# US 12,214,528 B1 · Methods and systems for support structures in cut parts > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,214,528 B1 - Document ID: US12214528B1 - Status: Granted - Kind: B1 - Application number: 18/473,375 - Filed: 2023-09-25 - Granted: 2025-02-04 - Earliest claimed: 2023-09-25 - Assignees: Thermwood Corporation - Applicants: Thermwood Corporation - Inventors: Kenneth J. Susnjara - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12214528B1 ## CPC - B29C 33/3842: {Manufacturing moulds, e.g. shaping the mould surface by machining} - B29C 64/147: using sheet material, e.g. laminated object manufacturing [LOM] or laminating sheet material precut to local cross sections of the 3D object - B23P 15/24: dies (B21C3/18, B21C25/10, B21D37/20 take precedence) - B23P 15/246: {Laminated dies} - B23P 17/00: Metal-working operations, not covered by a single other subclass or another group in this subclass - B29C 33/302: {Assembling a large number of mould elements to constitute one cavity} - B29C 64/188: involving additional operations performed on the added layers, e.g. smoothing, grinding or thickness control (surface shaping B29C59/00; after-treatment of articles without altering their shape B29C71/00) - B29C 64/386: Data acquisition or data processing for additive manufacturing - B29C 64/40: Structures for supporting 3D objects during manufacture and intended to be sacrificed after completion thereof - B33Y 40/20: Post-treatment, e.g. curing, coating or polishing - B33Y 80/00: Products made by additive manufacturing - B23C 3/00: Milling particular work; Special milling operations; Machines therefor (milling gear-teeth B23F, {heat assisted machining B23P25/00}) - B23C 2222/04: Aluminium - B23P 2700/12: Laminated parts - B29C 2033/385: {by laminating a plurality of layers} - B29L 2031/757: {Moulds, cores, dies} - B33Y 10/00: Processes of additive manufacturing - B33Y 50/00: Data acquisition or data processing for additive manufacturing - 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) - B23P: METAL-WORKING NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; COMBINED OPERATIONS; UNIVERSAL MACHINE TOOLS (arrangements for copying or controlling B23Q) - 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 - B23C: MILLING (broaching B23D; broach-milling in making gears B23F; arrangement for copying or controlling B23Q) - B29L: INDEXING SCHEME ASSOCIATED WITH SUBCLASS B29C, RELATING TO PARTICULAR ARTICLES ## Abstract A method of manufacturing a part includes removing material with a cutting machine to form a plurality of segments, at least two of the segments including an anchoring structure, connecting two or more segments to form a first layer, and connecting two or more additional segments to form a second layer. The method also includes connecting the first layer to the second layer and connecting a support structure directly to two of the anchoring structures. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A computer-implemented additive manufacturing method, comprising: receiving an electronic representation of a part with a control system, the part having a plurality of layers; determining that anchoring structures will be formed in the part; identifying one or more layers of the part that will include the anchoring structures; determining locations for the anchoring structures within the one or more layers, each anchoring structure includes a protrusion that extends towards an interior of the layer and that is located within the layer; generating instructions for forming the one or more layers including anchoring structures with a cutting machine; and connecting a support structure to the anchoring structures. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further including, based on the instructions, removing material from one or more sheets to form one or more layers that include the anchoring structures. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further including determining at least one of a size or a shape of the anchoring structures from a plurality of different sizes or shapes. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further including displaying a prompt to a user for determining that the anchoring structures will be formed in one or more of the layers. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further including generating instructions for forming a plurality of segments for the one or more layers having anchoring structures. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further including generating instructions for forming a plurality of segments for the one or more layers having anchoring structures, wherein the anchoring structures are on inner walls of the segments. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further including: generating instructions for forming a plurality of segments for the one or more layers having anchoring structures, wherein the anchoring structures are on inner walls of the segments; and generating instructions for forming a joint at an interface between the segments. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further including: generating instructions for forming a plurality of segments for the one or more layers having anchoring structures; and connecting the plurality of segments to each other to form the one or more layers. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further including: generating instructions for forming a plurality of segments for the one or more layers having anchoring structures; and connecting the plurality of segments to each other to form the one or more layers, wherein after the two or more segments are connected, the one or more layers have a hollow interior and the anchoring structures protrude into the hollow interior. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further including determining at least one of a size or a shape of the support structure from a plurality of different sizes or shapes. ### Claim 11 A computer-implemented additive manufacturing method, comprising: receiving an electronic representation of a part with a control system, the part having a plurality of layers; determining that anchoring structures will be formed in the part; identifying one or more layers of the part that will include the anchoring structures; determining locations for the anchoring structures within a layer, wherein the anchoring structures include protrusions that extend towards an interior of the layer and that are located within the layer; determining a location for a support structure within the layer, wherein the support structure is connected to the anchoring structures; and generating instructions for forming the layer including the anchoring structures for receiving the support structure with a cutting machine. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, further including, based on the instructions, removing material from one or more sheets to form one or more layers including the layer that include the anchoring structures. ### Claim 13 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, further including determining at least one of a size or a shape of the anchoring structures from a plurality of different sizes or shapes. ### Claim 14 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, further including displaying a prompt to a user for determining that anchoring structures will be formed in one or more layers. ### Claim 15 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, further including generating instructions for forming a plurality of segments for one or more layers having anchoring structures. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The method of claim 15, further including: generating instructions for forming a plurality of segments for one or more layers having anchoring structures, wherein the anchoring structures are on inner walls of the segments. ### Claim 17 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, further including: generating instructions for forming a plurality of segments for one or more layers having anchoring structures, wherein the anchoring structures are on inner walls of the segments; and generating instructions for forming a joint at an interface between the segments. ### Claim 18 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, further including: generating instructions for forming a plurality of segments for one or more layers having anchoring structures; and connecting the plurality of segments to each other to form the one or more layers. ### Claim 19 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, further including: generating instructions for forming a plurality of segments for the one or more layers having anchoring structures; and connecting the plurality of segments to each other to form the one or more layers, wherein after the two or more segments are connected, the one or more layers have a hollow interior and the anchoring structures protrude into the hollow interior. ### Claim 20 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, further including determining at least one of a size or a shape of the support structure from a plurality of different sizes or shapes.