Abstract
Layered additive manufacturing, also known as three-dimensional (3-D) printing, has revolutionized transitional manufacturing processes. Fabrication of 3-D models with complex structures is now feasible with 3-D printing technologies. By performing careful tool-path optimization, the printing process can be speeded up, while the visual quality of printed objects can be improved simultaneously. The optimization process can be perceived as an undirected rural postman problem (URPP) with multiple constraints. In this paper, a tool-path optimizer is proposed, which further optimizes solutions generated from a slicer software to alleviate visual artifacts in 3-D printing and shortens print time. The proposed optimizer is based on a modified ant colony optimization (ACO), which exploits unique properties in 3-D printing. Experiment results verify that the proposed optimizer can deliver significant improvements in computational time, print time, and visual quality of printed objects over optimizers based on conventional URPP and ACO solvers.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Article number | 8590761 |
| Pages (from-to) | 2277-2287 |
| Number of pages | 11 |
| Journal | IEEE Transactions on Industrial Informatics |
| Volume | 15 |
| Issue number | 4 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - 1 Apr 2019 |
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An ACO-Based Tool-Path Optimizer for 3-D Printing Applications. / Fok, Kai Yin; Cheng, Chi Tsun; Ganganath, Nuwan; Iu, Herbert Ho Ching; Tse, Chi K.
In: IEEE Transactions on Industrial Informatics, Vol. 15, No. 4, 8590761, 01.04.2019, p. 2277-2287.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article
TY - JOUR
T1 - An ACO-Based Tool-Path Optimizer for 3-D Printing Applications
AU - Fok, Kai Yin
AU - Cheng, Chi Tsun
AU - Ganganath, Nuwan
AU - Iu, Herbert Ho Ching
AU - Tse, Chi K.
PY - 2019/4/1
Y1 - 2019/4/1
N2 - Layered additive manufacturing, also known as three-dimensional (3-D) printing, has revolutionized transitional manufacturing processes. Fabrication of 3-D models with complex structures is now feasible with 3-D printing technologies. By performing careful tool-path optimization, the printing process can be speeded up, while the visual quality of printed objects can be improved simultaneously. The optimization process can be perceived as an undirected rural postman problem (URPP) with multiple constraints. In this paper, a tool-path optimizer is proposed, which further optimizes solutions generated from a slicer software to alleviate visual artifacts in 3-D printing and shortens print time. The proposed optimizer is based on a modified ant colony optimization (ACO), which exploits unique properties in 3-D printing. Experiment results verify that the proposed optimizer can deliver significant improvements in computational time, print time, and visual quality of printed objects over optimizers based on conventional URPP and ACO solvers.
AB - Layered additive manufacturing, also known as three-dimensional (3-D) printing, has revolutionized transitional manufacturing processes. Fabrication of 3-D models with complex structures is now feasible with 3-D printing technologies. By performing careful tool-path optimization, the printing process can be speeded up, while the visual quality of printed objects can be improved simultaneously. The optimization process can be perceived as an undirected rural postman problem (URPP) with multiple constraints. In this paper, a tool-path optimizer is proposed, which further optimizes solutions generated from a slicer software to alleviate visual artifacts in 3-D printing and shortens print time. The proposed optimizer is based on a modified ant colony optimization (ACO), which exploits unique properties in 3-D printing. Experiment results verify that the proposed optimizer can deliver significant improvements in computational time, print time, and visual quality of printed objects over optimizers based on conventional URPP and ACO solvers.
KW - Ant colony optimization (ACO)
KW - arc routing
KW - layered additive manufacturing
KW - rural postman problem
KW - tool-path optimization
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85059285319&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1109/TII.2018.2889740
DO - 10.1109/TII.2018.2889740
M3 - Article
VL - 15
SP - 2277
EP - 2287
JO - IEEE Transactions on Industrial Informatics
JF - IEEE Transactions on Industrial Informatics
SN - 1551-3203
IS - 4
M1 - 8590761
ER -