Abstract: An apparatus includes: at least one conductive wire spool; a motion platform that includes a first actuator for following a first programmed motion in a first dimension and a second actuator for following a second programmed motion in a second dimension that is perpendicular to the first direction; a deposition head that is mounted to the motion platform, receives a conductive wire from the conductive wire spool, and attaches the conductive wire onto a surface of a substrate; and a controller that causes the motion platform to move along a programmed deposition path on the surface of the substrate, wherein at least a portion of the programmed deposition path varies in the first dimension and in the second dimension.

Abstract: A computer-implemented method for generating a forward-kinematics machine-learning (ML) model for controlling a machine includes: based on a target state for the machine, determining an ideal roto-translation for an end effector associated with the machine; using a first version of the forward-kinematics ML model, determining a predicted roto-translation for the end effector based on the target state; determining a predicted location for at least one calibration point on the end effector based on the predicted roto-translation for the end effector; determining a difference between the predicted location for the at least one calibration point and a measured location for the at least one calibration point; and generating a second version of the forward-kinematics ML model based on the difference.

Abstract: A computer-implemented method for controlling a machine includes: determining a first state for the machine based on a kinematics model of the machine and a target roto-translation for an end effector associated with the machine; determining, using a forward-kinematics machine-learning model, a difference between the target roto-translation of the end effector and a first roto-translation of the end effector when the machine is in the first state; based on the difference between the target roto-translation and the first roto-translation, determining a second state for the machine; and outputting a control input for one or more actuators that causes the machine enter into the second state.

Abstract: A computer-implemented method for performing laser engraving operations on a target engraving region, the method comprising: causing a positioner to move a laser-engraving head to a first position; while the laser-engraving head is disposed at the first position, determining a location of the target engraving region; while the laser-engraving head is disposed at the first position, determining a location of an actual engraving region; determining an offset based on the location of the target engraving region and the location of actual engraving region; modifying at least one process parameter value for an engraving head to generate a modified parameter value; and while the laser-engraving head is disposed at the first position, causing the laser-engraving head to perform one or more laser engraving operations based on the modified parameter value.

Abstract: A computer-implemented method for positioning a workpiece for a computer numerical controlled (CNC) process includes: causing a positioner to move an end effector to an initial position; receiving first position information associated with a first optical signal transmitted from a first optical target coupled to the workpiece; receiving second position information associated with a second optical signal transmitted from a second optical target coupled to the end effector; determining an offset between the initial position and a target position for the end effector based on the first position information and the second position information; and causing the positioner to move the end effector to a final position based on the offset.

Abstract: A method for fabricating a multi-material structure includes: forming a structural member with at least one open-cell void that is formed on a surface of the structural member; depositing a first portion of a polymeric skin on the surface; and depositing a second portion of the polymeric skin within the at least one open-cell void.

Abstract: A multi-material structure includes: a structural member that includes an isotropic material and at least one open-cell void formed in the isotropic material; and a skin that includes a polymetric material and is disposed on a surface of the structural member and within the at least one open-cell void.

Abstract: A computer-implemented method for positioning a workpiece within a processing system includes: extracting at least one feature of a workpiece from a three-dimensional model of the workpiece; determining a location of the at least one feature relative to a work surface of the processing system based on geometric information included in the three-dimensional model; and projecting a laser trace onto the location via a laser projector.

Abstract: An optical device includes: a first connector for a first optical fiber that transmits a first laser beam from a first laser source; a second connector for a second optical fiber that transmits a second laser beam from a second laser source; and one or more optical elements that direct the first laser beam from the first connector to a first beam collimator and direct the second laser beam from the second connector to the first beam collimator, wherein, the first beam collimator: produces a first collimated beam based on the first laser beam, directs the first collimated beam to a laser-scanning device, produces a second collimated beam based on the second laser beam, and directs the second collimated beam to the laser-scanning device.

Abstract: A computer-implemented method for generating laser engraving instructions for performing a patterning process on a workpiece surface includes receiving a first input value indicating a first laser-pulse pattern and a second input value for a laser parameter associated with a laser-engraving system; and generating a machine-command sequence for the laser-engraving system based on the first input value and the second input value.

Abstract: A method for laser engraving a three-dimensional pattern into a surface of a workpiece, the method comprising: positioning a laser-engraving head to engrave a first engraving region of the workpiece; and applying a first plurality of laser pulses to a set of first predetermined locations within the first engraving region, wherein the first set of predetermined locations within the first engraving region is based on a probability distribution function that corresponds to a portion of the three-dimensional pattern that is associated with the first engraving region.

Abstract: A computer-implemented method for generating a model of a laser-engraved surface, the method comprising: transforming a first set of values for a first set of parameters associated with a laser-engraving process to a second set of values for a second set of parameters associated with a laser pulse model; modifying the laser pulse model based on the second set of values to produce a modified laser pulse model; and executing the modified laser pulse model to direct a plurality of laser pulses towards a computer-simulated surface, wherein the plurality of laser pulses modify the computer-simulated surface.

