# US 11,993,023 B2 · Three-dimensional part smoothing in reduced gravity > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,993,023 B2 - Document ID: US11993023B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 17/448,613 - Filed: 2021-09-23 - Published: 2023-03-23 - Granted: 2024-05-28 - Earliest claimed: 2021-09-23 - Assignees: International Business Machines Corporation - Applicants: International Business Machines Corporation - Inventors: Henry Feldman; Theodore Calhoun Tanner, Jr. - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11993023B2 ## CPC - B29C 64/386: Data acquisition or data processing for additive manufacturing - B29C 71/02: Thermal after-treatment {(B29C71/0063 and B29C71/0072 take precedence)} - B33Y 40/20: Post-treatment, e.g. curing, coating or polishing - B33Y 50/00: Data acquisition or data processing for additive manufacturing - G05B 6/02: electric - B29C 64/118: using filamentary material being melted, e.g. fused deposition modelling [FDM] - B29C 2037/903: {by means of a computer} - B29C 2791/006: Using vacuum - Y02P 10/25: Process efficiency - 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) - Y02P: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES IN THE PRODUCTION OR PROCESSING OF GOODS ## Abstract According to one embodiment, a method, computer system, and computer program product for smoothing one or more surfaces of a 3D-printed object in reduced gravity is provided. The present invention may include positioning one or more radiative heating elements to evenly heat one or more surfaces of a 3D-printed object based on a shape of the 3D-printed object; determining, for at least one of the one or more radiative heating elements, a desired heat output necessary to melt the outermost layers of the one or more surfaces; and pulsing the one or more radiative heating elements to melt the one or more surfaces, wherein the duration and frequency of the pulsing is configured to achieve the desired heat output. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A processor-implemented method for smoothing a 3D-printed object in a low gravity environment, the method comprising: positioning a plurality of radiative heating elements within the low-gravity environment to evenly heat one or more surfaces of the 3D-printed object based on a shape of the 3D-printed object, wherein the 3D-printed object is secured in place by a single clamp; determining, for at least one of the one or more radiative heating elements, a desired heat output necessary to melt the outermost layers of the one or more surfaces; and pulsing the plurality of radiative heating elements to melt the one or more surfaces, wherein the duration and frequency of the pulsing is configured to achieve the desired heat output. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising: cooling the 3D-printed object through immersion in a coolant. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of radiative heating elements and the 3D-printed object are disposed within a chamber that is filled with vacuum. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, dynamically adjusting the position, pulse duration, or pulse frequency of a radiative heating element based on infrared thermometer readings of the one or more surfaces. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein pulsing the plurality of radiative heating elements is based on a material composition of the one or more surfaces, an angle or position of the radiative heating elements relative to the one or more surfaces, a shape of the 3D-printed object, and a thickness of a material comprising the one or more surfaces. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein a closed-loop control thermocouple is connected to the plurality of radiative heating elements. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the radiative heating elements are flexible. ### Claim 8 A computer system for smoothing a 3D-printed object in a low gravity environment, the computer system comprising: a plurality of radiative heating elements, one or more processors, one or more computer-readable memories, one or more computer-readable tangible storage medium, and program instructions stored on at least one of the one or more tangible storage medium for execution by at least one of the one or more processors via at least one of the one or more memories, wherein the computer system is capable of performing a method comprising: positioning the plurality of radiative heating elements within the low-gravity environment to evenly heat one or more surfaces of the 3D-printed object based on a shape of the 3D-printed object, wherein the 3D-printed object is secured in place by a single clamp; determining, for at least one of the one or more radiative heating elements, a desired heat output necessary to melt the outermost layers of the one or more surfaces; and pulsing the one or more radiative heating elements to melt the one or more surfaces, wherein the duration and frequency of the pulsing is configured to achieve the desired heat output. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The computer system of claim 8, further comprising: cooling the 3D-printed object through immersion in a coolant. ### Claim 10 (depends on 8) The computer system of claim 8, wherein the plurality of radiative heating elements and the 3D-printed object are disposed within a chamber that is filled with vacuum. ### Claim 11 (depends on 8) The computer system of claim 8, dynamically adjusting the position, pulse duration, or pulse frequency of a radiative heating element based on infrared thermometer readings of the one or more surfaces. ### Claim 12 (depends on 8) The computer system of claim 8, wherein pulsing the plurality of radiative heating elements is based on a material composition of the one or more surfaces, an angle or position of the radiative heating elements relative to the one or more surfaces, a shape of the 3D-printed object, and a thickness of a material comprising the one or more surfaces. ### Claim 13 (depends on 8) The computer system of claim 8, wherein a closed-loop control thermocouple is connected to the plurality of radiative heating elements. ### Claim 14 (depends on 8) The computer system of claim 8, wherein the radiative heating elements are flexible. ### Claim 15 A computer program product for smoothing a 3D-printed object in a low gravity environment, the computer program product comprising: one or more computer-readable tangible storage media and program instructions stored on at least one of the one or more tangible storage media, the program instructions executable by a processor to cause the processor to perform a method comprising: positioning a plurality of radiative heating elements within the low-gravity environment to evenly heat one or more surfaces of the 3D-printed object based on a shape of the 3D-printed object, wherein the 3D-printed object is secured in place by a single clamp; determining, for at least one of the plurality of radiative heating elements, a desired heat output necessary to melt the outermost layers of the one or more surfaces; and pulsing the plurality of radiative heating elements to melt the one or more surfaces, wherein the duration and frequency of the pulsing is configured to achieve the desired heat output. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The computer program product of claim 15, further comprising: cooling the 3D-printed object through immersion in a coolant. ### Claim 17 (depends on 15) The computer program product of claim 15, wherein the plurality of radiative heating elements and the 3D-printed object are disposed within a chamber that is filled with vacuum. ### Claim 18 (depends on 15) The computer program product of claim 15, dynamically adjusting the position, pulse duration, or pulse frequency of a radiative heating element based on infrared thermometer readings of the one or more surfaces. ### Claim 19 (depends on 15) The computer program product of claim 15, wherein pulsing the plurality of radiative heating elements is based on a material composition of the one or more surfaces, an angle or position of the radiative heating elements relative to the one or more surfaces, a shape of the 3D-printed object, and a thickness of a material comprising the one or more surfaces. ### Claim 20 (depends on 15) The computer program product of claim 15, wherein a closed-loop control thermocouple is connected to the plurality of radiative heating elements.