Replaceable Container Electrical Storage for Additive Manufacturing Material Data

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Solution Overview

Problem

Additive manufacturing systems face challenges in accurately determining and utilizing the properties of various production materials, leading to inefficiencies in generating optimal control data for 3D object creation, as existing systems lack a efficient method to store and communicate the diverse characteristics of materials used in these processes.

Innovation Solution

The implementation of a replaceable production material container with an electrical storage device that uses range parameters and proportion parameters to store and communicate production material characteristics, allowing the additive manufacturing system to determine the necessary properties for optimal operation without requiring extensive data storage within the system itself.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Measurement precision

If the additive manufacturing system stores extensive material characteristic data internally, then the system can accurately determine material properties, but the data storage requirements and system complexity increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvematerial property determination accuracyVSAvoiddata storage requirements

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts material characteristic data from the additive manufacturing system and stores it externally on the container itself. The container includes an electrical storage device that holds material properties, allowing the system to access data without storing it internally, thus reducing system complexity while maintaining accuracy

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The container acts as an intermediary between the material and the additive manufacturing system. It carries material characteristic data and communicates it to the system through an electrical connection, serving as a mediator that transfers information without requiring the system to store extensive data

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Adaptability or versatility

If the system accommodates a wide variety of materials with diverse characteristics, then the system versatility improves, but the complexity of managing and processing material data increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvematerial compatibilityVSAvoidfirmware or software modification requirements

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments material data management by assigning it to individual containers rather than centralizing it in the system. Each container independently stores its own material characteristics, allowing the system to handle diverse materials without increasing overall system complexity or requiring firmware modifications

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The container design provides a universal interface that can accommodate different materials through standardized electrical connections. The same container structure and communication protocol work across multiple material types, enabling system versatility without requiring modifications to the additive manufacturing system

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

3Adaptability or versatility

If new materials are introduced to the system, then the material variety increases, but the system requires firmware or software modifications to recognize and process the new material properties

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvenew material introduction capabilityVSAvoidsystem modification effort

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The container provides self-service by carrying all necessary material characteristic data internally. When a new material is introduced, the container automatically communicates its properties to the system through the electrical connection, eliminating the need for system firmware or software modifications to recognize new materials

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

Data Source

PatentUS11235525B2Container for an additive manufacturing system

Publication Date: 2022.02.01 PERIDOT PRINT LLC

AI summary

Certain examples described herein relate to replaceable production material containers for additive manufacturing systems. In an example of a replaceable production material container, an electrical storage device provides at least one production material characteristic to an element of an additive manufacturing system. In certain examples, the electrical storage device stores a range parameter for indicating a production material characteristic offset value in a plurality of production material characteristic offset values. In certain examples, the electrical storage device stores a proportion parameter for determining the at least one production material characteristic on the basis of the production material characteristic offset value.