Patent Document ID: 10046522
Application ID: 14632280
Patent Status: 1

Claim One:
1. A method for printing a three-dimensional part in an additive manufacturing process, the method comprising: receiving a digital model of the three-dimensional part to a computer, wherein the digital model is provided in a coordinate system having a plurality of coordinate axes, and has a surface geometry, wherein the surface geometry comprises a plurality of facets having surfaces; determining a surface area for each of the plurality of facets; calculating surface plane angles normal to each of the surfaces for each of the plurality of facets relative to one or more of the coordinate axes with the computer; calculating a build score for each of the one or more coordinate axes with the computer, wherein the build score is calculated as a function of the calculated surface plane angles for each of the plurality of facets; selecting an orientation for the digital model in the coordinate system based at least in part on the calculated build scores; and outputting the digital model with the selected orientation of the digital model to an additive manufacturing system.