AUGMENTED THREE-DIMENSIONAL PRINTING
A variety of techniques are disclosed for visual and functional augmentation of a three-dimensional printer.
1 . A device comprising:
a three-dimensional printer having a working volume;
a processor configured to control operation of the three-dimensional printer to fabricate an object from a build material; and
a camera configured to capture an image of the working volume;
wherein the processor is further configured to dynamically adjust at least one parameter of the three-dimensional printer based upon an analysis of the object in the image.
2 . The device of claim 1 wherein the at least one parameter includes a temperature of the working volume.
3 . The device of claim 1 wherein the at least one parameter includes a temperature of a build platform in the working volume.
4 . The device of claim 1 wherein the at least one parameter includes an extrusion temperature of an extruder.
5 . The device of claim 1 wherein the at least one parameter includes an extrusion rate of the build material from an extruder.
6 . The device of claim 1 wherein the at least one parameter includes a viscosity of the build material.
7 . The device of claim 1 wherein the at least one parameter includes a movement speed of an extruder while depositing the build material.
8 . The device of claim 1 wherein the at least one parameter includes a layer height for the build material.
9 . The device of claim 1 further comprising a memory storing a log of data for the object including values for the at least one parameter.
10 . The device of claim 1 further comprising a memory storing a log of data aggregated from a plurality of fabrications of the object.
11 . The device of claim 10 further comprising a second processor configured to analyze the log of data to identify at least one feature of the object that is difficult to print.
12 . The device of claim 10 further comprising a second processor configured to analyze the log of data to quantify one or more results of variations in the at least one parameter.
13 . The device of claim 1 further comprising a display configured to display a view of the working volume, wherein the processor is configured to superimpose thermal data onto the view of the working volume.
14 . The device of claim 13 further comprising a thermal camera to capture the thermal data.
15 . The device of claim 13 further comprising one or more temperature sensors to capture the thermal data.
16 . The device of claim 15 wherein the one or more temperature sensors include a sensor for measuring a temperature of at least one of an extruder, the object, the build material, the working volume, an ambient temperature outside the working volume, and a build platform within the working volume.
17 . The device of claim 1 further comprising at least one sensor for capturing three-dimensional data from the object, the at least one sensor including one or more of a laser sensor, an acoustical range finding sensor, an x-ray sensor, and a millimeter wave radar system.
18 . The device of claim 17 further comprising a display configured to display a view of the working volume, wherein the processor is configured to superimpose the three-dimensional data onto the object within the view of the working volume.
19 . The device of claim 18 wherein the processor is further configured to display one or more dimensional inaccuracies in the object.
20 . The device of claim 19 wherein the processor is further configured to display summary data concerning the one or more dimensional inaccuracies.
21 - 62 . (canceled)