Automated 3D-Printer Maintenance and Part Removal by Robotic Arms

Abstract

Abstract3D printing by means of fused filament fabrication involves extruding and depositing melted material in layers to produce a 3D part. Current 3D printing requires manual intervention from a human operator between prints, leading to inefficiency. The focus of this study was facilitating the automation of the additive manufacturing process. Based on suggestions for future works in this field, this study extended on automated 3D-part removal systems by implementing additional operations to automate the production process. The proposed system uses robotic arms and grippers to operate and maintain 3D printers; specifically, the removal of 3D-printed parts, the cleaning of printer beds, the application of glue to the printer beds to assist with print adhesion, and the monitoring of bed levelness. The importance of this contribution is the improved efficiency of 3D-printing production, allowing for continuous 3D-printer operation and decreasing the requirement for human interaction and monitoring in the production process. The system is demonstrated using a 7 degrees of freedom KUKA robotic arm and ROBOTIQ gripper to autonomously operate and maintain an Ender 3 V2 printer. Sensor data and information from the 3D printers was used to determine the required operation or function to be performed by the robotic system. Tasks were performed by automated movement sequences of the robotic arm and gripper using supplied data. System status was recorded for monitoring and alerting human operators when intervention was required. The implementation of these functions using an automated robotic system allows 3D-printing production to operate continuously for longer periods, increasing production efficiency as downtime and human involvement for maintenance between prints is minimized.