Ancillary objects in object generation
In an example, a method includes in an additive manufacturing process, generating a first object and generating an ancillary object on top of the first object to reduce a thermal gradient of the first object during cooling.
1. A method comprising:
in an additive manufacturing process, generating a first object from an initial bottom layer of the first object to a final top layer of the first object, by applying and selectively solidifying build material in correspondence with the first object on a layer-by-layer basis;
after the first object has been additively manufactured, determining a thermal diffusion model by determining a heat map of the final top layer of the first object;
generating a plurality of layers of unfused build material on the final top layer of the first object; and
generating an ancillary object on the layers of the unfused build material from an initial bottom layer of the ancillary object to a final top layer of the ancillary object, by applying the build material and selectively fusing the build material in correspondence with the ancillary object on the layer-by-layer basis, the ancillary object having a thermal profile based on the thermal diffusion model and reducing a thermal gradient of the first object during cooling.
2. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the thermal diffusion model is determined by further applying a diffusion function to the heat map.
3. The method according to claim 1 , wherein determining the heat map comprises measuring a temperature of the final top layer of the first object.
4. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising:
determining instructions for generating the ancillary object, wherein determining the instructions comprises determining instructions for placement of a fusing agent on each of a plurality of layers of the ancillary object.
5. The method according to claim 4 , wherein determining the instructions further comprises determining an amount of the fusing agent to place at each of a plurality of locations on each layer of the ancillary object based on the thermal profile that the ancillary object is to have.
6. A non-transitory machine-readable medium comprising instructions which when executed by a processor cause the processor to perform processing comprising:
in an additive manufacturing process, generating a first object from an initial bottom layer of the first object to a final top layer of the first object, by applying and selectively solidifying build material in correspondence with the first object on a layer-by-layer basis;
after the first object has been additively manufactured, determining a thermal diffusion model by determining a heat map of the final top layer of the first object;
generating a plurality of layers of unfused build material on the final top layer of the first object; and
generating an ancillary object on the layers of the unfused build material from an initial bottom layer of the ancillary object to a final top layer of the ancillary object, by applying the build material and selectively fusing the build material in correspondence with the ancillary object on the layer-by-layer basis, the ancillary object having a thermal profile based on the thermal diffusion model and reducing a thermal gradient of the first object during cooling.
7. The non-transitory machine-readable medium according to claim 6 , wherein the thermal diffusion model is determined by further comprises applying a diffusion function to the heat map.
8. The non-transitory machine-readable medium according to claim 6 , wherein determining the heat map comprises measuring a temperature of the final top layer of the first object.
9. The non-transitory machine-readable medium according to claim 6 , wherein the processing further comprises:
determining instructions for generating the ancillary object, wherein determining the instructions comprises determining instructions for placement of a fusing agent on each of a plurality of layers of the ancillary object.
10. The non-transitory machine-readable medium according to claim 9 , wherein determining the instructions further comprises determining an amount of the fusing agent to place at each of a plurality of locations on each layer of the ancillary object based on the thermal profile that the ancillary object is to have.
11. An apparatus comprising:
a processor; and
a memory storing instructions executable by the processor to:
in an additive manufacturing process, generate a first object from an initial bottom layer of the first object to a final top layer of the first object, by applying and selectively solidifying build material in correspondence with the first object on a layer-by-layer basis;
after the first object has been additively manufactured, determine a thermal diffusion model by determining a heat map of the final top layer of the first object;
generate a plurality of layers of unfused build material on the final top layer of the first object; and
generate an ancillary object on the layers of the unfused build material from an initial bottom layer of the ancillary object to a final top layer of the ancillary object, by applying the build material and selectively fusing the build material in correspondence with the ancillary object on the layer-by-layer basis, the ancillary object having a thermal profile based on the thermal diffusion model and reducing a thermal gradient of the first object during cooling.
12. The apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the thermal diffusion model is further determined by further applying a diffusion function to the heat map.