US 11,701,712 B2
System and method for reducing drop placement errors at perimeter features on an object in a three-dimensional (3D) object printer
Jack G. Elliot, Penfield, NY (US); Rachel L. Tanchak, Rochester, NY (US); Derek A. Bryl, Churchville, NY (US); Piotr Sokolowski, Webster, NY (US); Erwin Ruiz, Rochester, NY (US); David A. Mantell, Rochester, NY (US); Brendan McNamara, W. Henrietta, NY (US); Peter M. Gulvin, Webster, NY (US); and Christopher T. Chungbin, Rochester, NY (US)
Assigned to Xerox Corporation, Norwalk, CT (US)
Filed by Xerox Corporation, Norwalk, CT (US)
Filed on Jan. 30, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/163,363.
Prior Publication US 2022/0241865 A1, Aug. 4, 2022
Int. Cl. B33Y 50/02 (2015.01); B33Y 30/00 (2015.01); B29C 64/393 (2017.01); B33Y 50/00 (2015.01); B22F 10/85 (2021.01); B33Y 10/00 (2015.01); B22F 10/22 (2021.01); B22F 12/53 (2021.01); G06F 18/2413 (2023.01); G05B 19/19 (2006.01); B29C 64/386 (2017.01)
CPC B22F 10/85 (2021.01) [B22F 10/22 (2021.01); B22F 12/53 (2021.01); B29C 64/386 (2017.08); B29C 64/393 (2017.08); B33Y 10/00 (2014.12); B33Y 30/00 (2014.12); B33Y 50/00 (2014.12); B33Y 50/02 (2014.12); G05B 19/19 (2013.01); G06F 18/2413 (2023.01)] 5 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A material drop ejecting three-dimensional (3D) object printer comprising:
at least one ejector head having at least one nozzle that is configured to eject drops of a material;
a platform positioned opposite the at least one ejector head;
at least one actuator operatively connected to at least one of the platform and the at least one ejector head, the at least one actuator being configured to move at least one of the platform and the at least one ejector head relative to one another; and
a controller operatively connected to the at least one ejector head and the at least one actuator, the controller being configured to:
identify a feature to be formed in an object layer of an object to be formed on the platform using an object data model of the object to be formed;
operate the at least one actuator to move the at least one ejector head and the platform relative to one another at a constant velocity while regulating the ejection drop frequency of the at least one ejector head to form a first edge of the identified feature in the object layer of the object being formed on the platform;
operate the at least one ejection head to eject a last drop of the material forming the first edge of the identified feature;
operate the at least one actuator to move the at least one ejector head and the platform relative to one another along a return path that is outside of the identified feature while maintaining the constant velocity;
operate the at least ejector head to eject a first drop of a second edge of the identified feature within a merge distance of the last drop of the material forming the first edge of the identified feature while moving the at least one ejector head at the constant velocity; and
operate the at least one actuator to move the at least one ejector head and the platform relative to one another at the constant velocity while regulating the ejection drop frequency of the at least one ejector head to form the second edge of the identified feature in a direction that is different than a direction of the first edge.