Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status
The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
DETAILED ACTION
Priority
Acknowledgment is made of applicant's claim for foreign priority based on a European application 23198040.0 filed on August 18, 2023.
Claims 17 - 32 are pending in the application.
Claim 17 is independent.
Claims 1 - 16 are cancelled.
Claim Objections
Claim 17 is objected to because of the following informalities: Under MPEP 608.01(m): “Each claim begins with a capital letter and ends with a period. Periods may not be used elsewhere in the claims except for abbreviations.” There is a period after e) and before step g) in the claim. Appropriate correction is required.
Claim 19 is objected to because of the following informalities: Claim 19, item ii) teaches ‘…an taking…” which is grammatically incorrect. Appropriate correction is required.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 101
35 U.S.C. 101 reads as follows:
Whoever invents or discovers any new and useful process, machine, manufacture, or composition of matter, or any new and useful improvement thereof, may obtain a patent therefor, subject to the conditions and requirements of this title.
Claims 17 - 28 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 101 because the claimed invention is directed to a judicial exception {i.e., a law of nature, a natural phenomenon, or an abstract idea) without significantly more. The claims are directed to method of controlling power generation form a power plant comprising plurality of power generating units.
Step 1: The claim (claim 1) recite a method for controlling power generation from a power plant, and which recites a series of steps of determining and setting power production for each power generating unit. Thus, the claims are directed to a computer implemented method for generating machine control data for a 3D printer, which is one of the statutory categories of invention.
Step 2A Prong 1: Abstract ideas have been identified by the courts by way of example, including fundamental economic practices, certain methods of organization of human activities, an idea 'of itself,' and mathematical relationships/formulas. Alice Corp., 134 S. Ct. at 2355 - 56. Claim 17 recites limitations of: -conversion of the data model of the three-dimensional object; - defining an area to be structured on a surface; -identifying positions on the print path; - defining an offset amplitude of the three-dimensional surface structure; - modifying the machine control data; and -providing the modified machine control data. The method, and finally providing machine control data, as drafted, is a process that, under its broadest reasonable interpretation, covers performance of the limitation in the mind but for the recitation of generic 3D printer components and steps. That is, other than reciting “3D printer,” “three-dimensional surface structure,” and a 3D object; nothing in the claim precludes the determining steps from practically being performed in the human mind. For example, but for the element “to produce a three-dimensional object” in the preamble, the claim encompasses defining, identifying, modifying, and providing and these limitations are mental processes. Accordingly, the claim recites an abstract idea.
Step 2A Prong 2: This judicial exception is not integrated into a practical application. In particular, the claim only recites in the preamble producing a 3D object. The steps of producing a 3D object is recited at a high level of generality. These limitations are no more than mere instructions to apply the exception using generic printer(s) and these steps could be performed as a mental process. Accordingly, this element in the preamble does not integrate the abstract idea into a practical application because it does not impose any meaningful limits on practicing the abstract idea. The claim is directed to the abstract idea. Accordingly, this additional element does not integrate the abstract idea into a practical application because it does not impose any meaningful limits on practicing the abstract idea. The claim is directed to an abstract idea.
Step (2B): The claims do not include additional elements that are sufficient to amount to significantly more than the abstract idea and do not provide an inventive concept. In this instance, the claims do not include additional elements that are sufficient to amount to significantly more than the judicial exception. As discussed above with respect to integration of the abstract idea into a practical application, the additional element of the steps a) – g) amount to no more than mere mental steps to apply the exception using unknown or generic printer components. Mere generalities of providing the modified machine control data to apply an exception using a generic printer(s) or components cannot provide an inventive concept. The claim is not patent eligible. Thus the claim is not drawn to patent eligible subject matter as it is directed to the same abstract idea without significantly more.
In the interest of compact prosecution, Claims 18 – 28 and 32 also do not add anything significantly more and are also rejected under 35 USC 101; however, claim 29 – 31, do add significantly more with the additional elements of intervening claim 29: wherein three-dimensional surface structure on at least one surface of the three-dimensional object with a 3D printer, comprising the steps of: (i) Performing the method according to claim 17; (ii) Printing the three-dimensional object with the 3D printer based on the modified machine control data provided in sub-step g) of step (i). Therefore claims 29 – 31 have patent eligible subject matter.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
The following is a quotation of the appropriate paragraphs of 35 U.S.C. 102 that form the basis for the rejections under this section made in this Office action:
A person shall be entitled to a patent unless –
(a)(1) the claimed invention was patented, described in a printed publication, or in public use, on sale or otherwise available to the public before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
(a)(2) the claimed invention was described in a patent issued under section 151, or in an application for patent published or deemed published under section 122(b), in which the patent or application, as the case may be, names another inventor and was effectively filed before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claims 17 – 20, 22, 23, 29, 31, and 32 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) or 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Banadyha et al. (US PG Pub. No. 20230104333), herein “Banadyha.”
