3D Print Support Tips for Surface-Safe Removal and Support
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Solution Overview
Problem
Additive fabrication techniques often result in surface deformations and flaws due to the use of support structures, which can damage the object during fabrication and post-processing, especially when the support structures are not designed to minimize contact with the object.
Innovation Solution
The use of support tips oriented normal to the object's surface, which are mechanically weaker than the bulk support structure, to reduce the area of contact and facilitate easier removal without compromising mechanical support, along with graphical user interface indications for supportedness to ensure adequate support during the fabrication process.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If support structures are used to provide mechanical support during additive fabrication, then fabrication reliability is improved, but surface quality deteriorates due to deformations and flaws
Solution Approach 1:
The support structure is segmented into two distinct parts: a bulk support structure providing mechanical support and support tips providing contact with the object. This segmentation allows each part to have optimized properties - the bulk structure can be strong and rigid while the tips can be weak and easily removable, resolving the contradiction between fabrication reliability and surface quality
Solution Approach 2:
Different parts of the support structure have different mechanical properties. The bulk support structure is made strong to provide adequate support during fabrication, while the support tips are made mechanically weaker to minimize damage to the object. This local differentiation of properties allows the system to simultaneously achieve high fabrication reliability and high surface quality
2Ease of operation
If support structures are removed after fabrication, then ease of operation is improved, but object damage increases due to attachment and removal processes
Solution Approach 1:
The mechanical strength parameter of the support structure is changed along its length. The support tips have reduced mechanical strength compared to the bulk structure, which makes them easier to break away from the object after fabrication. This parameter change enables easy removal while minimizing object damage since the weak tips detach preferentially
3Strength
If support structures contact the object extensively, then mechanical support is improved, but removal difficulty increases
Solution Approach 1:
The support structure is divided into a bulk support portion and support tips. The bulk portion provides extensive contact and strong mechanical support, while the tips provide minimal contact and are designed for easy removal. This segmentation resolves the contradiction by separating the support function from the removal difficulty
Solution Approach 2:
The support structure has non-uniform mechanical properties - the bulk structure is strong and rigid for adequate support, while the tips are weak and brittle for easy removal. This local quality differentiation allows the system to provide strong mechanical support where needed while enabling easy removal at the contact points
Data Source
AI summary
Techniques for evaluating support for an object to be fabricated via an additive fabrication device are provided. In some embodiments, a three-dimensional representation of the object is obtained and a plurality of voxels corresponding to the representation of the object is generated. A first supportedness value may be assigned to a first voxel of the plurality of voxels based on an amount of support provided by a support structure to the first voxel, and a second supportedness value determined for a second voxel of the plurality of voxels, wherein the second voxel neighbors the first voxel, and wherein the second supportedness value is determined based on the first supportedness value of the first voxel and a weight value representing a transmission rate of supportedness through voxels of the plurality of voxels.