Abstract
Reducing the volume of support structures is a critical means for saving materials and budgets of additive manufacturing, and tree structure is an effective topology for this purpose. Although a few articles in literature and commercial software have been devoted to developing tree-supports, those tree-supports are generated based on geometry optimization or user-defined parameters, which cannot guarantee a minimum volume with robust fabrication guarantee. To address this issue, we propose a set of formulas for stably growing the tree-supports with physical constraints based on 3D printing experiments using fused decomposition modelling (FDM) machines, and a volume minimization mechanism using a hybrid of particle swarm optimization (PSO) method and a greedy algorithm. We show that this combination is effective in reducing the volume of tree-supports and the simulations reveal that the volume curves monotonically descent to a constant within a short time, and our experimental results show that the models with the tree-supports can be manufactured stably.
Issue Section:
Research
Papers
References
1.
Jiang
, J.
, Xu
, X.
, and Stringer
, J.
, 2018
, “Support Structures for Additive Manufacturing: A Review
,” J. Manuf. Mater. Process
, 2
(4
), p. 64
. 2.
Gibson
, I.
, Rosen
, D. W.
, and Stucker
, B.
, 2010
, Additive Manufacturing Technologies
, Springer
, New York
.3.
Hu
, K.
, Jin
, S.
, and Wang
, C. C. L.
, 2015
, “Support Slimming for Single Material Based Additive Manufacturing
,” Comput. Aided Des.
, 65
, pp. 1
–10
. 4.
Mirzendehdel
, A. M.
, and Suresh
, K.
, 2016
, “Support Structure Constrained Topology Optimization for Additive Manufacturing
,” Comput. Aided Des.
, 81
, pp. 1
–13
. 5.
Orme
, M. E.
, Gschweitl
, M.
, Ferrari
, M.
, Madera
, I.
, and Mouriaux
, F.
, 2017
, “Designing for Additive Manufacturing: Lightweighting Through Topology Optimization Enables Lunar Spacecraft
,” ASME J. Mech. Des.
, 139
(10
), p. 100905
. 6.
Liu
, J.
, and Ma
, Y.
, 2016
, “Sustainable Design-Oriented Level Set Topology Optimization
,” ASME J. Mech. Des.
, 139
(1
), p. 011403
. 7.
Wei
, X. Z.
, Qiu
, S. Q.
, Zhu
, L.
, Feng
, R. L.
, Tian
, Y. B.
, and Xi
, J. T.
, 2018
, “Toward Support-Free 3D Printing: A Skeletal Approach for Partitioning Models
,” IEEE Trans. Vis. Comput. Graph.
, 24
(10
), pp. 2799
–2812
. 8.
Luo
, L.
, Baran
, I.
, Rusinkiewicz
, S.
, and Matusik
, W.
, 2012
, “Chopper: Partitioning Models Into 3D-Printable Parts
,” ACM Trans. Graph
, 31
(6
), p. 129
. 9.
Hu
, R.
, Li
, H.
, Zhang
, H.
, and Cohen-Or
, D.
, 2014
, “Approximate Pyramidal Shape Decomposition
,” ACM Trans. Graph.
, 33
(6
), p. 213
. 10.
Vanek
, J.
, Galicia
, J. A. G.
, Benes
, B.
, Měch
, R.
, Carr
, N.
, and Stava
, O.
, 2015
, “Packmerger: A 3D Print Volume Optimizer
,” Comput. Graph. Forum
, 33
(6
), pp. 322
–332
. 11.
Gao
, W.
, Zhang
, Y.
, Nazzetta
, D. C.
, Ramani
, K.
, and Cipra
, R. J.
, 2015
, “RevoMaker: Enabling Multi-Directional and Functionally-Embedded 3D Printing Using a Rotational Cuboidal Platform
,” Proceedings of the 28th Annual ACM Symposium on User Interface Software and Technology
, Nov. 8–11
, Charlotte, NC
, pp. 437
–446
.12.
Paul
, R.
, and Anand
, S.
, 2015
, “Optimization of Layered Manufacturing Process for Reducing Form Errors With Minimal Support Structures
,” J. Manuf. Syst.
, 36
, pp. 231
–243
. 13.
Majhi
, J.
, Janardan
, R.
, Smid
, M.
, and Gupta
, P.
, 1999
, “On Some Geometric Optimization Problems in Layered Manufacturing
,” Comp. Geom. Theor. Appl.
, 12
(3–4
), pp. 219
–239
. 14.
Ezair
, B.
, Massarwi
, F.
, and Elber
, G.
, 2015
, “Orientation Analysis of 3D Objects Toward Minimal Support Volume in 3D-Printing
,” Comput. Graph.
, 51
(C
), pp. 117
–124
. 15.
Zhang
, X. T.
, Le
, X. Y.
, Panotopoulou
, A.
, Whiting
, E.
, and Wang
, C. C. L.
, 2015
, “Perceptual Models of Preference in 3D Printing Direction
,” ACM Trans. Graph.
, 34
(6
), p. 215
. 16.
Huang
, X.
, Ye
, C.
, Wu
, S.
, Guo
, K.
, and Mo
, J.
, 2009
, “Sloping Wall Structure Support Generation for Fused Deposition Modeling
,” Int. J. Adv. Manuf. Tech.
