Hewlett-packard Development Company, L.p.

David James Tucker

Jun Zeng

David C Woodlock

Michelle Lynn Bockman

Sterling Chaffins

Kevin P Dekam

Lee Dockstader

Nicholas Saunders

A parts packing method is used to optimize build bed part placement for additive manufacturing. The method includes a user interface to parts packing software, enabling a process engineer to select parts from a pool of parts, group parts to have uniform orientation, and specify a range of angles and rotation of the parts. Additionally, the user interface accepts input related to process variations among different printers as well as drift over time of a single printer. The user interface feeds the data into the parts packing program to optimize build bed part placement.

User-assisted parts packing optimization

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 of a method for parts packing, at least one part to be printed is identified. A placement and an orientation of the at least one identified part in a build volume of a three-dimensional (3D) printer is determined that optimizes a thermal uniformity inside the build volume.

Parts packing for a build volume

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.

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Houston, TX, United States of America

David James Tucker