IP Library Granted Patent US 12686179
Granted Patent B1
US 12686179 · App. 19/260,248 · Granted Jul 21, 2026

Printer control method, printer, and computer-readable storage medium

Inventors: Bin Liu (Shenzhen, CN); Jigeng Shang (Shenzhen, CN)
Assignee: AtomForm Technology (Shenzhen) Co., Ltd.
B29C64/393B29C64/118B33Y10/00B33Y50/02
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12686179
App. No.
19/260,248
Granted
Jul 21, 2026
Kind
B1
Abstract

A printer control method, a printer, and a computer-readable storage medium are provided. The method includes: controlling a print head assembly of a printer to print a target outer wall set of a three-dimensional model; and controlling the print head assembly to print a target infill set corresponding to the target outer wall set, with the number of layers contained in the target infill set being less than that contained in the target outer wall set, thereby enhancing surface quality of the three-dimensional model while reducing printing time.

Claims (42)

1 . A printer control method, comprising:

controlling a print head assembly of a printer to print a target outer wall set of a three-dimensional model, wherein the three-dimensional model comprises a plurality of outer wall sets and infill sets corresponding to the outer wall sets, the target outer wall set is one of the plurality of outer wall sets and comprises at least two layers of outer walls, and each of the infill sets comprises one or more layers of infill; and

controlling the print head assembly to print a target infill set corresponding to the target outer wall set, wherein a total height of the one or more layers of infill in the target infill set is the same as that of the at least two layers of outer walls in the target outer wall set, and the number of layers contained in the target infill set is less than that contained in the target outer wall set; wherein the three-dimensional model comprises at least one section, and for each of the outer wall sets, the height of each layer of outer walls is determined based on a section of the at least one section corresponding to the outer wall set; wherein one section of the at least one section corresponds to a plurality of outer wall sets, and the layers of outer walls in each outer wall set are stacked along a height direction and correspond to different height positions on an outer surface of the three-dimensional model; wherein the section corresponding to the outer wall set comprise a plurality of triangles, and the heights of the at least two layers of outer walls in the outer wall set are determined based on a target angle between a normal vector of a target triangle in the section corresponding to the outer wall set and a target direction, with the target direction being perpendicular to the section corresponding to the outer wall set; wherein for each of the at least two layers of outer walls in the target outer wall set, adjusting a height of a first target nozzle to a height corresponding to the outer wall and controlling the first target nozzle to print the outer wall;

wherein before controlling the print head assembly of the printer to print the target outer wall set of the three-dimensional model, the control method further comprises:

controlling a first acquisition device to acquire first detection information of the print head assembly of the printer, wherein the print head assembly comprises a first nozzle and a second nozzle, and the first detection information is used to determine a position of the first nozzle and a position of the second nozzle;

performing at least one calibration on the print head assembly based on the first detection information, wherein the calibration comprises adjusting a coordinate reference of the print head assembly and/or adjusting a position of the print head assembly based on a deviation of the print head assembly in a case that the deviation exceeds a preset deviation range, wherein the deviation of the print head assembly is determined based on the position of the first nozzle and the position of the second nozzle;

controlling the first acquisition device to acquire second detection information of the print head assembly after the calibration; and

switching the printer to a ready state or resuming a printing task in a case that the second detection information indicates that the deviation of the print head assembly falls within the preset deviation range.

2 . The control method of claim 1 ,

controlling the print head assembly of the printer to print the target outer wall set of the three-dimensional model comprises controlling the first target nozzle to print the target outer wall set, wherein the first target nozzle is selected from the first nozzle or the second nozzle; and

controlling the print head assembly to print the target infill set corresponding to the target outer wall set comprises controlling a second target nozzle to print the target infill set corresponding to the target outer wall set, wherein the second target nozzle is selected from the first nozzle or the second nozzle.

3 . The control method of claim 2 , wherein controlling the second target nozzle to print the target infill set corresponding to the target outer wall set comprises:

for each of the one or more layers of infill in the target infill set, adjusting a height of the second target nozzle to a height corresponding to the infill and controlling the second target nozzle to print the infill.

4 . The control method of claim 2 , wherein

determining the first target nozzle based on characteristics of the first nozzle, characteristics of the second nozzle, and heights of the at least two layers of outer walls in the target outer wall set; and

determining the second target nozzle based on the characteristics of the first nozzle, the characteristics of the second nozzle, and heights of the one or more layers of infill in the target infill set,

wherein the characteristics of the first nozzle comprise at least one of the following: a diameter of the first nozzle, a color of a filament in the first nozzle, or a type of the filament in the first nozzle; and the characteristics of the second nozzle comprise at least one of the following: a diameter of the second nozzle, a color of a filament in the second nozzle, or a type of the filament in the second nozzle.