Abstract: A computer-implemented method determining one or more parameter values for a laser-engraving process, the method comprising: executing a laser pulse model on a computer-simulated surface to generate a first surface geometry on the computer-simulated surface, wherein the laser pulse model is based on a first set of values for a set of parameters; determining a quality score for the first surface geometry; based on the quality score, performing a global optimization process to generate a second set of values for the set of parameters; and modifying the laser pulse model based on the second set of values to generate a modified laser pulse model.

Abstract: One embodiment of the present invention sets forth a technique for performing a draping simulation of a fabric that includes obtaining a problem definition that includes a fabric cell size, a spring constant ratio, and a three-dimensional (3D) surface. The technique also includes representing the fabric as a set of fabric cells with dimensions that adhere to the fabric cell size, modeling the fabric cells based on a set of side springs and a set of diagonal springs, and setting a first spring constant of the side springs and a second spring constant of the diagonal springs based on the spring constant ratio. The technique further includes propagating the fabric cells along the 3D surface according to the fabric cell size, the first spring constant, and the second spring constant to generate a result of the draping simulation.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and apparatus, including medium-encoded computer program products, facilitate creation and use of 3D models of objects with different material properties. In one aspect, a method includes specifying a continuous data format representation for a first property of an object and a discretized data format representation for a second property of the object, wherein the first property and the second property are different from each other; producing a 3D model of the object within a 3D space using the continuous and discretized data format representations, which overlap with each other in all three dimensions in at least a portion of the 3D space; and using at least one common access method into the 3D model of the object to obtain data from both the continuous and discretized data format representations, within the portion of the 3D space, to manufacture the object using one or more manufacturing processes.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and apparatus, including medium-encoded computer program products, facilitate creation and use of 3D models of objects with different material properties. In one aspect, a method includes specifying a continuous data format representation for a first property of an object and a discretized data format representation for a second property of the object, wherein the first property and the second property are different from each other; producing a 3D model of the object within a 3D space using the continuous and discretized data format representations, which overlap with each other in all three dimensions in at least a portion of the 3D space; and using at least one common access method into the 3D model of the object to obtain data from both the continuous and discretized data format representations, within the portion of the 3D space, to manufacture the object using one or more manufacturing processes.

Abstract: One embodiment of the present invention sets forth a technique for performing a draping simulation of a fabric that includes obtaining a problem definition that includes a fabric cell size, a spring constant ratio, and a three-dimensional (3D) surface. The technique also includes representing the fabric as a set of fabric cells with dimensions that adhere to the fabric cell size, modeling the fabric cells based on a set of side springs and a set of diagonal springs, and setting a first spring constant of the side springs and a second spring constant of the diagonal springs based on the spring constant ratio. The technique further includes propagating the fabric cells along the 3D surface according to the fabric cell size, the first spring constant, and the second spring constant to generate a result of the draping simulation.

Abstract: A novel method designs and analyzes composite parts including optimal manufacturing strategies. The invention analyzes part design including curvatures and other surface topology to formulate an optimal strategy for material layup, number of plies, initial orientation angle, and towpath steering vectors. The method computes an optimum starting point for each fiber path and a stagger offset for each successive fiber path to as to eliminate or minimize gaps and overlaps between adjacent plies. Intermediate surfaces are generated by a polynomial discretization method which generates large computational time savings and enhances blending of adjacent zones to control surface smoothness. The method further calculates a variable steering path for the layer taking into account material parameters and limitations such that plies originating in the same location have a variable orientation angle and follow any reference curve generated by the method to maximize strength and minimize weight of the component.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and apparatus, including medium-encoded computer program products, facilitate creation and use of multi-material three dimensional models. In one aspect, a system includes one or more computer storage media having instructions stored thereon; and one or more data processing apparatus configured to execute the instructions to perform operations including (i) receiving input specifying different material properties of an object to be manufactured, (ii) generating from the input a three dimensional (3D) model of the object using overlapping volume representations of the different material properties of the object, wherein the overlapping volume representations employ different data formats and different resolutions, and (iii) storing the 3D model of the object for use in manufacturing the object.

Abstract: A novel method designs and analyzes composite parts including optimal manufacturing strategies. The invention analyzes part design including curvatures and other surface topology to formulate an optimal strategy for material layup, number of plies, initial orientation angle, and towpath steering vectors. The method computes an optimum starting point for each fiber path and a stagger offset for each successive fiber path to as to eliminate or minimize gaps and overlaps between adjacent plies. Intermediate surfaces are generated by a polynomial discretization method which generates large computational time savings and enhances blending of adjacent zones to control surface smoothness. The method further calculates a variable steering path for the layer taking into account material parameters and limitations such that plies originating in the same location have a variable orientation angle and follow any reference curve generated by the method to maximize strength and minimize weight of the component.