Device, system and method for accurate printing of three dimensional objects

Abstract

A system and method for building three dimensional objects may adjust data used to build the objects to, for example, improve quality or correct for defects. A printer may, for example, accept data representing the object and modify the data according to an adjustment parameter; the printer may build the object according to the parameter. The parameter may be, for example, fixed in the printer, user entered, and/or calculated by the printer. In one embodiment, a support pedestal may be built of deposited material before the object is built.

1 . A method for building a three dimensional object the method comprising: 
 accepting data representing the object; and    modifying the data according to an adjustment parameter.    
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , comprising depositing material according to the modified data.  
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , comprising calculating the adjustment parameter.  
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , comprising: 
 dispensing at least one liquid material; and    causing said liquid material to solidify.    
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , comprising dispensing at least a build liquid material and a support liquid material.  
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , comprising accepting from a user inaccuracy data.  
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , comprising accepting from a user the adjustment parameter.  
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the adjustment parameter is calculated based on a layer thickness.  
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the adjustment parameter is calculated based on a material type.  
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the adjustment parameter for a section of the object is calculated based on whether or not support material is to be dispensed adjacent to that section of object.  
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein adjustment parameter includes a scale factor.  
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the scale is used to adjust X, Y and Z coordinates used to define the object.  
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the adjustment parameter is calculated based on diffusion characteristics of materials used to build the object.  
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 1 , comprising adding the adjustment parameter to at least one of an X, Y and Z coordinate used to define the object.  
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 1 , comprising multiplying the adjustment parameter by at least one of an X, Y and Z coordinate used to define the object.  
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the adjustment parameter defines a set of non-printed pixels.  
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 1 , comprising calculating the adjustment parameter in order to prevent thin sections from being built higher than thick sections.  
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 1 , comprising: 
 moving a print head over the surface of the object in a regular pattern, wherein the adjustment parameter defines an offset to the pattern.    
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 1 , comprising: 
 moving a print head over the surface of the object; and    dispensing drops of material in layers, wherein the adjustment parameter adjusts the position of certain drops relative to drops in lower layers.    
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 1 , comprising: 
 moving a print head over the surface of the object in an X and Y direction;    moving print head relative to the surface of the object in a Z direction by one of moving the print head or moving the object, wherein the adjustment parameter adjusts movement in one or more of the x, Y and Z directions.    
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the adjustment parameter compensates for the velocity of a print head.  
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 1 , comprising: 
 moving a print head over the surface of the object; and    dispensing drops of material to the surface of the object, wherein the adjustment parameter adjusts the position of drops based on movement of the drops between drop dispensing and the drops contacting the object surface.    
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the adjustment parameter defines an initial space between a leveling apparatus and a support tray.  
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the data representing the object includes a plurality of layers, and wherein the adjustment parameter includes instructions to contract a set of lower layers.  
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 1 , comprising: 
 laying down material in layers according to the modified data, each layer having a thickness; and    wherein each layer has a first thickness when below a certain height and wherein each layer has a second thickness when above the height.    
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 25 , wherein the first thickness is substantially equal to an average layer thickness before leveling.  
     
     
         27 . A method for building a three dimensional object, the method comprising: 
 building a support pedestal by depositing material; and    building the object on top of the pedestal.    
     
     
         28 . A system for building a three dimensional object, the system comprising: 
 a print head;    a controller capable of accepting data representing the object and    modifying the data according to an adjustment parameter.    
     
     
         29 . The system of  claim 28 , wherein the controller is capable of causing the print head to deposit material according to the modified data.  
     
     
         30 . The system of  claim 28 , wherein the controller is capable of calculating the adjustment parameter.  
     
     
         31 . The system of  claim 28 , wherein the controller is capable of causing the print head to dispense at least one liquid material; comprising a curing unit.  
     
     
         32 . The system of  claim 28 , wherein the controller is capable of causing the print head to dispense at least a build liquid material and a support liquid material.  
     
     
         33 . The system of  claim 28 , wherein the controller is capable accepting from a user inaccuracy data.  
     
     
         34 . The system of  claim 28 , wherein the controller is capable of accepting from a user the adjustment parameter.  
     
