# US 11,307,099 B2 · Object printed by a 3D printer and a method for determining the temperature of the object > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,307,099 B2 - Document ID: US11307099B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 16/903,835 - Filed: 2020-06-17 - Published: 2021-12-23 - Granted: 2022-04-19 - Earliest claimed: 2020-06-17 - Assignees: Xerox Corporation - Applicants: Xerox Corporation - Inventors: Christopher Douglas Atwood; Erwin Ruiz; David M. Kerxhalli; Douglas K. Herrmann; Linn C. Hoover; Derek A. Bryl; Ali R. Dergham - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11307099B2 ## CPC - G01K 1/14: Supports; Fastening devices; Arrangements for mounting thermometers in particular locations - B22F 10/50: Treatment of workpieces or articles during build-up, e.g. treatments applied to fused layers during build-up - B22F 12/20: Cooling means - B22F 12/90: Means for process control, e.g. cameras or sensors - B32B 3/266: {characterised by an apertured layer, the apertures going through the whole thickness of the layer, e.g. expanded metal, perforated layer, slit layer regular cells B32B3/12} - B32B 15/016: {all layers being formed of aluminium or aluminium alloys} - B33Y 50/00: Data acquisition or data processing for additive manufacturing - B33Y 50/02: for controlling or regulating additive manufacturing processes - B33Y 80/00: Products made by additive manufacturing - B64F 5/10: Manufacturing or assembling aircraft, e.g. jigs therefor - G01K 7/04: the object to be measured not forming one of the thermoelectric materials - G01K 13/10: for measuring temperature within piled or stacked materials (by special arrangements for conducting heat from the object to the sensitive heat element G01K1/16) - B22F 12/10: Auxiliary heating means - B22F 2999/00: Aspects linked to processes or compositions used in powder metallurgy - B32B 7/02: Physical, chemical or physicochemical properties - B32B 7/027: Thermal properties - B32B 2605/00: Vehicles - G01K: MEASURING TEMPERATURE; MEASURING QUANTITY OF HEAT; THERMALLY-SENSITIVE ELEMENTS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR (radiation pyrometry G01J5/00) - 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 - B32B: LAYERED PRODUCTS, i.e. PRODUCTS BUILT-UP OF STRATA OF FLAT OR NON-FLAT, e.g. CELLULAR OR HONEYCOMB, FORM - 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 - B64F: GROUND OR AIRCRAFT-CARRIER-DECK INSTALLATIONS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR USE IN CONNECTION WITH AIRCRAFT; DESIGNING, MANUFACTURING, ASSEMBLING, CLEANING, MAINTAINING OR REPAIRING AIRCRAFT, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; HANDLING, TRANSPORTING, TESTING OR INSPECTING AIRCRAFT COMPONENTS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR ## Abstract An object printed by a three-dimensional (3D) printer includes a plurality of layers of material printed by the 3D printer. The layers of material bond together to form the object as the layers of material cool and solidify after being printed by the 3D printer. The object also includes a temperature sensor placed in contact with one or more of the layers when the layers of material are being printed by the 3D printer. The temperature sensor remains in contact with the object after the layers of material cool and solidify to form the object. The temperature sensor is configured to measure a temperature of the object after the layers of material cool and solidify to form the object. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method for determining a temperature of an object (150), the method comprising: printing the object using a three-dimensional (3D) printer, wherein the object comprises greater than 50% metal; measuring the temperature of the object using a first temperature sensor while the object is being printed by the 3D printer, wherein the first temperature sensor is in contact with the object; and measuring the temperature of the object using the first temperature sensor after the object has been printed by the 3D printer. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein printing the object comprises forming a recess in the object using the 3D printer, and where the method further comprises positioning the first temperature sensor at least partially within the recess while the object is being printed by the 3D printer such that the first temperature sensor becomes at least partially embedded within the object. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The method of claim 2, wherein the first temperature sensor remains embedded within the object after the object has been printed by the 3D printer. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising varying the temperature of the object, in response to the temperature measured while the object is being printed, to maintain the object within a first predetermined temperature range. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The method of claim 4, further comprising varying the temperature of the object, in response to the temperature measured after the object has been printed, to maintain the object within a second predetermined temperature range, wherein the first predetermined temperature range is greater than the second predetermined temperature range. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising: measuring the temperature of the object using a second temperature sensor while the object is being printed by the 3D printer, wherein the first and second temperature sensors are embedded at least partially within the object while the object is being printed by the 3D printer; and measuring the temperature of the object using the second temperature sensor after the object has been printed by the 3D printer. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The method of claim 6, wherein the first temperature sensor is embedded at least partially within a first portion of the object, wherein the second temperature sensor is embedded at least partially within a second portion of the object, and wherein the first portion is larger than the second portion such that the first portion heats, cools, or both at a slower rate than the second portion. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The method of claim 7, further comprising varying the temperature of the object when the temperature measured by the first temperature sensor after the object has been printed is within a predetermined range and the temperature measured by the second temperature sensor after the object has been printed is outside of the predetermined range. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising coupling the object to a vehicle after the object has been printed, and wherein measuring the temperature of the object using the first temperature sensor after the object has been printed by the 3D printer comprises measuring the temperature of the object using the first temperature sensor after the object has been coupled to the vehicle. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The method of claim 9, further comprising varying a temperature of the object in response to the temperature measured after the object has been coupled to the vehicle using a heater, a cooler, or both that is coupled to the vehicle.