Additive Manufacturing Support Structure Density Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Additive manufacturing (3D printing) faces challenges in part deformation due to the need for support structures, which increase build time and cost and adversely affect surface finish, necessitating optimized support structure generation.
Innovation Solution
A system and method that determine the position and density of support lines for connecting support structures to regions of a part using iterative calculations of maximum gradient vectors and density adjustments to prevent part deformation, ensuring the support structure is not rigid and prone to deformation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If support structures are added to prevent part deformation during additive manufacturing, then manufacturing precision is improved, but build time increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by determining support line density dynamically across different regions of the part. The system calculates maximum gradient vectors for different regions and assigns support lines only where needed, with varying density based on local geometric complexity and deformation risk. This ensures precision is improved only where necessary rather than uniformly across the entire part, reducing unnecessary build time.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes parameters by iteratively adjusting support line density based on calculated maximum gradient vectors and deformation thresholds. The system modifies support structure parameters (density, distribution, orientation) through iterative calculations to achieve optimal balance between deformation control and build efficiency, rather than using fixed support parameters.
2Manufacturing precision
If support structures are added to prevent part deformation during additive manufacturing, then manufacturing precision is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces complex mechanical/iterative support structure generation with a mathematical field-based approach. Instead of using complex iterative algorithms to determine support lines, the system substitutes this with gradient vector calculations on a defined field, computing maximum gradient vectors analytically to determine support line positions and densities directly.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent enables the support structure generation system to self-adjust by automatically calculating maximum gradient vectors and determining optimal support line densities without manual intervention. The system serves itself by iteratively computing deformation risks and adjusting support parameters autonomously based on the part geometry and manufacturing parameters.
3Manufacturing precision
If support structures are added to prevent part deformation during additive manufacturing, then surface finish is adversely affected, but manufacturing precision is improved
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by concentrating support lines only in regions where maximum gradient vectors indicate high deformation risk, rather than distributing them uniformly. This localized approach minimizes the number of support lines contacting the part surface, thereby reducing surface finish degradation while maintaining precision control in critical areas.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts unnecessary support lines from the support structure by calculating maximum gradient vectors and removing support lines in regions where deformation risk is low. This extraction process eliminates support lines that would adversely affect surface finish while retaining only the essential support lines needed for precision control.
Data Source
AI summary
Systems devices, and methods including: an additive manufacturing component having tools for manufacturing parts and a support structure associated with a part being manufactured; a computing device configured to: identify a region to support on the part being manufactured; determine a set of one or more slices via an iterative process; determine a set of support lines based on the determined set of one or more slices; determine a density associated with the determined set of support lines; and transmit instructions to the additive manufacturing component to add a slice on to the support structure based on the determined set of support lines and associated density; and where the additive manufacturing component is configured to execute a series of instructions to connect the support structure to the region to support via the determined set of support lines.