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.
Claims13
A forming control apparatus for controlling a forming unit to form one or more three-dimensional objects, 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:
- estimate, by the processor, time for the forming unit to complete forming a first object in a three-dimensional space on a stage of the forming unit;
- receive, during the forming of the first object by the forming unit, an instruction to form a second object different from the first object;
- determine whether the second object instructed to be formed is formable in a remaining three-dimensional space different from said three-dimensional space on the stage;
- and
- after the time is estimated and in response to the reception of the instruction to form the second object, further estimate, by the processor, time for the forming unit to complete forming both of the currently forming first object and the following second object;
- wherein information based on the time further estimated is to be notified to a user, and
- wherein the first object and the second object are formed by the forming unit, in a case where it is determined that the second object is formable in the remaining three-dimensional space.
A control method for a forming control apparatus for controlling a forming unit to form one or more three-dimensional objects, the method comprising:
- estimating, by the forming control apparatus, time for the forming unit to complete forming a first object in a three-dimensional space on a stage of the forming unit;
- receiving, during the forming of the first object by the forming unit, an instruction to form a second object different from the first object;
- determining whether the second object instructed to be formed is formable in a remaining three-dimensional space different from said three-dimensional space on the stage;
- and
- after the time is estimated and in response to the reception of the instruction to form the second object, further estimating, by the forming control apparatus, time for the forming unit to complete forming both of the currently forming first object and the following second object;
- wherein information based on the time further estimated is to be notified to a user, and
- wherein the first object and the second object are formed by the forming unit, in a case where it is determined that the second object is formable in the remaining three-dimensional space.
A non-transitory computer readable storage medium on which is stored a computer program for causing a forming control apparatus to execute a control method, the control method comprising:
- estimating, by the forming control apparatus, time for the forming unit to complete forming a first object in a three-dimensional space on a stage of a forming unit to form one or more three-dimensional objects;
- receiving, during the forming of the first object by the forming unit, an instruction to form a second object different from the first object;
- determining whether the second object instructed to be formed is formable in a remaining three-dimensional space different from said three-dimensional space on the stage;
- and
- after the time is estimated and in response to the reception of the instruction to form the second object, further estimating, by the forming control apparatus, time for the forming unit to complete forming both of the currently forming first object and the following second object;
- wherein information based on the time further estimated is to be notified to a user, and
- wherein the first object and the second object are formed by the forming unit, in a case where it is determined that the second object is formable in the remaining three-dimensional space.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.