5 . The control method of claim 2 , wherein the control method further comprises:

for each of the at least two layers of outer walls in the target outer wall set, determining a first control parameter corresponding to a height of the outer wall, and controlling the first target nozzle to extrude a filament according to the first control parameter to print the outer wall; and

for each of the one or more layers of infill in the target infill set, determining a second control parameter corresponding to a height of the infill, and controlling the second target nozzle to extrude the filament according to the second control parameter to print the infill.

6 . The control method of claim 5 , wherein

the first control parameter comprises at least one of a first temperature or a first flow rate; and

the second control parameter comprises at least one of a second temperature or a second flow rate.

7 . The control method of claim 1 , wherein the heights of the at least two layers of outer walls in the outer wall set are the same.

8 . The control method of claim 1 , wherein the heights of the at least two layers of outer walls in the outer wall set are determined based on the target angle and a maximum surface deviation, wherein

the maximum surface deviation is determined based on printing parameters of the printer, and the printing parameters comprise a layer height and a target ratio between a printing detail and a printing speed; or,

the maximum surface deviation is determined by a target interpolation function, wherein a parameter in the target interpolation function is determined based on a layer height and a target ratio between a printing detail and a printing speed.

9 . The control method of claim 1 , wherein the heights of the at least two layers of outer walls in the outer wall set are directly proportional to the target angle.

10 . The control method of claim 1 , wherein

for each of the plurality of outer wall sets, the number of layers contained in the outer wall set is determined based on a diameter of the print head assembly and heights of the at least two layers of outer walls in the outer wall set; and

for each of the infill sets, the number of layers contained in the infill set and heights of the one or more layers of infill in the infill set are determined based on an outer wall set of the plurality of outer wall sets corresponding to the infill set.

11 . The control method of claim 1 , wherein the control method further comprises:

controlling the print head assembly of the printer to print a target inner wall set of the three-dimensional model, wherein the three-dimensional model further comprises one or more layers of inner walls, each of the inner walls corresponds to at least two inner wall sets, and the at least two inner wall sets are located between the outer wall sets and the infill sets and configured to support the outer wall sets and connect the infill sets; and

controlling the print head assembly to print the target outer wall set corresponding to the target inner wall set.

12 . A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having a computer program stored thereon, wherein the computer program, when executed by a processor, implements a printer control method comprising:

controlling a print head assembly of a printer to print a target outer wall set of a three-dimensional model, wherein the three-dimensional model comprises a plurality of outer wall sets and infill sets corresponding to the outer wall sets, the target outer wall set is one of the plurality of outer wall sets and comprises at least two layers of outer walls, and each of the infill sets comprises one or more layers of infill; and

controlling the print head assembly to print a target infill set corresponding to the target outer wall set, wherein a total height of the one or more layers of infill in the target infill set is the same as that of the at least two layers of outer walls in the target outer wall set, and the number of layers contained in the target infill set is less than that contained in the target outer wall set; wherein the three-dimensional model comprises at least one section, and for each of the outer wall sets, the height of each layer of outer walls is determined based on a section of the at least one section corresponding to the outer wall set; wherein one section of the at least one section corresponds to a plurality of outer wall sets, and the layers of outer walls in each outer wall set are stacked along a height direction and correspond to different height positions on an outer surface of the three-dimensional model; wherein the section corresponding to the outer wall set comprise a plurality of triangles, and the heights of the at least two layers of outer walls in the outer wall set are determined based on a target angle between a normal vector of a target triangle in the section corresponding to the outer wall set and a target direction, with the target direction being perpendicular to the section corresponding to the outer wall set; wherein for each of the at least two layers of outer walls in the target outer wall set, adjusting a height of a first target nozzle to a height corresponding to the outer wall and controlling the first target nozzle to print the outer wall;

wherein before controlling the print head assembly of the printer to print the target outer wall set of the three-dimensional model, the control method further comprises:

controlling a first acquisition device to acquire first detection information of the print head assembly of the printer, wherein the print head assembly comprises a first nozzle and a second nozzle, and the first detection information is used to determine a position of the first nozzle and a position of the second nozzle;

performing at least one calibration on the print head assembly based on the first detection information, wherein the calibration comprises adjusting a coordinate reference of the print head assembly and/or adjusting a position of the print head assembly based on a deviation of the print head assembly in a case that the deviation exceeds a preset deviation range, wherein the deviation of the print head assembly is determined based on the position of the first nozzle and the position of the second nozzle;

controlling the first acquisition device to acquire second detection information of the print head assembly after the calibration; and

switching the printer to a ready state or resuming a printing task in a case that the second detection information indicates that the deviation of the print head assembly falls within the preset deviation range.