A Toolpath Generator Based on Signed Distance Fields and Clustering Algorithms for Optimized Additive Manufacturing

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openAccess

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Volume Title

A1 Alkuperäisartikkeli tieteellisessä aikakauslehdessä

Date

2024-10

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Mcode

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Language

en

Pages

9

Series

Journal of Manufacturing and Materials Processing, Volume 8, issue 5

Abstract

Additive manufacturing (AM) methods have been gaining momentum because they provide vast design and fabrication possibilities, increasing the accessibility of state-of-the-art hardware through recent developments in user-friendly computer-aided drawing/engineering/manufacturing (CAD/CAE/CAM) tools. However, in comparison to the conventional manufacturing methods, AM processes have some disadvantages, including the machining precision and fabrication process times. The first issue has been mostly resolved through the recent advances in manufacturing hardware, sensors, and controller systems. However, the latter has been widely investigated by researchers with different toolpath planning perspectives. As a contribution to these investigations, the present study proposes a toolpath planning method for AM, which aims to provide highly continuous yet distance-optimized solutions. The approach is based on the utilization of the signed distance field (SDF), clustering, and minimization of toolpath distances among cluster centroids. The method was tested on various geometries with simple closed curves to complex geometries with holes, which provides effective toolpaths, e.g., with relative distance reduction percentages up to 16.5% in comparison to conventional rectilinear infill patterns.

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Publisher Copyright: © 2024 by the author.

Keywords

additive manufacturing, clustering algorithms, fused filament fabrication (FFF), optimization, signed distance fields, toolpath planning

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Citation

Karakoç, A 2024, ' A Toolpath Generator Based on Signed Distance Fields and Clustering Algorithms for Optimized Additive Manufacturing ', Journal of Manufacturing and Materials Processing, vol. 8, no. 5, 199 . https://doi.org/10.3390/jmmp8050199