KR102117592B1 - Apparatus and method for integrated processing of modeling files for 3D printers - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to an apparatus and a method for integrated processing of a modeling file for a three-dimensional printer, capable of performing the integrated processing on modeling files with various extensions. The method includes: a three-dimensional model restoration step of receiving and executing a modeling file, and restoring an appearance of a three-dimensional model to display the restored three-dimensional model in a three-dimensional space; a slicing step of dividing the three-dimensional space in which the three-dimensional model is displayed based on a three-dimensional cube, and grouping three-dimensional cubes located at a same height to obtain a plurality of two-dimensional slice images; and an output step of serializing the slice images and obtaining XML data for storage and output to generate an output file, and converting the generated output file into a printing code file to output the printing code file when a file output is requested.

Description

Apparatus and method for integrated processing of modeling files for 3D printers}

The present invention relates to a method for integrating a modeling file for a 3D printer, and more particularly, to an apparatus and method for integrating a modeling file for a 3D printer that enables to process a modeling file having various extensions.

A 3D printer is a machine that creates a 3D object based on a 3D drawing, that is, a modeling file, which is largely divided into a cutting type in which large chunks of raw materials are sculpted using a blade, and a stacked type in which layers of media are stacked and formed. do.

However, the modeling file input to the 3D printer is limited to having only the external information of the 3D object and information such as notes, and not having the internal pattern information of the 3D object. Therefore, when printing in 3D, only the printing density can be easily set.

In addition, modeling files use different extensions depending on the available machines, such as 3D printers, CNC machine tools, and laser printers, and accordingly, there is a hassle of converting them to print files using respective software.

Domestic registration number 10-1886537 (Registration date: 2018.08.01)

In order to solve the above problems, the present invention is to provide an apparatus and method for integrating a modeling file for a 3D printer capable of integrating a modeling file having various extensions.

The objects of the present invention are not limited to the above-mentioned objects, and other objects not mentioned will be clearly understood by those skilled in the art from the following description.

As a means for solving the above problems, according to an embodiment of the present invention, receiving and executing a modeling file to restore the appearance of the 3D model and display the 3D model in a 3D space; A slicing step of dividing the 3D space in which the 3D model is displayed based on a 3D cube, and grouping 3D cubes positioned at the same height to obtain a plurality of 2D slice images; And an output step of obtaining an XML data for serializing and storing and outputting the slice images when a file output is requested, generating an output file, and converting and outputting it to a printing code file. Provide a treatment method.

In the slicing step, a 3D space that does not exist in the 3D model is divided based on a 3D cube of a first size, and a 3D space that is in contact with the 3D model is a 3D of a small size and a large size of the second size. It is characterized in that it is divided based on a cube, and a 3D space in which the 3D model exists is divided into a 3D cube based on a third size smaller than a second size.

The slicing step is characterized in that the third size of the 3D cube is set equal to the size of the 3D printer nozzle.

The method may further include setting a hatching setting area based on the slice images and further editing a 3D model to change the hatching pattern.

In the 3D model editing step, one of the preset hatching patterns may be selected as a hatching pattern to be applied to the hatching setting area, or a user may manually input a hatching pattern to be applied to the hatching setting area.

The printing code file is characterized in that it is one of a G-Code for three-dimensional printing and a M-Code for three-dimensional printing.

As a means for solving the above problems, according to another embodiment of the present invention, a 3D model restoration unit receiving and executing a modeling file to restore the appearance of a 3D model and display it on a 3D space; A 3D model editor for dividing the 3D space in which the 3D model is displayed based on a 3D cube, and grouping 3D cubes positioned at the same height to obtain a plurality of 2D slice images; And a file output unit for generating an output file by obtaining XML data for serializing and storing and outputting the slice images when the file output is requested, and then converting and outputting it to a printing code file. A processing device is provided.

The 3D model editing unit may further include a function of changing a hatching pattern of the 3D model based on the slice images.

The present invention makes it possible to secure the versatility of the 3D printing operation by enabling the integrated processing of modeling files having various extensions.

1 is a view for explaining a modeling file integrated processing device for a three-dimensional printer according to an embodiment of the present invention.
2 is a view for explaining a modeling file integrated processing device for a 3D printer according to another embodiment of the present invention.
3 to 8 are views for explaining a method of integrating a modeling file for a 3D printer according to an embodiment of the present invention.

