Patent Publication Number: US-2023147921-A1

Title: Configurable printing bed for 3d printing

Description:
BACKGROUND 
     The present invention relates to three-dimensional (3D) printers for printing 3D objects. 
     SUMMARY 
     According to one exemplary embodiment, a configurable printing bed for a 3D printer is provided. The configurable printing bed may include a bed surface and linear actuators. The bed surface includes bed surface portions. Each of the bed surface portions is supported for independent movement. At least one of the bed surface portions includes a head that is twistable. When each of the bed surface portions is positioned at a reference level, the bed surface portions form different parts of a common plane. Each of the linear actuators is connected to at least one of the bed surface portions, respectively. The linear actuators are configured to generate the independent movement of the bed surface portions and to effect positioning of the bed surface portions. The linear actuators are configured to lower the bed surface portions in a staggered manner 
     According to another embodiment, a method for removal of a 3D printed object includes lowering linear actuators of a configurable printing bed in a staggered manner. Each of the linear actuators is connected to at least one bed surface portion of a bed surface comprising bed surface portions, respectively. Each of the bed surface portions is supported for independent movement. When each of the bed surface portions is positioned at a reference level, the bed surface portions form different parts of a common plane. The linear actuators are configured to generate the independent movement of the bed surface portions and to effect positioning of the bed surface portions. The lowering in the staggered manner generates a release wave for releasing the 3D printed object from the configurable printing bed. The 3D printed object may be removed from the configurable printing bed by using the release wave. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       Embodiment of the present invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to accompanying drawings, in which: 
         FIG.  1    shows a perspective view of a 3D printer according to an embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG.  2 A  shows a perspective view of a configurable bed surface that may be used in the 3D printer of  FIG.  1   ; 
         FIG.  2 B  shows a perspective view of another configurable bed surface that may be used in the 3D printer of  FIG.  1   ; 
         FIG.  2 C  shows a perspective view of another configurable bed surface that may be used in the 3D printer of  FIG.  1   ; 
         FIG.  2 D  shows a perspective view of another configurable bed surface that may be used in the 3D printer of  FIG.  1   ; 
         FIG.  2 E  shows a perspective view of another configurable bed surface that may be used in the 3D printer of  FIG.  1   ; 
         FIG.  2 F  shows a perspective view of another configurable bed surface that may be used in the 3D printer of  FIG.  1   ; 
         FIG.  3 A  shows a cross sectional view of the printing bed of  FIG.  2 A  in an actuated position forming a stepped surface; 
         FIG.  3 B  shows a cross sectional view of the printing bed of  FIG.  2 E  in an actuated position forming a smoothly angled incline in the surface of the printing bed; 
         FIG.  4 A  shows a side view of an embodiment of a linear actuator for the 3D printer of  FIG.  1   ; 
         FIG.  4 B  shows a side view of another embodiment of a linear actuator for the 3D printer of  FIG.  1   ; 
         FIG.  5    shows a perspective view of an embodiment with a telescopic pole for actuation; and 
         FIG.  6    shows a perspective view of a wired connection of a pole head that is connected to a pole, with the pole head being removed from the pole in order for the wires of the wire connection to be visible. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Detailed embodiments of the claimed structures and methods are disclosed herein; however, it can be understood that the disclosed embodiments are merely illustrative of the claimed structures and methods that may be embodied in various forms. This invention may, however, be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as limited to the exemplary embodiments set forth herein. Rather, these exemplary embodiments are provided so that this disclosure will be thorough and complete and will fully convey the scope of this invention to those skilled in the art. In the description, details of well-known features and techniques may be omitted to avoid unnecessarily obscuring the presented embodiments. 
       FIG.  1    illustrates a particular embodiment of a 3D printer  100  that includes a configurable printing bed  102 , an extruder  110 , a feeding system  112 , a filament spool  114 , a first track  116   a  for allowing horizontal movement of the feeding system  112  and the extruder  110 , and a second track  116   b  for allowing horizontal movement of the bed support member  108  and the configurable printing bed  102 . The first track  116   a  and the second track  116   b  may be glide tracks and are types of motion components. The second track  116   b  may be referred to as a bed track. The configurable printing bed  102  includes a bed surface that has a set of bed surface portions. A first bed surface portion  104   a  and a second bed surface portion  104   b  are part of the bed surface portions and are labeled in  FIG.  1   . 
