Systems and methods for preparing a virtual three-dimensional (3D) object for 3D printing

A system for preparing a virtual 3D object for 3D printing, the system comprising:

• a processing system;
• and
• computer-readable memory in communication with the processing system encoded with instructions for commanding the processing system to execute steps comprising:
• generating a hollowed-out representation of an input model using a processing system, the input model defining a solid virtual 3D object, and the hollowed-out representation comprising a shell and an internal volume that is a void;
• meshing the internal volume to generate a polygonal mesh representation of the internal volume according to an output of a stress analysis for the input model, the output indicating amounts of stress at respective areas of the input model, wherein a density of edges in the polygonal mesh representation is controlled based on the output;
• generating a lattice microstructure corresponding to the polygonal mesh representation by (i) replacing each edge of the polygonal mesh representation with a solid part, and (ii) uniting solid parts for the edges of the polygonal mesh representation to form the lattice microstructure, wherein the solid parts comprises cones;
• and
• generating a lightweight representation of the input model using the processing system, the lightweight representation comprising the shell and the lattice microstructure.

A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium for preparing a virtual 3D object for 3D printing, the computer-readable storage medium comprising computer executable instructions which, when executed, cause a processing system to execute steps comprising:

• generating a hollowed-out representation of an input model, the input model defining a solid virtual 3D object, and the hollowed-out representation comprising a shell and an internal volume that is a void;
• meshing the internal volume to generate a polygonal mesh representation of the internal volume according to an output of a stress analysis for the input model, the output indicating amounts of stress at respective areas of the input model, wherein a density of edges in the polygonal mesh representation is controlled based on the output;
• generating a lattice microstructure corresponding to the polygonal mesh representation by (i) replacing each edge of the polygonal mesh representation with a solid part, and (ii) uniting solid parts for the edges of the polygonal mesh representation to form the lattice microstructure, wherein the solid parts comprise cones, and (iii) controlling one or more dimensions of the solid parts of the lattice microstructure based on the output of the stress analysis for the input model;
• and
• generating a lightweight representation of the input model using the processing system, the lightweight representation comprising the shell and the lattice microstructure.