Regarding claim 17,
Banadyha teaches a computer implemented method for generating machine control data for a 3D printer to produce a three-dimensional object with a three-dimensional surface structure on at least one surface of the three-dimensional object, comprising the steps of: (Par. 0004: “Additive manufacturing, also known as solid free form fabrication or 3D printing, refers to any manufacturing process where 3D objects are built up from raw material in a series of layers or cross-sections.” Par. 0009: “In general, one or more aspects of the subject matter described in this specification can be embodied in one or more methods (and also one or more non-transitory computer-readable mediums tangibly encoding a computer program operable to cause data processing apparatus to perform operations) including: receiving, by a computer aided design program, input identifying (i) a pattern type, (ii) a three-dimensional feature to be used to modify a three-dimensional part, and (iii) a surface of the three dimensional part being designed; generating, by the computer aided design program, varied copies of the three dimensional feature in a three-dimensional space in which the three-dimensional part is defined…” See also Par. 0003.)
a) Providing a three-dimensional data model of the three-dimensional object to be produced; (Par. 0033: “The CAD program(s) 116 can provide a user interface (UI) 122 that allows the user to select a model surface and a 3D feature and populate the 3D feature with a pattern that can be readily adjusted to get the desired output for the part. The CAD program(s) 116 can receive input identifying (i) a pattern type, (ii) a 3D feature to be used to modify a 3D part, and (iii) a surface of the 3D part being designed. Examples of a pattern type include grid, triangle, hexagon, circle, or radial. Examples of a 3D feature include a cylinder object, a sphere object, a cube object, a cone object, or a pyramid object. For example, the 3D model 132 is a visualization of copies of a cylinder object, which are mapped to a flat surface of a 3D rectangular body, to be used to modify (e.g., add to or subtract from) the 3D rectangular body. The cylinder object has been copied across the surface of the 3D rectangular body in a grid pattern type.”)
b) Defining an area to be structured on a surface of the data model of the three- dimensional object; (Par. 0009: “…receiving, by a computer aided design program, input identifying (i) a pattern type, (ii) a three-dimensional feature to be used to modify a three-dimensional part, and (iii) a surface of the three-dimensional part being designed;”)
c) Conversion of the data model of the three-dimensional object provided in step a) to specific machine control data for the 3D printer defining a print path of the 3D printer and optionally printing parameters of the 3D printer required for producing the three- dimensional object; (Par. 0012: “The method (or operations performed by the data processing apparatus in accordance with the computer program tangibly encoded in one or more non-transitory computer-readable mediums) can include: generating a toolpath specification for a computer-controlled manufacturing machine using the varied copies of the three-dimensional feature; and manufacturing the three-dimensional part with the varied copies of the three-dimensional feature mapped to the surface of the three-dimensional part using the toolpath specification generated for the computer-controlled manufacturing machine.”)
d) Identifying positions (toolpath specifications) on the print path lying on the area to be structured; (Par. 0043: “In general, various different manufacturing systems and techniques can be employed, either alone or in combination, to produce a final structure, and the CAD program(s) 116 can include suitable algorithms to generate toolpath specifications 160 for one or more of these various systems to manufacture a part that has been designed using the systems and techniques described in this application.” Par. 0012.