     3D printing is a fabrication technology which involves the creation of an object by depositing material in a layer-by-layer manner on a printing bed or on a build plate. One type of material extrusion technique is fused deposition modelling (FDM), also known as fused filament fabrication (FFF), where a continuous filament of a thermoplastic or a metal material is deposited onto the printing bed. 
     The extruder  110  may include a print head and may have a cold end and a hot end. A nozzle may be disposed at the hot end. The feeding system  112  may control how filament material is passed through the extruder  110 . The end of the filament material may be inserted into the extruder  110 . The rest of the filament material may be loaded into the filament spool  114  which may include a filament spool holder. The configurable printing bed  102  and the feeding system  112  may independently move along, e.g., via movement along one of the second track  116   b  or the first track  116   a  and may be attached to a frame. 
     Components of the 3D printer  100  may move the extruder  110  and the configurable printing bed  102  to the coordinates corresponding to the required printing position of the build object. While in the correct position, the cold end of the extruder  110  may clamp the end of the filament and may push it down to the hot end, which in turn melts the filament. The melted filament material may be pushed out of the nozzle of the extruder  110  and may be deposited onto the configurable printing bed  102 . The components of the 3D printer  100  may continue to move the extruder  110  and the configurable printing bed  102  to successive printing positions as the filament material continues to be deposited on the build object layer-by-layer until the printing has been completed and the build object is fully formed and ready to be separated from the configurable printing bed  102 . 
     The bed surface portions are enabled to achieve independent movement with the help of a set of linear actuators  106 . The linear actuators  106  are configured to generate independent movement of the bed surface portions including the first bed surface portion  104   a  and the second bed surface portion  104   b  and to effect positioning of the bed surface portions including the first bed surface portion  104   a  and the second bed surface portion  104   b . The independent movement may be relative to a reference level and may be perpendicular to a reference level. The independent movement may additionally or alternatively be within a common plane of the reference level. Each of the linear actuators  106  may be connected to at least one bed surface portion. 
     The linear actuators  106  may connect the bed surface portions, and thereby the bed surface, to the bed support member  108 . The bed support member  108  may support the linear actuators  106  and, therefore, may support the bed surface and may support the bed surface portions such as the first bed surface portion  104   a  and the second bed surface portion  104   b . When each of the bed surface portions is positioned at the reference level, the bed surface portions may form a common plane, e.g., a smooth common plane, as is shown in  FIG.  1   . 
     The filament spool  114  may provide a filament of a polylactic acid (PLA) material, an acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS) material, or another material suitable for 3D printing such as a metal material or a thermoplastic material. The filament is fed to the feeding system  112  and to the extruder  110  for printing the object on the bed surface. 
     The bed surface portions shown in the embodiment of  FIG.  1    such as the first bed surface portion  104   a  and the second bed surface portion  104   b  interlock together when they are all positioned at the reference level, e.g. the bed surface portions fit snugly next to each other, e.g., are tessellated with respect to each other. In this embodiment, when these bed surface portions interlock with each other and are positioned at the reference level they form a smooth common plane. In the embodiment shown in  FIG.  1   , the bed surface portions and the bed surface from a continuous printing surface in the common plane. In the embodiment shown in  FIG.  1   , the bed surface portions including the first bed surface portion  104   a  and the second bed surface portion  104   b  have the same shape and size as each of the other bed surface portions. 
     When the linear actuators  106  raise or lower the interlocking surface portions such as the first bed surface portion  104   a  and the second bed surface portion  104   b  relative to the reference level, they can be configured to provide a variety of stepped surfaces on which the object to be printed is supported.  FIG.  3 A  shows an example of a portion of the bed surface having been moved to form a stepped surface. 
     The 3D printer  100  of  FIG.  1    is arranged to print a build object by having the extruder  110  push out the printing ink or the printing resin onto the configurable printing bed  102 . Motion components such as the first track  116   a  and the second track  116   b  may help move the configurable printing bed  102  and the feeding system  112 , respectively, into a correct position, e.g., as indicated by a 3D printing software program for printing/producing a particular object. The 3D printing software program may be saved in a memory of the control box  132 . In conjunction, the set of linear actuators  106  may move their corresponding bed surface portions such as the first and second bed surface portions  104   a ,  104   b  to the required position, e.g., to a position above or below the reference level, e.g., in a direction perpendicular to the reference level. Some or all of the bed surface portions may be raised or lowered relatively to other bed surface portions.  FIGS.  2 E,  3 A, and  3 B  show instances in which some bed surface portions have been raised relative to other bed surface portions and relative to a reference level of a common plane. 
