METHODS AND APPARATI FOR IMPLEMENTING PROGRAMMABLE PIPELINE FOR THREE-DIMENSIONAL PRINTING INCLUDING MULTI-MATERIAL APPLICATIONS

摘要

A programmable pipeline for synthesis of multi-material 3D printed objects supports procedural evaluation of geometric detail and material composition, using program modules allowing models to be specified easily and efficiently. A streaming architecture enables only a small fraction of the final volume to be stored in memory. Output is fed to the printer with little startup delay. A variety of multi-material objects are described. Procedural control over surface and volume stages as well as dithering is provided, together or independent of each other.

主权项

1. A method for generating a volume discretized representation of at least one object, usable in connection with fabricating, by a 3DP method, at least one object that corresponds to the representation, at a specified printer resolution of volume elements, to be printed by the 3DP method, the method comprising:
a. tessellating a boundary representation of the at least one object to produce a tessellated boundary representation comprising a set of micropolygons, the micropolygons having a size that matches the specified printer resolution; b. evaluating, for the at least one object, a program module having a surface phase, which generates as an output a modified boundary representation, modified according to at least one procedural aspect of the surface phase; and c. volume discretizing the modified boundary representation at the specified print resolution, to generate a volume discretized modified representation comprising volume elements.