Patent Description:
Relevant prior art is disclosed in «<NPL> ».

Certain examples are described in the following detailed description and in reference to the drawings.

Additive manufacturing (sometimes referred to as <NUM>-dimensional or 3D printing) may be performed through use of 3D printers that can construct objects on a layer-by-layer basis. Through increasing additive manufacturing capabilities, manufacture of arbitrary and complex product designs has become increasing possible, and part construction through additive manufacturing is becoming increasingly prevalent. Some additive manufacturing techniques use application of a heat or energy source on powder beds to additively construct an object, for example via laser powder bed fusion (LPBF), selective laser melting (SLM), selective laser sintering (SLS), electron beam melting (EBM), and more. Others may use deposition-based technologies, such as through the layered deposition of beads of melted material (e.g., metal) that harden and form a 3D printed part.

In additive manufacturing, one of the challenges is the removal of support structures from the surfaces of 3D printed parts. Support structures may be constructed or otherwise used to assist in the manufacture of a 3D printed part, for example by supporting overhang surfaces or other part portions that require physical reinforcement during manufacture. In some cases (e.g., LPBF and SLM technologies), the support structures themselves may be 3D printed and attached to part surfaces during manufacture, and thus require subsequent removal from the 3D printed part. However, such removal may be difficult. Many current support structure removal processes are performed manually (e.g., with pliers, chisels, etc.) or with machining tools, such as through cutting, milling, drilling, or grinding operations that may require skilled operation of complex (and often costly) tools.

The disclosure herein may provide systems, methods, devices, and logic for automatic detachment of support structures for 3D printed parts. In particular and as described in greater detail herein, the disclosed detachable support structure technology may leverage shape-memory materials and 3D printed enclosures that support the automatic detachment of support structures after construction of a 3D printed part has completed. For instance, shape-memory elements inserted into support structures may change shape upon cooling (or heating), which may cause the inserted shape-memory elements to break the element enclosure. Through such a breaking, detachment of a support structure from a 3D part surface can occur. In some implementations, the described detachable support structures may autonomously detach (e.g., without operator intervention), which may reduce the cost, time, or complexity of support structure removals from 3D printed parts, including for 3D printed parts manufactured through LPBF and SLM technologies.

These and other detachable support structure features and technical benefits are described in greater detail herein.

<FIG> shows an example of a computing system <NUM> that supports automatic detachment of support structures for 3D printed parts. The computing system <NUM> may take the form of a single or multiple computing devices such as application servers, compute nodes, desktop or laptop computers, smart phones or other mobile devices, tablet devices, embedded controllers, and more. In some examples, the computing system <NUM> is part of or implements (at least in part) a CAD system, a CAM system, a 3D printing system, or any combinations thereof. In that regard, the computing system <NUM> may support the design, simulation, and manufacture of both 3D printed parts and accompanying support structures.

As an example implementation to support any combination of the detachable support structure features described herein, the computing system <NUM> shown in <FIG> includes an design access engine <NUM> and a detachable support structure engine <NUM>. The computing system <NUM> may implement the engines <NUM> and <NUM> (including components thereof) in various ways, for example as hardware and programming. The programming for the engines <NUM> and <NUM> may take the form of processor-executable instructions stored on a non-transitory machine-readable storage medium and the hardware for the engines <NUM> and <NUM> may include a processor to execute those instructions. A processor may take the form of single processor or multi-processor systems, and in some examples, the computing system <NUM> implements multiple engines using the same computing system features or hardware components (e.g., a common processor or a common storage medium).

In operation, the design access engine <NUM> may access a digital design of a part designed for construction through an additive manufacturing process. In operation, the detachable support structure engine <NUM> may insert, into the digital design, a support structure configured to support construction of a surface of the part. The inserted support structure may include a shape-memory element configured to be in a diminished shape during the additive manufacturing process and expand into an expanded shape after the additive manufacturing process ends and an element enclosure attached to the surface of the part and configured to hold the shape-memory element in the diminished shape and break from the part as the shape-memory element expands into the expanded shape.

These and other features and technical benefits are described in greater detail next.

