System and methods for increasing efficiency in rapid prototyping processes

摘要

A system and methods for batch sorting objects and mapping the objects on a tray having a fixed dimension along an x-axis and a fixed dimension along a y-axis. Certain aspects of the present embodiments include (a) storing the objects in a queue; (b) sorting the objects in the queue according to a dimension of the objects; (c) mapping the objects sequentially into a first column of a plurality of columns on the tray until the first column is filled; (d) mapping the objects into a subsequent column until the subsequent column is filled; (e) repeating step (d) until only a last column in the plurality of columns remains to be filled, or until no more objects remain in the queue; and (f) mapping the objects into the last column in accordance with a column organization plan. In certain embodiments, at least one of the columns, and not necessarily the last column, includes objects mapped in accordance with a column organization plan.