3D Printing Color Adjustment for Surface Level Uniformity
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional 3D printing methods using inkjet heads often result in surface level differences on three-dimensional objects, leading to visible layer streaks and degradation in quality, as these differences affect the color appearance and perceived shape of the object.
Innovation Solution
An object shaping method that involves reading three-dimensional object data, generating slice data representing cross sections with color adjustment to moderate color appearance variability at surface level differences, and shaping the object using inkjet heads to form layers, where color adjustment regions with lower color density are created to minimize the impact of surface level variations.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If layers are formed with ink ejected at voxel positions according to object-shaping resolution, then the three-dimensional object can be shaped with defined resolution, but differences in level are generated on the surface corresponding to distances to voxel positions
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by adjusting color density specifically at positions near differences in level on the object surface, rather than uniformly across the entire surface. The color adjustment process identifies regions where level differences occur and applies modified color rendering only to those local areas, leaving other regions unchanged. This localized approach resolves the surface uniformity issue without compromising the overall manufacturing precision and resolution of the three-dimensional object.
2Shape
If coloration is applied to the surface of the three-dimensional object, then aesthetic appearance is enhanced, but color appearance variability becomes conspicuous at positions of differences in level
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs parameter changes by modifying the color density parameter in regions where level differences occur on the object surface. The color adjustment process detects variations in surface level and相应地 adjusts color rendering parameters (specifically color density) to compensate for these variations. This ensures that color appearance remains consistent across the entire surface, eliminating the conspicuous variability that would otherwise occur at positions with level differences.
3Ease of manufacture
If layer lamination technique is used to shape three-dimensional objects, then objects can be constructed layer by layer with inkjet heads, but layer streaks become conspicuous on the surface due to differences in level
Solution Approach 1:
The patent converts the harmful effect of level differences and layer streaks into a benefit by using color adjustment as a compensatory mechanism. Instead of attempting to eliminate the physical level differences through mechanical means, the invention utilizes color rendering to mask these differences. By applying color density adjustments at positions where level differences occur, the layer streaks that would otherwise be conspicuous are visually suppressed, thereby maintaining the advantages of layer-by-layer construction while achieving improved surface smoothness appearance.
Data Source
AI summary
An object shaping method is provided and includes: a data reading stage of reading a three-dimensional object data representing a three-dimensional object to be shaped, a slice data generating stage of generating a slice data representing a cross section of the three-dimensional object, and an object shaping stage of shaping the three-dimensional object in accordance with the slice data. In the slice data generating stage, pieces of slice data representing shapes and colors of the three-dimensional object at a plurality of different positions set in a layer-stacking direction are generated. A color adjustment process is executed at a time of generating the slice data associated with at least part of the plurality of different positions in the layer-stacking direction. The color adjustment process is a process for moderating variability of color appearance to the eye along an outer surface shape of the three-dimensional object shaped in the object shaping stage.