Patent ID: 9740989
Date: 2017-08-22
CPC Classifications: B33Y,G05B,G06Q,Y02P

Claim:
1. A computer-implemented method for determining a layout of slices of a single three-dimensional (3D) model on a manufacturing material, the method comprising: receiving a set of dimensions associated with each sheet of the manufacturing material; generating a first free space data structure associated with a first sheet of the manufacturing material based on the set of dimensions for tracking free space included in the first sheet; identifying a first free portion included in the first sheet in which a first slice included in a plurality of slices of the 3D model is to be placed based on the first free space data structure and dimensions associated with the first slice; updating the first free space data structure to indicate that the first free portion is to be occupied by the first slice; producing an outline of the first slice on the first free portion included in the first sheet; identifying another free portion included in the first sheet in which another slice included in a plurality of slices of the 3D model is to be placed, the first slice and the another slice comprising different slices of the 3D model; and causing the outline of the first slice to be printed.