The following merely illustrates the principles of the invention. Therefore, a person skilled in the art can implement various principles included in the concept and scope of the present invention and implement the principles of the present invention, although not explicitly described or illustrated in the present specification. In addition, it is understood that all conditional terms and examples listed in this specification are, in principle, intended only for the purpose of understanding the concept of the present invention, and are not limited to the examples and states specifically listed in this way. Should be.

In addition, it should be understood that all detailed descriptions that list the principles, aspects and embodiments of the present invention as well as specific embodiments are intended to include structural and functional equivalents of these matters. It should also be understood that these equivalents include all currently invented equivalents as well as equivalents to be developed in the future, ie, all devices invented to perform the same function regardless of structure.

Thus, for example, it should be understood that the block diagrams herein represent conceptual views of exemplary circuits embodying the principles of the invention. Similarly, all flow diagrams, state transition diagrams, pseudo-codes, etc. are understood to represent the various processes performed by a computer or processor, whether or not the computer or processor is clearly depicted, which may be substantially represented on a computer-readable medium. Should be.

The functionality of the various elements shown in the figures, including the processor or functional blocks represented by similar concepts, may be provided by the use of dedicated hardware as well as hardware capable of executing software in connection with appropriate software. When provided by a processor, the functionality may be provided by a single dedicated processor, a single shared processor, or a plurality of individual processors, some of which may be shared.

Also, the clear use of terms presented in terms of processors, controls, or similar concepts should not be interpreted exclusively by reference to hardware capable of executing software, and without limitation, digital signal processor (DSP) hardware, ROM for storing software. It should be understood as implicitly including (ROM), RAM and non-volatile memory. Other hardware for governors may also be included.

In the claims of the present specification, components expressed as means for performing the functions described in the detailed description include all types of software including, for example, combinations of circuit elements performing the functions or firmware/microcodes, and the like. It is intended to include all methods of performing a function, and is combined with appropriate circuitry for executing the software to perform the function. The invention defined by these claims is equivalent to that which is understood from this specification by any means capable of providing such functionality, as the functions provided by the various listed means are combined and combined with the manner claimed. It should be understood as.

The above objects, features, and advantages will become more apparent through the following detailed description in connection with the accompanying drawings, and accordingly, those skilled in the art to which the present invention pertains can easily implement the technical spirit of the present invention. There will be. In addition, in the description of the present invention, when it is determined that the detailed description of the known technology related to the present invention may unnecessarily obscure the subject matter of the present invention, the detailed description will be omitted.

1 is a view for explaining a modeling file integrated processing device for a three-dimensional printer according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 1, the modeling file integration processing apparatus 100 for a 3D printer of the present invention includes a modeling file input unit 110, a 3D model restoration unit 120, a 3D model editing unit 130, and a file output unit 140, and the like.

The modeling file input unit 110 includes a codec corresponding to each of various extensions such as stl, obj, and 3mf, through which various modeling files can be recognized and executed.

The 3D model restoration unit 120 renders the modeling file to restore the appearance of the 3D model, and then displays it on the 3D space. At this time, the 3D model restoration unit 120 may be implemented by a CAD program, a CT scanner, etc., but need not be limited thereto.

The 3D model editing unit 130 divides the 3D space in which the 3D model is displayed based on the 3D cube, the 3D space division unit 121, and groups the 3D cubes into groups based on a height (layer) to slice a plurality of slices It is included as a slicing unit 122 to generate.

When the file output unit 140 requests file output (storing or printing), the slice data is serialized to obtain XML data for storage and output, and after generating an output file, the stacked 3D printer can use G- Convert it to Code or M-Code that can be used in a cutting type 3D printer.

That is, the present invention restores a 3D model from files having various extensions such as stl,obj, and 3mf, and then divides and slices it based on a 3D cube, so that both the stacked 3D printer and the cut 3D printer can be used. It is possible to generate and provide preteen code that can be used.

In addition, the apparatus of the present invention is configured as shown in FIG. 2 to further divide and slice the 3D model based on the 3D cube, and to make it possible to arbitrarily change the hatching pattern of some regions in the 3D model.