     In one printing job that may be performed with the configurable printing bed  102 , the set of linear actuators  106  may not be activated or actuated. Because of this lack of activation or lack of actuation, the bed surface portions are all positioned at the reference level, forming a common plane as is shown in  FIG.  1   . 
     Alternatively, the set of linear actuators  106  may be actuated to return the configurable printing bed  102  from a previous printing position back into a level position with the various bed surface portions forming a common plane. Thus, the resulting position is the same as described above when no actuation occurred, but with this embodiment actuation of the linear actuators  106  was necessary to achieve the position. 
     When the feeding system  112 , the configurable printing bed  102 , and the bed surface portions including the first and second bed surface portions  104   a ,  104   b  are all in the correct position, the extruder  110  deposits the melted filament material onto the bed surface portions, e.g. onto the first and second bed surface portions  104   a ,  104   b . The feeding system  112  feeds filament from the filament spool  114  to the extruder  110 . The extruder  110  may include one or more nozzles configured to emit or extrude the melted filament material in a controlled manner. The feeding system  112  may include a rigid pipe or a flexible pipe or passageway through which the filament from the filament spool  114  is passed. The feeding system  112  may also receive the filament in an opening and may have a pulling mechanism to pull the filament from the filament spool  114 . 
     In an embodiment, the set of actuators  106  are communicatively related to better move corresponding bed surface portions into a proper position to support an object to be printed. A control box  132  that includes hardware of at least one memory and at least one processor may control the actuation of the actuators to move the various bed surface portions into an appropriate position for receiving melted filament for shaping a layer of the build object. In the embodiment shown in  FIG.  1   , the control box  132  is adjacent the bed support member  108 . The control box  132  may have wireless communication with the set of actuators  106  or may have a wired connection to communicate with the set of actuators  106 . In alternative embodiments, a remote control box may be used that uses wireless communication with the actuators  106  to control their actuation movements. 3D printing software may be stored in the at least one memory and may be executed by the one or more processors to cause appropriate movement of the movable components of the 3D printer  100  for printing/producing a particular object. 
     The actuators  106  may include hydraulic, pneumatic, or and/or thermal magnetic systems as components of their power mechanisms and arrangements. 
     As the bed surface portions form part of the bed surface, these bed surface portions may be disposed at an outward-facing position where they can receive melted filament material from the extruder  110 . Even in a stepped surface arrangement, the bed surface portions in a lower portion of the step may be disposed to at an outward-facing position where they can receive melted filament material from the extruder  110 . 
       FIGS.  2 A- 2 F  illustrate examples of how the bed surface portions, which form the bed surface, may be arranged to be used by the 3D printer  100  of  FIG.  1   . When each of the bed surface portions are positioned at the reference level, they may form a common plane as is shown in the configuration of the embodiments of  FIGS.  2 A- 2 D and  2 F . The embodiment shown in FIG.  2 E has actuators that are also capable of moving all bed surface portions into a common plane in the reference level; however, the viewpoint shown in  FIG.  2 E  is at an instance when some bed portions have been moved out of the reference level so that not all of the bed surface portion is in a common plane. 
     The embodiment shown in  FIG.  2 A  has a bed surface that includes quadrilateral portions  200  of the same shape and size, e.g., of identical shape and size. The quadrilateral portions  200  may, for example, be squares or rectangles. When the actuators are engaged for this embodiment, the bed surface can be moved to provide a variety of stepped surfaces to support the build object that is to be formed.  FIG.  3 A  described below shows a cross sectional view of the embodiment of  FIG.  2 A  and shows an instance in which portions of the bed surface has been moved to form a stepped surface.  FIG.  2 A  shows a view of an instance when the quadrilateral portions  200  interlock each other in a tessellated manner and are at the reference level and when upper surfaces of the quadrilateral portions  200  thereby form a common plane. 