<FIG> shows an example of digital design generation by a computing system in support of automatic detachment of support structures for 3D printed parts. In the particular example shown in <FIG>, a computing system is illustrated in the form of a design access engine <NUM> and a detachable support structure engine <NUM>. However, other system implementations are contemplated herein.

The design access engine <NUM> may access a digital design <NUM> of a part designed for construction through additive manufacturing. A digital design <NUM> may include any 3D representation of a part, any type of part design data, any type of part manufacture data, and the like. As examples, the digital design <NUM> may be a CAD model, surface mesh, 3D geometry, boundary representation, or other digital representation of a part. In some implementations, the design access engine <NUM> may access the digital design <NUM> by opening or loading CAD files or other design files from a system memory.

The detachable support structure engine <NUM> may provide capabilities to digitally represent support structures used in the manufacture of a 3D printed part in part designs. In that regard, the detachable support structure engine <NUM> may augment or otherwise modify the digital design <NUM> to digitally represent any of the detachable support structures described herein. In the example shown in <FIG>, the detachable support structure engine <NUM> modifies the digital design <NUM> accessed by the design access engine <NUM> into the digital design <NUM>. Put another way, the detachable support structure engine <NUM> may generate the digital design <NUM>, and do so by including detachable support structures for a part design specified through the digital design <NUM>.

The digital design <NUM> shown in <FIG> includes various digital representations of physical components of a part design, including digital representations of a 3D printed part <NUM>, a build plate <NUM> (e.g., in a 3D printing system), and various detachable support structures such as the one labeled in <FIG> as the detachable support structure <NUM>. In generating the digital design <NUM>, the detachable support structure engine <NUM> may insert support structures into the digital design <NUM> at various positions to support manufacture of the 3D printed part <NUM>. In particular, the detachable support structure engine <NUM> may insert detachable support structures at determined overhang faces, which may refer to faces of the 3D printed part <NUM> angled beyond a threshold limit and may thus require physical support for proper manufacture. The detachable support structures represented by the detachable support structure engine <NUM> in the digital design <NUM> may have the capability to automatically detach after physical manufacture.

To illustrate, a selected portion of the detachable support structure <NUM> in <FIG> is depicted in greater detail that includes a shape-memory element <NUM> as well as an element enclosure <NUM> that is attached to an overhang surface <NUM> of the 3D printed part <NUM>. As described in greater detail herein, the shape-memory element <NUM> may expand after physical manufacture, for example upon cooling to a lower temperature after additive manufacture of the 3D printed part <NUM> and accompanying support structures has completed. The element enclosure <NUM> inserted by the detachable support structure engine <NUM> may comprise a particular portion of the detachable support structure <NUM> that holds in position or otherwise encapsulates the shape-memory element <NUM>.

In some examples, the detachable support structure engine <NUM> may control the detachment of the detachable support structure <NUM> from the 3D printed part <NUM> via the design of the element enclosure <NUM>. For instance, the element enclosure <NUM> may be designed to break upon expansion of the shape-memory element <NUM> (e.g., at break points in the element enclosure <NUM>), thus detaching the detachable support structure <NUM> from 3D printed part <NUM>. Break points may be configured, designed, or inserted by the detachable support structure engine <NUM> to include weakened structures in the element enclosure <NUM>. Such weakened structures may include any mechanical or structural element of the element enclosure <NUM> that supports a controlled breaking of the element enclosure <NUM> at a break point. The detachable support structure engine <NUM> may position weakened structures at contact points (and eventually break points) between the element enclosure <NUM> and the shape-memory element <NUM> as the shape-memory element <NUM> expands, thus support control of the breaking of the element enclosure <NUM> from the surface of the 3D printed part <NUM>.

In some examples, the weakened structure may include a perforated lining at the contact point/break point such that the element enclosure <NUM> is configured to break along the perforated lining as the shape-memory element <NUM> expands. Other implementation examples may include a thinned metal section (as compared to the metal thickness of other portions of the element enclosure <NUM>), hourglass shaping, structural weak points, or any other mechanical design which may compel the element enclosure <NUM> to break in a controlled manner (e.g., in a straight break line or with reduced amount of required breaking force). As such, the detachable support structure engine <NUM> may implement support structure designs that can detachably break from a 3D printed part through element enclosures and shape-memory elements.

