Object texturizer
AssigneeInternational Business Machines Corporation
InventorsAndrew Hicks, Miles C. Pedrone, Tynan J. Garrett, Michael Peter Lyons
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A texturizer is provided and includes an extension arm and fine and gross motor controllers. The fine motor controller includes a heating element, one or more texturizing tools and a fine motor which is operable to control respective positions and orientations of the heating element and the one or more texturizing tools. The gross motor controller is interposed between the extension arm and the fine motor controller and is operable to control a position and an orientation of the fine motor controller relative to the extension arm.
Claims20
A texturizer, comprising:
- an extension arm;
- a fine motor controller comprising a heating element, one or more texturizing tools and a fine motor which is operable to control respective positions and orientations of the heating element and the one or more texturizing tools;
- and
- a gross motor controller interposed between the extension arm and the fine motor controller and operable to control a position and an orientation of the fine motor controller relative to the extension arm.
An additive manufacturing device, comprising:
- a housing comprising a printing bed;
- an additive manufacturing head configured to additively manufacture an object on the printing bed;
- and
- a texturizer comprising:
- an extension arm, which is movable relative to the printing bed;
- a fine motor controller comprising a heating element, one or more texturizing tools and a fine motor which is operable to control respective positions and orientations of the heating element and the one or more texturizing tools relative to the object;
- and
- a gross motor controller interposed between the extension arm and the fine motor controller and operable to control a position and an orientation of the fine motor controller relative to the extension arm.
A method of operating a texturizer of an additive manufacturing device, the method comprising:
- positioning a fine motor controller relative to an object, the fine motor controller comprising a heating element, an additive manufacturing tool and one or more subtractive manufacturing tools;
- positioning one of the one or more subtractive manufacturing tools in a current use position and stowing the others of the one or more subtractive manufacturing tools;
- and
- operating at least one of the heating element, the additive manufacturing tool and the one of the one or more subtractive manufacturing tools in the current use position in accordance with a texturizing algorithm for the object.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.