     The embodiment shown in  FIG.  2 B  has a bed surface that includes hexagonal portions  202  of the same shape and size, e.g., of identical shape and size. The hexagonal portions  202  are interlocked between parts of a first perimeter bed surface portion  204   a  which may itself be supported by a set of linear actuators or by a single actuator. The first perimeter bed surface portion  204   a  may be a single unitary piece. The first perimeter bed surface portion  204   a  may form a frame around all of the hexagonal portions  202  and may form a plurality of individual frames which surround individually the hexagonal portions  202  when the hexagonal portions  202  are at the reference level or may surround an extension pole of the hexagonal portions  202  when the hexagonal portions have been pushed above the reference level. The hexagonal portions  202  at the reference level as shown in the configuration of  FIG.  2 B  form a common plane together with the first perimeter bed surface portion  204   a . The frames that the first perimeter bed surface portion  204   a  forms around individual ones of the hexagonal portions  202  may partially or completely surround the individual ones of the hexagonal portions  202 . In this embodiment, the hexagonal portions  202  may be considered to be tessellated with respect to the first perimeter bed surface portion  204   a  and form a common plane with the first perimeter bed surface portion  204   a  when all portions are in the reference level. In an alternative embodiment, other hexagonal portions could be tessellated with respect to each other without an additional perimeter bed surface portion such as the first perimeter bed surface portion  204   a.    
     The embodiment shown in  FIG.  2 C  has a bed surface that includes elliptical portions  206  of varying sizes. The elliptical portions  206  in this embodiment may be circles, but other embodiment may include ovals as an alternative example of elliptical portions. Some embodiments may include a mixture of ovals and circles as elliptical portions  206 . In the embodiment of  FIG.  2 C , the elliptical portions  206  are interlocked between a second perimeter bed surface portion  204   b  which may itself be supported by a set of linear actuators or by a single actuator. The second perimeter bed surface portion  204   b  may form a frame around all of the elliptical portions  206  and may form a plurality of individual frames which surround individually the elliptical portions  206  when the elliptical portions  206  are at the reference level or when the vertical position of the elliptical portions  206  are raised may surround a portion of an extension pole to which the elliptical portions  206  are attached. The elliptical portions  206  at the reference level may form a common plane together with the second perimeter bed surface portion  204   b  as is shown in the configuration position of  FIG.  2 C . The frames that the second perimeter bed surface portion  204   b  forms around individual ones of the elliptical portions  206  may partially or completely surround the individual ones of the elliptical portions  206 . The elliptical portions  206  in this embodiment shown in  FIG.  2 C  have one of two sizes, although in other embodiments various bed surface portions in a single bed surface may have a greater variety of sizes. In this embodiment, the elliptical portions  206  may be considered to be tessellated with respect to the second perimeter bed surface portion  204   b  and form a common plane with the second perimeter bed surface portion  204   b  when all portions are in the reference level. 
     The embodiment shown in  FIG.  2 D  includes a bed surface made up of two, non-identical, interlocking bed surface portions which include a first non-identical portion  208  and a second non-identical portion  210 .  FIG.  2 D  shows a view of an instance in which the first and second non-identical portions  208 ,  210  are both at the reference level and form a common plane. In this configuration position shown in  FIG.  2 D , the first and second non-identical portions  208 ,  210  interlock with each other in a tessellated manner at the reference level to form a common plane. The second non-identical portion  210  forms a perimeter frame around the first non-identical portion  208 . If the linear actuators  106  for effecting of the position of the first non-identical portion  208  actuate to move these linear actuators  106  upwards, e.g., to move one or more extension poles of the linear actuators  106  upwards, this embodiment may form a stepped surface with the first non-identical portion  208  being disposed above the second non-identical portion  210 . Alternatively, if the linear actuators  106  for effecting the positioning of the second non-identical portion  210  actuate to move these linear actuators  106  upwards, e.g., to move one or more extension poles of these linear actuators  106  upwards, this embodiment may form a stepped surface with the second non-identical portion  210  being disposed above the first non-identical portion  208 . In this embodiment, the second non-identical portion  210  may be considered to be tessellated with respect to the first non-identical portion  208  and form a common plane with the first non-identical portion  208  when both portions are in the reference level. 
     The bed surface portions such as the first or second bed surface portions  104   a ,  104   b , the quadrilateral portions  200 , the hexagonal portions,  202 , the elliptical portions  206 , the first perimeter bed support portion  204   a , the second perimeter bed support portion  204   b , the first non-identical portion  208 , and the second non-identical portion  210  may be formed from a ceramic glass material, a tempered glass material, a borosilicate glass material, a mirror tile glass material, a plastic material, a polyetherimide (PEI) material, a polyetheretherketone (PEEK) material, a spring steel material, a magnetic material, a polypropylene material, a polymer material, a ceramic material, a metal material, or another material with some rigidity. The material may have a coating such as a microporous inorganic coating or an adhesive coating such as hairspray or glue, e.g., glue from a glue stick. 
