US 11,718,038 B2
Mold lock remediation
Ricardo Chin, Shrewsbury, MA (US); and Blake Z. Reeves, Chelsea, MA (US)
Assigned to Desktop Metal, Inc., Burlington, MA (US)
Filed by Desktop Metal, Inc., Burlington, MA (US)
Filed on Sep. 14, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/474,216.
Application 17/474,216 is a continuation of application No. 16/328,813, granted, now 11,148,206, previously published as PCT/US2018/028870, filed on Apr. 23, 2018.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/580,966, filed on Nov. 2, 2017.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/489,271, filed on Apr. 24, 2017.
Prior Publication US 2021/0402473 A1, Dec. 30, 2021
This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.
Int. Cl. G05B 19/4099 (2006.01); B29C 64/40 (2017.01); B29C 64/386 (2017.01); B33Y 50/02 (2015.01); B28B 17/00 (2006.01); B28B 1/00 (2006.01); H04N 1/409 (2006.01); B33Y 50/00 (2015.01); B22F 10/20 (2021.01); B22F 10/40 (2021.01); B22F 10/64 (2021.01); B33Y 10/00 (2015.01); B29C 64/10 (2017.01)
CPC B29C 64/386 (2017.08) [B22F 10/20 (2021.01); B22F 10/40 (2021.01); B22F 10/64 (2021.01); B28B 1/001 (2013.01); B28B 17/0081 (2013.01); B29C 64/40 (2017.08); B33Y 50/00 (2014.12); B33Y 50/02 (2014.12); G05B 19/4099 (2013.01); H04N 1/4092 (2013.01); B29C 64/10 (2017.08); B33Y 10/00 (2014.12); G05B 2219/35134 (2013.01); G05B 2219/49007 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method comprising:
receiving a digital model including a raft, an object for fabrication on the raft, and a support for fabrication with the object to provide physical support according to one or more design rules;
dividing the digital model into a number of layers formed by planar, horizontal cross sections through the digital model;
for each layer, identifying one or more draw paths for separating a layer of support formed by a cross section of the support from a layer of the object formed by a cross section of the object within the layer of the digital model;
identifying one of the number of layers as a locked layer when the layer of support has no draw path for separating the layer of support from the layer of the object, or when the layer of support is vertically coupled to a second layer of the support having no draw path in common with the layer of support;
identifying a mold locked region of the support including the locked layer and any vertically contiguous support layers;
dividing the mold locked region with one or more vertical planes into one or more subregions;
if the one or more subregions can be horizontally removed, processing a remaining digital model, excluding the one or more subregions, for mold lock remediation; and
if the one or more subregions cannot be horizontally removed, employing one or more three-dimensional remediation strategies to address the mold locked region.