In some implementations, the detachable support structure engine <NUM> may position the element enclosure <NUM> of the detachable support structure <NUM> to be proximate (e.g., "close") to a part surface. The detachable support structure <NUM> may do so to reduce a residue portion of the element enclosure <NUM> that may remain after the shape-memory element <NUM> breaks the element enclosure <NUM> to detach the detachable support structure <NUM> from the 3D printed part <NUM>. One way of such a proximate positioning of element enclosure may be achieved through application of a threshold proximity criterion, e.g., in the form of a threshold proximity distance.

In applying a threshold proximity distance, the detachable support structure engine <NUM> may configure positioning of the element enclosure <NUM> in the digital design <NUM> such that at least a portion of an inserted shape-memory element <NUM> is less than the threshold proximity distance (e.g., within <NUM> millimeters) from a portion of a part surface (in this case, the overhang surface <NUM>). As another example, the detachable support structure engine <NUM> may position the element enclosure <NUM> such that a distance between a selected portion of the element enclosure <NUM> (e.g., a break point of the element enclosure <NUM>) and the overhang surface <NUM> is minimized or within the threshold proximity distance.

Accordingly, the detachable support structure engine <NUM> may generate digital designs of 3D parts that include automatically detachable support structures as disclosed herein. In some implementations, the detachable support structure engine <NUM> implements such features as part of a CAD, CAM, or CAx application to support digital design and simulated manufacture of 3D parts. Additionally or alternatively, the detachable support structure engine <NUM> may have the capability to control physical manufacture of the 3D printed part <NUM> and detachable support structures, e.g., by generating machine programs or printing instructions for 3D printing systems to guide construction of the detachable support structures described herein.

<FIG> shows an example of a system <NUM> that supports construction of detachable support structures that can automatically detach from a 3D printed part through shape-memory elements. The system <NUM> in <FIG> includes a design access engine <NUM> and a detachable support structure engine <NUM> (which may be together implemented via a computing system) as well as a 3D printing system <NUM>.

The 3D printing system <NUM> may include any components that support construction of a physical part through additive manufacture, and may thus include 3D printer components, machining tools, powder dispensers, build plates, and the like. The 3D printing system <NUM> may also include various computing capabilities to interpret digital designs of 3D printed parts (which may include accompanying support structures). As such, the 3D printing system <NUM> may include a build processor, e.g., to support computations for part slicing, hatch tracking determinations for laser pathing, and other computations to control physical manufacture of 3D parts. In some instances, the 3D printing system <NUM> may implement any of the capabilities of the detachable support structure engine <NUM>, allowing computations and CAD/CAM designs to occur locally at the 3D printing system <NUM>. Explained in a different way, the detachable support structure engine <NUM> may be implemented (at least in part) via a combination of hardware and software of the 3D printing system <NUM>.

The 3D printing system <NUM> may access a digital design <NUM> generated to include detachable support structures (e.g., digital representations thereof). Then, the 3D printing system <NUM> may manufacture 3D parts through additive manufacturing processes in accordance with the digital design <NUM>. That is, the 3D printing system <NUM> may physically construct 3D parts and any of the detachable support structures as described herein.

As shown in <FIG>, the 3D printing system <NUM> may construct physical representations of elements digitally represented in the digital design <NUM>. That is, the 3D printing system <NUM> may physically construct the 3D printed part <NUM> (e.g., via LPBF or SLS processes). The additive manufacturing process performed by the 3D printing system <NUM> may also include construction of the detachable support structures <NUM> to support manufacture of the 3D printed part <NUM>. Physical construction of a given support structure may include constructing an element enclosure via an additive manufacturing process and inserting a shape-memory element into the element enclosure during construction of the element enclosure. Example features of these construction processes are described in greater detail below.

Upon completing the additive manufacturing process, the 3D printed part <NUM> may be physically suspended by the detachable support structures <NUM> constructed via the additive manufacturing process used to construct the 3D printed part <NUM>. These detachable support structures <NUM> may automatically detach from the 3D printed part <NUM> via inserted shape-memory elements and constructed element enclosures. Example capabilities of a shape-memory element is shown in <FIG> through the shape-memory element <NUM>, which may be inserted into a given detachable support structure during manufacture of the 3D printed part <NUM>.

