System and method for handling assets for fabrication
OwnerPatrick M Baudischinventor
Life of this patent
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Abstract
The present disclosure introduces the concept of 3D editors that treat contents as a set of “assemblies” that interact with each other and the world governed by physics, such as inertia. Based on this general concept we introduce a range of tools for manipulating such assemblies. We then automate several aspects of 3D editing that might otherwise clash with the notion of an interaction based on physics, such as alignment and view management. Some embodiments of the inventive concept target specific fabrication machines. This allows these embodiments to offer smart content elements that embody useful domain knowledge, such as stability and material efficiency. This reduces user interface complexity and allows especially inexperienced users to solve common problems with ease.
Claims22
A method of editing 3D models for physical fabrication using a subtractive fabrication machine, the 3D model including parts made from a largely flat sheet of material, the edges of at least some of which are rigidly connected to another part, the method comprising:
- modifying the geometry of the 3D model in response to user input;
- and
- updating the rigid connections to accommodate the modified geometry.
A method of applying kerf correction to a 3D model containing rigid connections between parts along at least one edge, the method comprising:
- receiving information about the current kerf of the intended fabrication machine,
- adjusting the geometry of the 3D model including the rigid connections to compensate for the current kerf.
A method of converting a 3D model to a set of 2D parts, the method comprising:
- traversing the 3D model, the 3D model comprising rigid connections between parts along at least one edge,
- copying all 2D parts encountered during traversal into an export list intended for fabrication using the subtractive fabrication machine.
A method for texturing 3D models intended for subtractive fabrication, the method comprising:
- receiving user input relative to the 3D model,
- positioning a texture on a portion of the 3D model according to this input.
A method of laying out 2D parts intended for subtractive fabrication and assembly obtained by decomposing a 3D model, the method comprising:
- unfolding the 3D model into 2D parts using a developable surface algorithm to lay out at least some of the parts that are finger-joined in the 3D model to be positioned adjacently in 2D.
A method for classifying which surfaces in a 2D layout intended for subtractive fabrication are parts and which others are scrap, the method comprising:
- parsing the 2D layout into a nested hierarchy of closed polygonal rings,
- labeling everything contained in the first ring as part,
- labeling enclosed polygonal rings alternatingly as scrap and part.
A method estimating the material thicknesses of a set of 2D parts intended for subtractive fabrication, the method comprising:
- locating line segments in the set of 2D parts,
- determining the lengths of the line segments,
- aggregating the lengths into a histogram,
- returning the most frequent line lengths from the histogram as likely material thicknesses.
A method of reconstructing a 3D model from a set of 2D parts intended for subtractive fabrication, the method comprising:
- comparing subsets of the outlines of the 2D parts with line-segment-and-angle-patterns that represent the rigid connections under consideration, to identify potential half-joints,
- identifying matching half-joints to form half-joints-pairs among the potential half-joints,
- joining parts corresponding to the identified matching half-joint pairs in the 3D model.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.