Image-based adaptive crosshatch toolpath generation for laminated object manufacturing

Abstract

The adaptive crosshatching concept has been introduced for better waste material removal process in Laminated Object Manufacturing. However, the existing approaches that involve a STereoLithography model require additional information from other sources for determining adaptive crosshatch patterns, and for determining the toolpath from intersection points between these customised patterns and cross-sectional contours on their associated layers. Visual representation, on the other hand, seems to be more logical in practice for generating an adaptive crosshatch toolpath. Therefore, the image processing technique has been applied in this research for ease of adaptive crosshatch toolpath generation. For this approach, a uniform crosshatch pattern is created first as a common platform for the entire model. The pattern is modified next for each layer before being mapped onto the layer to determine the toolpath. An algorithm has been developed, and successfully implemented in the LabVIEW program. Some examples are illustrated in this paper to demonstrate the proposed approach.

Keywords:

• LOM
• crosshatching
• de-cubing
• image processing
• additive manufacturing