Methods and Apparatus for Photosculpture

摘要

A 3D object (the “New Object”) is fabricated layer by layer by 3D printing. The shape and relative dimensions of the various parts of the New Object match that of another 3D object (the “Target Object”). In addition, the exterior of the New Object appears to be a photographic likeness of the Target Object. The “photographic” likeness is created by variations in visual characteristics of materials in the layers comprising the New Object, and in particular by variations at or near the surface of the New Object. Thus, the photographic likeness is an integral part of these layers comprising the New Object. An object is scanned, from which a texture map is obtained. A CAD model is sliced into slices (bit maps files) which are then colored by a program with the boundary to match the color or gray scale to color the appropriate pixels, derived from the texture map.

主权项

1. A method of fabricating a new color 3D object, which new color 3D object comprises a plurality of substrate layers that are infiltrated by and bound together by a hardened material, the method comprising the following steps, in combination:
(1a) positioning powder on all or part of at least one of the layers; (1b) repeating step (1a) for remaining layers in the plurality of substrate layers; (1c) transforming at least some of the powder into a substance that flows and subsequently hardens into the hardened material, which hardened material is disposed in a spatial pattern that infiltrates at least one positive region in a set of the substrate layers and does not infiltrate at least one negative region in the set; wherein the powder is transformed in step (1c) after being positioned in either step (1a) or step (1b), and wherein the substrate layers have a least one material property that is different than any material property of the hardened material; further comprising steps to create the photographic likeness of a target object such that the 3D object is a photosculpture of the target object, including prior to step (1a): (1d) making a scan of an object, the scan including a texture map; (1e) slicing the object from the 3D file which is produced from the scan; (1f) turning the slice into a bit map; (1g) obtaining a texture map of the object from the scan; (1h) coloring the edge of the bit map with the color information from the texture map; and further including the steps of: selectively applying liquid to a substrate; flooding the printed slice with polymer powder; removing the excess powder; repeating the steps for each slice; aligning the slices and fusing them together; removing the uncoated material.