and transfers them for storage in a computer-readable storage medium in each respective computer device / processing device.

[0058] The computer-readable program instructions for carrying out the operations of the present invention may be source code or object code written in any combination of one or more programming languages, including assembler instructions, instruction set architecture (ISA) instructions, machine instructions, machine-dependent instructions, microcode, firmware instructions, state-setting data, configuration data for integrated circuits, or object-oriented programming languages such as Smalltalk and C++, and procedural programming languages such as the "C" programming language and similar programming languages. The computer-readable program instructions may be executed entirely on the user's computer as a stand-alone software package, or partially on the user's computer. Alternatively, it may be executed partially on the user's computer and partially on a remote computer, or entirely on a remote computer or server. In the latter case, the remote computer may be connected to the user's computer via any type of network, including a LAN or WAN, or to an external computer (e.g., via the Internet using an Internet service provider). In some embodiments, an electronic circuit, including, for example, a programmable logic circuit, a field programmable gate array (FPGA), or a programmable logic array (PLA), can execute the computer-readable program instructions by utilizing the state information of the computer-readable program instructions to customize the electronic circuit for the purpose of implementing aspects of the present invention.

[0059] Embodiments of the present invention are described herein with reference to flowchart illustrations and / or block diagrams of methods, apparatus (systems), and computer program products according to embodiments of the invention. Each block in the flowchart illustrations and / or block diagrams, and combinations of multiple blocks in the flowchart illustrations and / or block diagrams, can be implemented by computer-readable program instructions.

[0060] The above computer-readable program instructions may be provided to a computer, or a processor of other programmable data processing apparatus, to produce a machine. Thereby, these instructions, executed via the processor of such computer or other programmable data processing apparatus, create means for performing the functions / operations specified in one or more blocks in a flowchart and / or block diagram. The above computer-readable program instructions may also be stored in a computer-readable storage medium that can be instructed to function in a particular manner with respect to a computer, programmable data processing apparatus, or other device, or combinations thereof. Thereby, the computer-readable storage medium in which the instructions are stored constitutes a product including instructions for performing the functions / operations specified in one or more blocks in a flowchart and / or block diagram.

[0061] Alternatively, a computer-executable process may be generated by loading the computer-readable program instructions into a computer, other programmable apparatus, or other device and causing a series of operational steps to be executed on the computer, other programmable apparatus, or other device. Thereby, the instructions executed on the computer, other programmable apparatus, or other device perform the functions / operations specified in one or more blocks in a flowchart and / or block diagram.

[0062] The flowcharts and block diagrams in the drawings of the present disclosure illustrate the architecture, functionality, and operation of possible implementations of systems, methods, and computer program products according to various embodiments of the present invention. In this regard, each block in a flowchart or block diagram can represent a module, segment, or portion of one or more executable instructions for performing a particular logical function. In some other implementations, the functions shown within a block may be executed in an order different from the order shown in each figure. For example, two consecutive blocks shown may actually be accomplished as one step depending on the related functions, may be executed simultaneously or substantially simultaneously, may be executed in a partially or wholly temporally overlapping manner, or may be executed in the reverse order in some cases. It should be noted that each block in a block diagram or flowchart or both, and combinations of multiple blocks in a block diagram or flowchart or both, can be executed by a dedicated hardware-based system that performs a particular function or operation or executes a combination of dedicated hardware and computer instructions.

Claims

1. 1. A method for three-dimensional (3D) printing including hardness variations of a printed object, the method comprising: receiving, by one or more processors, metadata associated with a print object, the metadata indicating target levels of hardness for two or more portions of the print object, the target levels of hardness for the two or more portions being different from one another; applying, by the one or more processors, a set of two or more predetermined parameters including an electrical voltage and a duration of the electrical voltage to a printing material during 3D printing of the print object, the set of two or more predetermined parameters corresponding to a target level of the hardness of the two or more portions of the print object indicated by the metadata; measuring, by the one or more processors, the level of hardness of each of the two or more portions of the printing object during 3D printing of the printing object using an ultrasonic device; and in response to determining that the measured level of hardness of the portion of the printing object differs from a target level of hardness of the portion of the printing object indicated by the metadata, adjusting, by the one or more processors, the set of predetermined parameters applied to the printing material to achieve the target level of hardness of the portion of the printing object indicated by the metadata.

2. 2. The method of claim 1, further comprising controlling, by the one or more processors, the level of hardness of the portion of the printing object by adjusting the electrical voltage applied to the printing material as the printing material is deposited on the printing object.

3. 2. The method of claim 1, wherein the printing material is a conductive liquid that hardens in response to application of the set of predetermined parameters including the electrical voltage and the duration that the electrical voltage is applied to the printing material.

4. applying, by the one or more processors, a plurality of sets of parameters to the printing material during a plurality of 3D printing instances to measure a plurality of the levels of hardness; generating, by the one or more processors, a knowledge corpus associating each of the sets of parameters to a plurality of levels of the hardness measured during execution of the plurality of 3D printing instances; The method of claim 1 , wherein the set of predetermined parameters is selected by the one or more processors from the knowledge corpus based on the target level of hardness indicated by the metadata.

5. 2. The method of claim 1, wherein the set of parameters is applied to the printing material by electrodes that contact the printing material as it is deposited on the printed object, and at least one electrode is used when the printing material is deposited by a nozzle of a three-dimensional printer.

