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Direct slicing of T-spline surfaces for additive manufacturing

Jiawei Feng (State Key Laboratory of Fluid Power and Mechatronic Systems, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China, and Key Laboratory of 3D Printing Process and Equipment of Zhejiang Province, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China)
Jianzhong Fu (State Key Laboratory of Fluid Power and Mechatronic Systems, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China)
Zhiwei Lin (Key Laboratory of 3D Printing Process and Equipment of Zhejiang Province, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China)
Ce Shang (Key Laboratory of 3D Printing Process and Equipment of Zhejiang Province, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China)
Bin Li (Key Laboratory of 3D Printing Process and Equipment of Zhejiang Province, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China)

Rapid Prototyping Journal

ISSN: 1355-2546

Article publication date: 14 May 2018

569

Abstract

Purpose

T-spline is the latest powerful modeling tool in the field of computer-aided design. It has all the merits of non-uniform rational B-spline (NURBS) whilst resolving some flaws in it. This work applies T-spline surfaces to additive manufacturing (AM). Most current AM products are based on Stereolithograph models. It is a kind of discrete polyhedron model with huge amounts of data and some inherent defects. T-spline offers a better choice for the design and manufacture of complex models.

Design/methodology/approach

In this paper, a direct slicing algorithm of T-spline surfaces for AM is proposed. Initially, a T-spline surface is designed in commercial software and saved as a T-spline mesh file. Then, a numerical method is used to directly calculate all the slicing points on the surface. To achieve higher manufacturing efficiency, an adaptive slicing algorithm is applied according to the geometrical properties of the T-spline surface.

Findings

Experimental results indicate that this algorithm is effective and reliable. The quality of AM can be enhanced at both the designing and slicing stages.

Originality/value

The T-spline and direct slicing algorithm discussed here will be a powerful supplement to current technologies in AM.

Keywords

Acknowledgements

This work was financially supported by Science Fund for Creative Research Groups of National Natural Science Foundation of China (No. 51521064) and the National Nature Science Foundation of China (No. 51575483).

Citation

Feng, J., Fu, J., Lin, Z., Shang, C. and Li, B. (2018), "Direct slicing of T-spline surfaces for additive manufacturing", Rapid Prototyping Journal, Vol. 24 No. 4, pp. 709-721. https://doi.org/10.1108/RPJ-12-2016-0210

Publisher

:

Emerald Publishing Limited

Copyright © 2018, Emerald Publishing Limited

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