DETAILED ACTION
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 103 which forms the basis for all obviousness rejections set forth in this Office action:
A patent for a claimed invention may not be obtained, notwithstanding that the claimed invention is not identically disclosed as set forth in section 102, if the differences between the claimed invention and the prior art are such that the claimed invention as a whole would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art to which the claimed invention pertains. Patentability shall not be negated by the manner in which the invention was made.
Claims 1-6 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Yamasaki, US-PGPUB 2021/0229182 (hereinafter Yamasaki) (cited by the Applicant) in view of Zhang et al., “Topology optimization parallel-computing framework based on the inherent strain method for support structure design in laser powder-bed fusion additive manufacturing,” Int J. Mech Mater Des (2020) (hereinafter Zhang) and Hikmet et al., US-PGPUB 2020/0376755 (hereinafter Hikmet)
Regarding Claim 1. Yamasaki discloses a deformation prediction method for an additively manufactured object that is built by repeatedly depositing a weld bead layer of a next layer on a weld bead layer formed by a weld bead obtained by melting and solidifying a filler material (Fig. 1, welding robot, deformation amount calculation; Abstract, additively manufactured, Paragraphs [0002]-[0003]), the deformation prediction method comprising the steps of:
dividing a shape of the additively manufactured object into a plurality of blocks (Figs. 6-7); calculating deformation amount and deformation direction of each block before and after forming the weld bead by parallel processing of a plurality of threads based on the inherent strain method (Paragraph [0062], [0087] deformation amount determination via inherent strain method), setting at least one block group composed of blocks to be joined together among the plurality of blocks (Fig. 7); and calculating deformation of an entirety of the block group by adding the deformation amount of each block composing the block group according to the deformation direction of the block (Paragraph [0064], deformation in radial direction; Figs. 8-12; Paragraphs [0066]-[0070]), and correcting a shape plan of the additively manufactured object based on the calculated deformation and building the additively manufacture object by additive manufacturing according to the corrected shaping plan (Fig 4, Paragraph [0065])
Yamasaki does not disclose parallel processing of a plurality of threads based on the inherent strain method
Zhang discloses parallel processing of a plurality of threads based on the inherent strain method (Title, Abstract; Section 1, page 899, left column, parallel computing based on inherent strain method; Section 2, describing the inherent strain method; Section 3.2, Parallel-computing implementation; Section 6, Conclusion; and the other sections 4-5, results)
At the time of the invention filed, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art to use the teaching of Zhang in Yamasaki and use parallel processing of a plurality of threads based on the inherent strain method, so as to perform fast and efficient additive manufacturing.
The modified Yamasaki does not disclose setting at least a first block group comprising first blocks of the plurality of blocks to be joined together and a second block group comprising second blocks of the plurality of blocks to be joined together, wherein the first blocks differ from the second blocks in at least one of at least one of filler material of the weld bead or a welding condition for forming the weld bead, calculating deformation of an entirety of the first block group by adding the deformation
amount of each block of the first blocks according to the deformation directions of the block first blocks, calculating deformation of an entirety of the second block group by adding the deformation amount of each block of the second blocks according to the deformation directions of the second blocks, correcting a shaping plan of the additively manufactured object based on the calculated deformation deformations of the first and second block groups.
Hikmet discloses determining the deformations of heterogeneous additive manufacturing structure with different filler materials to fabricate the desired additive structure (Paragraph [0098], asymmetric deformation; [0084], 3D printed object being multi-layered; [0022]-[0023], printing different filler content; [0025], stacked, [0031], larger deformation; [0010], desired and pre-determined deformation; [0002]-[0003]; [0013]-[0014])
Fabricating stacks of blocks of different filler materials is a common practice in additive manufacturing. As such, it would have been obvious to use the teaching of Hikmet in the modified Yamasaki and calculate the deformation of the resulting first and second block groups, which includes setting at least a first block group comprising first blocks of the plurality of blocks to be joined together and a second block group comprising second blocks of the plurality of blocks to be joined together, wherein the first blocks differ from the second blocks in at least one of at least one of filler material of the weld bead or a welding condition for forming the weld bead, calculating deformation of an entirety of the first block group by adding the deformation
amount of each block of the first blocks according to the deformation directions of the block first blocks, calculating deformation of an entirety of the second block group by adding the deformation amount of each block of the second blocks according to the deformation directions of the second blocks, correcting a shaping plan of the additively manufactured object based on the calculated deformation deformations of the first and second block groups, so as to manufacture desire structures with accuracy.
