US 11,865,616 B2
Decaking 3D printed parts
Jorge Diosdado Borrego, Barcelona (ES); Michel Georges Encrenaz, Rubi (ES); Sergio Puigardeu Aramendia, Sant Cugat del Valles (ES); and Rocio Munoz Moreno, Madrid (ES)
Assigned to Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P., Spring, TX (US)
Filed by Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P., Spring, TX (US)
Filed on Jun. 3, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/338,125.
Prior Publication US 2022/0388068 A1, Dec. 8, 2022
Int. Cl. B22F 10/68 (2021.01); B22F 10/73 (2021.01); B22F 12/90 (2021.01); B33Y 40/20 (2020.01); B33Y 50/02 (2015.01); B29C 64/393 (2017.01); B29C 64/35 (2017.01); B33Y 40/00 (2020.01); B33Y 10/00 (2015.01); B29C 64/357 (2017.01); B29C 64/165 (2017.01); B22F 10/14 (2021.01)
CPC B22F 10/68 (2021.01) [B22F 10/73 (2021.01); B22F 12/90 (2021.01); B29C 64/35 (2017.08); B29C 64/357 (2017.08); B29C 64/393 (2017.08); B33Y 40/00 (2014.12); B33Y 40/20 (2020.01); B33Y 50/02 (2014.12); B22F 10/14 (2021.01); B29C 64/165 (2017.08); B33Y 10/00 (2014.12)] 11 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A decaking system for 3D printing, comprising:
a platform to support multiple green parts in unbound powder surrounding the green parts;
a decaking tool to remove unbound powder from around the green parts;
a camera to photograph green parts on the platform as unbound powder is removed from around the green parts; and
a controller operatively connected to the camera and programmed to:
detect a pattern of light intensity in the photographs of the green parts; and
determine whether the pattern of light intensity that is detected matches a reference pattern by one or more of:
identifying more darker regions and fewer brighter regions in a pattern of a decaked green part compared to a pattern of caked green part;
identifying less darker regions and more brighter regions in a pattern of the decaked green part compared to the pattern of the caked green part; or
counting an increasing number of holes visible in the photographs; and
in response to a determination that the pattern of light intensity that is detected matches the reference pattern, modulate or stop the decaking tool.