Printing a three dimensional object about a voxel structure assembled from preformed blocks

Abstract

A method includes obtaining data describing external surfaces of a three dimensional object to be made using a three dimensional printer; determining, for a given voxel size, a voxel structure having a size and a shape to be subsumed within the external surfaces of the object; outputting user instructions for manually assembling the voxel structure and positioning the voxel structure into the three dimensional printer; and printing material onto the assembled voxel structure to form an object that subsumes the voxel structure. The use of a voxel structure can reduce print time and the amount of print resources required to form an object.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method, comprising:
 obtaining a data file that includes print instructions for causing a three dimensional printer to print a three dimensional object, wherein the data file describes external surfaces of the object;   determining, for a given voxel size, a voxel structure having a size and a shape to be subsumed within the external surfaces of the object;   outputting user instructions for manually assembling the voxel structure and positioning the voxel structure into the three dimensional printer; and   printing material onto the assembled voxel structure to form an object that subsumes the voxel structure.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein printing material onto the voxel structure allows the object to be formed in less time than without the voxel structure. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein printing material onto the voxel structure includes printing material onto upward-facing and side-facing surfaces of the voxel structure. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein printing material onto the voxel structure includes printing material onto surfaces of the voxel structure until the voxel structure is hidden within the interior of the object. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the voxel structure is formed from a plurality of rectangular blocks. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the printed material secures the rectangular blocks together and provides contour around the blocks. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the rectangular blocks include interlocking features for securing two or more of the rectangular blocks together in a desired configuration. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the voxel structure is formed from two or more preformed components selected from a plurality of preformed components, wherein each preformed component has a predetermined shape, size and mass. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , further comprising:
 maintaining an inventory of the preformed components.   
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the voxel structure is configured so that the object will have at least a minimum depth of printed material. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the voxel structure has no downwardly facing surfaces other than along the base of the assembled voxel structure. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the user instructions are output by illustrating a model of the voxel structure on a display screen. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the user instructions include step-by-step text. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 including one or more orientation block in a predetermined position within the voxel structure, wherein the orientation block has a unique and detectable characteristic;   scanning the assembled voxel structure after positioning within the three-dimensional printer to determine the orientation of the voxel structure; and   wherein printing material onto the voxel structure to form the object includes modifying control of the three-dimensional printer to adjust to the determined orientation of the voxel structure.   
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the unique and detectable characteristic is color. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the unique and detectable characteristic is an identifier printed on an exposed surface of the block. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 printing a base portion of the object; and   positioning the assembled voxel structure into the three-dimensional printer on the base portion before printing material onto the voxel structure to form an object that subsumes the voxel structure.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the base portion of the object has at least one region with space below the at least one region. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the base portion is printed to include a recess having a shape and size for receiving the assembled voxel structure.