ZigZagZ: Improving mechanical performance in extrusion additive manufacturing by nonplanar toolpaths

Allum, James; Kitzinger, Jeremy; Li, Yimeng; Silberschmidt, Vadim V.; Gleadall, Andrew

doi:10.1016/j.addma.2020.101715

Cited by 9 publications

(11 citation statements)

References 33 publications

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“…[31]. E) Nonplanar printing using a zigzag print-path with up-down nozzle movement in the Z direction, normal to the print platform, to improve mechanical performance [38]. F) Streamlined extruded-filaments with continuously varying extrusion width to fit the overall part geometry [31].…”

Section: Process Calibration Characterisation and Hardware Developmentmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…A key opportunity enabled by the FullControl design approach is the unconstrained ability to design printpaths utilising all three dimensions, as opposed to the conventional approach of completing X-Y movements (print-platform plane) before moving by one layer-height in the Z direction (normal to the print platform). This allowed research into mechanical performance enhancement by using nonplanar interfaces between layers (Figure 4E): zigzag interfaces disrupted the fracture path and led to improved mechanical performance versus conventional planar layers [38]. The most important aspect to note here is not the improved performance, but rather that FullControl enabled investigations that were not possible with existing software.…”

Section: Filament-scale Design and Novel Print-pathsmentioning

confidence: 99%

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FullControl GCode Designer: Open-source software for unconstrained design in additive manufacturing

Gleadall

2021

Additive Manufacturing

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A new concept is presented for the design of additive manufacturing procedures, which is implemented in open-source software called FullControl GCode Designer. In this new design approach, the user defines every segment of the print-path along with all printing parameters, which may be related to geometric and non-geometric factors, at all points along the print-path. Machine control code (GCode) is directly generated by the software, without the need for any programming skills and without using computer-aided design (CAD), STL-files or slicing software. Excel is used as the front end for the software, which is written in Visual Basic. Case studies are used to demonstrate the broad range of structures that can be designed using the software, Conformal lattice cells Conformal lattice cells Designed terminal lattice cells Directly design GCode (machine code) • No CAD • No STL files • No slicer software Mathematically define print-paths Systematically control all printing parameters Produce previously inconceivable geometric structures Achieve unparalleled printing quality with precise control of the process Draw strings < 1/10th nozzle diameter

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Section: Process Calibration Characterisation and Hardware Developmentmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Filament-scale Design and Novel Print-pathsmentioning

confidence: 99%

FullControl GCode Designer: Open-source software for unconstrained design in additive manufacturing

Gleadall

2021

Additive Manufacturing

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“…Duty et al [48] also presented extruding the same material (Z-pinning) in the structure to reinforce the element. Some other toolpaths are planar/non-planar to improve mechanical strength [22,23,49]. Akkum et al [49] proposed a ZigZagZ toolpath that creates a zigzag pattern across the layers to increase the Z-axis strength.…”

Section: Strategies For Enhancing Mechanical Strengthmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Some other toolpaths are planar/non-planar to improve mechanical strength [22,23,49]. Akkum et al [49] proposed a ZigZagZ toolpath that creates a zigzag pattern across the layers to increase the Z-axis strength. In addition, Xiao [22,50] utilized the multi-axis slicing and curved layers to improve the part strength in a support-less manner.…”

Section: Strategies For Enhancing Mechanical Strengthmentioning

confidence: 99%

Strength Enhancement in Fused Filament Fabrication via the Isotropy Toolpath

2021

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The fused filament fabrication (FFF) process deposits thermoplastic material in a layer-by-layer manner, expanding the design space and manufacturing capability compared with traditional manufacturing. However, the FFF process is inherently directional as the material is deposited in a layer-wise manner. Therefore, the in-plane material cannot reach the isotropy character when performing the tensile test. This would cause the strength of the print components to vary based on the different process planning selections (building orientation, toolpath pattern). The existing toolpaths, primarily used in the FFF process, are linear, zigzag, and contour toolpaths, which always accumulate long filaments and are unidirectional. Thus, this would create difficulties in improving the mechanical strength from the existing toolpath strategies due to the material in-plane anisotropy. In this paper, an in-plane isotropy toolpath pattern is generated to enhance the mechanical strength in the FFF process. The in-plane isotropy can be achieved through continuous deposition while maintaining randomized distribution within a layer. By analyzing the tensile strength on the specimens made by traditional in-plane anisotropy toolpath and the proposed in-plane isotropy toolpath, our results suggest that the mechanical strength can be reinforced by at least 20% using our proposed toolpath strategy in extrusion-based additive manufacturing.

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“…However, this can only be seen as an approximation to the interfacial area and thus to the interfacial strength. Other researchers referred to the method shown in Coogan et al to investigate non-planar printing tracks used to increase the specimens isotropy or for a more detailed understanding of printing parameters on strength an modulus [16,17]. A thermal simulation of the manufacturing process of such hollow bodys was run and verified experimentally in Lepoivre et al [18].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Fused filament fabrication: comparison of methods for determining the interfacial strength of single welded tracks

et al. 2021

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The mechanical properties of plastic-based additively manufactured specimens have been widely discussed. However, there is still no standard that can be used to determine properties such as the interfacial strength of adjacent tracks and also to exclude the influence of varying manufacturing conditions. In this paper, a proposal is made to determine the interfacial strength using specimens with only one track within a layer. For this purpose, so-called single-wall specimens of polylactide were characterised under tensile load and the interfacial area between the adjacent layers was determined using three methods. It turned out that the determination of the interfacial area via the fracture surface is the most accurate method for determining the interfacial strength. The measured interfacial strengths were compared with the bulk material strength and it was found that the bulk material strength can be achieved under optimal conditions in the FFF process. It was also observed that with increasing nozzle temperature, the simultaneous printing of specimens influences the interfacial strength. To conclude, this method allows to measure the interfacial strength without superimposing the influence of voids. However, for example, the interfacial strength within a layer cannot be determined.

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ZigZagZ: Improving mechanical performance in extrusion additive manufacturing by nonplanar toolpaths

Cited by 9 publications

References 33 publications

FullControl GCode Designer: Open-source software for unconstrained design in additive manufacturing

FullControl GCode Designer: Open-source software for unconstrained design in additive manufacturing

Strength Enhancement in Fused Filament Fabrication via the Isotropy Toolpath

Fused filament fabrication: comparison of methods for determining the interfacial strength of single welded tracks

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