IP Library Granted Patent US 11,741,273
Granted Patent B2
US 11,741,273 · App. 16/898,994 · Granted Aug 29, 2023

Fabricated shape estimation for droplet based additive manufacturing

Inventors: Svyatoslav Korneev (Stanford, CA); Vaidyanathan Thiagarajan (Palo Alto, CA); Saigopal Nelaturi (Mountain View, CA)
Assignee: Palo Alto Research Center Incorporated
G06F30/17G06N3/04G06N3/08G06F2119/18
View Patent ↗
Loading inventors, assignments & file history…
Monitor This Case
Get email alerts when status or documents change.
Order Certified Copies
Most orders are placed with the USPTO same day — all within 24 business hours.
Order via The Patent Place →
Pre-filled with this patent's details
Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,741,273
App. No.
16/898,994
Granted
Aug 29, 2023
Kind
B2
Abstract

A geometry of a substrate surface is received at a neural network. The neural network is trained using one or more training sets. Each training set comprises a different type of substrate geometry and a collection of manufacturing process parameters. The substrate is configured to receive at least one liquid droplet. A shape of the at least one droplet after it has been deposited on the substrate is determined based on the received geometry. An output representing the determined shape of the at least one droplet is produced.

Claims (32)

1. A method comprising:

inputting a geometry of a substrate surface and manufacturing process parameters to a neural network, the neural network comprising a combination of a linear layer, non-linear activation functions, and a convolution layer, the neural network trained using one or more training sets, each training set comprising a different type of substrate geometry, and a collection of the manufacturing process parameters, the substrate surface configured to receive at least one droplet;

determining a shape of the at least one droplet after it has been deposited on the substrate surface based on an output of the neural network; and

producing a simulation output representing the determined shape of the at least one droplet.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the shape comprises a 3D representation of the at least one droplet after it has deposited on the substrate surface.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the one or more training sets comprise a surfaces of varying curvature, comprising one or more of a smooth surface, a rough surface, and a step-like surface.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the geometry of the substrate surface comprises a 3D representation.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the simulation output is a 3D representation of the shape obtained by determining the shape based on the geometry.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the training set comprises droplet shapes determined using one or more of a high-fidelity model and a steady-state model.

7. The method of claim 1 , further comprising estimating a shape of a product part based on the simulation output, the product part comprising a plurality of droplets.

8. A method comprising:

training a neural network using one or more training sets, each training set comprising a different type of substrate surface geometry, and a collection of manufacturing process parameters, the neural network comprising a combination of a linear layer, non-linear activation functions, and a convolution layer;

inputting a geometry of a substrate and the manufacturing process parameters to the neural network, the substrate configured to receive at least one droplet;

determining a shape of the at least one droplet after it has been deposited on the substrate based on an output of the neural network; and

producing a simulation output representing the determined shape of the at least one droplet.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein the shape comprises a 3D representation of the at least one droplet after it has deposited on the substrate.

10. The method of claim 8 , wherein the one or more training sets comprise surfaces of varying curvature, comprising one or more of a curved surface, a highly curved surface, a rough surface, and a step-like surface.

11. The method of claim 8 , wherein the geometry of the substrate comprises a 3D representation.

12. The method of claim 8 , wherein the simulation output is a 3D representation of the shape obtained by determining the shape based on the geometry.

13. The method of claim 8 , wherein the training set comprises droplet shapes determined using one or more of a high-fidelity model and a steady-state model.

14. The method of claim 8 , further comprising estimating a shape of a product part based on the simulation output, the product part comprising a plurality of droplets.

15. A system, comprising:

a processor; and

a memory storing computer program instructions which when executed by the processor cause the processor to perform operations comprising:

inputting a geometry of a substrate surface and manufacturing process parameters to a neural network, the neural network comprising a combination of a linear layer, non-linear activation functions, and a convolution layer, the neural network trained using one or more training sets, each training set comprising a different type of substrate geometry, and a collection of manufacturing process parameters, the substrate surface configured to receive at least one droplet;

determining a shape of the at least one droplet after it has been deposited on the substrate surface based on an output of the neural network; and

producing a simulation output representing the determined shape of the at least one droplet.

16. The system of claim 15 , wherein the shape comprises a 3D representation of the at least one droplet after it has deposited on the substrate surface.

17. The system of claim 15 , wherein the one or more training sets comprise surfaces of varying curvature, comprising one or more of a curved surface, a highly curved surface, a rough surface, and a step-like surface.

18. The system of claim 15 , wherein the geometry of the substrate surface comprises a 3D representation.

19. The system of claim 15 , wherein the simulation output is a 3D representation of the shape obtained by determining the shape based on the geometry.

20. The system of claim 15 , further comprising estimating a shape of a product part based on the output, the product part comprising a plurality of droplets.

Assignments (7)
SECOND LIEN NOTES PATENT SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Jul 2, 2025
From: XEROX CORPORATION
To: U.S. BANK TRUST COMPANY, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 071785/0550 →
FIRST LIEN NOTES PATENT SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Apr 11, 2025
From: XEROX CORPORATION
To: U.S. BANK TRUST COMPANY, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 070824/0001 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Feb 13, 2024
From: XEROX CORPORATION
To: CITIBANK, N.A., AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 066741/0001 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Nov 20, 2023
From: XEROX CORPORATION
To: JEFFERIES FINANCE LLC, AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 065628/0019 →
CORRECTIVE ASSIGNMENT TO CORRECT THE REMOVAL OF US PATENTS 9356603, 10026651, 10626048 AND INCLUSION OF US PATENT 7167871 PREVIOUSLY RECORDED ON REEL 064038 FRAME 0001. ASSIGNOR(S) HEREBY CONFIRMS THE ASSIGNMENT. Recorded Jun 28, 2023
From: PALO ALTO RESEARCH CENTER INCORPORATED
To: XEROX CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 064161/0001 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jun 20, 2023
From: PALO ALTO RESEARCH CENTER INCORPORATED
To: XEROX CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 064038/0001 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jun 11, 2020
From: KORNEEV, SVYATOSLAV; THIAGARAJAN, VAIDYANATHAN; NELATURI, SAIGOPAL
To: PALO ALTO RESEARCH CENTER INCORPORATED
Reel/Frame 052918/0775 →
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20210390224A1 · Dec 16, 2021