3D Printing Time and Material Estimation via Coarse Slicing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing 3D inkjet printing processes are time-consuming and require significant material usage, necessitating a rapid and accurate method to determine the time duration and amount of material needed for printing 3D objects.
Innovation Solution
A method and system that calculate printing time and material consumption by generating a 3D digital dataset with a slicing resolution lower than the printing resolution, using a slicing module to associate data elements with materials, and calculating based on predefined parameters, enabling faster and accurate estimation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If conventional 3D printing processes are used with high printing resolution, then manufacturing precision is improved, but calculation time and material consumption increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the calculation process into two distinct stages: (1) a rapid preliminary calculation using reduced-resolution slicing data to obtain initial estimates of printing time and material consumption, and (2) an optional refined calculation using full printing resolution data only for critical parameters. This segmentation allows the system to achieve 95-98% accuracy for preliminary assessments while reducing calculation time by up to 1,500 times compared to conventional single-stage high-resolution methods.
2Manufacturing precision
If conventional 3D printing processes are used with high printing resolution, then manufacturing precision is improved, but the amount of material required increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies partial action by using reduced-resolution slicing data (coarser grid spacing) for the majority of calculations where full precision is not critical. The system calculates printing time and material consumption using this partial-resolution approach, which consumes significantly less computational resources and provides sufficiently accurate results (95-98% accuracy) for most practical purposes, thereby reducing both calculation time and material usage estimates.
3Measurement precision
If full printing resolution data is used for calculation, then measurement precision is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a dynamic, multi-stage calculation system that adapts the level of computational detail based on the specific needs of the calculation. The system automatically selects between reduced-resolution and full-resolution data processing depending on whether a preliminary estimate or final precise measurement is required. This dynamic approach allows the system to maintain high measurement precision when needed while avoiding the unnecessary complexity of always using full-resolution data processing.
Data Source
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AI summary
Systems and methods for calculating a time duration and an amount of material consumption required for printing a tray of one or more three-dimensional objects using a three-dimensional printing system are disclosed.