Semi-Custom 3D Printing Using Validated Best-Fit Data Files

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing additive manufacturing techniques require generating a new data file for each customized product, which can be unsuitable for specific apparatuses or materials, leading to inefficiencies and incompatibilities.

Innovation Solution

A method involving a set of validated data files for various apparatuses and materials, combined with user-specific attributes and product preferences, to identify a best fit data file for semi-custom product manufacturing, ensuring compatibility and quality.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If a new data file is generated for each customized product, then product customization capability is improved, but manufacturing efficiency and system compatibility deteriorate

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveproduct customization capabilityVSAvoidmanufacturing efficiency

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies preliminary action by pre-validating data files for compatibility with specific additive manufacturing apparatus types and build materials before actual manufacturing. This advance preparation eliminates the need to generate new data files for each custom product while ensuring system compatibility, thus improving both customization capability and manufacturing efficiency

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent segments the manufacturing process into distinct validation and manufacturing phases. By separating the validation of data file compatibility from the actual manufacturing process, the system can efficiently handle custom products without compromising manufacturing speed or system compatibility

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

2Adaptability or versatility

If a new data file is generated for each customized product, then product customization capability is improved, but process compatibility and quality control deteriorate

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveproduct customization capabilityVSAvoidprocess compatibility

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent performs preliminary validation of data files against specific additive manufacturing apparatus types and build materials before manufacturing. This advance compatibility check ensures that custom products are manufactured with validated processes, maintaining high reliability and process compatibility while enabling customization

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent implements a feedback mechanism where validation results from previous manufacturing processes inform future data file selection and generation. This feedback loop ensures that customized products are always produced using compatible and validated processes, maintaining quality control across diverse manufacturing scenarios

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

Data Source

PatentUS12578703B2Systems and methods for additively manufacturing semi-custom objects

Publication Date: 2026.03.17 CARBON INC

AI summary

A computer-implemented method of making a semi-custom product for a user, includes the steps of: (a) providing a set of data files, each data file representing a distinct variant of the product; (b) providing personal data from the user, the personal data including at least first and second distinct user attributes; (c) providing product preference data from the user, the product preference data including at least first and second distinct product attributes; and then (d) ranking the set of data files with (i) the personal data and (ii) the product preference data to identify a best fit data file, the best fit data file representing a variant of the product that most closely meets the product preference data based on the personal data.