A method for slicing a three-dimensional model for printing of a corresponding object by a 3D printer, comprises: obtaining the envelope of the object as polygons, then for each region of a predefined work area within the slicing plane: identifying the closest polygon of said envelope that is positioned above said respective pixel; where no polygon is identified, then marking a corresponding region as a no-print region; if the direction vector of said closest above polygon has a positive component in the Z direction, then marking said corresponding region as a model region; and if the direction vector of said polygon has a negative component in the Z direction, then marking the region as a support region, and printing accordingly. An advantage of the above procedure is that the slicing, and in addition texture mapping, can be efficiently carried out on a graphics card or GPU.

An apparatus and methods for generating geometric data for use in an additive manufacturing process. The apparatus includes a processing unit. The processing unit may be arranged for receiving data defining surface geometry of a plurality of objects to be built together in an additive manufacturing process, providing a user interface that allows a user to define a location of each object within a common build volume and carrying out a slicing operation on at least one of the objects located in the common build volume independently from another one of objects located in the common build volume. The slicing operation determines sections of the at least one object to be built in the additive manufacturing process. In one embodiment, the objects are defined in a hierarchical data structure. Supports for supporting the objects during the build may be defined with reference to a 2-dimensional support cross-section.

Some embodiments facilitate creation of an industrial asset item via a rotary additive manufacturing process. For example, a build plate may rotate about a vertical axis and move, relative to a print arm, along the vertical axis during printing. An industrial asset item definition data store may contain at least one electronic record defining the industrial asset item. A frame creation computer processor may slice the data defining the industrial asset item to create a series of two-dimensional, locally linear frames helically arranged as a spiral staircase of steps (and each step may be oriented normal to the vertical axis. Indications of the series of two-dimensional frames may then be output to be provided to a rotary three-dimensional printer.

An apparatus and methods for generating geometric data for use in an additive manufacturing process. The apparatus includes a processing unit. The processing unit may be arranged for receiving data defining surface geometry of a plurality of objects to be built together in an additive manufacturing process, providing a user interface that allows a user to define a location of each object within a common build volume and carrying out a slicing operation on at least one of the objects located in the common build volume independently from another one of objects located in the common build volume. The slicing operation determines sections of the at least one object to be built in the additive manufacturing process. In one embodiment, the objects are defined in a hierarchical data structure. Supports for supporting the objects during the build may be defined with reference to a 2-dimensional support cross-section.

A robot system is configured to fabricate three-dimensional (3D) objects using closed-loop, computer vision-based control. The robot system initiates fabrication based on a set of fabrication paths along which material is to be deposited. During deposition of material, the robot system captures video data and processes that data to determine the specific locations where the material is deposited. Based on these locations, the robot system adjusts future deposition locations to compensate for deviations from the fabrication paths. Additionally, because the robot system includes a 6-axis robotic arm, the robot system can deposit material at any locations, along any pathway, or across any surface. Accordingly, the robot system is capable of fabricating a 3D object with multiple non-parallel, non-horizontal, and/or non-planar layers.

An additive manufacturing process for building a three-dimensional part, which includes applying a layer of one or more powder-based metals onto or over a substrate, selectively melting and/or sintering the powder-based metals to produce a layer of the three-dimensional part, and repeating these steps such that the built three-dimensional part includes one or more self-supporting internal passageways, and which preferably precludes the need for internal support structures for the internal passageways.

The subject disclosure is directed towards technology managing three-dimensional object fabrication in full color. In order to transform the object's model into an instruction set for a fabrication device, a fabrication manager computes color values corresponding to geometry within a later of the object's model. After determining an amount of each colored material to deposit, the fabrication manager generates coordinated instructions configured to deposit a combination of colored materials according to the geometry and efficiently transitioning between colored materials during object fabrication.

An additive manufacturing method includes segmenting a CAD file of a component along a build interface to define at least a first component segment and a second component segment, each of the first component segment and the second component segment sized to fit within an additive manufacturing build chamber; additive manufacturing the first component segment and the second component segment within the build chamber; and bonding the first component segment and the second component segment to form the component.