Hewlett-packard Development Company, L.p.

Peridot Print LLC

David C Woodlock

David James Tucker

Jun Zeng

Michelle Lynn Bockman

James Andrew Mccutcheon

Lee Dockstader

Lihua Zhao

Sterling Chaffins

Aja Hartman

Kevin P Dekam

Mark G Miranda

Nicholas Saunders

Ben Mergen

In an example implementation, a method of generating a conformal structure, includes generating a bottom surface and a top surface of a conformal structure, positioning seed points on a seed surface, where the seed surface comprises the bottom surface or the top surface, and expanding the seed points as spherical cells whose cell boundaries form walls perpendicular to the surfaces as the cell boundaries intersect with cell boundaries of neighboring spherical cells. The method includes intersecting the walls with the top surface as the cells expand vertically upward from the seed surface and intersecting the walls with the bottom surface as the cells expand vertically downward from the seed surface, and applying the conformal structure to a 3D object model for fabrication in an additive manufacturing device.

Generating conformal structures for 3D object models

In some examples, a system receives data representing a beam-based lattice structure and a membrane to be placed on the beam-based lattice structure, and identifies intersections of beams of the beam-based lattice structure with the membrane. The system identifies locations for perforations in the membrane to form a perforated membrane, the identified locations excluding the identified intersections, and generates a representation of an object comprising the perforated membrane that includes the perforations at the identified locations.

Perforations in a membrane for a lattice structure

An example of an apparatus is provided. The apparatus includes an input device to receive design data. The design data includes information about a geometry and load characteristics of an object. The apparatus further includes a structural design engine to generate print data to print the object on a three-dimensional printer based on the design data. The apparatus also includes a fluid design engine to generate fluidic data. The fluidic data represents a fluid channel within the object. In addition, the apparatus includes an output engine to generate an output file based on the print data and the fluidic data.

Generation of designs for multi-functional objects

An example device includes: a memory storing instructions; and a processor connected to the memory. The instructions are to cause the processor to: receive predetermined locations of a fluidic input location and fluidic output locations at a three-dimensional (3D) object model; generate respective paths between the fluidic input and each of the fluidic outputs via associated portions of the 3D object model; replace the respective paths with respective hollow connectors that have respective fluidic resistance selected such that each of the fluidic outputs have a predetermined flow rate from the fluidic input to the fluid outputs; and store, at the memory, data indicative of locations and dimensions of the respective hollow connectors, relative to the fluidic input and the fluidic outputs, the data for use by a three-dimensional printer to print a part that includes the fluidic input, the fluidic outputs and the respective hollow connectors.

Generating fluidic components

In an example, a method includes operating, by a processor, on object model data. The object model data describes at least part of an object to be generated in additive manufacturing. The method also includes determining, by a processor, pattern data. The pattern data comprising areas of variable reflectance intended to be formed on a portion of the object. The method includes determining, by a processor, object generation instructions to apply a fusing agent to at least part of a layer of build material corresponding to the portion of the object in a density corresponding to the reflectance of the generated pattern data.

Patterns of variable reflectance in additive manufacturing

The present disclosure is drawn to 3D printing kits and methods of making 3D printed articles. In one example, a 3D printing kit can include a powder bed material, a fusible fluid, and an activator fluid. The powder bed material can include polymer particles. The fusible fluid can include a radiation absorber. The fusible fluid can be to selectively apply to the powder bed material. The activator fluid can include a non-conductive electroless metal plating activator. The activator fluid can also be to selectively apply to the powder bed material.

Three-dimensional printing

In an example, a retainer may comprise a latch to removably engage with a cartridge, an actuator plate to operably engage with the cartridge, a bias member, and a linkage. The actuator plate may operably engage with the cartridge such that, upon engagement with the cartridge, the transmission of signals can occur between the actuator plate and the cartridge. The linkage may be engaged with the actuator plate, the bias member, and the latch, such that linkage causes the actuator plate to be pushed against the cartridge upon the latch being engaged with the cartridge in a locked position.

Retainers

A disclosed example apparatus to install a pen in an imaging device includes a first guide on a first component of the imaging device to guide the pen in a first direction toward a second component of the imaging device during installation of the pen in the imaging device. The example apparatus also includes a second guide on the second component to receive the pen from the first guide during the installation of the pen. The first guide and the second guide define a gap therebetween and at least one of the first and second guides causes the pen to pass the gap without catching. The second guide is to guide the pen into an installed position in the second component.

Growing community of inventors

Vancouver, WA, United States of America

David C Woodlock