3D Printing Path Gap Control via Discharge Width Adjustment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for manufacturing three-dimensional shaped objects face challenges in maintaining shaping accuracy due to the possibility of shaping material hanging and adhering to the object when moving from the end of a bulk raster path to the start of a remnant path, leading to gaps and reduced accuracy.
Innovation Solution
A method that involves specifying gap portions between partial paths and adjusting discharge control data to increase the width of the shaping material deposited on the stage, ensuring continuous paths for shaping the outer shell and internal regions, thereby preventing material hang-up and enhancing accuracy.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If the nozzle moves from the end point of the bulk raster path to the start point of the remnant path, then the shaping material can be discharged continuously, but the shaping material hangs down from the nozzle in a stringy form and adheres to the three-dimensional shaped object, reducing shaping accuracy
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by identifying gap portions in advance between the bulk raster path and remnant path, and pre-adjusting the discharge amount of shaping material before the nozzle moves to these regions. This ensures that when the nozzle traverses the gap portion, the increased discharge amount prevents material hang-up and adhesion, thereby maintaining shaping accuracy while enabling continuous discharge operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies local quality by making the discharge amount variable according to the local characteristics of the path. Specifically, the discharge amount is increased only in the gap portion between paths rather than uniformly across all paths. This localized adjustment fills the gap effectively without causing excessive material deposition in other regions, thus resolving the contradiction between continuous discharge and shaping precision.
2Reliability
If the discharge amount is increased in the first partial path to fill the gap portion, then gaps in the three-dimensional shaped object are prevented, but the discharge control data must be adjusted and processed
Solution Approach 1:
The data generating unit performs preliminary analysis of the path data to identify gap portions before actual shaping operation. By pre-processing the path data to detect where gaps may occur and automatically generating adjusted discharge control data, the system eliminates the need for complex real-time adjustments during operation, thus improving reliability while keeping the control system manageable.
Solution Approach 2:
The data generating unit automatically adjusts the discharge control data based on the analyzed path data without requiring external intervention or complex manual programming. The system self-services by autonomously identifying gap portions and generating the appropriate discharge amount adjustments, thereby filling gaps reliably while minimizing the complexity of data processing through automation.
Data Source
AI summary
A method for manufacturing a three-dimensional shaped object includes a first step of specifying a gap portion sandwiched between a first partial path and a second partial path to which a shaping material is discharged from a discharge unit after the first partial path, based on first data including path data representing a path in which the discharge unit moves while discharging the shaping material by a plurality of partial paths, and including discharge control data including at least one of discharge amount information representing a discharge amount of the shaping material in each partial path and movement speed information representing a movement speed of the discharge unit in each partial path, and a second step of, when the gap portion is specified, generating second data from the first data by changing the discharge control data corresponding to the first partial path such that a width of the shaping material deposited on the stage in the first partial path increases.