FIG. 2 is a view for explaining an integrated processing device for a modeling file for a 3D printer according to another embodiment of the present invention. Referring to this, the 3D model editing unit 130 of the present invention is a 3D spatial division unit 121 And a slicing unit 122, a hatching pattern setting unit 123 for setting a hatching setting area on a plurality of slices, and changing a hatching pattern of the hatching setting area.

That is, the present invention converts a 3D model into 2D slice images, and then, based on these slices, the hatching patterns of some regions in the 3D model can be arbitrarily changed.

Hereinafter, a method for integrating a modeling file for a 3D printer of the present invention will be described in more detail with reference to FIGS. 3 to 8.

3 is a diagram for explaining a method for integrating a modeling file for a 3D printer according to an embodiment of the present invention.

In FIG. 3, description will be given of a case of performing not only an operation of dividing and slicing based on a 3D cube, but also an operation of randomly changing a hatching pattern of a partial region in a 3D model based on slide images.

Continuing with reference to FIG. 3, the method for integrating a modeling file for a 3D printer of the present invention includes a 3D model restoration step (S1), a 3D space division step (S2), a slicing step (S3), and a hatching pattern setting step ( S4), and an output step S5.

In step S1, a modeling file having various extensions, such as stl, obj, and 3mf, is input through the modeling file input unit 110, and it is recognized and rendered through the 3D model restoration unit 120 to externalize the 3D model. After restoring, it is displayed on the 3D space.

In step S2, the 3D model is segmented based on a 3D cube based on the 3D model through the slicing unit 120 to convert the 3D model into an adaptively sampled distance field (ASDF) data structure.

ASDF refers to a data structure that is expressed by dividing an image continuously. It expresses a 3D space in a cube form. If there is an image or a model in the cube, it is repeated. The space that is in contact with or is intended to be expressed and managed by dividing it into small cubes.

Accordingly, in the present invention, as shown in FIG. 4, the 3D space that is not present in the 3D model is divided based on the 3D cube of the first size (see the green box in FIG. 4), and the 3D space in contact with the 3D model is Split based on a 3D cube of a small size and a large 2D size (refer to the orange box in FIG. 4), and the 3D space in which the 3D model is present is divided based on a 3D cube of a 3D size smaller than the 2nd size (See the blue box in Figure 4). At this time, the third size based on the 3D cube can be set to be the same as the size of the 3D printer nozzle, because if the cube size is reduced to the nozzle size, the number of nozzles to be increased in the future can be eliminated. .

In step S3, as shown in FIG. 5, a plurality of 2D slices are generated by grouping a plurality of 3D cubes based on a height (layer), and these slices are sequentially stacked in a height direction to be displayed on a 3D space.

In step S4, in response to a user's request for setting a hatching pattern, a hatching interface is provided that allows a user to freely draw a hatching pattern on multiple slices. In this case, the hatching interface is a menu (or tool) for selecting a hatching setting area in slice units or cube units, a menu for selecting one of a plurality of preset hatching patterns, and a detailed adjustment of the thickness and density of the hatching patterns. It may include a menu for allowing a user to manually set a hatching pattern by drawing a hatching pattern.

Accordingly, when a user selects a hatching setting area and a hatching pattern to be applied to the hatching interface using the hatching interface, the 3D model editing unit 130 immediately reflects the hatching pattern in the hatching setting area. The hatching pattern setting operation may be performed on all parts of the 3D model, and different hatching patterns may be applied to each hatching setting area.

Also, whenever the hatching pattern setting operation is performed, the center of gravity of the 3D model may be calculated and guided based on the appearance of the 3D model, the hatching pattern, and the printing material. In addition, by comparing and analyzing the calculated position of the center of gravity and the target position, the suitability of applying the hatching pattern is additionally determined and guided, so that the user can search for and apply the optimal hatching pattern in consideration of this.

In step S5, when file printing is requested by the user, a plurality of slices in the ASDF format are serialized to obtain XML data for storage and output, and an output file is generated.

The structure of the output file is as follows.

1) Number of slices

2) Slice information

2-1) Appearance information

2-2) Hatching Pattern Information

Each of the slice information includes print information in which the print tool path lines (indicated in red) starting from 1 to n are aligned, as shown in FIG. The printable ASDF unit (i.e. cube) is labeled ON, and other unprinted ASDF units are removed. And, as shown in FIG. 8, each of the ASDF units of the grid includes the index of the lower ASDF to be printed until the smallest child ASDF is obtained.

