Systems and methods for improved 3d printing

Abstract

A method includes independently controlling a feed rate for each of at least two different input materials for three dimensional (3D) printing to generate a processed material that varies continuously in composition along at least a portion of its length, adding syncing features to the processed material at specific locations of the processed material, and creating data that coordinates the specific locations of the processed material with the continuous variation in composition of the processed material, wherein the data and the syncing features are useable by a 3D printer to synchronize the continuous variation in composition of the processed material with volumetric or surface locations of an object during 3D printing of the object using the processed material.

1 - 16 . (canceled) 
     
     
         17 . A method comprising:
 independently controlling a feed rate for each of at least two different input materials for three dimensional (3D) printing to generate a processed material that varies continuously in composition along at least a portion of its length;   adding syncing features to the processed material at specific locations of the processed material; and   creating data that coordinates the specific locations of the processed material with the continuous variation in composition of the processed material,   wherein the data and the syncing features are useable by a 3D printer to synchronize the continuous variation in composition of the processed material with volumetric or surface locations of an object during 3D printing of the object using the processed material.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the controlling comprises independently controlling a feed rate for each of at least three separate filaments having at least three respective different colors, and comprising creating the data comprises creating data usable by the 3D printer to sync a continuous variation in color along the at least a portion of the length of the processed material with the volumetric or surface locations of the object during the 3D printing. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the 3D printer comprises a fused deposition modeling (FDM) system, and creating the data comprises creating the data in a data file usable by the FDM system when the processed material is loaded in the FDM system during the 3D printing. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 , comprising:
 controlling the FDM system 3D printer to use the data file and the processed material including the syncing features;   
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein adding the syncing features to the processed material comprises adding shapes to the processed material that mechanically fit with a feed drive of the 3D printer, wherein a cross sectional area of the processed material in a region of the shapes is constant. 
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the controlling comprises independently controlling a feed rate for each of at least three different input materials, and creating the data comprises creating data usable by the 3D printer to sync continuous variation in both colors and material properties along the length of the processed material with the volumetric or surface locations of the object during the 3D printing. 
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein adding the syncing features to the processed material comprises adding the syncing features at irregular intervals. 
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein adding the syncing features to the processed material comprises:
 adding shapes to the processed material that mechanically fit with a feed drive of the 3D printer; and   adding markers at specified locations corresponding to changes in composition of the processed material.   
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 24 , wherein the markers comprise a change in composition of the processed material. 
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein at least one of the at least two different input materials is a fluorescent material. 
     
     
         27 . A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing instructions operable to cause one or more computers to perform operations comprising:
 independently controlling a feed rate for each of at least two different input materials for three dimensional (3D) printing to generate a processed material that varies continuously in composition along at least a portion of its length;   adding syncing features to the processed material at specific locations of the processed material; and   creating data that coordinates the specific locations of the processed material with the continuous variation in composition of the processed material,   wherein the data and the syncing features are useable by a 3D printer to synchronize the continuous variation in composition of the processed material with volumetric or surface locations of an object during 3D printing of the object using the processed material.   
     
     
         28 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 27 , wherein the controlling comprises independently controlling a feed rate for each of at least three separate filaments having at least three respective different colors, and creating the data comprises creating data usable by the 3D printer to sync a continuous variation in color along the at least a portion of the length of the processed material with the volumetric or surface locations of the object during the 3D printing. 
     
     
         29 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 27 , wherein the 3D printer comprises a fused deposition modeling (FDM) system, and creating the data comprises creating the data in a data file usable by the FDM system when the processed material is loaded in the FDM system during the 3D printing. 
     
     
         30 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 29 , wherein the operations further comprise:
 controlling the FDM system to use the data file and the processed material including the syncing features.   
     
     
         31 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 27 , wherein adding the syncing features to the processed material comprises adding shapes to the processed material that mechanically fit with a feed drive of the 3D printer, wherein a cross sectional area of the processed material in a region of the shapes is constant. 
     
     
         32 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 27 , wherein the controlling comprises independently controlling a feed rate for each of at least three different input materials, and creating the data comprises creating data usable by the 3D printer to sync continuous variation in both colors and material properties along the length of the processed material with the volumetric or surface locations of the object during the 3D printing. 
     
     
         33 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 27 , wherein adding the syncing features to the processed material comprises adding the syncing features at irregular intervals. 
     
     
         34 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 27 , wherein adding the syncing features to the processed material comprises:
 adding shapes to the processed material that mechanically fit with a feed drive of the 3D printer; and   adding markers at specified locations corresponding to changes in composition of the processed material.   
     
     
         35 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 34 , wherein the markers comprise a change in composition of the processed material. 
     
     
         36 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 27 , wherein at least one of the at least two different input materials is a fluorescent material.