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US 9,694,544 B2Granted
Methods for fiber reinforced additive manufacturing
AssigneeMarkforged, Inc.
InventorsGregory Thomas Mark, David Benhaim, Abraham Parangi, Benjamin Sklaroff
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A three-dimensional geometry is received, and sliced into layers. A first anisotropic fill tool path for controlling a three dimensional printer to deposit a substantially anisotropic fill material is generated defining at least part of an interior of a first layer. A second anisotropic fill tool path for controlling a three dimensional printer to deposit the substantially anisotropic fill material defines at least part of an interior of a second layer. A generated isotropic fill material tool path defines at least part of a perimeter and at least part of an interior of a third layer intervening between the first and second layers.
Claims20
A machine implemented method for generating three-dimensional toolpath signals for controlling a three dimensional printer, the method comprising:
- receiving a three-dimensional geometry;
- slicing the three-dimensional geometry into a plurality of layers;
- generating an isotropic fill material toolpath signal for controlling the three dimensional printer to deposit a substantially isotropic fill material along an isotropic fill toolpath, wherein the generated isotropic toolpath signal defines at least part of a perimeter of a first layer of the plurality of layers;
- generating a first anisotropic fill material toolpath signal for controlling the three dimensional printer to deposit a substantially anisotropic fill material along a first anisotropic fill toolpath, wherein an anisotropic characteristic of the substantially anisotropic fill material is oriented relative to a trajectory of the first anisotropic fill toolpath, and wherein the generated first anisotropic toolpath signal defines at least part of an interior of the first layer of the plurality of layers;
- and
- transmitting motion command signals corresponding to the isotropic fill material toolpath signal and the first anisotropic fill material toolpath signal to the three dimensional printer, the option command signals configured to control the three dimensional printer to print a 3D printed part by:
- depositing the substantially isotropic fill material along the isotropic fill toolpath to define the at least part of the perimeter of the first layer;
- depositing the substantially anisotropic fill material along the first anisotropic fill toolpath to define the at least part of the interior of the first layer;
- and
- orienting the anisotropic characteristic of the substantially anisotropic fill material to follow the trajectory of the first anisotropic fill toolpath such that the first layer of the 3D printed part exhibits the anisotropic characteristic in a specific direction corresponding to the trajectory of the first anisotropic fill toolpath.
7 more elements
A method for generating three-dimensional toolpath instructions for a three dimensional printer, the method comprising:
- receiving a three-dimensional geometry;
- slicing the three-dimensional geometry into a plurality of layers;
- generating a first anisotropic fill material toolpath signal for controlling the three dimensional printer to deposit a substantially anisotropic fill material along a first anisotropic fill toolpath, wherein an anisotropic characteristic of the substantially anisotropic fill material is oriented relative to a trajectory of the first anisotropic fill toolpath, and wherein the generated first anisotropic fill material toolpath signal defines at least part of an interior of a first layer of the plurality of layers;
- generating a second anisotropic fill material toolpath signal for controlling the three dimensional printer to deposit the substantially anisotropic fill material along a second anisotropic fill toolpath, wherein the anisotropic characteristic of the substantially anisotropic fill material is oriented relative to a trajectory of the second anisotropic fill toolpath, and wherein the generated second anisotropic fill material toolpath signal defines at least part of an interior of a second layer of the plurality of layers;
- generating an isotropic fill material signal for controlling the three dimensional printer to deposit a substantially isotropic fill material along an isotropic fill toolpath, wherein the generated isotropic fill material toolpath signal defines at least part of a perimeter and at least part of an interior of a third layer of the plurality of layers, the third layer intervening between the first and second layers;
- and
- transmitting motion command signals corresponding to the isotropic fill material toolpath signal, the anisotropic fill material toolpath signal, and the second anisotropic fill material toolpath signal to the three dimensional printer, the motion command signals configured to control the three dimensional printer to print a 3D printed part by:
- depositing the substantially isotropic fill material along the isotropic fill toolpath to define the at least part of the perimeter and the at least part of the interior of the third layer;
- depositing the substantially anisotropic fill material along the first anisotropic fill toolpath to define the at least part of the interior of the first layer;
- depositing the substantially anisotropic fill material along the second anisotropic fill toolpath to define the at least part of the interior of the second layer;
- orienting the anisotropic characteristic of the substantially anisotropic fill material to follow the trajectory of the first anisotropic fill toolpath such that the first layer of the 3D printed part exhibits the anisotropic characteristic in a first specific direction corresponding to the trajectory of the first anisotropic fill toolpath;
- and
- orienting the anisotropic characteristic of the substantially anisotropic fill material to follow the trajectory of the second anisotropic fill toolpath such that the second layer of the 3D printed part exhibits the anisotropic characteristic in a second specific direction corresponding to the trajectory of the second anisotropic fill toolpath.
10 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.