Forming layers of build material
AssigneeHewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
InventorsWilliam E. HERTLING, Benjiman WHITE, Mike WHITMARSH
Life of this patent
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Abstract
According to one aspect, there is provided a method of forming a layer of build material on a build platform of a three-dimensional printing system. The method comprises obtaining characteristics of a build volume to be processed, determining characteristics of a volume of build material to be used to form the layer, forming an intermediate volume of build material having the determined characteristics, and spreading the intermediate volume of build material over the build platform to form the layer.
Claims15
A build material distribution system to form a layer of build material on a build platform of a three-dimensional printer, comprising:
- a build material preparation module to form an intermediate volume of build material on a build material support;
- a build material distributor to spread the intermediate volume of build material over the build platform;
- and
- a controller to:
- obtain dimensions of a build volume to be processed;
- control the build material preparation module to form an intermediate volume of build material on the build material support, the intermediate volume having dimensions based on the obtained build volume dimensions;
- and
- control the build material distributor to spread the intermediate volume of build material over the build platform to form a layer of build material having at least one dimension associated with a dimension of the build volume.
A method of forming a layer of build material on a build platform of a three-dimensional printing system comprising:
- obtaining characteristics of a build volume to be processed;
- determining characteristics of a volume of build material to be used to form the layer;
- forming an intermediate volume of build material having the determined characteristics;
- and
- spreading the intermediate volume of build material over the build platform to form the layer.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.