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US 2017/0282458 A1Published application
Forming control apparatus, and method and storage medium therefor
AssigneeCanon Kabushiki Kaisha
InventorsKotaro Matsuda, Takeshi Ishikura
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Exemplary embodiments of the present invention control a forming unit of a 3D printer so as to additionally form a second object in a free space in the forming unit when receiving an instruction to form the second object and forming data in the middle of a forming process for a first object by the forming unit.
Claims9
A forming control apparatus for controlling a forming process performed by a forming unit configured to form a three-dimensional object, the forming control apparatus comprising,
- a memory storing codes;
- and
- a processor which is capable of executing the codes causing the forming control apparatus to:
- receive, during the forming process for a first object performed by the forming unit, an instruction to form a second object, which is different from the first object, and forming data corresponding to the second object;
- specify a third three-dimensional space where an object can be additionally formed by the forming unit, based on a first three-dimensional space of the forming unit where an object can be formed and a second three-dimensional space required to form the first object in the first three-dimensional space;
- determine whether the second object can be formed in the third three-dimensional space;
- issue, to the forming unit, a forming control command based on the forming data for forming the second object in the third three-dimensional space, in addition to a forming control command for forming the first object, in a case where it is determined that the second object can be formed in the third three-dimensional space;
- and
- issue a completion notification in a case where the forming process for the first object and the second object by the forming unit is completed.
6 more elements
A control method comprising:
- receiving, during a forming process for a first object performed by a forming unit configured to form a three-dimensional object, an instruction to form a second object, which is different from the first object, and forming data corresponding to the second object;
- specifying a third three-dimensional space where an object can be additionally formed by the forming unit, based on a first three-dimensional space of the forming unit where an object can be formed and a second three-dimensional space required to form the first object in the first three-dimensional space;
- determining whether the second object can be formed in the third three-dimensional space;
- issuing, to the forming unit, a forming control command based on the forming data for forming the second object in the third three-dimensional space, in addition to a forming control command for forming the first object, in a case where it is determined that the second object can be formed in the third three-dimensional space;
- and
- issuing a completion notification in a case where the forming process for the first object and the second object by the forming unit is completed.
3 more elements
A non-transitory computer readable storage medium on which is stored a computer program for causing a computer to execute a control method, the method comprising:
- receiving, during a forming process for a first object performed by a forming unit configured to form a three-dimensional object, an instruction to form a second object, which is different from the first object, and forming data corresponding to the second object;
- specifying a third three-dimensional space where an object can be additionally formed by the forming unit, based on a first three-dimensional space of the forming unit where an object can be formed and a second three-dimensional space required to form the first object in the first three-dimensional space;
- determining whether the second object can be formed in the third three-dimensional space;
- issuing, to the forming unit, a forming control command based on the forming data for forming the second object in the third three-dimensional space, in addition to a forming control command for forming the first object, in a case where it is determined that the second object can be formed in the third three-dimensional space;
- and
- issuing a completion notification in a case where the forming process for the first object and the second object by the forming unit is completed.
3 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.