The shape-memory element <NUM> may be any physical component that can change into different shapes. For instance, the shape-memory element <NUM> may be constructed using a <NUM>-way shape-memory alloy that is trained to learn different physical forms at different temperatures (e.g., in a heated state and in a cooled state). As an illustrative example, the shape-memory element <NUM> may be configured to be in a diminished form <NUM> in a heated state, such when heated to a specific temperature or temperature range (e.g., <NUM>°-<NUM>° Celsius). As the shape-memory element <NUM> cools, it may change shape and eventually transition into an expanded form <NUM> upon reaching a cooled state (e.g., less than <NUM>° Celsius).

Although illustrated in a V-shape in various examples herein, the detachable support structure engine <NUM> and 3D printing system <NUM> may support design and use of shape-memory elements in any other shapes or geometry such that the shape-memory element can be physically formed into a diminished form in a first state and expanded into an expanded form in a second state. As examples, shape-memory elements inserted into detachable support structures may be in a spring or spiral shape that are compressed into a diminished form in a heated state and that uncoil into an expanded state upon cooling.

As yet another implementation example, the shape-memory element <NUM> inserted by the 3D printing system <NUM> may be in a diminished form <NUM> in a cooled state (e.g., during part manufacture at <NUM>°-<NUM>° Celsius). In such examples, the shape-memory element <NUM> may transform into an expanded form <NUM> upon heating, thus causing at least one of the detachable support structures <NUM> to automatically and autonomously detach from the 3D printed part <NUM>. Such an implementation may be useful when a 3D printed part <NUM> undergoes heat treatment (e.g., to greater than <NUM>° Celsius) after manufacture via post-manufacture part processing. In the context of an (potentially already existing) post-manufacture process, the detachable support structures <NUM> may have the capability to automatically detach, thus supporting removal of constructed support structures with increased ease and efficiency.

As noted herein, a shape-memory element may expand and break an element enclosure after manufacture of a 3D printed part. Example features of such an automatic detachment process are described in greater detail next in connection with <FIG>.

<FIG> shows an example of an automatic detachment process <NUM> by a detachable support structure that includes a shape-memory element <NUM> and an element enclosure <NUM>. In particular, <FIG> illustrates four (<NUM>) different snapshots in time of an example automatic detachment process <NUM>, labeled as phases <NUM>-<NUM> respectively. The example shape-memory element <NUM> shown in <FIG> is in a V-shape, but various other types of shape-memory elements are contemplated herein.

In phase <NUM>, the shape-memory element <NUM> may be positioned (e.g., enclosed) within the element enclosure <NUM> and in a diminished form. As such, phase <NUM> may occur during or after physical manufacture of a 3D printed part and accompanying detachable support structures. After physical manufacture and as the shape-memory element <NUM> cools (or, alternatively, is heated via post-manufacture processing), the shape of the shape-memory element <NUM> may transition into a different form.

In phase <NUM>, the shape-memory element <NUM> may expand and eventually physically contact the element enclosure <NUM>. The point at which the shape-memory element <NUM> contacts the element enclosure <NUM> may be referred to as a contact point (which may eventually become a break point, though a break point may be designed elsewhere in the element enclosure <NUM> as well). As noted herein, the detachable support structure engine <NUM> may design element enclosures and the 3D printing system <NUM> may additively manufacture element enclosures to support a controlled detachment of support structures from 3D printed parts. As such, the element enclosure <NUM> (e.g., designed by the detachable support structure engine <NUM> and 3D-printed by the 3D printing system <NUM>) may include weakened structures <NUM> at the contact points. The weakened structures <NUM> may take various forms, such as perforated lining, reduced metal layers/thickness, or any other suitable physical structure to guide the breaking of the element enclosure <NUM> as the shape-memory element <NUM> expands.

