System and method to control a three-dimensional (3d) printer

Abstract

A three-dimensional (3D) printer device includes an extruder configured to deposit a material on a deposition platform, an actuator coupled to at least one of the extruder or the deposition platform, and a controller coupled to the actuator. The controller is configured to cause the extruder to deposit a first portion of the material corresponding to a first line, and after depositing a second portion of the material corresponding to a first end of the first line, to cause relative motion of the extruder and the deposition platform such that the extruder moves back along the first line while the extruder concurrently moves away from the deposition platform.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A three-dimensional (3D) printer device comprising:
 an extruder configured to deposit a material on a deposition platform;   an actuator coupled to at least one of the extruder or the deposition platform; and   a controller coupled to the actuator, the controller configured to cause the extruder to deposit a first portion of the material corresponding to a first line, and after depositing a second portion of the material corresponding to a first end of the first line, to cause relative motion of the extruder and the deposition platform such that the extruder moves back along the first line while the extruder concurrently moves away from the deposition platform.   
     
     
         2 . The 3D printer of  claim 1 , wherein the controller is further configured to reduce an extrusion flow rate of the extruder as the extruder moves away from the deposition platform. 
     
     
         3 . The 3D printer of  claim 2 , wherein the extruder is a syringe extruder, and wherein the extrusion flow rate is reduced by decreasing pressure applied to a plunger of the syringe extruder. 
     
     
         4 . The 3D printer of  claim 1 , wherein the material includes a polymer. 
     
     
         5 . The 3D printer of  claim 1 , wherein the controller is further configured to send signals to the actuator and the extruder to control formation of a physical model of an object by forming a first stack of multiple layers of the material at a first location relative to the deposition platform before forming a second stack of multiple layers of the material at a second location relative to the deposition platform. 
     
     
         6 . The 3D printer of  claim 5 , wherein the controller is configured to cause the first stack to be formed to a height determined based on a physical configuration associated with the extruder before beginning formation of the second stack. 
     
     
         7 . The 3D printer of  claim 6 , wherein the physical configuration corresponds to a distance between an extruder tip and a support member coupled to the extruder. 
     
     
         8 . The 3D printer of  claim 1 , further comprising a second extruder, wherein the controller is configured to cause the extruder to deposit multiple layers of the material to form a first portion of a physical model defining a non-planar surface and to cause the second extruder to deposit at least one additional material on the non-planar surface to form a second portion of the physical model. 
     
     
         9 . The 3D printer of  claim 1 , wherein the first line forms at least a portion of a first layer and forms at least a portion of a second layer, wherein the second layer is stacked on the first layer. 
     
     
         10 . A three-dimensional (3D) printer device comprising:
 an extruder configured to deposit a material on a deposition platform;   an actuator coupled to at least one of the extruder or the deposition platform; and   a controller coupled to the actuator, the controller configured to cause the actuator to cause relative motion of the extruder and the deposition platform during deposition of a portion of the material corresponding to a line and to adjust a flow rate of the extruder based on an acceleration rate of the relative motion.   
     
     
         11 . The 3D printer of  claim 10 , wherein the extruder is a syringe extruder, and wherein the flow rate of the extruder is adjusted by changing pressure applied to a plunger of the syringe extruder. 
     
     
         12 . The 3D printer of  claim 10 , wherein the material includes a polymer. 
     
     
         13 . The 3D printer of  claim 10 , wherein the controller is further configured to send signals to the actuator and the extruder to control formation of a physical model of an object by forming a first stack of multiple layers of the material at a first location relative to the deposition platform before forming a second stack of multiple layers of the material at a second location relative to the deposition platform. 
     
     
         14 . The 3D printer of  claim 13 , wherein the controller is configured to cause the first stack to be formed to a height determined based on a physical configuration associated with the extruder before beginning formation of the second stack. 
     
     
         15 . The 3D printer of  claim 14 , wherein the physical configuration corresponds to a distance between an extruder tip and a support member coupled to the extruder. 
     
     
         16 . The 3D printer of  claim 10 , further comprising a second extruder, wherein the controller is configured to cause the extruder to deposit multiple layers of the material to form a first portion of a physical model defining a non-planar surface and to cause the second extruder to deposit at least one additional material on the non-planar surface to form a second portion of the physical model. 
     
     
         17 . The 3D printer of  claim 10 , wherein the line forms at least a portion of a first layer and forms at least a portion of a second layer, wherein the second layer is stacked on the first layer. 
     
