The disclosed technology relates to an intelligent motion control system that utilizes onboard sensors and processing to guide a surface manipulation machine along a path of travel on a surface, confirm a position of the machine with respect to the surface, and actuate a surface manipulation tool to achieve a desired surface profile or locate a point of interest. The system may include a first and second surface profiler that is configured to scan a surface on which the system travels and a positional sensor configured to generate positional data representing a position of the machine. The processor is configured to generate topography data based on output received from the first surface profiler, generate intermediate data based on output received from the second profiler, compare the intermediate data with the topography data to calculate an offset; and control motion of the system based on the offset.

Examples disclosed herein relate to determining 3D print part placement. In one implementation, a processor generates a user interface to receive user input related to multiple divisions of 3D print parts and a relative ordering between the divisions. The processor may determine part placement information for the parts in the divisions in a 3D print build area based on user input to the user interface. The processor may translate the determined part placement information into 3D printer instructions.

A method may include projecting, onto a surface within a computer numerically controlled machine, a structured light having a known property. One or more sensors may generate an image of the structured light projected on the surface within the computer numerically controlled machine. One or more characteristics of the surface may be determined by comparing a property of the structured light shown in the image to the known property of the structured light. Examples of characteristics include a size, a distance to the surface, a height, a thickness, an angle of the surface, edges, surface properties, jigs, fiducial alignment markers, patterns encoding data, and visual designs on the surface of the material that are intended for reproductions. A surface map indicating the characteristics of the surface at various locations may be generated to enable, for example, a calibration, alignment, and/or optimization of the computer numerically controlled machine.

A method for CNC manufacturing is provided. The method includes computer-reading a digital model of a 3D part within a first topological space. An offset surface for the digital model in the first topological space is computer-generated. The offset surface in the first topological space is computer-transformed to a transformed offset surface in a second topological space embedded in the first topological space. A plurality of contours are computer-identified, at which a corresponding plurality of embedded parallel planes intersect the transformed offset surface in the second topological space. The plurality of contours in the second topological space are computer-transformed into a corresponding plurality of transformed contours in the first topological space. A CNC toolpath is computer-generated that traces each of the plurality of transformed contours in the first topological space, the CNC toolpath useable by a CNC machine to manufacture the 3D part.

The invention relates to a device designed to determine manufacturing data for producing objects that have variable, freely orientable orthotropic elasticity characteristics, by calculating data relating to grains of branches, which combined define branches, the number of grains of branches and the thickness of each branch being related to the desired elasticity characteristics.

In an example implementation, a method of processing a 3D object model includes receiving render data of a 2D slice of a 3D object model and generating distance values indicating how far away voxels in the 2D slice are from a nearest edge of the 3D object model. The method also includes detecting a feature of the 3D object model from the distance values, and generating modified render data to be subsequently used in a 3D printing system to produce the feature in a 3D part.

A method may include projecting, onto a surface within a computer numerically controlled machine, a structured light having a known property. One or more sensors may generate an image of the structured light projected on the surface within the computer numerically controlled machine. One or more characteristics of the surface may be determined by comparing a property of the structured light shown in the image to the known property of the structured light. Examples of characteristics include a size, a distance to the surface, a height, a thickness, an angle of the surface, edges, surface properties, jigs, fiducial alignment markers, patterns encoding data, and visual designs on the surface of the material that are intended for reproductions. A surface map indicating the characteristics of the surface at various locations may be generated to enable, for example, a calibration, alignment, and/or optimization of the computer numerically controlled machine.

A machine tool for performing a cutting process on a workpiece with a cutting tool, includes: a pre-machining shape acquisition unit configured to acquire the shape of the workpiece before cutting, as a pre-machining shape; a target shape acquisition unit configured to acquire a target shape of the workpiece after cutting; a differential shape acquisition unit configured to acquire a differential shape between the pre-machining shape and the target shape; and a machining path setting unit configured to set machining paths so as to perform the cutting process on the differential shape only.

The present invention provides a CNC-parameter generating method in an isometric projection environment for the control and processing of tubes by at least one CNC-tube bending machine at least comprising: i) to generate a first vector on a touch screen; ii) to carry out a verification step by a microprocessor, iii) to assign the first vector to one of the directions, NORTH, UP, WEST, SOUTH, DOWN and EAST; iv) to generate further vectors by tapping once on the touch screen; v) to input dimensional values for the vectors on the touch screen, and to transfer dimensional values from the microprocessor device to one or more computers. It is also provided a parameter generating system in an isometric projection environment for the control and processing of tubes by at least one CNC-tube bending machine.

Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on computer storage media, for determining a suitable building layout for a property. One of the operations is performed by optionally, receiving building module parameters for section of qualifying building modules. displaying, via a user interface, a graphical representation of two or more building modules. A user may customize a building layout from the two or more building modules. The system displays an assembled building layout including two or more building modules. The system receives a confirmation of the assembled building layout for 3D printing. Based on the assembled building layout, instructions are generated and transmitted to one or more 3D printers to manufacture one or more building structures based on the selected building layout with potential subsequent modification of the preconfigured positions of windows, doors and walls of the building.