# US 11,308,249 B2 · Hybrid support structures for additively printed parts

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- Number: US 11,308,249 B2
- Document ID: US11308249B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 16/457,147
- Filed: 2019-06-28
- Published: 2020-12-31
- Granted: 2022-04-19
- Earliest claimed: 2019-06-28
- Assignees: General Electric Company
- Applicants: General Electric Company
- Inventors: Sathyanarayanan Raghavan; Ananda Barua; Evan Dozier; Joseph Block; Brendon Leary; Prabhjot Singh; Arvind Rangarajan; Changjie Sun; Dean Robinson
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11308249B2

## CPC

- G06F 30/20: Design optimisation, verification or simulation (optimisation, verification or simulation of circuit designs G06F30/30)
- G06F 30/23: using finite element methods [FEM] or finite difference methods [FDM]
- B29C 64/386: Data acquisition or data processing for additive manufacturing
- B29C 64/393: for controlling or regulating additive manufacturing processes
- B29C 64/40: Structures for supporting 3D objects during manufacture and intended to be sacrificed after completion thereof
- B33Y 50/00: Data acquisition or data processing for additive manufacturing
- B29L 2031/08: Blades for rotors, stators, fans, turbines or the like, e.g. screw propellers
- B33Y 40/00: Auxiliary operations or equipment, e.g. for material handling
- B33Y 50/02: for controlling or regulating additive manufacturing processes
- G06F 2113/10: Additive manufacturing, e.g. three-dimensional [3D] printing
- G06F 2119/08: Thermal analysis or thermal optimisation
- G06F 2119/18: Manufacturability analysis or optimisation for manufacturability
- G06F: ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING (computer systems based on specific computational models G06N)
- 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
- B29L: INDEXING SCHEME ASSOCIATED WITH SUBCLASS B29C, RELATING TO PARTICULAR ARTICLES

## Abstract

A method, medium, and system to receive a specification defining a model of a part to be produced by an additive manufacturing (AM) process; execute an AM simulation on the model of the part to determine a prediction of thermal distortions to the part; execute a topology optimization (TO) to create TO supports that counteract the predicted thermal distortions; generate at least one rule-based support based on a geometry of the part to interface with the part at one or more regions other than the TO supports; combining the TO supports and the at least one rule-based support to generate a set of hybrid supports; save a record of the set of hybrid supports; and transmit the record of the set of hybrid supports to an AM controller to control an AM system to generate a support structure for an AM production of the part.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method comprising:
receiving, by a processor, a specification defining a model of a part to be produced by an additive manufacturing (AM) process;
executing an AM simulation on the model of the part, by the processor, to determine a prediction of thermal distortions to the part due the AM process, the AM simulation to apply a thermal distortion analysis to the model to predict thermal distortion of the part without support and to derive boundary conditions for topology optimization (TO);
dividing, by the processor based on a) a geometry of the part, b) one or more rules related to geometric features of the geometry, and c) the prediction of thermal distortions from the AM simulation, regions of the part into one or more first regions to interface with TO supports and one or more second regions to interface with rule-based supports;
executing a (TO) by the processor, based at least in part a) the boundary conditions from the AM simulation and b) the one or more first regions of the part, to create TO supports for a given support volume that counteract the predicted thermal distortions;
generating, by the processor, at least one rule-based support based on the one or more second regions;
combining, by the processor, the TO supports and the at least one rule-based support to generate a set of hybrid supports;
saving a record of the set of hybrid supports; and
transmitting the record of the set of hybrid supports to an AM controller, the AM controller to control an AM system to generate a support structure for an AM production of the part,
wherein the record of the set of hybrid supports is input into the AM simulation to at least one of refine or verify the set of hybrid supports.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the specification defining the model of the part specifies at least one of a geometry of the part, an orientation of the part, and processing conditions for producing the part by the AM process.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein an objective of the TO is to reduce, by the created TO supports, the predicted thermal distortions.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the TO supports interface with the part at the one or more first regions of the part to provide rigidity to the support structure for the AM production of the part.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more second regions are one or more non-machinable regions including at least one overhang, and wherein the at least one rule-based support interfaces with the part at the one or more second regions of the part to support the one or more second regions for the AM production of the part.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the TO is executed, by the processor, further based on a design space defined for optimization.

### Claim 7 (depends on 6)

The method of claim 6, wherein the design space interfaces with the part only at selected regions.

### Claim 8 (depends on 6)

The method of claim 6, wherein the part and the set of hybrid supports are contained within the design space.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, further comprising performing a shape-size optimization that considers at least one of part shape, part size, a particular AM process constraint, or materials on the at least one rule-based support.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, further comprising executing the TO iteratively, by the processor, on a last generated set of hybrid supports to create optimized TO supports until a part distortion target is satisfied;
combining, by the processor, the optimized TO supports and the at least one rule-based support to generate a set of optimized hybrid supports;
saving a record of the set of optimized hybrid supports; and
transmitting a record of the set of optimized hybrid supports to the AM controller.

