3D Printing Support Walls for Easy Overhang Removal
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current 3D printing technologies face challenges in designing support structures for overhangs that are easily removable without damaging the printed object, as they often require complex analysis and result in excessive support material usage.
Innovation Solution
The method involves generating support paths with lateral offsets from the object's perimeter, creating infill toolpaths that bridge between anchor points, and adjusting toolpath heights to facilitate clean removal of support structures, using a combination of expanding and contracting perimeter offsets and infill bridging techniques.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If traditional support structures are used for overhangs, then the printed object can be manufactured, but excessive support material is consumed and removal requires excessive force
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies parameter changes by modifying the geometric parameters of support structures through lateral offset distances (e.g., 0.2mm, 0.4mm, 0.6mm from the object perimeter) and varying support thickness. This creates support structures with optimized dimensions that reduce material consumption while maintaining manufacturability and ease of removal.
Solution Approach 2:
The support structure is segmented into multiple discrete elements positioned at different lateral offsets from the object perimeter. Instead of a single continuous support, the patent divides the support into segmented paths that follow the object contour at offset distances, reducing overall material usage while providing adequate support.
2Quantity of substance
If support structures are created with lateral offsets from the object perimeter, then support material usage is reduced, but the complexity of generating support paths increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by pre-calculating and storing offset perimeter paths at standard distances (0.2mm, 0.4mm, 0.6mm) before the actual support generation process. This preprocessing step creates a library of offset paths that can be quickly selected and applied during slicing, reducing the computational complexity during runtime while maintaining the material reduction benefits.
3Ease of operation
If infill toolpaths are used to bridge between anchor points, then support structures become easier to remove, but the printing time increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies partial action by implementing infill bridging only in specific regions where support structures require removal facilitation, rather than applying infill to all support areas. The infill toolpaths are selectively generated between anchor points only where needed, balancing the ease of removal benefit with printing time constraints.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This approach allows for the creation of support structures that can be easily peeled off after printing, reducing the force needed for removal and minimizing support material usage, while ensuring the surface quality of the printed object.
Implementation Method 1
forcing a solid plastic feedstock through a heated nozzle. The filament is liquefied before or as it passes through the constriction in the nozzle
Implementation Method 2
the feed pressure causes a bead of material to be extruded as the nozzle is moved to form a beam of the material that is added, layer by layer, to build the object
Data Source
AI summary
Method(s) include projecting a support toolpath into a current layer of a model, removing any pieces within an expanded version of a current boundary of the model, generating a support toolpath for the current layer, adding a height increase to portion(s) of model toolpath(s) for the higher layer of the model that overlie the support toolpath generated for the current layer, connecting the support toolpath and the projected support toolpath to form a connected support toolpath, overlaying the connected support toolpath with a next boundary of the model in a lower layer of the model, adding a height increase to portion(s) of the connected support toolpath that fall within the next boundary of the model in the lower layer of the model, and repeating the process through layers of the model to form support toolpaths for support walls for the object to be manufactured by the extrusion printer.