e) Defining an offset amplitude of the three-dimensional surface structure, whereby the offset amplitude represents a height and/or depth of the surface structure with respect to the surface of the three-dimensional object on which the surface structure is to be located; (Par. 0008: “…define an outer perimeter and provide an offset value to limit the extent of the pattern on a given surface. In response to a user defining such options through the user interface, the computer aided design program automatically generates a 3D pattern that can be editable using design tools in the computer aided design program.” Par. 0015: “The created pattern of features can conform to and follow the contour of a 3D surface and/or be varied in size, offset (e.g., penetration or depth into a part), orientation, rotation, and a combination of various aspects of the feature across the surface…” Par. 0067: “…the aspect of the three-dimensional feature can be offset from the regular position specified for the three-dimensional feature, and the input that changes the function can be user input to an element of the user interface that changes an offset between a center of the three-dimensional feature and the surface. The offset can be in a direction in the three dimensional space. In some implementations, the aspect of the 3D feature can be penetration or depth of the 3D feature into surface (e.g., the offset can be in z direction of the 3D space), and the offset can be a distance between the center of the 3D feature and the surface of the part being designed. Thus, the offset can determine how deep the varied copies of the 3D features go above or underneath the surface while conforming to the contour of the surface. Depth or penetration aspect of the 3D feature can be important to some manufacturing processes, such as molding, e.g., plastic molding.” Par. 0010.)
f) Modifying the machine control data obtained in step c) and related to the positions identified in step d), such that when printing the three-dimensional object based on the adjusted machine control data the surface structure is created on the surface of the three-dimensional object with the defined offset amplitude of step e). (Par. 0037: “As described in further detail below, in some implementations, the CAD program(s) 116 can receive input that changes the function that is applied to the pattern type, and can modify the aspect (e.g., size, orientation, rotation, offset, or a combination of these) of the 3D feature in accordance with the change in the function. In some implementations, the CAD program(s) 116 can receive input that changes the pattern type to a new pattern type, changes the rotational orientation of the mapping of the function to the 3D space in accordance with the surface, or changes an offset applied to a perimeter of the surface, or a combination of these. In response, the CAD program(s) 116 can change the copies of the feature to generate an updated 3D surface pattern.”)
g) Providing the modified machine control data obtained in step f). (Par. 0079: “In some implementations, the CAD program(s) 116 can generate a toolpath specification for a computer-controlled manufacturing machine using the varied copies of the three-dimensional feature. The CAD program(s) 116 can manufacture the three-dimensional part with the varied copies of the three-dimensional feature mapped to the surface of the three-dimensional part using the toolpath specification generated for the computer-controlled manufacturing machine. The computer-controlled manufacturing machine can be an additive manufacturing machine or a subtractive manufacturing machine, and/or a machine using other manufacturing systems and techniques. For example, the CAD program(s) 116 can generate toolpath specifications for the computer-controlled manufacturing system(s) (e.g., AM machine(s) and/or SM machine(s) 170) using the 3D model of the 3D part that includes the varied copies of the three-dimensional feature mapped to the surface of the 3D part. The CAD program(s) 116 can manufacture at least a portion of the physical structure corresponding to the modeled 3D part with the computer-controlled manufacturing system(s) (e.g., AM machine(s) and/or SM machine(s) 170) using the toolpath specifications generated for the manufacturing machine (e.g., AM machine(s) and/or SM machine(s) 170).” See also 0012, 0041 – 0043, 0091.)
Regarding claim 18,
The previously cited reference(s) teach the limitations of claim 17 which claim 18 depends. Banadyha also teaches that the three-dimensional data model of the three-dimensional object is a solid model. (Par. 0055: “Because the pattern is already mapped to the surface of the solid model…”)
Regarding claim 19,
The previously cited reference(s) teach the limitations of claim 17 which claim 19 depends. Banadyha also teaches that step b) comprises the following sub-steps: i) Providing a two-dimensional or a three-dimensional data model of the surface structure to be produced; ii) Arranging the data models of the three-dimensional object and the surface structure such that the surface structure is located on a surface of the data model of the three- dimensional object, an taking a contact area between the surface structure and the three-dimensional object as the area to be structured. (Par. 0032: “As noted above, the CAD program(s) 116 implement 3D modeling functions, which means a 3D model 132 can be built using the CAD program(s) 116. The CAD program(s) 116 can generate a pattern of a 3D feature on the surface of a 3D part to facilitate building the 3D model 132 of the 3D part. The CAD program(s) 116 can substantially reduce 3D surface pattern design (and redesign) time using computer-based tools by assisting a user, e.g., an engineer or a designer, in performing the technical task of generating complex patterns that are programmatically tied to a selected surface of a part being designed.” See also Par. 0036, 0049, and 0068, 0088 – 3D feature mapped to the surface of the part.)
Regarding claim 20,
The previously cited reference(s) teach the limitations of claim 17 which claim 20 depends. Banadyha also teaches that in step c) the data model of the three-dimensional object is divided in a stack of two-dimensional layers and these layers are represented by commands defining the print path of the 3D printer and optionally the printing parameters of the 3D printer. (Par. 0007: “with the device. Other patterns add material allowing for grip and aesthetics of a design. Designing many of these patterns can be quite time consuming as typical patterning tools in 3D design and manufacturing tools are suited for two-dimensional (2D) patterns with limited pattern types…” Par. 0039: “While designing parts, users of the CAD program (s) 116 need not settle for simple two-dimensional (2D) patterns. The CAD program(s) 116 can facilitate the users to rapidly create more complex patterns that are programmatically
tied to a selected surface of the part being designed.” Par. 0004: “Additive manufacturing, also known as solid free form fabrication or 3D printing, refers to any manufacturing process where 3D objects are built up from raw material in a series of layers or cross-sections. Examples of additive manufacturing include Fused Filament Fabrication (FFF), Selective Laser Sintering (SLS), and Direct Metal Laser Sintering (DMLS).” Examiner’s Note - See also Inanc et al. cited in conclusion section that teaches 235 instances of layer(s) and Page 9, Par. 1: “In case the coordinate transformation of the respective 3D part involves two of the above-mentioned options, for example a Z-offset and a rotation Rx, a Z-offset and a rotation Ry, or a rotation Rx and a rotation Ry, a 2-dimensional solution space occurs. In this case, there also may or may not be coordinate transformations of the respective 3D part in the solution space that allow the first layer of AM feedstock material to be printed on the respective individual print area.”)
Regarding claim 22,
The previously cited reference(s) teach the limitations of claim 17 which claim 22 depends. Banadyha also teaches that the machine control data is represented by numerical control (NC) programming code. (Par. 0042: “Thus, in some implementations, the CAD program(s) 116 can provide a corresponding document 160 (having toolpath specifications of an appropriate format, e.g., a CNC numerical control (NC) program) to the SM machine 170 for use in manufacturing the physical structure…”)
Regarding claim 23,
The previously cited reference(s) teach the limitations of claim 17 which claim 22 depends. Banadyha also teaches that modifying the machine control data is effected such that the print path and/or the printing parameters is/are modified. (Par. 0015: “The systems and techniques described improves the technical field of computer aided design, and provides the technical effect of substantially reducing product design time using computer-based tools by assisting the user in performing the technical task of designing new parts. A user interface can facilitate the user to select a model surface and a 3D feature and populate the 3D feature with a pattern that can be readily adjusted to get the desired outcome for the part.” Par. 0036: “Many different types of objects can be selected as a 3D feature to be used to modify different types of surfaces (e.g., a flat surface or a curved surface) of a 3D part.” Par. 0011)
Regarding claim 29,
The previously cited reference(s) teach the limitations of claim 17 which claim 29 depends. Banadyha also teaches that the three-dimensional surface structure on at least one surface of the three-dimensional object with a 3D printer, comprising the steps of: (i) Performing the method according to claim 17; (ii) Printing the three-dimensional object with the 3D printer based on the modified machine control data provided in sub-step g) of step (i). (Par. 0004: “Additive manufacturing, also known as solid free form fabrication or 3D printing, refers to any manufacturing process where 3D objects are built up from raw material in a series of layers or cross-sections.”)
Regarding claim 31,
The previously cited reference(s) teach the limitations of claim 29 which claim 31 depends. Banadyha also teaches a data processing unit and a 3D printer, the system comprising means for carrying out the method of claim 29. (Par. 0006: “This specification relates to producing three-dimensional (3D) geometry in computer aided design of parts, which can be physical structures designed for manufacture using additive manufacturing, subtractive manufacturing and/or other manufacturing systems and techniques.” See also Par. 0002, 0003, 0008, 0012, and others.)
Regarding claim 32,
The previously cited reference(s) teach the limitations of claim 17 which claim 32 depends. Banadyha also teaches a computer program comprising instructions which, when the program is executed by a computer, cause the computer to carry out the method of claim 17. (Par. 0012: “The generating is performed in accordance with parametric 3D modelling techniques, and the method (or operations performed by the data processing apparatus in accordance with the computer program tangibly encoded in one or more non-transitory computer-readable mediums) can include: receiving input that includes change in the surface of the three-dimensional part being designed; and regenerating, in accordance with the parametric 3D modelling techniques, varied copies of the three-dimensional feature in accordance with the change in the surface.”)
