Spatial Curved-Surface Printing Path Planning for Complex Geometries
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Solution Overview
Problem
Traditional 3D printing methods for complex curved-surface components face issues with reduced forming precision and mechanical performance due to interlayer staircase effects and poor bonding, especially when using continuous fiber-reinforced thermoplastic composite materials.
Innovation Solution
A path planning method based on dynamic contour offset discretization for spatial curved-surface printing, involving steps like equal slicing, contour classification, central slicing, and dynamic contour offset adjustment to improve precision and consistency of layer thickness.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If planar layering and slicing are adopted in traditional 3D printing, then the three-dimensional model can be reduced to a two-dimensional plane for manufacturing, but the forming precision is greatly affected by interlayer staircase effects and mechanical performance is reduced due to poor interlayer bonding
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies curved-surface layering instead of planar layering, where the printing path follows the curved surface geometry of the component. This allows the layers to conform to the complex curvature of the part, eliminating the staircase effect that occurs with flat layers on curved surfaces, thereby improving forming precision while maintaining manufacturing feasibility
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements dynamic layer thickness adjustment along the printing path, where the layer thickness varies continuously to maintain constant material deposition volume and consistent layer quality across different sections of the curved surface. This dynamic approach optimizes both precision and interlayer bonding compared to fixed thickness planar layering
2Manufacturing precision
If layer thickness is reduced to minimize staircase effects in thermoplastic printing, then surface quality improves, but continuous fiber-reinforced thermoplastic composite materials are limited by fixed set values of layer thickness, greatly limiting application scenarios
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements dynamic layer thickness adjustment that adapts to different component geometries and requirements. The system can continuously vary layer thickness along the printing path while maintaining optimal values for continuous fiber reinforcement, enabling the same printing process to handle diverse application scenarios with different surface quality requirements without being constrained by fixed thickness values
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the layer thickness parameter dynamically during the printing process based on the local geometry and requirements. By allowing continuous variation of this critical parameter rather than using fixed values, the system achieves both improved surface quality where needed and maintains compatibility with continuous fiber-reinforced materials across various application scenarios
3Device complexity
If traditional planar slicing is used in Z-direction, then manufacturing process is simple, but mechanical performance and surface quality of formed components are reduced due to interlayer staircase effects
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces planar slicing with curved-surface slicing that follows the geometry of the component. The printing path is planned along the curved surface with continuous normal vector calculations, allowing layers to conform to complex geometries and eliminate staircase effects, thereby improving dimensional precision while managing path planning complexity through systematic algorithms
Solution Approach 2:
The patent transitions from two-dimensional planar slicing to three-dimensional curved-surface slicing. By adding the dimensional aspect of surface curvature to the slicing process, the system can accurately represent and manufacture complex geometries without the precision loss inherent in projecting 3D surfaces onto 2D planes
Data Source
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AI summary
The present invention provides a path planning method based on dynamic contour offset discretization and for spatial curved-surface printing. Firstly, transversal equal slicing is carried out on a target model, and single/double contours are labeled; secondly, central slicing is carried out on the model, curvature contours are discretized, feature values of contour offsets of slice layers are calculated on the basis of a surface contour curvature of the model, and dynamic offset filling for inner contours of horizontal slices is realized; then longitudinal equal slicing is carried out on the slices, and spatial discrete points of the target model are obtained; and finally, virtual double contours are constructed for the single contours, and labeling processing for the discrete points is carried out, so that a discretized three-dimensional spatial equidistant lattice [n, j, m, 0/1, r] of the target model is obtained. A spatial curve within a single cutting surface is obtained through sequentially connecting the discrete points labeled with the same value r within the single cutting surface; single-layer spatial curved surfaces are obtained through connecting the spatial curves within the cutting surfaces in the order of the value m of a section; and an overall spatial curved-surface path of the target model is obtained through connecting the single-layer spatial curved surfaces end to end in the order of the value r, and stacking layer by layer.