In phase <NUM>, the shape-memory element <NUM> may expand to break the element enclosure <NUM>. As seen in <FIG>, the element enclosure <NUM> may break in phase <NUM> as the shape-memory element <NUM> expands in a manner that extends beyond the enclosed space of the element enclosure <NUM>. As such, the expansion of the shape-memory element <NUM> into an expanded form may forcibly break the element enclosure <NUM> into different pieces by which a support structure may automatically detach from the surface of a 3D printed part. The point at which the element enclosure <NUM> breaks via expansion of the shape-memory element <NUM> may be referred to as a break point, which may be the same as or different from contact points between the shape-memory element <NUM> and the element enclosure <NUM>.

In phase <NUM>, the shape-memory element <NUM> may complete its transition into an expanded form (e.g., fully extended as shown in <FIG>). Note that in <FIG>, portions of the element enclosure <NUM> may still be attached to the surface of a 3D printed part even after the element enclosure <NUM> breaks due to expansion of the shape-memory element <NUM>. Such portions of the element enclosure <NUM> are labeled as the residue portions <NUM>. As described herein, the detachable support structure engine <NUM> may configure a design of the element enclosure <NUM> to reduce (e.g., minimize) the residue portions <NUM> of an element enclosure <NUM> that remain affixed to a part surface after the automatic detachment process <NUM> completes.

In some implementations, the detachable support structure engine <NUM> may configure a design of a detachable support structure such that the residue portions <NUM> of the element enclosure <NUM> can be removed from a part surface via post-manufacture processing. Example post-manufacture processes may include chemical treatment applications, sand blasting, vibration processing (e.g., with small metallic balls in an enclosed chamber), and the like. Such post-manufacture process may be generally applied to a 3D printed part, and may refer to processes that are distinct from specifically-designed support structure removal processes whether performed manually (e.g., with pliers, chisels, etc.) or with machining tools, such as through cutting, milling, drilling, or grinding operations. That is, detachable support structures as described herein may leave a residue portion <NUM> that is more easily and efficiently removed as compared to conventional support structure removal processes that can be costly and complicated.

As such, detachable support structures may be designed, constructed, and used to support automatic support structure detachment for 3D printed parts with increased ease and efficiency. Some example features with regards to construction of detachable support structures are described in greater detail next.

<FIG> shows an example of a construction process <NUM> by which a 3D printing system may construct a detachable support structure that includes an element enclosure <NUM> and shape-memory element <NUM>. In particular, <FIG> illustrates three (<NUM>) different snapshots in time of an example construction process <NUM> performed for LPBF or SLS manufacturing technologies, and the snapshots are labeled as phases <NUM>-<NUM> respectively. The construction process <NUM> may be configured or arranged by the detachable support structure engine <NUM> (e.g., as 3D printing instructions), executed or performed by a 3D printing system <NUM>, or any combination thereof. The example shape-memory element <NUM> shown in <FIG> is in a V-shape, but various other types of shape-memory elements are contemplated herein. Other additive manufacturing technologies besides LPBF and SLS are contemplated herein as well.

In constructing a detachable support structure, a 3D printing system may manufacture, in part, the element enclosure <NUM> as shown in phase <NUM>. In particular, the 3D printing system may partially construct the element enclosure <NUM> to a predetermined degree to support insertion of a shape-memory element. Partial construction of the element enclosure <NUM> in phase <NUM> may complete when the 3D build process has reached a predetermined layer (or other configurable point in an additive manufacture process). In some implementations, the predetermined layer may be identified or specified through 3D printing instructions generated by a detachable support structure engine <NUM> to control and additive manufacture process, and the 3D printing instructions may include insertion instructions to pause the additive manufacturing process when reaching the predetermined layer (e.g., pause at layer <NUM> in the additive manufacture process for shape-memory element insertion).

The predetermined layer specified by the detachable support structure engine <NUM> may correspond to a point in the additive manufacturing process at which a shape-memory element can be inserted into the partially-constructed element enclosure <NUM> without interfering with subsequent additive manufacture of remaining portions of the element enclosure <NUM>. As such, the predetermined layer at which an additive manufacturing process pauses (and a shape-memory element can be inserted) may be determined by the detachable support structure engine <NUM> to be when the powder level or constructed portion of the element enclosure <NUM> has a height that is higher (along a build direction) than an inserted shape-memory element.

