3D Printer Infill Density Control for Perimeter Voids
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Solution Overview
Problem
Infilling processes in 3D object printing often result in voids or excessive material density at the junctions between infill lines and perimeters, leading to structural weaknesses and potential part failure, especially in metal parts.
Innovation Solution
A method and system for a 3D object printer that adjusts the local density of infill lines as they approach the perimeter, using a feedback controller and B-spline filtering to maintain uniform density, preventing voids and excessive material deposition.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Stability of the object's composition
If infill lines are spaced at a fixed distance to maintain consistent density in the middle of the object, then the density is uniform in interior regions, but voids or excessive material density occurs at the junctions between infill lines and perimeters
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by adjusting the density of infill lines based on their position relative to the perimeter. Interior infill lines maintain a first density, while perimeter-adjacent infill lines use a second density that is less than the first. This localized differentiation prevents voids and excessive material accumulation at perimeter junctions while maintaining uniform density in interior regions.
2Reliability
If infill lines are placed close to the perimeter to reduce voids, then structural weakness is reduced, but excessive material density occurs at the junctions
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the density parameter of infill lines based on their spatial location. Specifically, it adjusts the density parameter from a first density for interior infill lines to a second density (lower than the first) for perimeter-adjacent infill lines. This parameter adjustment prevents excessive material density at perimeter junctions while maintaining adequate structural integrity.
3Ease of manufacture
If discrete drops are ejected in the infill lines near the perimeter, then the infilling process is simplified, but significant voids occur near the perimeter due to drops being far from one another
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by differentiating the ejection strategy based on location. For perimeter-adjacent infill lines, it adjusts the density parameter to ensure adequate material deposition, preventing significant voids near the perimeter while maintaining the discrete drop ejection method for simplicity.
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
The solution ensures consistent material density across the infill lines, preventing voids and excessive material deposition, thereby enhancing the structural integrity of 3D printed parts by maintaining uniform density near the perimeters.
Implementation Method 1
An electrical current is passed through the conductor to produce an electromagnetic field that causes the meniscus of the melted metal at a nozzle of the chamber to separate from the melted metal within the chamber and be propelled from the nozzle
Data Source
AI summary
A slicer in a material drop ejecting three-dimensional (3D) object printer identifies the positions and local densities for a plurality of infill lines within a perimeter to be formed within a layer of an object to be formed by the printer. The local density of each infill line is filtered and a control law is applied to the filtered local density to identify an error in the local density compared to a target density. This process is performed iteratively until the error is within a predetermined tolerance range about the target local density. The error is used to generate machine ready instructions to operate the 3D object printer to achieve the target density for the infill lines.