Then, after checking and analyzing user settings and printing configurations, if stacked 3D printing is required, the above output file is converted and output by G-Code, and when cutting type 3D printing is required, the above output file is M- Convert it to Code and output it.

The method according to the present invention described above is produced as a program to be executed on a computer and can be stored in a computer-readable recording medium. Examples of the computer-readable recording medium include ROM, RAM, CD-ROM, and magnetic tape. , Floppy disks, optical data storage devices, and the like, and also implemented in the form of a carrier wave (for example, transmission via the Internet).

The computer-readable recording medium can be distributed over network coupled computer systems so that the computer readable code is stored and executed in a distributed fashion. In addition, functional programs, codes, and code segments for implementing the method can be easily inferred by programmers in the technical field to which the present invention pertains.

In the above, preferred embodiments of the present invention have been illustrated and described, but the present invention is not limited to the specific embodiments described above, and it is usually in the technical field to which the present invention belongs without departing from the gist of the present invention claimed in the claims. It is of course possible to perform various modifications by a person having knowledge of, and these modifications should not be individually understood from the technical idea or prospect of the present invention.

Claims (8)

A 3D model restoration step of receiving and executing a modeling file to restore the appearance of the 3D model and display it on the 3D space;
A slicing step of dividing the 3D space in which the 3D model is displayed based on a 3D cube, and grouping 3D cubes positioned at the same height to obtain a plurality of 2D slice images;
A 3D model editing step of setting a hatching setting area in the slice unit or cube unit and changing a hatching pattern of the hatching setting area; And
When a file output is requested, an output step of generating and outputting an output file by obtaining XML data for serializing and storing and outputting the slice images, and outputting the transformed image to a printing code file,
The 3D model editing step
Selecting one of the preset hatching patterns as a hatching pattern to be applied to the hatching setting area, or allowing a user to manually set the hatching pattern by manually drawing it; And
After calculating the center of gravity according to the application of the hatching pattern, the modeling file for 3D printer is further integrated by comparing and analyzing the calculated position and target position of the center of gravity to determine and guide the suitability of applying the hatching pattern. Processing method. The method of claim 1, wherein the slicing step
The 3D space that does not exist in the 3D model is divided based on a 3D cube of a first size, and the 3D space that is in contact with the 3D model is divided based on a 3D cube of a small size and a large 2D size. And, the 3D space in which the 3D model is present is divided into a 3D cube based on a 3D size smaller than a 2D size, and the modeling file integrated processing method for a 3D printer. The method of claim 2, wherein the slicing step
A method for integrating a modeling file for a 3D printer, characterized in that the third size of the 3D cube is set equal to the size of the 3D printer nozzle. delete delete The method of claim 1, wherein the printing code file
A method of integrating a modeling file for a 3D printer, characterized in that it is one of a G-Code for stacked 3D printing and an M-Code for cutting 3D printing. A 3D model restoration unit that receives and executes the modeling file to restore the appearance of the 3D model and display it on the 3D space;
A 3D model editor for dividing the 3D space in which the 3D model is displayed based on a 3D cube, and grouping 3D cubes positioned at the same height to obtain a plurality of 2D slice images; And
When a file output is requested, it includes a file output unit that obtains XML data for serializing and storing and outputting the slice images, generates an output file, and converts and outputs it to a printing code file.
The 3D model editing unit
A hatching setting area is set in the slice unit or cube unit, a function of varying the hatching pattern of the hatching setting area, and one of the preset hatching patterns is selected as a hatching pattern to be applied to the hatching setting area, or a user hatching Includes the ability to manually set the pattern by drawing the pattern, and calculate the center of gravity according to the application of the hatching pattern, and then compare and analyze the calculated position and target position of the center of gravity to determine and guide the suitability of applying the hatching pattern Integrated modeling file processing device for a three-dimensional printer, characterized in that. The method of claim 7, wherein the three-dimensional model editing unit
The modeling file integrated processing device for a 3D printer, further comprising a function of varying a hatching pattern of the 3D model based on the slice images.

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