Slice area distribution for obtaining improved performance in additive manufacturing techniques

An apparatus for improved 3D printing, the apparatus comprising:

• a memory;
• and a processor configured to:
• calculate a slice area distribution of a 3D design, wherein the slice area distribution comprises slice areas of a plurality of slices of the 3D design corresponding to a plurality of parallel planes along an axis;
• determine if based on the calculated slice area distribution a criteria based on one or more quality metrics is met, wherein:
• the one or more quality metrics comprise one or more of the following:
• a maximum amplitude of a curve based on the calculated slice area distribution, wherein the curve is defined as a slice area, of each of the plurality of slices, as a function of height of each slice along a z-axis of the 3D design, a maximum frequency of the curve, a maximum smoothness of the curve, a slope of the curve, a maximum slice area minus a minimum slice area of slices of the calculated slice area distribution, and a maximum difference in slice area between adjacent slices of the calculated slice area distribution, and
• the one or more quality metrics comprise the maximum difference in slice area between adjacent slices of the calculated slice area distribution;
• adjust the 3D design if the criteria is not met, wherein adjusting is performed based on one or more restrictions;
• and
• finalize the 3D design to instruct manufacture by an additive manufacturing apparatus,
• wherein the processor generates instructions for printing slices of the 3D design on the additive manufacturing apparatus, wherein the one or more quality metrics of the slice area distribution meet the criteria, thereby improving the 3D printing on the apparatus.

A non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising instructions that when executed by a computer cause the computer to perform a method for improved 3D printing, the method comprising:

• calculating, on a computing device, a slice area distribution of a 3D design, wherein the slice area distribution comprises slice areas of a plurality of slices of the 3D design corresponding to a plurality of parallel planes along an axis;
• determining if based on the calculated slice area distribution a criteria based on one or more quality metrics is met, wherein:
• the one or more quality metrics comprise one or more of the following:
• a maximum amplitude of a curve based on the calculated slice area distribution, wherein the curve is defined as a slice area. of each of the plurality of slices, as a function of height of each slice along a z-axis of the 3D design, a maximum frequency of the curve, a maximum smoothness of the curve, a slope of the curve, a maximum slice area minus a minimum slice area of slices of the calculated slice area distribution, and a maximum difference in slice area between adjacent slices of the calculated slice area distribution, and
• the one or more quality metrics comprise the maximum difference in slice area between adjacent slices of the calculated slice area distribution;
• adjusting the 3D design in the computing device if the criteria is not met, wherein adjusting is performed based on one or more restrictions;
• and
• finalizing the 3D design in the computing device to instruct manufacture by an additive manufacturing apparatus,
• thereby generating instructions for printing slices of the 3D design on the additive manufacturing apparatus, wherein the one or more quality metrics of the slice area distribution meet the criteria, thereby improving the 3D printing.