     The embodiment shown in  FIG.  2 E  has a flexible bed surface  212  that is made from a unitary flexible material, so that all individual bed surface portions are integrally connected to each other and form a one-piece bed surface. The flexible bed surface  212  is not formed from individual pieces that interlock with each other, but rather the flexible bed surface  212  forms a continuous printing surface via the unitary flexible material. The integral bed surface portions of the flexible bed surface  212  are still supported by a set of linear actuators  106 . When at least one linear actuator raises a particular bed surface portion of the flexible bed surface  212  while other linear actuators do not actuate, the flexible bed surface  212  may form one or more smoothly angled inclines  260  (see  FIG.  3 B ) in the bed surface and in the upper surface as the particular bed surface portion is raised above the other bed surface portions. A build object may be printed onto the upper surface. With this arrangement, the printing bed can be configured to provide a continuous, angled incline in the printing surface to support the build object. This embodiment may be helpful to form smoothly angled surfaces, e.g. smoothly angled exterior surfaces, in the build object. The continuous printing surface may have zero openings or zero through-passages within it that extend from a bottom surface to a top surface of the bed material. In some embodiments, the continuous printing surface may have zero cavities within it that extend a partial distance into the flexible bed surface  212 . 
     The embodiment shown in  FIG.  2 F  has a bed surface that includes a flexible partial bed surface  216  that is made from a unitary flexible material. The flexible partial bed surface  216  is not formed from individual pieces that interlock with each other, but rather the flexible partial bed surface  216  forms a continuous printing surface via the unitary flexible material and over a portion of the entire bed surface. The bed surface of this embodiment also includes a second portion  214 . When the flexible partial bed surface  216  and the second portion  214  are both at the reference level, e.g., when neither of these two components have been actuated by an actuator  106  and when their vertical positions have not been adjusted, the second portion  214  interlocks with or tessellates together with the flexible partial bed surface  216  at the reference level to form a common plane. The flexible partial bed surface  216  may form a perimeter that surrounds, e.g. completely surrounds, the second portion  214 . 
     With this embodiment shown in  FIG.  2 F , the flexible partial bed surface  216  may be actuated by actuators to form a smoothly angled incline within the region of the flexible partial bed surface  216 , e.g., a smoothly angled incline similar to those shown in  FIG.  2 E or  3 B . This embodiment of  FIG.  2 F  may additionally include a stepped surface being formed between the second portion  214  and the flexible partial bed surface  216 , when one is raised above the other. For example, if the second portion  214  is actuated upwards but the flexible partial bed surface  216  is not actuated upwards, a stepped surface may be formed with the second portion  214  being disposed above the flexible partial bed surface  216 . Alternatively, if the flexible partial bed surface  216  is actuated upwards but the second portion  214  is not actuated upwards, a stepped surface may be formed with the flexible partial bed surface  216  being disposed above the second portion  214 . The second portion  214  itself may be formed of another flexible unitary material or of a rigid material. If the second portion  214  is formed of another flexible unitary material, the second portion  214  may form a smoothly angled incline internal to itself if actuated but would then usually still not be unitary with the flexible partial bed surface  216 . 
     For the flexible bed surface  212  or for the flexible partial bed surface  216 , the unitary flexible material may be a spring steel material, a polyethylene material such as a high-density polyethylene material, a polysiloxane (silicone) material, a beryllium copper material, a polyaramid fiber material, a glass fiber material, a carbon fiber material, a rubber leather material, a synthetic elastomer material, or some other material which is flexible to allow bending without rupture or breakage or permanent deformation but has some strength to support an object to be printed. 
       FIGS.  3 A and  3 B  are cross sectional views of embodiments of a printing bed that is suitable for use in the 3D printer  100  shown in  FIG.  1   . 
       FIG.  3 A  is a cross-sectional view of the bed surface portion arrangement that is shown in  FIG.  2 A  but after the bed surface portion arrangement has had a linear actuator  106  actuate to adjust a vertical position of a bed surface portion so that a stepped surface is formed. Each linear actuator  106  corresponds to and is connected to a bed surface portion  200  such that when the linear actuator  106  actuates, the linear actuator  106  raises the corresponding bed surface portion above or below the reference level  300 . When the bed surface portions are positioned at the reference level, they form a common plane as is shown in  FIG.  2 A . In the view shown in  FIG.  3 A , a stepped surface has been formed between a central bed surface portion  226  and an adjacent bed surface portion  228 . The central bed surface portion  226  is disposed adjacent to the adjacent bed surface portion  228  in the horizontal direction  360 . In the printing configuration position shown in  FIG.  3 A , the central bed surface portion  226  is positioned higher than the adjacent bed surface portion  228 . The vertical position of the central bed surface portion  226  has been adjusted. In the configuration shown in  FIG.  3 A  portions of the bed surface may form a common plane, but when all portions are considered a stepped surface is present instead of an overall common plane. 