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 21, 24, 25, and 30 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Banadyha in view of Lalonde et al. (PG Pub. No. 20210394453), herein “Lalonde.”
Regarding claim 21,
The previously cited reference(s) teach the limitations of claim 17 which claim 21 depends. Banadyha does not teach a sequence of coordinates for the print path. Lalonde does teach that the machine control data comprises the print path in the form of a sequence of coordinates the printer follows during the printing process. (Abstract: “The method may also include sequentially grouping the plurality of points into at least one path, validating the at least one path for fabrication by an additive manufacturing machine, and causing the additive manufacturing machine to discharge material along the validated at least one path.” See also Par. 0006 - 0008, 0041 – 0043; 0053 – 0056; and 0078 – 0080.)
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have combined the method of using a 3D printer to produce a 3D object by defining a area to be printed by using an offset on the 3D object to be printed as in Banadyha with using a sequence of coordinates for a print path as in Lalonde in order to fabricate by slicing a model and be able to filter points based on a comparison a derivative of a vector to a threshold derivative. (Par. 0008).
Regarding claim 24,
The previously cited reference(s) teach the limitations of claim 17 which claim 24 depends. Banadyha does not teach parameters such as flow rate or speed. Lalonde does teach printing parameters comprise the flow rate of the printing material and/or the printing speed. (Par. 0087: “That is, it may be possible for machine 14 to follow a prescribed path during material discharge, but the material intended for discharge along the path may experience unacceptable loading (e.g., tight curves that cause damage, such as breakage or fraying) during the discharge. In this example, curvatures may again be calculated as described above, compared to limitations of the materials (e.g., stresses, strains, etc.), and smoothed as necessary. Local physical analysis of the paths as bent beams of reinforcements having particular properties may be used to determine if the curvatures are acceptable. It is contemplated that, in addition to or instead of smoothing of the paths, other fabrication parameters (e.g., temperature, discharge speed, cure intensity, compaction force, etc.) could be selected to accommodate paths that might otherwise be unacceptable.”) See also Par. 0096 and 0105.)
Regarding claim 25,
The previously cited reference(s) teach the limitations of claim 17 which claim 25 depends. Banadyha does not teach an adjustment of a path that is shifted. Lalonde does teach modifying the machine control data is effected such that at the positions identified in step d) the print path is shifted away from the original path. (Par. 0120: “When processor 36 determines at Step 810 that reinforcement has been placed onto or into structure 12 in error (e.g., via images capture of structure 12 by an input peripheral 40A, such as scanner), any number of different adjustments may be implemented (Step 830). For example, when an unacceptable wide gap has been created between adjacent tows of fibers of structure 12, adjustments may be implemented to cause future paths to be shifted in a particular direction and/or closer together. Similarly, when overlapping of adjacent tows is detected, adjustments may be to cause future paths to be shifted in a particular direction and/or further apart. Additionally, when cutting and/or feeding material, the cutting and/or feeding locations may not match intended cutting and/or feeding locations. Available adjustments may include, for example, a shift in the TCP location, an increase or decrease in tension, an increase or decrease in cure intensity, an increase or decrease in head travel speed along the paths, timings of special (e.g., cutting, feeding, etc.) events, and/or gains applied to the coordinates of the paths.”)
Regarding claim 30,
The previously cited reference(s) teach the limitations of claim 29 which claim 30 depends. Banadyha does not teach a curable material. Lalonde does teach that the three-dimensional object is produced with a curable material wherein the curable material comprises a mineral binder composition, wherein the curable material is applied in layers by the 3D printer having a print head that is moveable in at least one spatial direction. (Par. 0004: “A recently developed improvement over traditional FDM manufacturing involves the use of continuous fibers embedded within material discharging from the print head. For example, a matrix can be supplied to the print head and discharged (e.g., extruded and/or pultruded) along with one or more continuous fibers also passing through the same print head at the same time. The matrix can be a traditional thermoplastic, a powdered metal, a liquid matrix (e.g., a UV curable and/or two-part resin), or a combination of any of these and other known matrixes. Upon exiting the print head, a cure enhancer (e.g., a UV light, a laser, an ultrasonic emitter, a heat source, a catalyst supply, etc.) is activated to initiate and/or complete curing (e.g., hardening, cross-linking, sintering, etc.) of the matrix. This curing, when completed quickly enough, can allow for unsupported structures to be fabricated in free space. And when fibers, particularly continuous fibers, are embedded within the structure, a strength of the structure may be multiplied beyond the matrix-dependent strength.”)