Regarding Claim 2. Yamasaki discloses in the step of dividing into plurality of blocks, the shape of the additively manufactured object is divided by using the weld bead as a unit (Figs. 6-12)
Regarding Claim 3. Yamasaki discloses in the step of dividing into plurality of blocks, the shape of the additively manufactured object is divided by using a deposit body of a plurality of the weld beads as a unit (Figs. 6-12)
Regarding Claim 4. Yamasaki discloses blocks having the same welding condition among the plurality of blocks are set in the first block groups or the second block group (Figs. 6-12)
Regarding Claim 5. Yamasaki discloses deformation of the additively manufactured object is predicted by adding the deformation amounts of the first and second block groups according to the deformation directions of the first and second block groups (Paragraph [0064], deformation in radial direction; Figs. 8-12; Paragraphs [0066]-[0070])
Regarding Claim 6. Yamasaki discloses when the shape of the additively manufactured object is divided into a plurality of the block groups, deformation of the additively manufactured object is predicted by adding the deformation amounts of the plurality of block groups according to the deformation directions of the block groups (Paragraph [0064], deformation in radial direction; Figs. 8-12; Paragraphs [0066]-[0070])
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 103 which forms the basis for all obviousness rejections set forth in this Office action:
A patent for a claimed invention may not be obtained, notwithstanding that the claimed invention is not identically disclosed as set forth in section 102, if the differences between the claimed invention and the prior art are such that the claimed invention as a whole would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art to which the claimed invention pertains. Patentability shall not be negated by the manner in which the invention was made.
Claims 1-6 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Chin et al., US-PGPUB 2021/0223757 (hereinafter Chin) in view of Zhang, “Topology optimization parallel-computing framework based on the inherent strain method for support structure design in laser powder-bed fusion additive manufacturing,” Int J. Mech Mater Des (2020) and Hikmet, US-PGPUB 2020/0376755.
Regarding Claim 1. Chin discloses deformation prediction method for an additively manufactured object that is built by depositing weld bead layer formed by weld bead obtained by melting and solidifying a filler material (Abstract, additive manufacturing and deformation; Paragraphs [0002]-[0003], variety of metals; Fig. 1), comprising:
dividing a shape of the additively manufactured object into a plurality of blocks (Fig. 5, divide into segments; Figs. 4, 6, segmented);
calculating deformation amount and deformation direction of each block by parallel processing (Fig. 5, calculate predicted deformation of segment), setting at least one block group composed of blocks to be joined together among the plurality of blocks, and calculating deformation of an entirety of the block group by adding the deformation amount of each block composing the block group according to the deformation direction of the block (Fig. 6, modeled deformation of the object, with deformations from each segment; Paragraphs [0004]-[0007]; (Paragraphs [0086]-[0094], deformation of the part. Furthermore, calculating the deformation of the entirety of the block group merely requires routine skill in the art, since it amounts to simple adding of the determined deformation of each segment), and correcting a shape plan of the additively manufactured object based on the calculated deformation and building the additively manufacture object by additive manufacturing according to the corrected shaping plan (Fig. 5; Paragraph [0083])
Chin does not disclose calculating deformation amount and deformation direction of each block before and after forming the weld bead by parallel processing of a plurality of threads based on the inherent strain method
Zhang discloses parallel processing of a plurality of threads based on the inherent strain method (Title, Abstract; Section 1, page 899, left column, parallel computing based on inherent strain method; Section 2, describing the inherent strain method; Section 3.2, Parallel-computing implementation; Section 6, Conclusion; and the other sections 4-5, results)
At the time of the invention filed, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art to use the teaching of Zhang in Chin and use parallel processing of a plurality of threads based on the inherent strain method, so as to perform fast and efficient additive manufacturing.
