# US 2019/0315067 A1 · Additive Manufacturing

> Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt

- Number: US 2019/0315067 A1
- Document ID: US20190315067A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 16/466,545
- Filed: 2017-12-08
- Published: 2019-10-17
- Earliest claimed: 2016-12-08
- Assignees: Betatype Group Ltd.
- Applicants: Betatype Group Ltd.
- Inventors: Sarat BABU; Jovan Djordje STOJSAVLJEVIC; Matthew James LONGBOTTOM
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20190315067A1

## CPC

- B29C 64/386: Data acquisition or data processing for additive manufacturing
- B29C 64/393: for controlling or regulating additive manufacturing processes
- 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
- 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

Generating tool path data for use in additive manufacturing comprises providing object design data in which at least part of the object is represented abstractly using lines and/or surfaces. The lines and/or surfaces can then be used to provide tool path data for the build layers of an additive manufacturing apparatus. The tool paths can be reconfigured to reduce the overall distance travelled and/or travel time when the additive manufacturing apparatus implements the tool path data. An additive manufacturing parameter for a structural feature of the object can also be selected based on the geometry of the structural feature and specified in the tool path data.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method of generating tool path data for use in additive manufacturing, the method comprising:
providing object design data in which at least a part of the object is represented by a line;
discretizing the line to generate a first layer point that lies within a first build layer and a second layer point that lies within a second build layer;
projecting the second layer point to a projected layer point that lies within the first build layer; and
connecting the first layer point to the projected layer point to provide tool path data for the first build layer.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

A method as claimed in claim 1 comprising, prior to discretizing the line, moving an end node of the line to a build layer for that end node to generate an end node layer point.

### Claim at position 3

3-4. (canceled)

### Claim 5 (depends on 2)

A method as claimed in claim 2 wherein the end node layer point is used as the first layer point or the end node layer point is used as the second layer point.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein discretizing the line comprises determining an intersection layer point at an intersection of the line and a build layer.

### Claim 7

(canceled)

### Claim 8 (depends on 6)

A method as claimed in claim 6 wherein the intersection layer point is used as the first layer point or the intersection layer point is used as the second layer point.

### Claim at position 8

9-13. (canceled)

### Claim 14

A method of generating tool path data for use in additive manufacturing, the method comprising:
providing object design data in which at least a part of the object is represented by a surface;
slicing the surface to generate a first layer line that lies within a first build layer and a second layer line that lies within a second build layer;
projecting the second layer line to a projected layer line that lies within the first build layer; and
using the first layer line and projected layer line to provide tool path data for the first build layer.

### Claim 15 (depends on 14)

A method as claimed in claim 14 comprising, prior to slicing the surface, moving an edge node at an edge of the surface to an edge node layer point within a build layer.

### Claim at position 11

16-17. (canceled)

### Claim 18 (depends on 15)

A method as claimed in claim 15 wherein the edge node layer point is used as part of the first layer line or second layer line.

### Claim 19 (depends on 14)

A method as claimed in claim 14 wherein slicing the surface comprises determining an intersection layer line at an intersection of the surface and a build layer.

### Claim 20

(canceled)

### Claim 21 (depends on 19)

A method as claimed in claim 19 wherein the intersection layer line is used as the first layer line or the intersection layer line is used as the second layer line.

### Claim 22

(canceled)

### Claim 23 (depends on 14)

A method as claimed in claim 14 comprising generating further layer lines between the first layer line and the projected layer line to generate the tool path data for the first build layer or using the first layer line and the projected layer line to generate a closed contour and using the closed contour to provide the tool path data for the first build layer.

### Claim 24

(canceled)

### Claim 25 (depends on 14)

A method as claimed in claim 14 comprising:
offsetting or thickening the surface to generate a first offset face;
slicing the first offset face to generate a first offset face layer line that lies within the first build layer;
using the first layer line and the first offset face layer line as part of a first closed contour within the first build layer;
offsetting or thickening the surface to generate a second offset face;
slicing the second offset face to generate a second offset face layer line that lies within the second build layer;
using the second layer line and the second offset face layer line as part of a second closed contour within the second build layer;
projecting the second closed contour to a projected closed contour that lies within the first build layer;
generating a first combined closed contour from overlapping parts of the first closed contour and the projected closed contour; and
using the first combined closed contour to provide tool path data for the first build layer.

### Claim at position 20

26-76. (canceled)

### Claim 77

A data processing system for generating tool path data for use in additive manufacturing, the system comprising processing circuitry configured to perform a method of generating tool path data, the processing circuitry being configured to:
provide object design data in which at least a part of the object is represented by a line;
discretize the line to generate a first layer point that lies within a first build layer and a second layer point that lies within a second build layer;
project the second layer point to a projected layer point that lies within the first build layer; and
connect the first layer point to the projected layer point to provide tool path data for the first build layer.

### Claim 78

(canceled)

### Claim 79

A data processing system for generating tool path data for use in additive manufacturing, the system comprising processing circuitry configured to perform a method of generating tool path data, the processing circuitry being configured to:
provide object design data in which at least a part of the object is represented by a surface;
slice the surface to generate a first layer line that lies within a first build layer and a second layer line that lies within a second build layer;
project the second layer line to a projected layer line that lies within the first build layer; and
use the first layer line and projected layer line to provide tool path data for the first build layer.

### Claim 80 (depends on 1)

A method as claimed in claim 1 further comprising manufacturing a physical object, wherein manufacturing the physical object comprises using an additive manufacturing apparatus to implement the tool path data.

### Claim 81 (depends on 14)

A method as claimed in claim 14 further comprising manufacturing a physical object, wherein manufacturing the physical object comprises using an additive manufacturing apparatus to implement the tool path data.