US 2023/0256514 A1 · IDENTIFICATION MARKER ON A 3D PRINTED COMPONENT

Abstract

A system and method are described for post-processing a 3D printed component. For example, support structures for the 3D printed component may be removed during post-processing. In the system and method, a marker is placed on the 3D printed component or on a support structure attached to the 3D printed component. The marker may be printed while the 3D printed component and the support structures are printed by a 3D printer. After printing, the marker may then be sensed to determine one or more cutting paths between the 3D printed component and the support structures. The 3D printed component may then be autonomously separated from the support structures by cutting through the cutting path.

Claims19

Dependent claims

A method of post-processing a 3D printed component, comprising:

printing a marker on the 3D printed component or on a support structure with a 3D printer used to form the 3D printed component and the support structure;
sensing the marker and determining a cutting path between the 3D printed component and the support structure attached to the 3D printed component based on the marker;
and
outputting the cutting path to a cutting system for cutting through the 3D printed component or the support structure along the cutting path to separate the 3D printed component from the support structure;
wherein a location relative to the marker of a connection point between the support structure and the 3D printed component or the cutting path is encoded in the marker.

2 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Identification marker on a 3d printed component

Life of this patent

Identification marker on a 3d printed component

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims19