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US 10,311,381 B2Granted
Tool and method for conductive trace generation in a 3D model for a hybrid electro-mechanical 3D printer
AssigneeAutodesk, Inc.
InventorsRyan Michael Schmidt, Daniel Matthew Taub, Baoxuan Xu, Karl Willis
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Methods, systems, and apparatus, including medium-encoded computer program products, for combining electronic circuitry with mechanical structures using a design tool to build hybrid electro-mechanical three-dimensional circuits for 3D printed devices. In some implementations, the design tool facilitates creation and placement of components and traces, and print preparation for additive manufacturing systems.
Claims24
A system comprising:
- a user interface device;
- and
- one or more computers operable to interact with the user interface device and programmed with a design tool configured to combine electronic circuitry with mechanical structures for use with designing hybrid electro-mechanical three-dimensional circuits for 3D printed devices;
- wherein the design tool is configured to facilitate creation and placement of components and traces, and print preparation for additive manufacturing systems, including auto-routing of a trace path to maximize portions of the trace that lie in the same 3D-printing slices.
1 more element
A method comprising:
- providing, using a computing device, a design tool comprising a database of components for placement in a model;
- receiving, using the computing device, user input comprising a selection of one or more of the components from the database and one or more corresponding locations for placement of the one or more components in the model;
- placing one or more electrical traces in the model, including aligning the one or more electrical traces to a user defined slice plane within the model;
- and
- storing a geometry of the model, wherein the stored geometry comprises structural components, electrically conductive components, and electrical traces.
2 more elements
A method comprising:
- providing, using a computing device, a design tool comprising a database of components for placement in a model;
- receiving, using the computing device, user input comprising a selection of one or more of the components from the database and one or more corresponding locations for placement of the one or more components in the model;
- placing electrical traces in the model, including dynamically adjusting an amount of overlap between two consecutive trace slices based on material and fabrication properties;
- and
- storing a geometry of the model, wherein the stored geometry comprises structural components, electrically conductive components, and electrical traces.
2 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.