Full-Color 3D Printing of Plate Reliefs Using Texture Mapping
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for manufacturing plate-shaped three-dimensional objects, such as diorama bases, face difficulties in efficiently creating colored patterns with varying shades, leading to cumbersome painting processes.
Innovation Solution
A method involving preparing color image data, gray-scaling to obtain grayscale data, creating three-dimensional data based on gradations, performing texture mapping, and shaping with a full color 3D printer to produce colored three-dimensional objects.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If manual engraving or single-color 3D printing is used to create plate-shaped three-dimensional objects, then manufacturing simplicity is maintained, but coloring capability and realism are insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the 3D shape data generation process with color texture mapping in a single integrated workflow. The color image is directly mapped onto the three-dimensional surface without requiring separate painting steps, merging structural fabrication and surface coloring into one manufacturing process.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces manual painting operations with automated digital texture mapping. Instead of physically applying paint by hand to create color variations, the system uses computational methods to map color information from 2D images onto 3D surfaces, eliminating the need for manual artistic intervention.
2Manufacturing precision
If painting is performed manually to achieve different shades for realistic patterns, then coloring quality improves, but manufacturing time and complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs preliminary color mapping by creating a texture map from a color image before the actual 3D printing process. This pre-processing step prepares all color information in advance, allowing the 3D printer to directly deposit colored materials according to the pre-defined texture map without requiring post-manufacturing painting.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses a 2D color image as a template or copy to generate the color distribution on the 3D surface. The texture mapping process copies color information from the source image and applies it to the three-dimensional object, preserving the original color relationships while adapting them to the 3D geometry.
3Device complexity
If single-color 3D printing is used, then device simplicity is maintained, but color variation and pattern realism are limited
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transitions from single-color to full-color 3D printing by adding color as an additional dimension to the manufacturing process. Instead of printing monochromatic objects and painting them separately, the system directly deposits multiple colors during the printing process itself, using color as a controllable parameter alongside spatial coordinates.
Data Source
AI summary
A method for manufacturing a plate-shaped three-dimensional object includes: preparing color image data including a colored three-dimensional pattern; and gray-scaling the color image data to obtain a grayscale image data. The method further includes: creating three-dimensional data based on a gradation of the grayscale image data; creating color three-dimensional data by performing texture mapping on the three-dimensional data using the color image data as a texture; and shaping the plate-shaped three-dimensional object by a full color 3D printer based on the color three-dimensional data.