       FIG.  3 B  is a cross-sectional view of the example bed surface arrangement that has a unitary flexible material as all or part of the printing bed surface, e.g. the embodiment shown in  FIG.  2 E . Portions of the flexible bed surface  212  move in accordance with the raising and lowering of the set of linear actuators  106  that support the flexible bed surface  212 . The bed surface portions move relative to the reference level, e.g., move above or below the reference level  300 . When at least one linear actuator  106  raises a particular bed surface portion of the flexible bed surface  212  while other linear actuators do not actuate or do not actuate the same amount, the flexible bed surface  212  may form one or more smoothly angled inclines  260  in the upper surface as some bed surface portions are raised above other bed surface portions, e.g., are adjusted to a vertical position higher than the vertical positions of other bed surface portions. In the printing configuration shown in  FIG.  3 B , central portions of the flexible bed surface  212  are positioned higher than some peripheral portions of the flexible bed surface  212 , but the bed surface still maintains a continuous printing surface. The features shown in  FIG.  3 B  may also apply to the flexible partial bed surface  216  shown in  FIG.  2 F . 
       FIGS.  4 A and  4 B  illustrate examples of linear actuators that may be used by the 3D printer  100  of  FIG.  1   , e.g. for the bed surface arrangement that is described in the embodiment of  FIG.  2 A .  FIG.  4 A  illustrates an example of a mechanical traveling nut linear actuator  400 . This mechanical traveling nut linear actuator  400  includes a ball screw  402  to support the bed surface portion  200 . The ball screw  402  is controlled by a traveling nut electric motor  404 . When the traveling nut electric motor  404  is in operation, the traveling nut electric motor  404  may thread the ball screw  402  up and down. This threading of the ball screw  402  in turn may move the bed surface portion  200  above or below the reference level, e.g., in a perpendicular direction with respect to the reference level. 
       FIG.  4 B  illustrates an example of a mechanical rack linear actuator  406 . In this actuator embodiment, the bed surface portion  200  is supported by and is attached to a vertical rack member  408 . The vertical rack member  408  may be meshed with a pinion gear  410 . The pinion gear  410  may be controlled by an electric motor. When the electric motor is in operation, this electric motor rotates the pinion gear  410 . The rotation of the pinion gear  410  threads the vertical rack member  408  up or down, and, therefore, moves the bed surface portion  200  above or below the reference level, e.g., in a perpendicular direction with respect to the reference level. 
       FIG.  5    shows a view of a portion of an embodiment of a further configurable printing bed. This further configurable printing bed includes a third perimeter bed surface portion  204   c , a telescopic pole  234 , and a pole head  236   a  disposed at the end of the telescopic pole  234 . The third perimeter bed surface portion  204   c  includes individual frame portions around hexagonal openings. The hexagonal openings are shown as having an identical size and shape. The telescopic pole  234  has a hexagonal shape and fits snugly in a tessellated manner within one of the hexagonal openings. In this embodiment, two telescopic poles  234  are shown for simplicity; in practice for this embodiment, usually each hexagonal opening would be filled by a telescopic pole  234 . The third perimeter bed surface portion  204   c  may itself be supported by a set of linear actuators or by a single actuator. The third perimeter bed surface portion  204   c  may be a single unitary piece. The third perimeter bed surface portion  204   c  may form a frame around all of the hexagonal openings and may form a plurality of individual frames which surround individually the hexagonal openings. An individual frame of the third perimeter bed surface portion  204   c  would surround the pole head  236   a  of each telescopic pole  234 , respectively, when the telescopic pole  234  is not extended. When the telescopic pole  234  is not extended, the pole head  236  would be disposed at the reference level. When no telescopic pole  234  is extended, ends of the telescopic pole  234  including the pole head  236   a  form a common plane together with the third perimeter bed surface portion  204   c . Thus, the embodiment of which a portion is shown in  FIG.  5    is similar to the embodiment shown in  FIG.  2 B . 
