Method and system for automatically creating a plan for hybrid manufacturing
AssigneePalo Alto Research Center Incorporated
InventorJohn T. Maxwell, III
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An approach to automating hybrid manufacturing is provided. This approach first splits an item of manufacture into irreducible pieces called atoms, then extracts constraints between the atoms, and then uses a planner to find the best way to assemble the atoms into the item of manufacture given the constraints. The approach splits the item into atoms based on various properties such as the presence or absence of support, the need for scaffolding, tool reachability constraints, and the presence of cycles of dependencies which prevent the item from being manufactured.
Claims22
A method for automated manufacturing comprising:
- selecting a digital model for an item to be manufactured;
- iteratively splitting the model into atoms including selectively assigning for each atom at least one of an additive orientation and a substractive orientation;
- extracting constraints between the atoms;
- determining how to assemble the atoms into the item to be manufactured based on the constraints;
- and,
- outputting information configured for realization or manufacturing of the item.
A system for automated manufacturing comprising:
- at least on processor;
- and,
- at least one memory having instructions stored thereon wherein execution of the instructions by the processor causes the system to:
- select a digital model for an item to be manufactured including selectively assigning for each atom at least one of an additive orientation and a subtractive orientation;
- iteratively split the model into atoms;
- extract constraints between the atoms;
- determine how to assemble the atoms into the item to be manufactured based on the constraints;
- and,
- output information configured for realization or manufacturing of the item.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.