Additive fabrication support structures

Abstract

Some aspects provide a method for evaluating a support structure associated with a three-dimensional object, the support structure and object to be fabricated via one or more additive fabrication techniques, comprising obtaining a representation of the support structure, wherein the support structure is configured to provide mechanical support to at least a first region of the object, calculating a supportedness value for the first region of the object, the supportedness value being indicative of a degree of support that the support structure provides to the first region, depicting the support structure and/or the object via a graphical user interface, and indicating the supportedness value for the first region of the object by coloring a portion of the graphical user interface using one or more colors, at least one of the one or more colors being based at least in part on the supportedness value.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method for evaluating a support structure associated with a three-dimensional object, the support structure and object to be fabricated via one or more additive fabrication techniques, comprising:
 obtaining a representation of the support structure, wherein the support structure is configured to provide mechanical support to at least a first region of the object;   
       calculating a supportedness value for the first region of the object, the supportedness value being indicative of a degree of support that the support structure provides to the first region;
 depicting the support structure and/or the object via a graphical user interface; and 
 indicating the supportedness value for the first region of the object by coloring a portion of the graphical user interface using one or more colors, at least one of the one or more colors being based at least in part on the supportedness value. 
 
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the supportedness value for the first region is indicated by coloring at least a part of the first region of the object using the one or more colors. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the supportedness value for the first region is indicated by coloring at least a part of the support structure using the one or more colors. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more colors includes a first color when the supportedness value is above a first threshold, and includes a second color, different from the first color, when the supportedness value is below a second threshold. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the supportedness value is calculated, at least in part, by calculating supportedness values for a plurality of voxels of the object. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein a supportedness value for the plurality of voxels is calculated based, at least in part, on one or more supportedness values of one or more neighboring voxels. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the supportedness value is calculated, at least in part, using a finite element analysis. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising updating the indication of the supportedness value for the first region of the object based on user input. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising determining a plurality of layers that together correspond to a shape of the support structure. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein obtaining the representation of the support structure comprises reading data from one or more computer readable storage media. 
     
     
         11 . An apparatus for evaluating a support structure associated with a three-dimensional object, the support structure and object to be fabricated via one or more additive fabrication techniques, comprising:
 at least one processor configured to:
 obtain a representation of the support structure, wherein the support structure is configured to provide mechanical support to at least a first region of the object; 
 calculate a supportedness value for the first region of the object, the supportedness value being indicative of a degree of support that the support structure provides to the first region; 
 depict the support structure and/or the object via a graphical user interface presented using a display; and 
 indicate the supportedness value for the first region of the object by coloring a portion of the graphical user interface using one or more colors, at least one of the one or more colors being based at least in part on the supportedness value. 
   
     
     
         12 . The apparatus of  claim 11 , wherein the supportedness value for the first region is indicated by coloring at least a part of the first region of the object using the one or more colors. 
     
     
         13 . The apparatus of  claim 11 , wherein the supportedness value for the first region is indicated by coloring at least a part of the support structure using the one or more colors. 
     
     
         14 . The apparatus of  claim 11 , wherein the one or more colors includes a first color when the supportedness value is above a first threshold, and includes a second color, different from the first color, when the supportedness value is below a second threshold. 
     
     
         15 . The apparatus of  claim 11 , wherein the supportedness value is calculated, at least in part, by calculating supportedness values for a plurality of voxels of the object. 
     
     
         16 . The apparatus of  claim 15 , wherein a supportedness value for the plurality of voxels is calculated based, at least in part, on one or more supportedness values of one or more neighboring voxels. 
     
     
         17 . The apparatus of  claim 11 , wherein the supportedness value is calculated, at least in part, using a finite element analysis. 
     
     
         18 . The apparatus of  claim 11 , further comprising determining a plurality of layers that together correspond to a shape of the support structure. 
     
     
         19 . The apparatus of  claim 11 , wherein obtaining the representation of the support structure comprises reading data from one or more computer readable storage media. 
     
     
         20 . At least one non-transitory computer readable medium comprising an executable program that, when executed, causes a computer to perform a method for evaluating a support structure associated with a three-dimensional object, the support structure and object to be fabricated via one or more additive fabrication techniques, the method comprising:
 obtaining a representation of the support structure associated with a three-dimensional object, wherein the support structure is configured to provide mechanical support to at least a first region of the object;   calculating a supportedness value for the first region of the object, the supportedness value being indicative of a degree of support that the support structure provides to the first region;   depicting the support structure and/or the object via a graphical user interface; and   indicating the supportedness value for the first region of the object by coloring a portion of the graphical user interface using one or more colors, at least one of the one or more colors being based at least in part on the supportedness value.   
     
     
         21 . The at least one non-transitory computer readable medium of  claim 20 , wherein the supportedness value for the first region is indicated by coloring at least a part of the first region of the object using the one or more colors. 
     
     
         22 . The at least one non-transitory computer readable medium of  claim 20 , wherein the supportedness value for the first region is indicated by coloring at least a part of the support structure using the one or more colors. 
     
     
         23 . The at least one non-transitory computer readable medium of  claim 20 , wherein the one or more colors includes a first color when the supportedness value is above a first threshold, and includes a second color, different from the first color, when the supportedness value is below a second threshold. 
     
     
         24 . The at least one non-transitory computer readable medium of  claim 20 , wherein the supportedness value is calculated, at least in part, by calculating supportedness values for a plurality of voxels of the object. 
     
     
         25 . The at least one non-transitory computer readable medium of  claim 24 , wherein a supportedness value for each voxel is calculated based, at least in part, on one or more supportedness values of one or more neighboring voxels. 
     
     
         26 . The at least one non-transitory computer readable medium of  claim 20 , wherein the supportedness value is calculated, at least in part, using a finite element analysis. 
     
     
         27 . The at least one non-transitory computer readable medium of  claim 20 , wherein the method further comprises updating the indication of the supportedness value for the first region of the object based on user input. 
     
     
         28 . The at least one non-transitory computer readable medium of  claim 20 , wherein the method further comprises determining a plurality of layers that together correspond to a shape of the support structure. 
     
     
         29 . The at least one non-transitory computer readable medium of  claim 20 , wherein obtaining the representation of the support structure comprises reading data from one or more computer storage media. 
     
     
         30 - 69 . (canceled)