Power management in selective deposition modeling
Assignee3D Systems, Inc.
InventorsMark Hastert, Arvind Chari
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A power management system for a selective deposition modeling apparatus for maintaining the power consumption of the apparatus within the limits of conventional power available in most all office environments. The apparatus has a plurality of power drawing components, each component having a activation power rating wherein the accumulative total of all the power ratings exceeds a baseline power consumption value for the apparatus. The system prevents a baseline power consumption value from being exceeded by determining which components can be activated while leaving others inactivated.
Claims11
A method of power management for a selective deposition modeling apparatus, the apparatus having a plurality of power drawing components, each component having an activation power rating wherein the accumulative total of all the power ratings of the components exceeds a baseline power consumption value of the apparatus;
- the method comprising:
- a) measuring a divergence from a desired effect to be achieved in the apparatus by each component;
- b) determining which components need to be activated based on a comparison of the measured divergence and an acceptable threshold effect for each component;
- c) sorting the components that need to be activated into a list;
- d) determining from the list a number of the power consuming components that can be activated without exceeding the baseline power consumption value;
- and
- e) activating the components determined from step d).
A selective deposition modeling apparatus for forming a three-dimensional object from a curable material in a build environment, the apparatus receiving data corresponding to layers of the three-dimensional object, the apparatus comprising:
- a support means affixed to the apparatus for supporting the three-dimensional object in the build environment;
- a dispensing means affixed to the apparatus and in communication with the support means for dispensing the curable material in the build environment according to the computer data to form the layers of the three-dimensional object;
- a flash exposure means affixed to the apparatus for curing the dispensed material, the flash exposure means in communication with the support means;
- a plurality of power drawing components, each component having an activation power rating wherein the accumulative total of all the power ratings exceeds a baseline power consumption value of the apparatus;
- a power management system that maintains the amount of power consumed by the plurality of power drawing components below a baseline power consumption value, the power management system adapted to:
- a) measure the divergence from a desired effect to be achieved in the apparatus by each component;
- b) determine which components need to be activated based on a comparison of the measured divergence and an acceptable threshold effect for each component;
- c) sort the components that need to be activated into a list;
- d) determine from the list the number of power consuming components that can be activated without exceeding the baseline power consumption value;
- and
- e) activate the components determined in step d).
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.