     The telescopic pole  234  of this embodiment may be retracted or pushed up by a linear actuator  106 . For this embodiment in which poles used for retracting or pushing bed portions are telescopic poles  234 , space savings underneath the bed may be achieved. In other embodiments, the poles may have a fixed size and may, via a linear actuator  106  that includes a motor, be pushed up or retracted through the bed. 
     The telescopic pole  234  is shown as having three telescopic sections. Whether one, two, or all three of the telescopic sections would be actuated and extended depends on the required printing position as controlled by the 3D printing program saved in a memory and executed by a processor which sends signals to the linear actuators  106 , with extension distance depending on the orientation requirements of the current printing position of the object to be printed. 
     The pole head  236   a  may be formed from a rigid material that is capable of supporting a print job and that also allows the printed object to be removed without damaging the printed object. For example, the pole head  236   a  may be formed from a ceramic glass material, a tempered glass material, a borosilicate glass material, a mirror tile glass material, a plastic material, a polyetherimide (PEI) material, a polyetheretherketone (PEEK) material, a spring steel material, a magnetic material, a polypropylene material, or another material with some rigidity. The material may have a coating such as a microporous inorganic coating or an adhesive coating such as hairspray or glue, e.g., glue from a glue stick. 
     In one embodiment, the pole head  236   a  may have a side-to-side length within a range of 8.0 to 10.0 mm. In other embodiments, the pole head  236   a  may have a smaller or larger side-to-side length. A maximum width of the telescopic pole  234  may match a width of the hexagonal openings in the third perimeter bed surface portion  204   c . For other embodiments, a maximum width of an extension pole may match a width of an opening in a bed surface. 
     In at least some embodiments, the first bed surface portion  104   a , the hexagonal portion  202 , or the elliptical portion  206  may have a diameter or a side-to-side length within a range of 8.0 to 10.0 mm. In other embodiments, the first bed surface portion  104   a , the hexagonal portion  202 , or the elliptical portion  206  may have a smaller or larger diameter or side-to-side length than is found within the range provided above. For the hexagonal portion  202  and the elliptical portion  206 , a maximum width of these portions may match a width of openings in the bed, e.g., a width of openings in the first perimeter bed surface portion  204   a  or in the second perimeter bed surface portion  204   b . A maximum width of an extension pole connected to the hexagonal portion  202  or to the elliptical portion  206  may match a width of an opening in a bed surface. 
     In at least some embodiments, the first bed surface portion  104   a , the second bed surface portion  104   b , the first perimeter bed surface portion  204   a , the second perimeter bed surface portion  204   b , the third perimeter bed surface portion  204   c , the hexagonal portion  202 , or the elliptical portion  206  may have a depth in the vertical direction within a range of twenty centimeters to thirty centimeters. In other embodiments, these elements may have a smaller or larger depth than the range that is provided above. For the portions with a telescopic extension pole, e.g., telescopic pole  234 , the telescopic extension pole in a flattened, e.g., in a non-extended, state may be less than or at most equal to the depth of bed portions. Therefore, space savings would be achieved because the telescopic extension pole would not extend below the plane of the print bed, although the telescopic extension pole may be connected to an actuator, e.g. a linear actuator  106 , that extends below the plane of the print bed. 
       FIG.  6    shows a view of an embodiment in which first, second, and third wires  238   a ,  283   b ,  238   c  provide a wired connection between a wired pole head  236   b  and an extension pole  244 . In order for the first, second, and third wires  238   a ,  238   b ,  238   c  to be visible, the view in  FIG.  6    shows the wired pole head  236   b  detached or removed from the extension pole  244 . In operation, the wires would help hold the wired pole head  236   b  firmly against the top of the extension pole  244 .  FIG.  6    shows the extension pole  244  as having a hexagonal cross section; however, in other embodiments a pole may have a circular cross section or a cross section of another shape such as a quadrilateral. Other embodiments may also include more or less wires connecting a bed surface pole head to a pole. For example, other embodiments may have two, four, five, or six wires connecting a bed surface pole head to a pole. Other embodiments may have more than six wires connecting a bed surface pole head to a pole. The wires, e.g., the first, second, and third wires  238   a ,  238   b ,  238   c , may run down through hollow portions in the pole, e.g., in the extension pole  244 , to connect to a portion of the actuators  106 . The portion of the actuators  106  may twist the wires which would cause a twisting and/or a tilting of the wired pole head  236   b . The first, second, and third wires  238   a ,  238   b ,  238   c  are shown as being disposed equally distant from each other, e.g., at a distance of 120 degrees from the other around a circumference of the path of the wires. 