     
         35 . The system of  claim 28 , wherein the adjustment parameter is calculated based on a layer thickness.  
     
     
         36 . The system of  claim 28 , wherein the adjustment parameter is calculated based on a material type.  
     
     
         37 . The system of  claim 28 , wherein the adjustment parameter for a section of the object is calculated based on whether or not support material is to be dispensed adjacent to that section of object.  
     
     
         38 . The system of  claim 28 , wherein adjustment parameter includes a scale factor.  
     
     
         39 . The system of  claim 38 , wherein the scale is used to adjust X, Y and Z coordinates used to define the object.  
     
     
         40 . The system of  claim 28 , wherein the adjustment parameter is calculated based on diffusion characteristics of materials used to build the object.  
     
     
         41 . The system of  claim 28 , wherein the controller is capable of adding the adjustment parameter to at least one of an X, Y and Z coordinate used to define the object.  
     
     
         42 . The system of  claim 28 , wherein the controller is capable of multiplying the adjustment parameter by at least one of an X, Y and Z coordinate used to define the object.  
     
     
         43 . The system of  claim 28 , wherein the adjustment parameter defines a set of non-printed pixels.  
     
     
         44 . The system of  claim 28  wherein the controller is capable of calculating the adjustment parameter in order to prevent thin sections from being built higher than thick sections.  
     
     
         45 . The system of  claim 28 , wherein the controller is capable of causing the print head to move a print head over the surface of the object in a regular pattern, wherein the adjustment parameter defines an offset to the pattern.  
     
     
         46 . The system of  claim 28 , wherein the controller is capable of causing the print head to move over the surface of the object and dispense drops of material in layers; wherein the adjustment parameter adjusts the position of certain drops relative to drops in lower layers.  
     
     
         47 . The system of  claim 28 , comprising: 
 moving a print head over the surface of the object in an X and Y direction;    moving print head relative to the surface of the object in a Z direction by one of moving the print head or moving the object, wherein the adjustment parameter adjusts movement in one or more of the X, Y and Z directions.    
     
     
         48 . The system of  claim 28 , comprising: 
 moving a print head over the surface of the object; and    dispensing drops of material to the surface of the object, wherein the adjustment parameter adjusts the position of drops based on movement of the drops between drop dispensing and the drops contacting the object surface.    
     
     
         49 . The system of  claim 28 , wherein the controller is capable of, according to the adjustment parameter, causing the print head to dispense a number of initial layers and build the object on top of the initial layers.  
     
     
         50 . The system of  claim 28 , wherein the adjustment parameter defines an initial space between a leveling apparatus and a support tray.  
     
     
         51 . The system of  claim 28 , wherein the data representing the object includes a plurality of layers, and wherein the adjustment parameter includes instructions to contract a set of lower layers.  
     
     
         52 . The system of  claim 28 , wherein the controller is capable of: 
 laying down material in layers according to the modified data, each layer having a thickness; and    wherein each layer has a first thickness when below a certain height and wherein each layer has a second thickness when above the height.    
     
     
         53 . A system for building a three dimensional object, the system comprising: 
 a print head;    a controller configured to operate the print head to build a support pedestal by depositing material and to build the object on top of the pedestal.    
     
     
         54 . A method for building a three dimensional object, the method comprising: 
 accepting data representing the object; and    converting the data into a plurality of layers, an initial, lower, set of layers being thicker than an upper set of layers.    
     
     
         55 . A method for building a three dimensional object, the method comprising: 
 accepting data representing the object;    calculating an adjustment parameter to compensate for the velocity of a print head; and    modifying the data according to the adjustment parameter.    
     
     
         56 . A method for building a three dimensional object, the object represented by data, the method comprising: 
 calculating an adjustment parameter based on an expected material error;    calculating material deposition instructions based on the data and the adjustment parameter; and    depositing material according to the material deposition instructions.    
     
     
         57 . The method of  claim 56 , wherein the expected material error is based on an expected shrinkage of material.  
     
     
         58 . The method of  claim 56 , wherein the expected material error is based on an expected diffusion of material.