3D Print Authorization Using Shape Signatures for Part Blocking
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Current additive manufacturing systems lack effective mechanisms to authorize or prohibit the printing of unauthorized parts, particularly illicit geometries such as firearms, export-controlled items, and patented/copyrighted designs, which can be easily accessed and printed without safety checks.
Innovation Solution
An authorization module that generates shape signatures for part files, compares them to stored authorized and unauthorized signatures using blockchain technology and machine learning, determining the probability of matching with whitelist or blacklist geometries to control the printing of parts, allowing for secure and accurate identification of authorized or unauthorized geometries.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If shape signature comparison is implemented to identify unauthorized parts, then security against illicit geometries is improved, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system segments the part verification process into distinct functional modules: shape signature generation module that extracts geometric features, comparison module that matches against whitelist/blacklist databases, and decision module that determines authorization status. This modular segmentation improves security through comprehensive verification while managing system complexity through organized functional separation.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces shape signatures as an intermediary representation between the raw part geometry and the authorization decision. Instead of directly comparing complex 3D models, the system converts geometries into standardized shape signatures that serve as mediators for efficient and accurate comparison against authorized and unauthorized part databases, thereby improving security without proportionally increasing system complexity.
2Measurement precision
If comprehensive shape signature comparison is performed to detect similar or partially matched geometries, then detection accuracy is improved, but processing time increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary actions by pre-generating and storing shape signatures for both authorized (whitelist) and unauthorized (blacklist) parts in databases before actual verification occurs. During runtime, the system only needs to compare incoming part signatures against these pre-prepared references, significantly reducing processing time while maintaining high detection accuracy for similar or partially matched geometries.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent transforms complex geometric data into simplified shape signature parameters that capture essential geometric characteristics while reducing data dimensionality. This parameter transformation enables faster comparison operations while preserving detection accuracy, as the shape signatures maintain sufficient geometric information to identify similar or partially matched unauthorized parts without requiring full-geometry processing.
Data Source
AI summary
According to some embodiments, systems and methods are provided comprising receiving, via a communication interface of an authorization module comprising a processor, a part file with instructions to manufacture one or more parts with an additive manufacturing machine; generating a shape signature for the part based on the part file; providing a data store storing one or more stored shape signatures, wherein the one or more stored shape signatures are one of an authorized-to-print stored shape signature and an unauthorized-to-print stored shape signature; determining the generated shape signature of the part corresponds to at least one of the authorized-to-print stored shape signatures or at least one of the unauthorized-to-print stored shape signatures; and receiving the determination of whether the generated shape signature of the part corresponds to at least one authorized-to-print stored shape signature or at least one unauthorized-to-print stored shape signature. Numerous other aspects are provided.