Mobile 3D Printer With Contour Scanning for Precise Deposition
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing mobile printers are bulky and inefficient for use with stationary paper or three-dimensional objects, lacking the ability to adapt to existing indicia or contours for precise printing or additive material application.
Innovation Solution
A mobile printer with a scanning device, processor, and printing unit that can obtain existing-indicia or contour information, store it, and apply ink or additive material based on this data, using actuators and nozzles or transmitters to adjust printing or material deposition accordingly.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If traditional mobile printers are used, then printing capability is provided, but the device is bulky and cannot efficiently handle stationary paper or three-dimensional objects
Solution Approach 1:
The printing system is divided into separate functional modules: a scanning device for obtaining existing-indicia or contour information, a processor for analyzing the data, and a printing unit for material deposition. This segmentation allows each component to be optimized independently and enables the system to handle diverse substrates including stationary paper and three-dimensional objects without requiring a bulky integrated structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The printing device is designed with multi-functionality to handle both two-dimensional stationary paper and three-dimensional objects. The scanning device can capture various types of information (indicia or contours), and the printing unit can deposit material accordingly, making the device universally applicable to different substrate types without requiring separate specialized equipment.
2Manufacturing precision
If scanning device obtains existing-indicia or contour information, then printing precision is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The scanning device acts as an intermediary between the existing substrate (paper or three-dimensional object) and the printing unit. It obtains existing-indicia or contour information and translates it into data that the processor can analyze and use to guide precise material deposition, thereby achieving high printing precision without directly complicating the printing mechanism itself.
Solution Approach 2:
The system replaces complex mechanical positioning systems with a scanning-based approach. Instead of using intricate mechanical mechanisms to achieve precise positioning, the invention uses scanning devices to obtain information and computational processing to determine material deposition locations, substituting mechanical complexity with optical/electronic scanning and digital processing.
Data Source
AI summary
A three-dimensional printer for providing additive material to an object in need thereof includes a non-transitory computer memory; a processor in data communication with the computer memory; a material reservoir; an output device in communication with the material reservoir; a scanning device for obtaining existing contour information about the object; and a contour database accessible by the processor which has contour information about the object. The scanning device is in data communication with the processor. Programming causes: (1) the scanning device to obtain the existing contour information; (2) the computer memory to store the obtained existing contour information; and (3) the processor to create a print file based on data from each of: (a) the obtained existing contour information, and (b) the contour database. Further programming selectively actuates the output device, utilizing the print file, to apply the material from the material reservoir to the object in need thereof.