Element placement on 3D surfaces
AssigneesPeridot Print LLC, Nanyang Technological University
InventorsJianmin Zheng, Weidan Xiong, Jun Zeng, Edward Dale Davis
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Examples of design element placement on 3D surfaces are described herein. In some examples, a three-dimensional (3D) mesh of a 3D surface is converted to a two-dimensional (2D) surface. In some examples, placement of design elements on the 2D surface is determined to maximize density of the design elements while satisfying a minimum separation distance between the design elements. In some examples, the design element placement on the 2D surface is converted to the 3D surface.
Claims15
A method comprising:
- converting, by a processor, a three-dimensional (3D) mesh of a 3D surface to a two-dimensional (2D) surface that is planar, wherein
- the 3D surface is part of a 3D model of a mold to be printed using a 3D printer, and
- the mold is for a molded fiber object and used during production of the molded fiber object;
- determining, by the processor, placement of design elements on the 2D surface to maximize density of the design elements while satisfying a minimum separation distance between the design elements, wherein
- the design elements correspond to pores to be added to the 3D model such that the mold is formed with the pores when printed using the 3D printer;
- converting, by the processor, design element placement on the 2D surface to the 3D surface of the 3D model to add the pores to the 3D model;
- and
- printing, by the 3D printer, the mold using the 3D model to which the pores have been added, such that the mold is formed with the pores.
A computing device comprising:
- a processor;
- and
- a memory storing instructions that when executed by the processor, cause the processor to:
- convert a three-dimensional (3D) mesh of a 3D surface to a two-dimensional (2D) surface that is planar, wherein
- the 3D surface is part of a 3D model of a mold to be printed using a 3D printer, and
- the mold is for a molded fiber object and used during production of the molded fiber object;
- determine a design element grid for placement of design elements on the 2D surface to maximize density of the design elements while satisfying a minimum separation distance between the design elements, wherein
- the design elements correspond to pores to be added to the 3D model such that the mold is formed with the pores when printed using the 3D printer;
- convert the design element grid from the 2D surface to the 3D surface to add the pores to the 3D model;
- and
- cause the 3D printer to print the mold using the 3D model to which the pores have been added, such that the mold is formed with the pores.
A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing instructions that when executed by a processor of a computing device, cause the processor to:
- convert a three-dimensional (3D) mesh of a 3D surface to a two-dimensional (2D) surface that is planar, wherein
- the 3D surface is part of a 3D model of a mold to be printed using a 3D printer, and
- the mold is for a molded fiber object and used during production of the molded fiber object;
- determine placement of design elements on the 2D surface to maximize density of the design elements while satisfying a minimum separation distance between the design elements, wherein
- the design elements correspond to pores to be added to the 3D model such that the mold is formed with the pores when printed using the 3D printer;
- convert design element placement on the 2D surface to the 3D surface;
- refine the design element placement on the 3D surface to account for distortion from conversion from the 2D surface to the 3D surface;
- and
- cause the 3D printer to print the mold using the 3D model to which the pores have been added, such that the mold is formed with the pores.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.