Computer-implemented method of designing a supporting structure for the packaging of a solid object

A computer program product comprising:

• a non-transitory computer-readable data-storage medium storing computer-executable instructions thereon;
• and
• the instructions being configured to cause a computer system to:
• a) provide, as an input, a three-dimensional model of a solid object said three-dimensional model including a mass density distribution of the solid object;
• b) compute a first cumulative linear mass density distribution (TW) of the solid object according to a first axis;
• and
• c) using said first cumulative linear mass density distribution, determine positions along said first axis, of a first plurality of said linear support elements oriented transversally to said first axis, said positions being such that the weight of the solid object is evenly distributed among the linear support elements of said first plurality.

A Computer Aided Design (CAD) system comprising:

• a computer memory;
• a processor coupled to the memory and a graphical user interface;
• the memory storing computer-executable instructions that cause the Computer Aided Design system to:
• a) provide, as an input, a three-dimensional model of a solid object said three-dimensional model including a mass density distribution of the solid object;
• b) compute a first cumulative linear mass density distribution (TW) of the solid object according to a first axis;
• and
• c) use said first cumulative linear mass density distribution and determine positions along said first axis, of a first plurality of said linear support elements oriented transversally to said first axis, said positions being such that the weight of the solid object is evenly distributed among the linear support elements of said first plurality.

A method of manufacturing a supporting structure useable in the packaging of solid objects comprising:

• designing a supporting structure (SST) for the packaging of a solid object (O) having a weight, the supporting structure comprising a plurality of linear support elements suitable to sustain the solid object inside a packaging container (BX), the designing generating a support structure design by:
• a) providing, as an input, a three-dimensional model of the solid object said three-dimensional model including a mass density distribution of the solid object;
• b) computing a first cumulative linear mass density distribution (TW) of the solid object according to a first axis;
• and
• c) using said first cumulative linear mass density distribution, determining positions along said first axis, of a first plurality of said linear support elements oriented transversally to said first axis, said positions being such that the weight of the solid object is evenly distributed among the linear support elements of said first plurality;
• using the generated support structure design, physically manufacturing said supporting structure, as designed.

A supporting structure (SST) for the packaging of a solid object (O), the supporting structure obtained by:

• designing the supporting structure, the supporting structure comprising a plurality of linear support elements suitable to sustain the solid object inside a packaging container (BX), the designing generating a support structure design by:
• a) providing, as an input, a three-dimensional model of the solid object, said three-dimensional model including a mass density distribution of the solid object;
• b) computing a first cumulative linear mass density distribution (TW) of the solid object according to a first axis;
• and
• c) using said first cumulative linear mass density distribution, determining positions along said first axis, of a first plurality of said linear support elements oriented transversally to said first axis, said positions being such that weight of the solid object is evenly distributed among the linear support elements of said first plurality;
• and
• using the generated support structure design, physically manufacturing said supporting structure, as designed.