# US 10,766,245 B2 · Slice area distribution for obtaining improved performance in additive manufacturing techniques > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,766,245 B2 - Document ID: US10766245B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/504,190 - Filed: 2015-08-17 - Published: 2017-09-07 - Granted: 2020-09-08 - Earliest claimed: 2014-08-19 - Assignees: Materialise N.V. - Applicants: Materialise N.V. - Inventors: Gert Claes - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10766245B2 ## CPC - G06T 19/20: Editing of three-dimensional [3D] images, e.g. changing shapes or colours, aligning objects or positioning parts - B23K 26/342: Build-up welding - B23K 26/702: {Auxiliary equipment} - B28B 17/0081: {Process control} - B29C 64/386: Data acquisition or data processing for additive manufacturing - B33Y 50/02: for controlling or regulating additive manufacturing processes - G05B 19/4099: Surface or curve machining, making three-dimensional [3D] objects, e.g. desktop manufacturing - B22F 10/25: Direct deposition of metal particles, e.g. direct metal deposition [DMD] or laser engineered net shaping [LENS] - B22F 10/28: Powder bed fusion, e.g. selective laser melting [SLM] or electron beam melting [EBM] - B22F 10/47: characterised by structural features - B22F 12/41: characterised by the type, e.g. laser or electron beam - G05B 2219/49023: 3-D printing, layer of powder, add drops of binder in layer, new powder - G06T 2219/2016: Rotation, translation, scaling - Y02P 10/25: Process efficiency - G06T: IMAGE DATA PROCESSING OR GENERATION, IN GENERAL - B23K: SOLDERING OR UNSOLDERING; WELDING; CLADDING OR PLATING BY SOLDERING OR WELDING; CUTTING BY APPLYING HEAT LOCALLY, e.g. FLAME CUTTING; WORKING BY LASER BEAM - B28B: SHAPING CLAY OR OTHER CERAMIC COMPOSITIONS; SHAPING SLAG; SHAPING MIXTURES CONTAINING CEMENTITIOUS MATERIAL, e.g. PLASTER (foundry moulding B22C; working stone or stone-like material B28D; shaping of substances in a plastic state, in general B29C; making layered products not composed wholly of these substances B32B) - B29C: SHAPING OR JOINING OF PLASTICS; SHAPING OF MATERIAL IN A PLASTIC STATE, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; AFTER-TREATMENT OF THE SHAPED PRODUCTS, e.g. REPAIRING (making preforms B29B11/00; making laminated products by combining previously unconnected layers which become one product whose layers will remain together B32B37/00 - B32B41/00) - B33Y: ADDITIVE MANUFACTURING, i.e. MANUFACTURING OF THREE-DIMENSIONAL [3D] OBJECTS BY ADDITIVE DEPOSITION, ADDITIVE AGGLOMERATION OR ADDITIVE LAYERING, e.g. BY 3D PRINTING, STEREOLITHOGRAPHY OR SELECTIVE LASER SINTERING - G05B: CONTROL OR REGULATING SYSTEMS IN GENERAL; FUNCTIONAL ELEMENTS OF SUCH SYSTEMS; MONITORING OR TESTING ARRANGEMENTS FOR SUCH SYSTEMS OR ELEMENTS (systems for controlling or regulating non-electric variables G05D; systems for regulating electric or magnetic variables G05F; control devices or systems insofar as characterised by mechanical features only G05G) - B22F: WORKING METALLIC POWDER; MANUFACTURE OF ARTICLES FROM METALLIC POWDER; MAKING METALLIC POWDER (making alloys by powder metallurgy C22C); APPARATUS OR DEVICES SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR METALLIC POWDER - Y02P: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES IN THE PRODUCTION OR PROCESSING OF GOODS ## Abstract Methods and apparatuses for distributing slice area of objects more uniformly to optimize the build process of additive manufacturing techniques are disclosed. For example, a slice area distribution of a 3D design is calculated. Further, it is determined if the calculated slice area distribution and/or other aspects of the 3D design meets a criteria based on one or more quality metrics. If the calculated slice area distribution and/or other aspects of the 3D design do not meet the criteria, the 3D design is adjusted. The determination and adjustment may be performed iteratively until the calculated slice area distribution and/or other aspects of the 3D meet the criteria. ## Claims ### Claim 1 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, on the computing device, 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, wherein the computing device 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. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the criteria comprises one or more quality metrics meeting one or more respective threshold values. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the criteria comprises at least one of a timer or a counter meeting a threshold value. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The method of claim 3, further comprising: calculating an adjusted slice area distribution based on the adjusted 3D design; comparing the adjusted slice area distribution to the calculated slice area distribution based on the one or more quality metrics; and selectively resetting the at least one of the timer or the counter based on the comparison. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein adjusting the 3D design comprises at least one of the following: repositioning one or more of objects of the 3D design, reorienting one or more of the objects of the 3D design, and rotating one or more of the objects of the 3D design. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more restrictions comprise at least one of the following: a part interval, a part geometry, one or more fixed objects of the 3D design, a maximum height of the 3D design, a required surface type for a surface of an object of the 3D design, a gravity center of an object of the 3D design, an influence of generated supports, a position of cavities, and presence of large walls on the 3D design. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising manufacturing the 3D design using the additive manufacturing apparatus. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the adjusting comprises iteratively adjusting the 3D design until the criteria is met. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising determining if a height of the 3D design meets a threshold value; and adjusting the 3D design if the height does not meet the threshold value. ### Claim 10 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. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the criteria comprises one or more quality metrics meeting one or more respective threshold values. ### Claim 12 (depends on 10) The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the criteria comprises at least one of a timer or a counter meeting a threshold value. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the processor is further configured to: calculate an adjusted slice area distribution based on the adjusted 3D design; compare the adjusted slice area distribution to the calculated slice area distribution based on the one or more quality metrics; and selectively reset the at least one of the timer or the counter based on the comparison. ### Claim 14 (depends on 10) The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the processor being configured to adjust the 3D design comprises the processor being configured to perform at least one of the following: reposition one or more of objects of the 3D design, reorient one or more of the objects of the 3D design, and rotate one or more of the objects of the 3D design. ### Claim 15 (depends on 10) The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the processor is configured to adjust the 3D design based on the one or more restrictions comprising at least one of the following: a part interval, a part geometry, one or more fixed objects of the 3D design, a maximum height of the 3D design, a required surface type for a surface of an object of the 3D design, a gravity center of an object of the 3D design, an influence of generated supports, a position of cavities, and presence of large walls on the 3D design. ### Claim 16 (depends on 10) The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the processor is further configured to direct manufacturing of the 3D design using the additive manufacturing apparatus. ### Claim 17 (depends on 10) The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the processor being configured to adjust the 3D design comprises the processor being configured to iteratively adjust the 3D design until the criteria is met. ### Claim 18 (depends on 10) The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the processor is further configured to: determine if a height of the 3D design meets a threshold value; and adjust the 3D design if the height does not meet the threshold value. ### Claim 19 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. ### Claim 20 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the 3D design comprises multiple 3D objects in the design. ### Claim 21 (depends on 10) The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the 3D design comprises multiple 3D objects in the design.