In some implementations, the predetermined layer at which additive manufacture of the partially-constructed element enclosure <NUM> pauses for shape-memory element insertion is at least a predetermined number of layers higher than the height of an inserted shape-memory element. The detachable support structure engine <NUM> and 3D printing system may enforce such a threshold layer difference to reduce, minimize, or eliminate the effect of energy applications in LPBF or SLS processes on metal powder layers below a present layer. Doing so may reduce or prevent inadvertent or unintentional fusing of metal powder to an inserted shape-memory element. As such, the predetermined layer at which additive manufacture pauses may be computed through statistical models of thermal energy impacts, metal powder characteristics, and according to various other factors to ensure proper construction of the detachable support structure.

After partial construction of the element enclosure <NUM> in phase <NUM>, the 3D printing system may insert the shape-memory element <NUM> into a detachable support structure in phase <NUM>. In particular, the 3D printing system may insert the shape-memory element <NUM> into a partially constructed element enclosure <NUM> such that the shape-memory element <NUM> is held by the element enclosure <NUM> in a predetermined position. The partially-constructed element enclosure <NUM> may include an opening of sufficient size for insertion of the shape-memory element <NUM> as well as cavity within which the shape-memory element <NUM> may fit into the element enclosure <NUM>.

As noted above, the element enclosure <NUM> may be sufficiently constructed such that the shape-memory element <NUM> does not exceed the height of the element enclosure <NUM>, and thus additive manufacture of the unbuilt portion of the element enclosure <NUM> may continue and be completed without thermal or physical impact on the shape-memory element <NUM>. Phase <NUM> may, in some sense, represent a pause in successive layers of an additive manufacturing process in order to insert the shape-memory element <NUM> into the partially-constructed element enclosure <NUM>.

After insertion of the shape-memory element <NUM> in phase <NUM>, the 3D printing system may continue construction of the element enclosure <NUM> in phase <NUM> until completion. As such, a 3D printing system may support insertion of the shape-memory element <NUM> during construction of the element enclosure <NUM>, which may result in a detachable support structure according to the present disclosure. As shown in <FIG>, a perspective view <NUM> of a detachable support structure that includes the element enclosure <NUM> and the shape-memory element <NUM> is illustrated as well.

As noted herein, a detachable support structure engine <NUM> may generate 3D printing instructions for a 3D printing system to physically construct detachable support structures via insertion of shape-memory elements. An example of such a system is described next in connection with <FIG>.

<FIG> shows an example of a system <NUM> that supports insertion of shape-memory elements during an additive manufacturing process. The system <NUM> in <FIG> includes the detachable support structure engine <NUM>, which may be implemented at least in part via a CAD or CAM application, as well as a 3D printing system <NUM>. The detachable support structure engine <NUM> may generate insertion instructions <NUM> to guide or otherwise control the 3D printing system <NUM> to insert shape-memory elements during additive manufacture of a part. Such insertion instructions <NUM> may be part of a set of 3D printing instructions that the detachable support structure engine <NUM> may generate to control and guide an additive manufacture process performed by the 3D printing system <NUM>.

The insertion instructions <NUM> may control specific components of the 3D printing system <NUM> to insert shape-memory elements at predetermined layers or points of the additive manufacturing process. As one example implementation shown in <FIG>, the 3D printing system <NUM> may include a <NUM>-axes positioner <NUM>, a shape-memory element dispenser <NUM>, and a powder bed <NUM>. The <NUM>-axes positioner <NUM> may include a gripper to access shape-memory elements provided by the shape-memory element dispenser <NUM> for insertion into the powder bed <NUM> at predetermined layers of the additive manufacture process.

As configured by the insertion instructions <NUM>, the 3D printing system <NUM> may pause additive manufacture of a 3D part at a predetermined layer and cause the <NUM>-axes positioner <NUM> to access and insert a shape-memory element into the powder bed <NUM>. The insertion position in the powder bed <NUM> (e.g. insertion coordinates) may also be specified by the insertion instructions <NUM>, and may correspond to a position in the powder bed <NUM> under which an opening or cavity of a partially-constructed element enclosure is positioned to insert a shape-memory element. As a given 3D part may require multiple support structures, the 3D printing system <NUM> may pause additive manufacture at different layers respectively to insert a shape-memory element in each of the different detachable support structures constructed for the given 3D part.

