Automated Escape Hole Placement for 3D Printing Hollows
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing methods for adding escape holes to 3D models during three-dimensional printing are time-consuming, tedious, and error-prone, especially when done manually through graphical user interface-based tools, and lack automation, limiting their applicability and efficiency.
Innovation Solution
A computer-implemented method for automatically placing escape holes in 3D models by identifying hollow regions, determining optimal locations based on initial heuristics and printer constraints, and generating channels from the interior to the exterior, thereby reducing manual intervention and design time.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If manual modification of 3D model via interactive GUI-based modeling tool is used to add escape holes, then the designer can visually inspect and fine-tune each escape hole, but the process becomes time consuming, tedious, and error-prone
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs automatic escape hole placement using computational algorithms that self-evaluate and self-correct positioning based on printer constraints, eliminating the need for manual designer intervention while maintaining precision through automated validation
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the manual mechanical interaction with GUI tools with an automated computational system that uses algorithms and heuristics to determine escape hole positions, substituting human designer time with machine-based automatic placement
2Productivity
If automated flows are used to generate 3D models, then efficiency is improved, but GUI-based modelling tools are not widely available for such flows, limiting applicability
Solution Approach 1:
The escape hole placement system is designed to work with multiple automated 3D model generation flows and platforms, making it universally applicable across different manufacturing contexts rather than being limited to specific GUI-based tools
3Reliability
If designer manually creates channels between inner shell and outer shell, then escape holes can be positioned to comply with printer constraints, but the process requires iteration and fine-tuning
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary evaluation of escape hole positioning using computational algorithms before final placement, pre-calculating positions that satisfy printer constraints without requiring iterative manual adjustment
Data Source
AI summary
In one embodiment of the present invention, an escape hole generator creates escapes holes designed to facilitate removal of support and/or unprinted material generated inside enclosed hollows of three-dimensional (3D) digital models during 3D printing. In operation, the escape hole generator identifies a hollow included in the three-dimensional model and then selects optimized locations for escape holes. Notably, the escape hole generator selects the locations to optimize placement heuristics, such as favoring locations closer to the bottom of the 3D model, while satisfying escape hole constraints (e.g., hole size and spacing requirements). The escape hole generator then perforates the hollow at the selected locations with geometries that provide channels from the outer surface of the hollow to the outer surface of the hollow. Advantageously, automating escape hole generation enables efficient creation of hollowed 3D models that reduce 3D printing time and material usage compared to solid 3D model counterparts.