The modified Chin does not disclose setting at least a first block group comprising first blocks of the plurality of blocks to be joined together and a second block group comprising second blocks of the plurality of blocks to be joined together, wherein the first blocks differ from the second blocks in at least one of at least one of filler material of the weld bead or a welding condition for forming the weld bead, calculating deformation of an entirety of the first block group by adding the deformation
amount of each block of the first blocks according to the deformation directions of the block first blocks, calculating deformation of an entirety of the second block group by adding the deformation amount of each block of the second blocks according to the deformation directions of the second blocks, correcting a shaping plan of the additively manufactured object based on the calculated deformation deformations of the first and second block groups.
Hikmet discloses determining the deformations of heterogeneous additive manufacturing structure with different filler materials to fabricate the desired additive structure (Paragraph [0098], asymmetric deformation; [0084], 3D printed object being multi-layered; [0022]-[0023], printing different filler content; [0025], stacked, [0031], larger deformation; [0010], desired and pre-determined deformation; [0002]-[0003]; [0013]-[0014])
Fabricating stacks of blocks of different filler materials is a common practice in additive manufacturing. As such, it would have been obvious to use the teaching of Hikmet in the modified Chin and calculate the deformation of the resulting first and second block groups, which includes setting at least a first block group comprising first blocks of the plurality of blocks to be joined together and a second block group comprising second blocks of the plurality of blocks to be joined together, wherein the first blocks differ from the second blocks in at least one of at least one of filler material of the weld bead or a welding condition for forming the weld bead, calculating deformation of an entirety of the first block group by adding the deformation
amount of each block of the first blocks according to the deformation directions of the block first blocks, calculating deformation of an entirety of the second block group by adding the deformation amount of each block of the second blocks according to the deformation directions of the second blocks, correcting a shaping plan of the additively manufactured object based on the calculated deformation deformations of the first and second block groups, so as to manufacture desire structures with accuracy.
Regarding Claim 2. Chin discloses in the step of dividing into plurality of blocks, the shape of the additively manufactured object is divided by using the weld bead as a unit (Paragraphs [0002]-[0003])
Regarding Claim 3. Chin discloses the step of dividing into plurality of blocks, the shape of the additively manufactured object is divided by using a deposit body of a plurality of the weld beads as a unit (Paragraphs [0002]-[0003])
Regarding Claim 4. Chin discloses blocks having the same welding condition among the plurality of blocks are set in the first block group or the second block group (Paragraphs [0006]-[0007], sintering that is same for the object)
Regarding Claim 5. Chin discloses deformation of the additively manufactured object is predicted by adding the deformation amounts of the first and second block groups according to the deformation directions of the first and second block groups (Fig. 6, deformation of all the segments; Paragraph [0094], deformation of the part).
Regarding Claim 6. Chin discloses when the shape of the additively manufactured object is divided into a plurality of the block groups, deformation of the additively manufactured object is predicted by adding the deformation amounts of the plurality of block groups according to the deformation directions of the block groups (Fig. 6, deformation of all the segments; Paragraph [0094], deformation of the part).
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to claims have been considered but are moot in view of new grounds of rejection.
Conclusion
Applicant's amendment necessitated the new ground(s) of rejection presented in this Office action. Accordingly, THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. See MPEP § 706.07(a). Applicant is reminded of the extension of time policy as set forth in 37 CFR 1.136(a).
A shortened statutory period for reply to this final action is set to expire THREE MONTHS from the mailing date of this action. In the event a first reply is filed within TWO MONTHS of the mailing date of this final action and the advisory action is not mailed until after the end of the THREE-MONTH shortened statutory period, then the shortened statutory period will expire on the date the advisory action is mailed, and any nonprovisional extension fee (37 CFR 1.17(a)) pursuant to 37 CFR 1.136(a) will be calculated from the mailing date of the advisory action. In no event, however, will the statutory period for reply expire later than SIX MONTHS from the mailing date of this final action.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to HYUN D PARK whose telephone number is (571)270-7922. The examiner can normally be reached 11-4.
Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Arleen Vazquez can be reached at 571-272-2619. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
Information regarding the status of published or unpublished applications may be obtained from Patent Center. Unpublished application information in Patent Center is available to registered users. To file and manage patent submissions in Patent Center, visit: https://patentcenter.uspto.gov. Visit https://www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/patent-center for more information about Patent Center and https://www.uspto.gov/patents/docx for information about filing in DOCX format. For additional questions, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000.
/HYUN D PARK/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2857
Prosecution Insights