### Claim 11 (depends on 10)

The method of claim 10, further comprising executing a shape-size optimization that considers at least one of part shape, part size, a particular AM process constraint, or materials on the at least one rule-based support to generate an at least one optimization rule-based support; and
combining, by the processor, the optimized TO supports and the at least one optimized rule-based support to generate the set of optimized hybrid supports.

### Claim 12

A system comprising
a memory storing processor-executable instructions; and
one or more processors to execute the processor-executable instructions to:
receive a specification defining a model of a part to be produced by an additive manufacturing (AM) process;
execute an AM simulation on the model of the part to determine a prediction of thermal distortions to the part due the AM process, the AM simulation to apply a thermal distortion analysis to the model to predict thermal distortion of the part without support and to derive boundary conditions for topology optimization (TO);
divide, based on a) a geometry of the part, b) one or more rules related to geometric features of the geometry, and c) the prediction of thermal distortions from the AM simulation, regions of the part into one or more first regions to interface with TO supports and one ore more second regions to interface with rule-based supports;
execute a TO based at least in part on a) the boundary conditions from the AM simulation and b) the one or more first regions of the part, to create TO supports for a given support volume that counteract the predicted thermal distortions;
generate at least one rule-based support based on the one or more second regions;
combine the TO supports and the at least one rule-based support to generate a set of hybrid supports;
save a record of the set of hybrid supports; and
transmit the record of the set of hybrid supports to an AM controller, the AM controller to control an AM system to generate a support structure for an AM production of the part,
wherein the record of the set of hybrid supports is input into the AM simulation to at least one of refine or verify the set of hybrid supports.

### Claim 13 (depends on 12)

The system of claim 12, further comprising performing a shape-size optimization that considers at least one of part shape, part size, a particular AM process constraint, or materials on the at least one rule-based support.

### Claim 14 (depends on 12)

The system of claim 12, further comprising executing the TO iteratively, by the processor, on a last generated set of hybrid supports to create optimized TO supports until a part distortion target is satisfied;
combining, by the processor, the optimized TO supports and the at least one rule-based support to generate a set of optimized hybrid supports;
saving a record of the set of optimized hybrid supports; and
transmitting a record of the set of optimized hybrid supports to the AM controller.

### Claim 15 (depends on 14)

The system of claim 14, further comprising executing a shape-size optimization that considers at least one part shape/size, a particular AM process constraint, or materials on the at least one rule-based support to generate at least one an optimization rule-based support; and
combining, by the processor, the optimized TO supports and the at least one optimized rule-based support to generate the set of optimized hybrid supports.

### Claim 16

A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing instructions that, when executed by a computer processor, cause the computer processor to perform a method comprising:
receiving a specification defining a model of a part to be produced by an additive manufacturing (AM) process;
executing an AM simulation on the model of the part, by the processor, to determine a prediction of thermal distortions to the part due the AM process, the AM simulation to apply a thermal distortion analysis to the model to predict thermal distortion of the part without support and to derive boundary conditions for topology optimization (TO);
dividing, by the processor based on a) a geometry of the part, b) one or more rules related to geometric features of the geometry, and c) the prediction of thermal distortions from the AM simulation, regions of the part into one or more first regions to interface with TO supports and one or more second regions to interface with rule-based supports;
executing a TO, by the processor, based at least in part on a) the boundary conditions from the AM simulation and b) the one or more first regions of the part, to create TO supports for a given support volume that counteract the predicted thermal distortions;
generating, by the processor, at least one rule-based support based on the one or more second regions;
combining, by the processor, the TO supports and the at least one rule-based support to generate a set of hybrid supports;
saving a record of the set of hybrid supports; and
transmitting the record of the set of hybrid supports to an AM controller, the AM controller to control an AM system to generate a support structure for an AM production of the part,
wherein the record of the set of hybrid supports is input into the AM simulation to at least one of refine or verify the set of hybrid supports.

### Claim 17 (depends on 16)

The medium of claim 16, further comprising performing a shape-size optimization that considers at least one of part shape, part size, a particular AM process constraint, or materials on the at least one rule-based support.

### Claim 18 (depends on 16)

The medium of claim 16, further comprising executing the TO iteratively, by the processor, on a last generated set of hybrid supports to create optimized TO supports until a part distortion target is satisfied;
combining, by the processor, the optimized TO supports and the at least one rule-based support to generate a set of optimized hybrid supports;
saving a record of the set of optimized hybrid supports; and
transmitting a record of the set of optimized hybrid supports to the AM controller.

### Claim 19 (depends on 18)

The medium of claim 18, further comprising executing a shape-size optimization that considers at least one of part shape, part size, a particular AM process constraint, or materials on the at least one rule-based support to generate at least one an optimized rule-based support; and
combining, by the processor, the optimized TO supports and the at least one optimized rule-based support to generate the set of optimized hybrid supports.