, 42
(11–12
), pp. 1074
–1081
. 17.
Cloots
, M.
, Spierings
, A. B.
, and Wegener
, K.
, 2013
, “Assessing New Support Minimizing Strategies for the Additive Manufacturing Technology SLM
,” 24th International SFF Symposium-An Additive Manufacturing Conference
, Austin, TX
, Jan., pp. 631
–643
.18.
Strano
, G.
, Hao
, L.
, Everson
, R. M.
, and Evans
, K. E.
, 2013
, “A New Approach to the Design and Optimisation of Support Structures in Additive Manufacturing
,” Int. J. Adv. Manuf. Tech.
, 66
(9–12
), pp. 1247
–1254
. 19.
Stava
, O.
, Vanek
, J.
, Benes
, B.
, and Carr
, N.
, 2012
, “Stress Relief: Improving Structural Strength of 3D Printable Objects
,” ACM Trans. Graph.
, 31
(4
), p. 48
. 20.
Wang
, W.
, Wang
, T. Y.
, Yang
, Z.
, Liu
, L.
, Tong
, X.
, and Tong
, W.
, 2013
, “Cost-Effective Printing of 3D Objects With Skin-Frame Structures
,” ACM Trans. Graph.
, 32
(6
), p. 177
. 21.
Wang
, W.
, Qian
, S.
, Lin
, L.
, Li
, B.
, Yin
, B.
, and Liu
, L.
, 2017
, “Support-Free Frame Structures
,” Comput. Graph.
, 66
, pp. 154
–161
. 22.
Dumas
, J.
, Hergel
, J.
, and Lefebvre
, S.
, 2014
, “Bridging the Gap: Automated Steady Scaffoldings for 3D Printing
,” ACM Trans. Graph.
, 33
(4
), p. 98
. 23.
Zhang
, X.
, Xia
, Y.
, Wang
, J.
, Yang
, Z.
, Tu
, C.
, and Wang
, W.
, 2015
, “Medial Axis Tree—An Internal Supporting Structure for 3D Printing
,” Comput. Aided Geom. Des.
, 35
(C
), pp. 149
–162
. 24.
Dong
, G.
, Tang
, Y.
, and Zhao
, Y. F.
, 2017
, “A Survey of Modeling of Lattice Structures Fabricated by Additive Manufacturing
,” ASME J. Mech. Des.
, 139
(10
), p. 100906
. 25.
Vanek
, J.
, Galicia
, J. A. G.
, and Benes
, B.
, 2014
, “Clever Support: Efficient Support Structure Generation for Digital Fabrication
,” Comput. Graph. Forum
, 33
(5
), pp. 117
–125
. 26.
Wei
, X. R.
, Geng
, G. H.
, and Zhang
, Y. H.
, 2016
, “Steady and Low Consuming Supporting for Fused Deposition Modeling
,” Acta Autom. Sin.
, 42
(1
), pp. 98
–106
.27.
Montgomery
, D. C.
, 2017
, Design and Analysis of Experiments
, John Wiley & Sons
, New York
.28.
Lanzotti
, A.
, Martorelli
, M.
, Staiano
, G.
, and Martorelli
, M.
, 2015
, “Understanding Process Parameter Effects of RepRap Open-Source Three-Dimensional Printers Through a Design of Experiments Approach
,” ASME J. Mech. Des.
, 137
(1
), p. 011017
. 29.
Kennedy
, J.
, and Eberhart
, R. C.
, 1995
, “Particle Swarm Optimization
,” Proceedings of the IEEE International Conference on Neural Networks
, Perth, Australia
, Nov. 27–Dec. 1
, pp. 1942
–1948
.30.
Liu
, B.
, Wang
, L.
, Jin
, Y.
, Tang
, F.
, and Huang
, D.
, 2005
, “Improved Particle Swarm Optimization Combined With Chaos
,” Chaos Soliton Fract.
25
(5
), pp. 1261
–1271
. 31.
Kiran
, M. S.
, Gündüz
, M.
, and Baykan
, O. K.
, 2012
, “A Novel Hybrid Algorithm Based on Particle Swarm and Ant Colony Optimization for Finding the Global Minimum
,” Appl. Math. Comput.
, 219
(4
), pp. 1515
–1521
. 32.
Zhao
, G.
, Zhou
, C.
, and Das
, S.
, “Solid Mechanics Based Design and Optimization for Support Structure Generation in Stereolithography Based Additive Manufacturing
,” Proceedings of the ASME Design Engineering Technical Conference
, Boston, MA
, Aug. 2–5, 2015
, Paper No. DETC2015-47902, p. V01AT02A035.33.
Coello
, C. A. C.
, Lamont
, G. B.
, and Veldhuizen
, D. A. V.
, 2002
, Evolutionary Algorithms for Solving Multi-Objective Problems
, 1st ed., Kluwer
, Norwell, MA
.34.
Coello
, C. A. C.
, Pulido
, G. T.
, and Lechuga
, M. S.
, 2004
, “Handling Multiple Objectives With Particle Swarm Optimization
,” IEEE Trans. Evol. Comput.
, 8
(3
), pp. 256
–279
. Copyright © 2019 by ASME
You do not currently have access to this content.
