AUTOMATED MODEL CUSTOMIZATION
A variety of computer automated tools are disclosed to assist consumers with using three-dimensional printers. Where a user also has access to a three-dimensional scanner, the tools may also support automated modifications to scanned subject matter.
1 . A method comprising:
providing a graphical user interface that provides a design workspace and a palette of parts that share a standardized mechanical interface;
receiving a selection of two or more of the parts in the user interface, and an arrangement of the two or more parts into a multi-part model that physically couples the two or more parts using the standardized mechanical interface; and
creating a printable model of each one of the two or more parts, thereby providing a printable kit comprising printable parts that can be assembled into the multi-part model.
2 . The method of claim 1 wherein the standardized mechanical interface includes one or more mechanical couplings common to each item in the palette of parts.
3 . The method of claim 1 wherein the standardized mechanical interface includes one or more dimensions common to each item in the palette of parts.
4 . The method of claim 1 further comprising providing a unique identifier for each the printable parts and incorporating the unique identifier into the printable model for the corresponding printable part, thereby providing a number of labeled parts.
5 . The method of claim 1 further comprising creating an inventory list identifying each of the printable parts in the multi-part model.
6 . The method of claim 1 further comprising creating instructions to assemble the printable parts into the multi-part model.
7 . The method of claim 6 further comprising printing the instructions.
8 . The method of claim 1 further comprising creating one or more graphical assembly diagrams providing graphical instructions to assemble the printable parts into the multi-part model.
9 . The method of claim 8 wherein the one or more graphical assembly diagrams include a unique identifier for each of the printable parts.
10 . The method of claim 9 further comprising adding the unique identifier to the printable model for each part of the multi-part model.
11 . The method of claim 1 further comprising transmitting the printable parts to a three-dimensional printer for fabrication.
12 . The method of claim 1 wherein the palette of parts include parts for a toy selected from the group consisting of a marble run, a train track, a roller coaster, a jigsaw puzzle, a castle, a building, and a figurine.
13 . The method of claim 1 further comprising creating a model of a container for the two or more parts and including the model of the container in the kit.
14 . A computer program product comprising computer executable code embodied in a non-transitory computer readable medium that, when executing on one or more computing devices, performs the steps of:
providing a graphical user interface that provides a design workspace and a palette of parts that share a standardized mechanical interface;
receiving a selection of two or more of the parts in the user interface, and an arrangement of the two or more parts into a multi-part model that physically couples the two or more parts using the standardized mechanical interface; and
creating a printable model of each one of the two or more parts, thereby providing a printable kit comprising printable parts that can be assembled into the multi-part model.
15 . The computer program product of claim 14 further comprising code that performs the step of providing a unique identifier for each the printable parts and incorporating the unique identifier into the printable model for the corresponding printable part, thereby providing a number of labeled parts.
16 . The computer program product of claim 14 further comprising code that performs the step of creating instructions to assemble the printable parts into the multi-part model.
17 . The computer program product of claim 14 further comprising code that performs the step of creating one or more graphical assembly diagrams providing graphical instructions to assemble the printable parts into the multi-part model.
18 . The computer program product of claim 17 further comprising code that performs the step of adding a unique identifier to the printable model for each part of the multi-part model and adding the unique identifier for each part to at least one of the one or more graphical assembly diagrams.
19 . The computer program product of claim 14 further comprising code that performs the step of transmitting the printable parts to a three-dimensional printer for fabrication.
20 . The computer program product of claim 14 wherein the palette of parts include parts for a toy selected from the group consisting of a marble run, a train track, a roller coaster, a jigsaw puzzle, a castle, a building, and a figurine.
21 - 82 . (canceled)