US 11,808,680 B2
System and method for characterizing liquid metal drops jetted from a 3D printer using a strobe light
Vijay Kumar Baikampady Gopalkrishna, Santa Clara, CA (US); Raja Bala, Pittsford, NY (US); Palghat Ramesh, Pittsford, NY (US); David Allen Mantell, Rochester, NY (US); Peter Michael Gulvin, Webster, NY (US); and Mark A. Cellura, Webster, NY (US)
Assigned to XEROX CORPORATION, Norwalk, CT (US)
Filed by XEROX CORPORATION, Norwalk, CT (US)
Filed on May 27, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/332,445.
Prior Publication US 2022/0381666 A1, Dec. 1, 2022
Int. Cl. G01N 15/02 (2006.01); B22F 12/90 (2021.01); B22F 10/31 (2021.01); B22F 10/85 (2021.01); B33Y 40/00 (2020.01); B33Y 50/02 (2015.01); B33Y 10/00 (2015.01)
CPC G01N 15/0227 (2013.01) [B22F 10/31 (2021.01); B22F 10/85 (2021.01); B22F 12/90 (2021.01); B33Y 10/00 (2014.12); B33Y 40/00 (2014.12); B33Y 50/02 (2014.12)] 24 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method, comprising:
illuminating a drop with a pulse of light from a light source, wherein a duration of the pulse of light is from about 0.0001 seconds to about 0.1 seconds;
capturing an image, video, or both of the drop;
detecting the drop in the image, the video, or both; and
characterizing the drop after the drop is detected, wherein characterizing the drop comprises determining a size of the drop, a location of the drop, or both in the image, the video, or both, and wherein characterizing the drop produces a binary mask that represents the drop.