US-12623409-B1 - Three dimensional printing system printing a part that complies with a certification standard

Abstract

A three-dimensional parts system includes a three-dimensional printer configured to print a part for a consumer and a controller. The controller is configured to receive a request to print the part, output a first signal to the three-dimensional printer to initiate printing of the part, receive data indicative of an operating parameter of the three-dimensional printer, a characteristic of the part, or both, compare the data with baseline data associated with a certified version of the part, and determine that the part complies with a certification standard based on the comparison.

Inventors

• Bryan J. Osterkamp
• Pooja Krishnaswamy
• Nolan Serrao
• Kristina Suniga-Cabrera
• Carol Lyn Lawrence
• Breanna Nicole Allerkamp
• Courtney Evans
• Ashley Raine Philbrick

Assignees

• United Services Automobile Assocation (USAA)

Dates

Publication Date

20260512

Application Date

20230530

Claims (18)

1. 1 . A three-dimensional parts system, comprising: a three-dimensional printer configured to print a part for a consumer; and a controller configured to: receive a request to print the part; output a first signal to the three-dimensional printer to initiate printing of the part; receive data indicative of an operating parameter of the three-dimensional printer, a characteristic of the part, or both; compare the data with baseline data associated with a certified version of the part; determine that the part complies with a certification standard based on the comparison; operate the three-dimensional printer to apply a mark to the part with an indication indicative of compliance with the certification standard based on the determination that the part complies with the certification standard; and prompt the consumer to submit a photo of the part having the mark.
2. 2 . The three-dimensional parts system of claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to generate a digital twin of the part based on the data.
3. 3 . The three-dimensional parts system of claim 2 , wherein the controller is configured to transmit the digital twin to an external monitoring system.
4. 4 . The three-dimensional parts system of claim 2 , wherein the controller is configured to display a visualization of the digital twin via a display.
5. 5 . The three-dimensional parts system of claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to output a second signal to the three-dimensional printer to indicate that the printing of the part is complete.
6. 6 . The three-dimensional parts system of claim 1 , wherein the three-dimensional printer comprises a detection system configured to collect the data indicative of the operating parameter of the three-dimensional printer, the characteristic of the part, or both.
7. 7 . The three-dimensional parts system of claim 6 , wherein the detection system comprises a camera, a sensor, or both.
8. 8 . The three-dimensional parts system of claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to prompt the consumer to submit the data indicative of the operating parameter of the three-dimensional printer, the characteristic of the part, or both.
9. 9 . A three-dimensional parts system, comprising: a three-dimensional printer configured to print a part for a consumer; a detection system configured to collect data indicative of an operating parameter of the three-dimensional printer, a characteristic of the part, or both; and a controller configured to: operate the three-dimensional printer to print the part; receive the data indicative of the operating parameter of the three-dimensional printer, the characteristic of the part, or both from the detection system; compare the data with baseline data associated with a certified version of the part; determine that the part complies with a certification standard based on the comparison; and operate the three-dimensional printer to apply a mark to the part based on the determination that the part complies with the certification standard, wherein the mark comprises a label, a symbol, a code, a tag, a numerical identifier, or a combination thereof, and wherein the mark is indicative of compliance with the certification standard.
10. 10 . The three-dimensional parts system of claim 9 , wherein the detection system comprises a sensor, a camera, or both.
11. 11 . The three-dimensional parts system of claim 9 , wherein the three-dimensional printer comprises the detection system.
12. 12 . The three-dimensional parts system of claim 9 , wherein the controller is configured to generate a virtual representation of the part based on the data.
13. 13 . The three-dimensional parts system of claim 12 , wherein the controller is configured to determine that the part complies with the certification standard based on a comparison of the virtual representation with the baseline data.
14. 14 . The three-dimensional parts system of claim 12 , wherein the controller is configured to transmit the virtual representation to an external monitoring system.
15. 15 . The three-dimensional parts system of claim 9 , wherein the detection system is configured to collect the data indicative of the operating parameter of the three-dimensional printer, the characteristic of the part, or both based on an authorization received from the consumer.
16. 16 . A method for three-dimensional printing of a part, comprising: receiving a request to print the part from a consumer; operating a three-dimensional printer to print the part; collecting, via a detection system of the three-dimensional printer, data indicative of an operating parameter of the three-dimensional printer, a characteristic of the part, or both; comparing the data with baseline data associated with a certified version of the part; determining that the part complies with a certification standard based on the comparison; and operating the three-dimensional printer to apply a mark to the part based on the determination that the part complies with the certification standard, wherein the mark comprises a label, a symbol, a code, a tag, a numerical identifier, or a combination thereof, and wherein the mark is indicative of compliance with the certification standard.
