3D Printer Infill Apparatus Flat Roof Optimization

Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional 3D printing methods, such as FDM, face inefficiencies in material consumption and manufacturing time due to uniform density infill within 3D outputs, particularly in regions like flat roofs where stacking is impossible without additional resin reinforcement, leading to increased material usage and prolonged production times.

Innovation Solution

An infill apparatus and method for 3D printers that slice 3D models into unit blocks, classify and merge them to create combined blocks, identify and divide flat roof points, and determine optimized infill shapes to minimize material usage and manufacturing time by strategically applying resin only where necessary.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Stability of the object's composition

If uniform density infill is applied throughout the entire 3D output, then stacking stability is improved, but material consumption increases and manufacturing time is prolonged

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvestacking stabilityVSAvoidmaterial consumption

Core Design Contradiction:

Stability of the object's compositionVSQuantity of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies different infill densities to different regions of the 3D model. Specifically, regions with stacking angles greater than the threshold angle receive higher infill density for stability, while regions with stacking angles less than the threshold angle receive lower infill density to reduce material consumption. This local differentiation resolves the contradiction by providing stability only where needed.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

Solution Approach 2:

The 3D model is divided into multiple regions based on stacking angle characteristics. The patent segments the model into regions requiring high infill (unstable regions with large stacking angles) and regions requiring low infill (stable regions with small stacking angles). This segmentation allows selective application of infill material, improving stability where necessary while reducing overall material consumption.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

2Stability of the object's composition

If uniform density infill is applied throughout the entire 3D output, then stacking stability is improved, but manufacturing time is prolonged

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvestacking stabilityVSAvoidmanufacturing time

Core Design Contradiction:

Stability of the object's compositionVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies different infill densities to different regions of the 3D model. Specifically, regions with stacking angles greater than the threshold angle receive higher infill density for stability, while regions with stacking angles less than the threshold angle receive lower infill density to reduce material consumption. This local differentiation resolves the contradiction by providing stability only where needed.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

Solution Approach 2:

The 3D model is divided into multiple regions based on stacking angle characteristics. The patent segments the model into regions requiring high infill (unstable regions with large stacking angles) and regions requiring low infill (stable regions with small stacking angles). This segmentation allows selective application of infill material, improving stability where necessary while reducing overall material consumption.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

3Reliability

If infill is applied to all regions, then stacking capability is improved, but material consumption increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvestacking capabilityVSAvoidmaterial consumption

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSQuantity of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies different infill densities to different regions of the 3D model. Specifically, regions with stacking angles greater than the threshold angle receive higher infill density for stability, while regions with stacking angles less than the threshold angle receive lower infill density to reduce material consumption. This local differentiation resolves the contradiction by providing stability only where needed.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

Solution Approach 2:

The patent applies infill selectively only to regions where it is necessary for stacking stability (regions with stacking angles greater than the threshold). By applying partial action rather than universal infill, the patent achieves sufficient stacking capability while minimizing material consumption.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #16Partial or excessive action

Data Source

PatentUS10417535B2Infill apparatus and method for output of 3D printer

Publication Date: 2019.09.17 SINDOH

AI summary

An infill apparatus and method for an output of a 3D printer, including a unit block generating part which slices a 3D model by using three planes orthogonal to each other to generate unit blocks; a unit block classifying part which classifies the unit blocks into boundary unit blocks and internal unit blocks according to positions thereof and classifies the boundary unit blocks into flat roof unit blocks and non-flat roof unit blocks according to whether or not a flat roof region is included; a combined block generating part which merges the internal unit blocks and generates a combined block; a flat roof point discriminating part which discriminates flat roof points in the combined block; a combined block dividing part which divides a part of the combined block including the flat roof points; and an infill shape determining part which determines a divided surface (or contact surface) of the combined block divided by the combined block dividing part as infill shape and outputs a printing material to the infill shape during outputting.