US 12,240,182 B2
Automated design generation for additive manufacturing with an accessible support volume
Amirmassoud Mirzendehdel, Millbrae, CA (US); Morad Behandish, San Mateo, CA (US); and Saigopal Nelaturi, Mountain View, CA (US)
Assigned to XEROX CORPORATION, Norwalk, CT (US)
Filed by XEROX CORPORATION, Norwalk, CT (US)
Filed on Aug. 23, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/445,635.
Prior Publication US 2023/0076817 A1, Mar. 9, 2023
Int. Cl. B29C 64/393 (2017.01); B29C 64/40 (2017.01); B33Y 10/00 (2015.01); B33Y 50/02 (2015.01)
CPC B29C 64/393 (2017.08) [B29C 64/40 (2017.08); B33Y 10/00 (2014.12); B33Y 50/02 (2014.12)] 26 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method, comprising:
receiving a representation of an initial design domain;
iteratively generating intermediate part designs by redistributing material within the initial design domain, wherein the intermediate part designs each comprise a 3D part and a support volume;
calculating a measure of inaccessibility of the support volume of each intermediate part design by at least one subtractive tool assembly, wherein at least one of the intermediate part designs is generated based at least partially upon the measure of inaccessibility of a previous one of the intermediate part designs, wherein calculating the measure of inaccessibility comprises:
calculating an inaccessibility measure field (IMF);
calculating a topological sensitivity field (TSF); and
calculating a physics-aware IMF (PIMF) based upon the IMF and the TSF;
generating a final part design based upon the intermediate part designs and the measures of inaccessibility, wherein the final part design minimizes the inaccessibility of the support volume by the at least one subtractive tool assembly;
building the final part design with a 3D printer;
selecting an orientation of the final part design with respect to the at least one subtractive tool assembly to ensure that the 3D part does not prematurely detach from the support volume and a substrate and fall under its own weight; and
removing at least a portion of the support volume with the at least one subtractive tool assembly while the final part design is in the selected orientation to yield the 3D part.