Claims 26 and 28 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Banadyha in view of Hoffmann et al. (PG Pub. No. 20240383038), herein “Hoffmann.”
Regarding claim 26,
The previously cited reference(s) teach the limitations of claim 17 which claim 26 depends. Banadyha does not teach adjusting the print line width. Hoffmann does teaches that in step f) modifying the machine control data is effected such that at the positions identified in step d) the print line width is reduced or increased. (Par. 0004: “where m.sub.E is the extrusion multiplier, t.sub.E is the extrudate thickness (i.e., the layer height), and w.sub.E is the extrusion width…” Par. 0035: “In contrast, m.sub.E modifies the material flow rate, thereby altering the extrudate dimensions; however, S.sub.E and thus the toolpath is unchanged.” Par. 0036.)
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have combined the method of using a 3D printer to produce a 3D object by defining an area to be printed by using an offset on the 3D object to be printed as in Banadyha with using a print method wherein the print line (extrusion) width is modified and the toolpath is unchanged as in Hoffmann in order to have a selective deposition and fusion (SDF) additive manufacturing (AM) method comprises forming a patterned layer of metallic paste on a build structure. (Par. 0004)
Regarding claim 28,
The previously cited reference(s) teach the limitations of claim 26 which claim 28 depends. Hoffmann also teaches that at the positions identified instep d) the print linewidth is reduced or increased while the print path remains unchanged. (Par. 0004: “where m.sub.E is the extrusion multiplier, t.sub.E is the extrudate thickness (i.e., the layer height), and w.sub.E is the extrusion width…” Par. 0035: “In contrast, m.sub.E modifies the material flow rate, thereby altering the extrudate dimensions; however, S.sub.E and thus the toolpath is unchanged.”)
Allowable Subject Matter
Claim 27 is objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim, but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims (claims 17 and 25) pending resolving all intervening issues such as the 35 U.S.C. §101 rejections above. Reasons for allowance will be held in abeyance pending final recitation of the claims. The prior art does not disclose the elements of claim 17 and 25 and wherein at the positions identified in step d) the print line width is reduced or increased by the offset amplitude while the print path is shifted by a distance that equals half of the offset amplitude.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure:
European application Inanc et al. (EP 405015194) teaches many elements of independent claim 1. See Col. 16, line 30 – Col. 17, line 18: “figures 5A-5C show schematic side views of a 3D part in accordance with the fourth exemplary, non-limiting embodiment of the 3D part shown in figure 3, wherein for different Z-offsets it is determined whether the first layer of AM feedstock material can successfully be printed on the individual print area of the 3D part in accordance with the method according to the invention or not; figure 5D shows a schematic and non-limiting example of a 1-dimensional solution space for the Z-offset in accordance with which the first layer of AM feedstock material can successfully be printed on the individual print area of the 3D part in accordance with the method according to the invention or not; figures 6A-6C show schematic side views of a 3D part in accordance with the fourth exemplary, non-limiting embodiment of the 3D part shown in figure 3, wherein for different Z-offsets and different rotations Rx around the x-axis of the coordinate system of the 3D part it is determined whether the first layer of AM feedstock material can successfully be printed on the individual print area of the 3D part in accordance with the method according to the invention or not; figure 6D shows a schematic and non-limiting example of a 2-dimensional solution space for the Z-offset and the rotation Rx in accordance with which the first layer of AM feedstock material can successfully be printed on the individual print area of the 3D part in accordance with the method according to the invention or not; figure 7A shows a schematic isometric view of 3D parts in accordance with a fifth exemplary, non-limiting embodiment thereof, wherein for different Z-offsets, different rotations Rx and different rotations Ry around the y-axis of the coordinate system of the 3D part it is determined whether the first layer of AM feedstock material can successfully be printed on the individual print area of the 3D part in accordance with the method according to the invention or not; figure 7B shows a schematic and non-limiting example of a 3-dimensional solution space for the Z-offset;”
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to CHAD G ERDMAN whose telephone number is (571)270-0177. The examiner can normally be reached Mon - Fri 7am - 3pm or 4pm EST..
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Kenneth Lo can be reached at (571) 272-9774. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/CHAD G ERDMAN/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2116
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