17. 17 . The method of claim 16 , comprising: generating a digital twin of the part based on the data; and determining that the part complies with the certification standard based on a comparison of the digital twin with the baseline data.
18. 18 . The three-dimensional parts system of claim 9 , wherein the controller is configured to prompt the consumer to submit a photo of the part having the mark.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS This application claims priority to and the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 63/347,358, entitled “THREE-DIMENSIONAL PRINTING SYSTEM,” filed May 31, 2022, which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety for all purposes. BACKGROUND The present disclosure relates generally to three-dimensional (3D) printing systems. More specifically, the present disclosure relates to systems and methods for generating and providing parts to consumers using 3D printing systems. This section is intended to introduce the reader to various aspects of art that may be related to various aspects of the present techniques, which are described and/or claimed below. This discussion is believed to be helpful in providing the reader with background information to facilitate a better understanding of the various aspects of the present disclosure. Accordingly, it should be understood that these statements are to be read in this light, and not as admissions of prior art. Properties, systems, devices, and other owned articles may be insured by a consumer via one or more insurance companies (e.g., a warranty company). For example, a consumer and an insurance company may enter into an insurance or warranty agreement that covers an article (e.g., product) in which a consumer has an ownership interest. A consumer may insure a house, a car, a cellular device, an appliance, and so forth. In some instances, under the terms of an insurance or warranty agreement, the consumer may submit a request for a new part or a replacement part of the insured property from the insurance company. For certain systems, products, or devices insured by an insurance company, the insurance company may maintain an inventory or supply of components (e.g., parts) of the systems, products, or devices that the insurance company insures for consumers. After receiving a request for a replacement part of an insured system or device from a consumer, the insurance company may ship the part to the consumer if it is in stock with the insurance company. However, processing, handling, and/or shipping of replacement parts may be time consuming and/or, more importantly, may be susceptible to delays or extended waiting periods for the consumer, especially if the consumer is located in a remote area. In some instances, such as if the manufacturer does not have the part in stock or otherwise readily available, the insurance company may submit an additional request to a manufacturer that manufactures the requested part. The requested part may be manufactured and subsequently sent to the insurance company, which may result in further time delays. Indeed, the time incurred during the processing, handling, and/or shipping of a requested replacement part may coincide with a time during which the system or device for which the requested replacement part is desired is unusable for the consumer. It is now recognized that the process for providing requested replacement parts to consumers may be time consuming and that more efficient procurement of replacement parts for consumers is desired. BRIEF DESCRIPTION A summary of certain embodiments disclosed herein is set forth below. It should be understood that these aspects are presented merely to provide the reader with a brief summary of these certain embodiments and that these aspects are not intended to limit the scope of this disclosure. Indeed, this disclosure may encompass a variety of aspects that may not be set forth below. In one embodiment, a three-dimensional parts system includes a three-dimensional printer configured to print a part for a consumer and a controller. The controller is configured to receive a request to print the part, determine that the part is qualified for three-dimensional printing in compliance with a certification standard, output a first signal to the three-dimensional printer to initiate printing of the part, output a second signal to prompt the consumer to submit information related to the part, and determine that the part complies with the certification standard based on the information submitted by the consumer. In another embodiment, a three-dimensional parts system includes a three-dimensional printer configured to print a part for a consumer, a detection system configured to collect data indicative of an operating parameter of the three-dimensional printer, a characteristic of the part, or both, and a controller. The controller is configured to, operate the three-dimensional printer to print the part, receive the data indicative of the operating parameter of the three-dimensional printer, the characteristic of the part, or both from the detection system, compare the data with baseline data associated with a certified version of the part, and determine that the part complies with a certification standard based on the comparison. In a further embodiment, a method for three-dimensional printing of a part includes receiving a request to print the