Since insertion of a shape-memory element into the powder bed <NUM> may deform a powder layer, the 3D printing system <NUM> may perform a recoating operation after insertion of the shape-memory element. However, since the 3D printing system <NUM> may insert shape-memory elements on a layer-specific basis, in some implementations the 3D printing system <NUM> need not perform an extra recoating operation to account for the disturbed powder layer. Instead, the 3D printing system <NUM> may insert a shape-memory element prior to a typical recoating operation that is performed at each layer, and thus leveraging an already-scheduled 3D printing operation to address powder disturbances caused by shape-memory element insertions. After recoating, the 3D printing system <NUM> may continue the additive manufacture process to construct the next layer in the 3D printed part and accompanying detachable support structures.

In any of the ways described herein, computing systems and 3D printing systems may support the design, manufacture, and use of automatically detachable support structures for 3D printed parts. The detachable support structures disclosed herein may provide automatic and autonomous mechanisms to detach from 3D printed parts, doing so without operator intervention or use of costly and inefficient machining processes. Moreover, through use of shape-memory elements, the automatic support structure detachment features described herein may take advantage of the natural cooling of 3D printed parts and powder beds, and the breaking of element enclosures to detach support structures from part surfaces may occur "naturally" as the 3D printed part cools. Accordingly, the automatic support structure detachment features described herein may increase the efficiency of additive manufacture processes.

<FIG> shows an example of logic <NUM> that a system may implement to support automatic detachment of support structures for 3D printed parts. For example, the computing system <NUM> may implement the logic <NUM> (at least in part) as hardware, executable instructions stored on a machine-readable medium, or as a combination of both. A 3D printing system <NUM> may implement the logic <NUM> (at least in part) as printing or computing hardware. The following description of the logic <NUM> is provided using the design access engine <NUM>, the detachable support structure engine <NUM>, and the 3D printing system <NUM> as examples. However, various other implementation options by systems are possible.

In implementing the logic <NUM>, the design access engine <NUM> may access a digital design of a part designed for construction through an additive manufacturing process (<NUM>). In implementing the logic <NUM>, the detachable support structure engine <NUM> may insert, into the digital design, a support structure configured to support construction of a surface of the part, the support structure including a shape-memory element and an element enclosure (<NUM>), doing so in any of the ways described herein. The shape-memory element may be configured to be in a diminished shape during the additive manufacturing process and expand into an expanded shape after the addictive manufacturing process ends, and the element enclosure may be attached to the surface of the part and configured to hold the shape-memory element in the diminished shape and break from the part as the shape-memory element expands into the expanded shape. In implementing the logic <NUM>, a 3D printing system may perform the additive manufacturing process according to the digital design to physically construct the support structure that includes the shape-memory element and the element enclosure (<NUM>), doing so in any of the ways described herein.

The logic <NUM> shown in <FIG> provides an illustrative example by which a system may support automatic detachment of support structures for 3D printed parts. Additional or alternative steps in the logic <NUM> are contemplated herein, including according to any features described herein for the design access engine <NUM>, detachable support structure engine <NUM>, 3D printing system <NUM>, or any combinations thereof.

<FIG> shows an example of a system <NUM> that supports automatic detachment of support structures for 3D printed parts. The system <NUM> may include a processor <NUM>, which may take the form of a single or multiple processors. The processor(s) <NUM> may include a central processing unit (CPU), microprocessor, or any hardware device suitable for executing instructions stored on a machine-readable medium. The system <NUM> may include a machine-readable medium <NUM>. The machine-readable medium <NUM> may take the form of any non-transitory electronic, magnetic, optical, or other physical storage device that stores executable instructions, such as the design access instructions <NUM> and the detachable support structure instructions <NUM> shown in <FIG>. As such, the machine-readable medium <NUM> may be, for example, Random Access Memory (RAM) such as a dynamic RAM (DRAM), flash memory, spin-transfer torque memory, an Electrically-Erasable Programmable Read-Only Memory (EEPROM), a storage drive, an optical disk, and the like.