6. 2. The method of claim 1 , wherein conductive wires are disposed on the printed object during 3D printing of the printed object, and the level of hardness of the portion of the printed object including the conductive wires is achieved by applying the set of parameters corresponding to the target level of hardness to each conductive wire after 3D printing.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the adjustment of the set of predetermined parameters based on the measurements by the ultrasonic device occurs during 3D printing of the printed object. applying, by the one or more processors, a plurality of sets of parameters to the printing material to measure a plurality of said levels of hardness; The method of claim 1 , further comprising: generating, by the one or more processors, a knowledge corpus that associates a set of the plurality of parameters with a respective one of the measured levels of hardness.

9. 1. A computer program product for three-dimensional (3D) printing including hardness variations of a printed object, the computer program product comprising: one or more computer readable storage media; and program instructions stored on the one or more computer readable storage media, the program instructions comprising: and receiving program instructions for receiving metadata associated with a print object, the metadata indicating target levels of hardness for two or more portions of the print object, the target levels of hardness for the two or more portions being different from one another; program instructions for applying a set of two or more predetermined parameters, including an electrical voltage and a duration of the electrical voltage, to a printing material during 3D printing of the print object, the set of two or more predetermined parameters corresponding to a target level of the hardness of the two or more portions of the print object indicated by the metadata; program instructions for measuring the level of hardness of each of the two or more portions of the printing object using an ultrasonic device during 3D printing of the printing object; and in response to determining that the measured level of hardness of the portion of the printing object differs from a target level of hardness of the portion of the printing object indicated by the metadata, program instructions for adjusting the set of predetermined parameters applied to the printing material to achieve the target level of hardness of the portion of the printing object indicated by the metadata.

10. 10. The computer program product of claim 9, further comprising program instructions for controlling the level of hardness of the portion of the printing object by adjusting the electrical voltage applied to the printing material as the printing material is deposited on the printing object.

11. 10. The computer program product of claim 9, wherein the printed material is a conductive liquid that hardens in response to application of the set of predetermined parameters including the electrical voltage and the duration of application of the electrical voltage to the printed material.

12. program instructions for applying a plurality of sets of parameters to the printing material and measuring a plurality of levels of the hardness during a plurality of 3D printing instances; and generating a knowledge corpus that associates each of the sets of parameters with a plurality of levels of the hardness measured during execution of the plurality of 3D printing instances.

10. The computer program product of claim 9, wherein the set of predetermined parameters is selected from the knowledge corpus based on the target level of hardness indicated by the metadata.

13. 10. The computer program product of claim 9, wherein program instructions apply the set of parameters to the printing material by electrodes that contact the printing material as it is deposited on the printed object, at least one electrode being used when the printing material is deposited by a nozzle of a three dimensional printer.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising: applying a plurality of sets of parameters to the printing material to determine a plurality of said levels of hardness; and 10. The computer program product of claim 9, further comprising: program instructions for generating a knowledge corpus that associates a set of said plurality of parameters with a respective set of said plurality of said measured levels of hardness.

15. 1. A computer system for three-dimensional (3D) printing including hardness variations of a printed object, the computer system comprising: one or more computer processors; one or more computer readable storage media; and program instructions stored on the one or more computer readable storage media, the program instructions comprising: and receiving program instructions for receiving metadata associated with a print object, the metadata indicating target levels of hardness for two or more portions of the print object, the target levels of hardness for the two or more portions being different from one another; program instructions for applying a set of two or more predetermined parameters, including an electrical voltage and a duration of the electrical voltage, to a printing material during 3D printing of the print object, the set of two or more predetermined parameters corresponding to a target level of the hardness of the two or more portions of the print object indicated by the metadata; program instructions for measuring the level of hardness of each of the two or more portions of the printing object using an ultrasonic device during 3D printing of the printing object; and in response to determining that the measured level of hardness of the portion of the printing object differs from the target level of hardness of the portion of the printing object indicated by the metadata, program instructions for adjusting the set of predetermined parameters applied to the printing material to achieve the target level of hardness of the portion of the printing object indicated by the metadata.

16. The computer system of claim 15, further comprising program instructions for controlling the level of hardness of the portion of the printed object by adjusting the electrical voltage applied to the printing material as the printing material is deposited on the printed object.

17. 16. The computer system of claim 15, wherein the printing material is a conductive liquid that hardens in response to application of the set of predetermined parameters including the electrical voltage and the duration of application of the electrical voltage to the printing material.

18. program instructions for applying a plurality of sets of parameters to the printing material and measuring a plurality of levels of the hardness during a plurality of 3D printing instances; and generating a knowledge corpus that associates each of the sets of parameters with a plurality of levels of the hardness measured during execution of the plurality of 3D printing instances.

16. The computer system of claim 15, wherein the set of predetermined parameters is selected from the knowledge corpus based on the target level of hardness indicated by the metadata.

19. 16. The computer system of claim 15, wherein the program instructions apply the set of parameters to the printing material by electrodes that contact the printing material as it is deposited on the printed object, at least one electrode being used when the printing material is deposited by a nozzle of a three-dimensional printer.

20. 16. The computer system of claim 15, wherein program instructions for adjusting the set of predetermined parameters based on the measurements by the ultrasonic device are executed during 3D printing of the printed object.

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