Method and apparatus for preserving structural integrity of 3-dimensional models when printing at varying scales
A computer implemented method and apparatus for preserving structural integrity of 3-D models when printing at varying scales, by use of a cueing model.
1. A computer implemented method for preserving structural integrity of three-dimensional (3-D) models when printing at varying scales comprising:
accessing a cueing model comprising structural features extracted from a 3-D model at a first scale;
generating a 3-D test model of the 3-D model by scaling the 3-D model to a second scale, the second scale differing from the first scale;
extracting structural features from the 3-D test model that represent structural aspects of the 3-D test model;
comparing the extracted structural features of the 3-D test model with the structural features of the cueing model to identify one or more structural features of the 3-D test model that differs beyond a predetermined threshold from corresponding structural features of the cueing model;
adjusting the one or more structural features of the 3-D test model such that the one or more structural features of the 3-D test model do not differ beyond the predetermined threshold from the corresponding structural features of the cueing model; and
providing the 3-D test model with the adjusted one or more structural features for printing.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein comparing the extracted structural features of the 3-D test model with the structural features of the cueing model comprises determining that an aspect ratio of the structural features of the 3-D test model are not within the predetermined threshold of an aspect ratio of the structural features of the cueing model.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein comparing the extracted structural features of the 3-D test model with the structural features of the cueing model comprises comparing one or more of a position, size, or shape of the extracted structural features of the 3-D test model with a position, size, or shape of corresponding structural features of the cueing model.
4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the structural features extracted from the 3-D model comprise a size, position, and shape of axially aligned and diagonally aligned cuboidal blocks of the 3-D model.
5. The method of claim 1 , wherein generating the 3-D test model of the 3-D model further comprises converting the 3-D model into a voxel grid.
6. The method of claim 5 , wherein extracting structural features from the 3-D test model that represent structural aspects of the 3-D test model comprises identifying significant structural features using a combinatorial optimization process.
7. The method of claim 6 , wherein the combinatorial optimization further comprises determining structural features that are axially aligned with an octree representation of the 3-D test model and structural features that are diagonally aligned with the octree representation of the 3-D test model.
8. The method of claim 5 , wherein adjusting the one or more structural features of the 3-D test model comprises shifting at least a portion of a 2-D layer of the voxel grid in order to ensure a constant cross-section for the extracted structural features of the 3-D test model.
9. The method of claim 5 , wherein adjusting the one or more structural features of the 3-D test model comprises:
identifying a feature block of the cueing model that has been split into a set of smaller plates in one or more layers of the 3-D test model and introducing voxels into one or more layers such that the one or more structural features of the 3-D test model retain an original cross-sectional area of the corresponding structural features of the cueing model; or
identifying a feature block of the cueing model that has been joined together in one or more layers of the 3-D test model and introducing voxels into the one or more layers such that the one or more structural features of the 3-D test model retain an original cross-sectional area of the corresponding structural features of the cueing model.
10. The method of claim 5 , wherein adjusting the one or more structural features of the 3-D test model comprises matching a spacing between two extracted structural features of the 3-D test model with a spacing between two corresponding structural features of the cueing model.
11. A system for preserving structural integrity of three-dimensional (3-D) models when printing at varying scales comprising:
memory comprising a cueing model comprising structural features extracted from a 3-D model at a first scale;
at least one processor; and
at least one non-transitory computer readable storage medium storing instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the system to:
generate a 3-D test model of the 3-D model by scaling the 3-D model to a second scale, the second scale differing from the first scale;
extract structural features from the 3-D test model that represent structural aspects of the 3-D test model;
compare the extracted structural features of the 3-D test model with the structural features of the cueing model to identify one or more structural features of the 3-D test model that differs beyond a predetermined threshold from corresponding structural features of the cueing model;
adjust the one or more structural features of the 3-D test model such that the one or more structural features of the 3-D test model do not differ beyond the predetermined threshold from the corresponding structural features of the cueing model; and
provide the 3-D test model with the adjusted one or more structural features for printing.
12. The system of claim 11 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the system to generate the 3-D test model of the 3-D model by converting the 3-D model into a voxel grid.
13. The system of claim 12 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the system to adjust the one or more structural features of the 3-D test model by shifting at least a portion of a 2-D layer of the voxel grid in order to ensure a constant cross-section for the extracted structural features of the 3-D test model.
14. The system of claim 12 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the system to adjust the one or more structural features of the 3-D test model by:
identifying a feature block of the cueing model that has been split into a set of smaller plates in one or more layers of the 3-D test model and introducing voxels into one or more layers such that the one or more structural features of the 3-D test model retain an original cross-sectional area of the corresponding structural features of the cueing model; or
identifying a feature block of the cueing model that has been joined together in one or more layers of the 3-D test model and introducing voxels into the one or more layers such that the one or more structural features of the 3-D test model retain an original cross-sectional area of the corresponding structural features of the cueing model.
15. The system of claim 12 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the system to adjust the one or more structural features of the 3-D test model by matching a spacing between two extracted structural features of the 3-D test model with a spacing between two corresponding structural features of the cueing model.
16. A non-transitory computer readable medium storing instructions thereon that, when executed by at least one processor, cause a computer system to preserve structural integrity of three-dimensional (3-D) models when printing at varying scales by performing steps comprising:
accessing a cueing model comprising structural features extracted from a 3-D model at a first scale;
generating a 3-D test model of the 3-D model by scaling the 3-D model to a second scale, the second scale differing from the first scale;
extracting structural features from the 3-D test model that represent structural aspects of the 3-D test model;
comparing the extracted structural features of the 3-D test model with the structural features of the cueing model to identify one or more structural features of the 3-D test model that differs beyond a predetermined threshold from corresponding structural features of the cueing model;
adjusting the one or more structural features of the 3-D test model such that the one or more structural features of the 3-D test model do not differ beyond the predetermined threshold from the corresponding structural features of the cueing model; and
providing the 3-D test model with the adjusted one or more structural features for printing.
17. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 16 , wherein generating the 3-D test model of the 3-D model further comprises converting the 3-D model into a voxel grid.
18. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 17 , wherein adjusting the one or more structural features of the 3-D test model comprises shifting at least a portion of a 2-D layer of the voxel grid in order to ensure a constant cross-section for the extracted structural features of the 3-D test model.
19. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 17 , wherein adjusting the one or more structural features of the 3-D test model comprises:
identifying a feature block of the cueing model that has been split into a set of smaller plates in one or more layers of the 3-D test model and introducing voxels into one or more layers such that the one or more structural features of the 3-D test model retain an original cross-sectional area of the corresponding structural features of the cueing model; or
identifying a feature block of the cueing model that has been joined together in one or more layers of the 3-D test model and introducing voxels into the one or more layers such that the one or more structural features of the 3-D test model retain an original cross-sectional area of the corresponding structural features of the cueing model.
20. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 17 , wherein adjusting the one or more structural features of the 3-D test model comprises matching a spacing between two extracted structural features of the 3-D test model with a spacing between two corresponding structural features of the cueing model.