The system <NUM> may execute instructions stored on the machine-readable medium <NUM> through the processor <NUM>. Executing the instructions (e.g., the design access instructions <NUM> and/or the detachable support structure instructions <NUM>) may cause the system <NUM> to perform any of the features described herein, including according to any of the features with respect to the design access engine <NUM>, the detachable support structure engine <NUM>, the 3D printing system <NUM>, or combinations thereof.

For example, execution of the design access instructions <NUM> by the processor <NUM> may cause the system <NUM> to access a digital design of a part designed for construction through an additive manufacturing process. Execution of the detachable support structure instructions <NUM> by the processor <NUM> may cause the system <NUM> to insert, into the digital design, a support structure configured to support construction of a surface of the part. The inserted support structure may include a shape-memory element configured to be in a diminished shape during the additive manufacturing process and expand into an expanded shape after the addictive manufacturing process ends and an element enclosure attached to the surface of the part and configured to hold the shape-memory element in the diminished shape and break from the part as the shape-memory element expands into the expanded shape.

Any additional or alternative features as described herein may be implemented via the design access instructions <NUM>, detachable support structure instructions <NUM>, or a combination of both.

The systems, methods, devices, and logic described above, including the design access engine <NUM>, the detachable support structure engine <NUM>, and the 3D printing system <NUM>, may be implemented in many different ways in many different combinations of hardware, logic, circuitry, and executable instructions stored on a machine-readable medium. For example, the design access engine <NUM>, the detachable support structure engine <NUM>, the 3D printing system <NUM>, or combinations thereof, may include circuitry in a controller, a microprocessor, or an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC), or may be implemented with discrete logic or components, or a combination of other types of analog or digital circuitry, combined on a single integrated circuit or distributed among multiple integrated circuits. A product, such as a computer program product, may include a storage medium and machine-readable instructions stored on the medium, which when executed in an endpoint, computer system, or other device, cause the device to perform operations according to any of the description above, including according to any features of the design access engine <NUM>, the detachable support structure engine <NUM>, 3D printing system <NUM>, or combinations thereof.

The processing capability of the systems, devices, and engines described herein, including the design access engine <NUM>, the detachable support structure engine <NUM>, and the 3D printing system <NUM>, may be distributed among multiple system components, such as among multiple processors and memories, optionally including multiple distributed processing systems or cloud/network elements. Parameters, databases, and other data structures may be separately stored and managed, may be incorporated into a single memory or database, may be logically and physically organized in many different ways, and may be implemented in many ways, including data structures such as linked lists, hash tables, or implicit storage mechanisms. Programs may be parts (e.g., subroutines) of a single program, separate programs, distributed across several memories and processors, or implemented in many different ways, such as in a library (e.g., a shared library).

Claim 1:
A method comprising:
by a computing system:
accessing (<NUM>) a digital design (<NUM>, <NUM>) of a part (<NUM>, <NUM>) designed for construction through an additive manufacturing process;
inserting (<NUM>), into the digital design (<NUM>, <NUM>), a support structure configured to support construction of a surface of the part (<NUM>, <NUM>), wherein the support structure comprises:
a shape-memory element (<NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>) configured to be in a diminished shape during the additive manufacturing process and expand into an expanded shape after the addictive manufacturing process ends; and
an element enclosure (<NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>) attached to the surface of the part (<NUM>, <NUM>) and configured to hold the shape-memory element (<NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>) in the diminished shape and break from the part (<NUM>, <NUM>) as the shape-memory element (<NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>) expands into the expanded shape;
manufacturing, by a <NUM>-dimensional (3D) printing system, the part (<NUM>, <NUM>) through the additive manufacturing process via the digital design (<NUM>, <NUM>), including:
constructing the support structure (<NUM>), wherein constructing the support structure (<NUM>) comprises constructing the element enclosure (<NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>) via the additive manufacturing process and inserting the shape-memory element (<NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>) into the element enclosure (<NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>) during the constructing of the element enclosure.