Accurate three-dimensional printing

Abstract

The present disclosure provides three-dimensional (3D) printing methods, apparatuses, and systems using, inter alia, a controller that regulates formation of at least one 3D object (e.g., in real time during the 3D printing); and a non-transitory computer-readable medium facilitating the same. For example, a controller that regulates a deformation of at least a portion of the 3D object. The control may be in situ control. The control may be real-time control during the 3D printing process. For example, the control may be during a physical-attribute pulse. The present disclosure provides various methods, apparatuses, systems and software for estimating the fundamental length scale of a melt pool, and for various tools that increase the accuracy of the 3D printing.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method for three-dimensional printing analysis, comprising:
 (a) using at least one processor to execute a simulation of an electrical circuit model to produce a result, which electrical circuit model comprises one or more electrical component that analogize a heat capacity and/or a thermal conductivity of a material type used in the three-dimensional printing to print at least one three-dimensional object that includes one or more layers, which simulation evaluates a temperature distribution of the at least one three-dimensional object; and   (b) using the at least one processor to output the result.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the simulation occurs during a time at which a layer of one or more layers is printed by the three-dimensional printing. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein using the at least one processor to output the result comprises storing the result in a computer memory device. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the result is configured for utilization in printing the at least one three-dimensional objects. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the electrical circuit model comprises an electrical component, which electrical component comprises a passive or an electromechanical component. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the electrical circuit model comprises an electronic component, which electrical component comprises a variable component. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the simulation comprises using the electrical circuit model to imitate one or more the physical properties of the three-dimensional printing by using electrical circuit model. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the electrical circuit model comprises a resistor, capacitor, ground element, current source, voltage element, or an electrical branch. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the electrical branch comprises a resistor coupled in parallel to a capacitor. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the electrical branch represents one or more physical properties related to printing the at least one three-dimensional object. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the one or more physical properties comprises a (i) heat profile, (ii) thermal history, (iii) power profile of an energy source utilized in the three-dimensional printing, or (iv) irradiation profile of an energy beam utilized in the three-dimensional printing. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the three-dimensional printing comprises transforming at least a portion of a pre-transformed material using an energy beam. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the pre-transformed material is at least a portion of a material bed, and wherein the material bed is planarized using an apparatus comprising a cyclonic separator. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the pre-transformed material comprises at least one member selected from the group consisting of an elemental metal, metal alloy, ceramic, and an allotrope of elemental carbon. 
     
     
         15 . A non-transitory computer-readable medium in which program instructions are stored, which instructions, when read by a computer, cause the computer to perform operations comprising:
 (a) executing a simulation of an evolution of a temperature distribution in at least one three-dimensional object that develops during three-dimensional printing of the at least one three-dimensional object, to produce a result, which simulating is by using an electrical circuit model that comprises one or more electrical components, which one or more electrical components are analogous to a heat capacity and/or a thermal conductivity of a material type used in the three-dimensional printing to print the at least one three-dimensional object; and   (b) outputting the result of executing the simulation.   
     
     
         16 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 15 , wherein outputting comprise storing the result in a computer memory device. 
     
     
         17 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 15 , wherein the result is utilized to affect the three-dimensional printing of the at least one three-dimensional object. 
     
     
         18 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 15 , wherein the result is configured to be utilized for predicting a deviation of the at least one three-dimensional object from at least one requested three-dimensional object. 
     
     
         19 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 15 , wherein the simulation occurs during a time at which a layer of one or more layers is printed by the three-dimensional printing. 
     
     
         20 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 15 , wherein the electrical circuit model comprises an electrical component, which electrical component comprises a passive or an electromechanical component. 
     
     
         21 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 15 , wherein the electrical circuit model comprises an electronic component, which electrical component comprises a variable component. 
     
     
         22 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 15 , wherein the simulation comprises using the electrical circuit model to imitate one or more the physical properties of the three-dimensional printing by using electrical circuit model. 
     
     
         23 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 15 , wherein the electrical circuit model comprises a resistor, capacitor, ground element, current source, voltage element, or an electrical branch. 
     
     
         24 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 23 , wherein the electrical branch comprises a resistor coupled in parallel to a capacitor. 
     
     
         25 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 23 , wherein the electrical branch represents one or more physical properties. 
     
     
         26 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 25 , wherein the one or more physical properties comprises a (i) heat profile, (ii) thermal history, (iii) power profile of an energy source utilized in the three-dimensional printing, or (iv) irradiation profile of an energy beam utilized in the three-dimensional printing. 
     
     
         27 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 23 , wherein the three-dimensional printing comprises transforming at least a portion of a pre-transformed material using an energy beam. 
     
     
         28 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 27 , wherein the pre-transformed material comprises at least one member selected from the group consisting of an elemental metal, metal alloy, ceramic, and an allotrope of elemental carbon.