     
         18 . A method comprising:
 obtaining model data representing a three-dimensional (3D) model of an object; and   processing the model data to generate a set of commands to direct a 3D printer device to extrude a material to form a physical model associated with the object, the set of commands including one or more first commands to cause relative motion of an extruder of the 3D printer device and a deposition platform of the 3D printer device during deposition a first portion of the material to form a portion of a first line, and after depositing a second portion of the material corresponding to a first end of the first line, to cause relative motion of the extruder and the deposition platform such that the extruder moves back along the first line while the extruder concurrently moves away from the deposition platform.   
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the set of commands further includes one or more second commands to reduce an extrusion flow rate of the extruder as the extruder moves back along the first line and away from the deposition platform. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the material includes a polymer. 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the set of commands is executable by the 3D printer device to form the physical model by depositing a base layer of the material on the deposition platform and by stacking multiple layers of the material on the base layer, and wherein the set of commands causes the 3D printer device to form a first stack of multiple layers of the material at a first location relative to the deposition platform before forming a second stack of multiple layers of the material at a second location relative to the deposition platform. 
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein the first stack includes a first portion of the base layer deposited at the first location and includes a first plurality of layers stacked on the first portion of the base layer, and wherein the second stack includes a second portion of the base layer deposited at the second location and includes a second plurality of layers stacked on the second portion of the base layer. 
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein the first stack includes a first plurality of layers stacked above the deposition platform at the first location, and wherein the second stack includes a second plurality of layers stacked above the deposition platform at the second location. 
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein, before forming the second stack, the first stack is formed to a height determined based on a physical configuration of the 3D printer device. 
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 24 , wherein the physical configuration corresponds to a distance between an extruder tip and a support member. 
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the 3D printer device is configured to extrude the material and at least one additional material, and wherein the set of commands is executable by the 3D printer device to deposit multiple layers of the material to form a first portion of the physical model defining a non-planar surface before depositing the at least one additional material on the non-planar surface to form a second portion of the physical model. 
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the set of commands is executable by the 3D printer device to form the physical model by stacking multiple layers of the material, wherein the 3D model defines a void region within an area corresponding to at least one layer of the multiple layers, and wherein the set of commands causes the 3D printer device to form the at least one layer as a set of polygons adjacent to a location corresponding to the void region. 
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 27 , wherein no polygon of the set of polygons circumscribes the location corresponding to the void region. 
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the set of commands is executable by the 3D printer device to form the physical model by stacking multiple layers of the material, wherein the first line forms at least a portion of a first layer of the multiple layers and forms at least a portion of a second layer of the multiple layers, wherein the second layer is stacked on the first layer. 
     
     
         30 . A method comprising:
 obtaining model data representing a three-dimensional (3D) model of an object; and   processing the model data to generate a set of commands to direct a 3D printer device to extrude a material to form a physical model associated with the object, the set of commands including one or more first commands to cause relative motion of an extruder of the 3D printer device and a deposition platform of the 3D printer device during deposition of a portion of the material corresponding to a line, the set of commands further including one or more second commands to adjust an extrusion rate of the extruder based on an acceleration rate of the relative motion.   
     
     
         31 . The method of  claim 30 , wherein the one or more first commands define a movement rate of the relative motion, and the acceleration rate of the relative motion is determined based on settings of the 3D printer device. 
     
     
         32 . The method of  claim 30 , wherein the one or more first commands define a movement rate of the relative motion, and the acceleration rate of the relative motion is determined based on a hardware configuration of the 3D printer device. 
     
     
         33 . The method of  claim 30 , wherein the material includes a polymer. 
     
     
         34 . The method of  claim 30 , wherein the set of commands is executable by the 3D printer device to form the physical model by depositing a base layer of the material on the deposition platform and by stacking multiple layers of the material on the base layer, and wherein the set of commands causes the 3D printer device to form a first stack of multiple layers of the material at a first location relative to the deposition platform before forming a second stack of multiple layers of the material at a second location relative to the deposition platform. 
     
     
         35 . The method of  claim 34 , wherein the first stack includes a first portion of the base layer deposited at the first location and includes a first plurality of layers stacked on the first portion of the base layer, and wherein the second stack includes a second portion of the base layer deposited at the second location and includes a second plurality of layers stacked on the second portion of the base layer. 
     
     
         36 . The method of  claim 34 , wherein the first stack includes a first plurality of layers stacked above the deposition platform at the first location, and wherein the second stack includes a second plurality of layers stacked above the deposition platform at the second location. 
     
     
         37 . The method of  claim 34 , wherein, before forming the second stack, the first stack is formed to a height determined based on a physical configuration of the 3D printer device. 
     
     
         38 . The method of  claim 37 , wherein the physical configuration corresponds to a distance between an extruder tip and a support member. 
     
