# US 2018/0022030 A1 · Setting properties of three-dimensional objects > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2018/0022030 A1 - Document ID: US20180022030A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 15/546,193 - Filed: 2015-04-24 - Published: 2018-01-25 - Earliest claimed: 2015-04-24 - Assignees: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. - Applicants: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. - Inventors: Jan Morovic; Peter Morovic - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20180022030A1 ## CPC - B29C 64/386: Data acquisition or data processing for additive manufacturing - B33Y 50/00: Data acquisition or data processing for additive manufacturing - G05B 19/4099: Surface or curve machining, making three-dimensional [3D] objects, e.g. desktop manufacturing - B33Y 50/02: for controlling or regulating additive manufacturing processes - G05B 2219/35134: 3-D cad-cam - G05B 2219/49023: 3-D printing, layer of powder, add drops of binder in layer, new powder - 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) ## Abstract A method for setting properties of a three-dimensional object in an additive manufacturing process, e.g. 3D-Printing, in which data representing a three-dimensional object to be printed is obtained. The data comprises sub-volumes representing the three-dimensional object. The position of the sub-volumes in the three-dimensional object is identifyied by a positional pomponent, i.e. a location depth and an orientation angle. A characteristic for the three-dimensional object to be printed is identified or set by the user. The property data is set for individual sub-volumes to be used in printing the three-dimensional object based on the identified characteristic and positional component. The property data comprises material property data, structural property data and printing property data. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method comprising: obtaining data representing a three-dimensional object to be printed, the data comprising sub-volumes representing the three-dimensional object; identifying a characteristic for the three-dimensional object to be printed; identifying a positional component of a sub-volume within the three-dimensional object; and based on the identified characteristic and positional component, setting property data for the sub-volume to be used in printing the three-dimensional object, wherein the identified characteristic and the identified positional component are a function of the property data. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) A method according to claim 1 in which the positional component is a depth at which the sub-volume is located within the three-dimensional object. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) A method according to claim 1 in which the positional component is an angle at which the sub-volume is orientated within the three-dimensional object. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) A method according to claim 3 in which the angle at which the sub-volume is orientated is the angle between a surface normal of the sub-volume and a printing direction. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) A method according to claim 1 comprising receiving a user input indicating the identified characteristic for the three-dimensional object to be printed. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) A method according to claim 1 in which the property data comprises material property data, structural property data and printing property data. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) A method according to claim 1 comprising storing, for sub-volumes, property data as a function of three-dimensional object characteristics and positional components. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) A method according to claim 1 comprising printing the three-dimensional object using the property data set for the sub-volumes. ### Claim 9 (depends on 6) A method according to claim 6 wherein the material property data includes a data indicating a material quantity, a material weight, a material density, a material distribution, a material combination and/or material volume coverage information. ### Claim 10 (depends on 6) A method according to claim 6 wherein the structural property data includes data indicating a structural size, structural shape and/or halftoning information. ### Claim 11 (depends on 6) A method according to claim 6 wherein the printing property data includes data indicating a printing process, a printing technique, a printing speed, a fusing temperature and/or an instruction to set different material property data and/or structural property data. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) A method according to claim 1 wherein the identified characteristic for the three-dimensional object to be printed includes elasticity, weight, opacity, ductility, flexibility, colour and/or a conductivity for the three dimensional object to be printed. ### Claim 13 Apparatus comprising: an obtaining module to obtain data representing a three-dimensional object to be printed, the data comprising sub-volumes representing the three-dimensional object; an identifying module to identify a characteristic for the three-dimensional object to be printed and a positional component of a sub-volume within the three-dimensional object; and a processor to set, based on the identified characteristic and positional component, property data for the sub-volume to be used in printing the three-dimensional object, wherein the identified characteristic and the identified positional component are a function of the property data. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) An apparatus according to claim 1 comprising: a storage to store, for sub-volumes, property data as a function of three-dimensional object characteristics and positional components. ### Claim 15 A non-transitory machine-readable storage medium encoded with instructions executable by a processor, the machine-readable storage medium comprising: instructions to obtain data representing a three-dimensional object to be printed, the data comprising sub-volumes making up the three-dimensional object; instructions to obtain a characteristic for the three-dimensional object to be printed and a positional component of a sub-volume within the three-dimensional object; and instructions to set, based on the obtained characteristic and positional component, property data for the sub-volume to be used in printing the three-dimensional object, wherein the obtained characteristic and the obtained positional component are a function of the property data.