Multi-Direction Slicing for Layered Manufacturing

Abstract

Parts made by Layered Manufacturing (LM) have a limited surface accuracy and their build time is often long due to the deposition of sacrificial support structure. However, LM machines with an ability to deposit along multiple directions can improve upon the surface quality and reduce the support volume. In this paper we analyze the problem of multi-direction slicing. This analysis addresses the questions: How much of a part should be made along a particular direction and why. The strategy used in multi-direction slicing is to progressively decompose the part into sub-volumes, each of which can be completely built along a certain direction. Key issues are identified and a task framework for multidirection slicing is proposed. Algorithms and implemented examples are presented.