     
         39 . The method of  claim 30 , wherein the 3D printer device is configured to extrude the material and at least one additional material, and wherein the set of commands is executable by the 3D printer device to deposit multiple layers of the material to form a first portion of the physical model defining a non-planar surface before depositing the at least one additional material on the non-planar surface to form a second portion of the physical model. 
     
     
         40 . The method of  claim 30 , wherein the set of commands is executable by the 3D printer device to form the physical model by stacking multiple layers of the material, wherein the 3D model defines a void region within an area corresponding to at least one layer of the multiple layers, and wherein the set of commands causes the 3D printer device to form the at least one layer as a set of polygons adjacent to a location corresponding to the void region. 
     
     
         41 . The method of  claim 40 , wherein no polygon of the set of polygons circumscribes the location corresponding to the void region. 
     
     
         42 . The method of  claim 30 , wherein the set of commands is executable by the 3D printer device to form the physical model by stacking multiple layers of the material, wherein a first line of the material forms at least a portion of a first layer of the multiple layers and at least a portion of a second layer of the multiple layers, wherein the second layer is stacked on the first layer. 
     
     
         43 . A method comprising:
 moving an extruder of a three-dimensional (3D) printer device relative to a deposition platform of the 3D printer device during deposition a material to form a portion of a first line; and   after depositing a portion of the material corresponding to a first end of the first line, moving the extruder back along the first line and concurrently moving the extruder away from the deposition platform.   
     
     
         44 . The method of  claim 43 , further comprising reducing an extrusion flow rate of the extruder as the extruder moves away from the deposition platform. 
     
     
         45 . The method of  claim 43 , wherein the material includes a polymer. 
     
     
         46 . The method of  claim 43 , further comprising forming a physical model by depositing multiple lines of the material including the first line, wherein depositing the multiple lines includes:
 forming a base layer of the material on the deposition platform; and   stacking multiple layers of the material on the base layer.   
     
     
         47 . The method of  claim 43 , further comprising forming a physical model by depositing multiple lines of the material including the first line, wherein depositing the multiple lines includes:
 form a first stack of multiple layers of the material at a first location relative to the deposition platform; and   after forming the first stack, forming a second stack of multiple layers of the material at a second location relative to the deposition platform.   
     
     
         48 . The method of  claim 47 , wherein, before forming the second stack, the first stack is formed to a height determined based on a physical configuration of the 3D printer device. 
     
     
         49 . The method of  claim 48 , wherein the physical configuration corresponds to a distance between an extruder tip of the extruder and a support member coupled to the extruder. 
     
     
         50 . The method of  claim 43 , further comprising:
 depositing multiple layers of the material including the first line to form a first portion of a physical model defining a non-planar surface; and   after depositing the multiple layers of the material, depositing, using a second extruder of the 3D printer device, at least one additional material on the non-planar surface to form a second portion of the physical model.   
     
     
         51 . The method of  claim 43 , wherein the first line forms at least a portion of a first layer of multiple layers of a physical model and forms at least a portion of a second layer of the multiple layers, wherein the second layer is stacked on the first layer. 
     
     
         52 . A method comprising:
 during extrusion of a material by an extruder of a three-dimensional (3D) printer device, moving the extruder relative to a deposition platform of the 3D printer device; and   during movement of the extruder, adjusting an extrusion rate of the extruder based on an acceleration rate of relative motion of the extruder and the deposition platform.   
     
     
         53 . The method of  claim 52 , wherein the material includes a polymer. 
     
     
         54 . The method of  claim 52 , wherein extrusion of a material is used to form a physical model by depositing a base layer of the material on the deposition platform and by stacking multiple layers of the material on the base layer, and further comprising:
 forming a first stack of multiple layers of the material at a first location relative to the deposition platform; and   after forming the first stack, forming a second stack of multiple layers of the material at a second location relative to the deposition platform.   
     
     
         55 . The method of  claim 54 , wherein, before forming the second stack, the first stack is formed to a height determined based on a physical configuration of the 3D printer device. 
     
     
         56 . The method of  claim 55 , wherein the physical configuration corresponds to a distance between an extruder tip and a support member coupled to the extruder. 
     
     
         57 . The method of  claim 52 , further comprising:
 depositing multiple layers of the material to form a first portion of a physical model defining a non-planar surface; and   after depositing the multiple layers of the material, depositing, using a second extruder of the 3D printer device, at least one additional material on the non-planar surface to form a second portion of the physical model.   
     
     
         58 . The method of  claim 52 , wherein the material extruded during movement of the extruder forms at least a portion of a first layer of multiple layers of the material and forms at least a portion of a second layer of the multiple layers, wherein the second layer is stacked on the first layer.