Three-Dimensional Printing Using Fast STL File Conversion

摘要

Methods are provided for solid free-form fabrication of an article without using a slice stack file quickly and efficiently—in terms of computational resources—converting STL files representing an article or articles to be built by SFFF without the use of a conventional slicing program. An application program interface (“API”) is used to generate a bitmap corresponding to each particular layer of the article that is to be printed directly from the article's STL file. This conversion may done essentially in real time immediately before the particular layer is to be printed. The bitmap is used in configuring the printing instructions for the SFFF printing mechanism to print that particular layer.

主权项

1. A process for making an article by solid free-form fabrication, the process including the steps of:
a) providing an STL file containing a model of the article; b) for at least one print layer of the article, use an application programming interface to instruct a rendering system to use a first bitmap, BM1, as a target and
i) clear depth and color buffers;ii) enable depth testing;iii) set up a top or bottom view orthographic projection;iv) set background color to a first color, C1;v) clip the model with a horizontal clipping plane at a desired height, Zn, to disregard all article geometry above Zn when the orthographic projection was set to be a top view or to disregard all model geometry below Zn when the orthographic projection was set to be a bottom view;vi) cull interior faces of the model;vii) render the model in C1;viii) cull exterior faces of the model;ix) render the model in a second color, C2; andx) scene finalize to BM1;xi) utilize BM1 for printing the at least one layer.