Methods and apparatus for two-dimensional and three-dimensional scanning path visualization are disclosed. An example apparatus includes a parameter determiner to determine at least one of a laser beam parameter setting or an electron beam parameter setting, a melt pool geometry determiner to identify melt pool dimensions using the parameter setting, the melt pool geometry determiner to vary the parameter setting to obtain multiple melt pool dimensions, and a visualization path generator to generate a three-dimensional view of a scanning path for an additive manufacturing process using the identified melt pool dimensions, the visualization path generator to adjust the laser beam parameters based on the generated three-dimensional view.

An external modelling method, including applying to a nose of initial external shape F.sub.0, at least two modelling instruments I, to guide the growth of the nose cartilage and thus obtain a target final external nose shape F.sub.f when the individual has stopped growing, which differs from a natural external shape F.sub.n, which would be obtained naturally in the absence of intervention. A set of modelling instruments is provided, the successive shapes of which are determined to represent an evolving succession of one or more target intermediate shapes F, from the initial external nose shape F.sub.0 through to the target final external shape F.sub.f. A method of producing the modelling instruments is provided, during which method, starting from the initial external nose shape F.sub.0, a target final shape F.sub.f and at least one target intermediate shape F are determined. The instruments corresponding to each target shape are manufactured.

An additive manufacturing system includes an additive manufacturing (AM) device, a first sensor device, and a compute device. The AM device is configured to form a bulk component in a layer-by-layer manner, by at least iteratively depositing a first layer of raw material onto a working surface in a deposition chamber, consolidating the initial layer into an initial additive portion of the bulk component, then forming subsequent additive portions of the bulk component by depositing and consolidating a subsequent plurality of layers of the raw material onto the first additive portion. The first sensor device is configured to measure an actual composition of at least one first byproduct portion formed upon consolidation of one of the first or subsequent layers of raw material in the deposition chamber. The compute device includes a processor and a memory, and is communicatively coupled to the additive manufacturing device and first sensor device. The additive manufacturing device and compute device provide an in situ sensor analysis of the component while in a formation state during a build process by comparing an actual composition of the at least one first byproduct portion to an expected composition range stored in the memory.

Methods, systems, and apparatus, including medium-encoded computer program products, for designing and manufacturing physical objects including lattice structures include, in one aspect, a method including: obtaining a skeleton model of a lattice structure, constructing a control point frame surface model using the skeleton model, generating a shell mesh model of the lattice structure using the control point frame surface model, performing numerical simulation of a physical object using the shell mesh model included within a 3D model of the physical object to produce an assessment, modifying the skeleton model or the control point frame surface model based on the assessment to change the lattice structure until it satisfies at least one response requirement, producing from the control point frame surface model a solid body model of the lattice structure hollow beams, and providing at least the solid body model for use in manufacturing a hollow lattice structure.

A method generates a three dimensional representation of a garment and comprises: obtaining a three dimensional human body model comprising an outer surface representative of an outermost surface of a human body; obtaining a three dimensional representation of a garment; and simulating a three dimensional physical interaction of the three dimensional body model with a three dimensional representation of the garment. Simulating the three-dimensional physical interaction comprises: deforming both the three-dimensional body model and the three dimensional representation of the garment; and displaying the deformed three-dimensional human body model and the deformed three-dimensional representation of the garment.

A method for determining and optimizing manufacturing of an object by additive manufacturing. One or more computers access a three-dimensional digital model of the object and automatically generate a selected number of versions of supports for manufacture of the object. An image of the generated supports is displayed along with the object for visual perception by a user. The user visually observes the displayed versions of supports and object and uses the images to evaluate whether manufacturing the object by additive manufacturing is viable and whether the additive manufacturing supports are optimized. When viable, the object may be built by additive manufacturing using the optimized additive manufacturing supports to support the object.

Described herein are three-dimensional (3D) printer systems and methods, which may provide for “continuous pull” 3D printing. An illustrative 3D printer includes: a resin container, a base plate, a light source arranged below the resin container and operable to cure resin in the resin container; and a control system operable to: (a) receive model data specifying a 3D structure; (b) determine 2D images corresponding to layers of the 3D object; and (c) generate control signals to operate the light source and the base plate to sequentially form the layers of the 3D object onto the base plate, wherein the base plate moves a formed portion of the 3D object upward after formation of each layer, and wherein at least a surface of a formed portion of the 3D object remains in contact with the resin in the resin container throughout the formation of the layers of the 3D object.

Systems and methods may support identification and redesign of critical thin segments in a 3D model that are below 3D printer resolution. Identification of critical thin segments may include segmenting cross-sectional slices of the 3D model into printable segments and non-printable segments and using a machine learning model trained using geometrical features computed on thin regions to classify the non-printable segments as critical or non-critical. Redesign of critical thin segments may include thickening the critical thin segments such that the segment size of the critical thin segments satisfy a thickening criterion with respect to the printer resolution and smoothing sharp corners added to the cross-sectional slice at an intersection between the critical thin segment and a neighboring printable segment. Redesign of the critical thin segments may account for tolerable overhang.

An automated manufacturing system for manufacturing a discrete object is configured to manufacture a reference feature on a precursor to the discrete object. Reference feature is used to place the precursor at a subtractive manufacturing machine; the reference feature may be based on a locating feature at the subtractive manufacturing machine. Manufacturing reference feature is accomplished by automatedly detecting one or more critical-to-quality features and manufacturing the reference feature based on the one or more detected critical-to-quality features.

An information processing apparatus includes a processor, and the processor is configured to: acquire three-dimensional image data for printing processing for modeling a three-dimensional modeled object by forming respective images on recording media and stacking the recording media, and other image data for other printing processing, determine an arrangement to form at least one of the respective images and at least a part of the other image data on same one of the recording media so as to reduce a difference between a height corresponding to the number of recording media to which the other image data is to be recorded and a height of the three-dimensional modeled object, and output image forming information for forming the three-dimensional image data and the other image data on the recording media to an image forming apparatus based on the determined arrangement.