     The twisting of the wired pole head  236  achieves a small rotation of the wired pole head  236   b  which would be helpful for removing a printed object from off of the configurable printing bed  102  after completion of printing of the object. The wired pole head  236   b  may form part of the printing bed, e.g., part of the configurable printing bed  102 . The twisting would help the printed object to become unstuck from the printing bed at the wired pole head  236   b.    
     In one aspect of the disclosure, a method for performing 3D printing includes steps of providing a 3D printing apparatus, e.g., the 3D printer  100 , as described herein and printing an object using the 3D printing apparatus. A bed track, e.g., the second track  116   b , connected to the printing bed, e.g., the configurable printing bed  102 , may be used to adjust a position of the printing bed. A filament from a spool, e.g., from the filament spool  114 , may be fed through components, e.g., through the feeding system  112 , and through an emitting component, e.g., through the extruder  110 , to print the object on a print bed, e.g., on the configurable printing bed  102 . Before the printing of the object, a first linear actuator of the linear actuators  106  may adjust a vertical position of a portion of the bed surface portions, e.g., may adjust a position of the central bed surface portion  226 , of the adjacent bed surface portion  228 , of the first bed surface portion  104   a , or of the second bed surface portion  104   b.    
     After the printing of the object, a head, e.g., the wired pole head  236   b , of a first bed surface portion of the first bed surface portions may be twisted. A first linear actuator of the linear actuators may lower a bed surface portion, e.g., may lower a first bed surface portion. The printed object may be removed from the first bed surface portion and from the printing bed. 
     After the printing of the object, multiple pole heads of the bed surface portions may be twisted. Actuators, e.g., linear actuators  106 , may lower the bed surface portions in a staggered manner. The printed object may be removed from the bed surface, e.g., from the bed surface portions, e.g., from the first bed surface portion  104   a  or from the wired pole head  236   b . The lowering of the bed surface portions in a staggered manner along with the twisting of the pole heads may generate a release wave for releasing the printed object from the configurable printing bed. Some percentage of the pole heads may be twisted to help with the unsticking of the printed object from the print bed. The twisting and staggered lowering helps reduce the contact area between the print bed and the printed object, which helps reduce force needed to remove the printed object. 3D printing software saved in a memory of a control box may include instructions cause actuators to limit the twisting distance of the wires, in order to avoid entanglement of the wires. 
     In addition to unsticking, the twisting motion of the pole heads in combination with extension of poles may help tilt the entire print bed up to a certain degree of rotation. This tilting helps so that complex suspended structures may be print via the 3D printer. This tilting would effectively align the main body of the print vertically, so that the printed object may be supported under the force of gravity. 
     Embodiments of the present disclosure may help reduce the amount of filament material that will be wasted during 3D printing, may help reduce the required amount of printing time for printing an object, and may help achieve improved printing of complex structures. Embodiments of the present disclosure which have the versatile configurable printing bed may help eliminate a need for printing support structures when a build object includes overhanging features. Such printed support structures are often discarded as not being part of the final printed object, and these support structures constitute wasted printing material. Embodiments of the present disclosure may help increase the quality of surfaces of the build object, because removal points of where the printed object would be connected to a printed support structure are not needed. Embodiments of the present disclosure may help increase the possible level of complexity and quality of build objects that are able to be printed and may improve efficiencies of 3D printing processes. Embodiments of the present disclosure may allow build objects that include overhangs to be printed in an improved manner. 
     The terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting of the invention. As used herein, the singular forms “a,” “an,” and “the” are intended to include the plural forms as well, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. It will be further understood that the terms “comprises,” “comprising,” “includes,” “including,” “has,” “have,” “having,” “with,” and the like, when used in this specification, specify the presence of stated features, integers, steps, operations, elements, and/or components, but does not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integers, steps, operations, elements, components, and/or groups thereof. 
     The descriptions of the various embodiments of the present invention have been presented for purposes of illustration but are not intended to be exhaustive or limited to the embodiments disclosed. Many modifications and variations will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art without departing from the scope of the described embodiments. The terminology used herein was chosen to best explain the principles of the embodiments, the practical application or technical improvement over technologies found in the marketplace, or to enable others of ordinary skill in the art to understand the embodiments disclosed herein.