Curametal.jpg
FA info icon.svg Angle down icon.svg Source data
Type Paper
Cite as Citation reference for the source document. Yuenyong Nilsiam, Paul Sanders, and Joshua M. Pearce. Slicer and Optimization for Open-source GMAW-based Metal 3-D Printing. Additive Manufacturing 18 (2017), pp. 110-120. doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.addma.2017.10.007 open access

Low-cost gas metal arc welding (GMAW)-based 3-D printing has proven effective at additive manufacturing steel and aluminum parts. Early success, however, was based on hand-writing G-code, which is inadequate for the majority of potential users. To enable automated slicing a 3-D model and generating G-code for an acceptable path for GMAW 3-D printing, this paper reports on upgrading of the free and open source CuraEngine. The new slicer, MOSTMetalCura, provides the following novel abilities necessary for GMAW 3-D printing: i) change the perimeter metric from width to track count, ii) avoid movement that overlaps previous weld beads, iii) have infill start immediately after the perimeter finished and in the direction that eliminates translations, iv) add a variable pause between layers to allow for substrate cooling, v) configure GPIO pins to turn on/off the welder, and vi) set optimized wire feed speed and voltage of the welder based on printing speed, layer height, filament diameter, and tool track width. The process for initiating these changes are detailed and the new slicer is used to help improve the function of the printer for ER70S-6 steel. To find the printing function with the smallest bead width based on volume of material, the line width, layer height, and printing speed are varied to provide wire feed speed calculated by MOSTMetalCura, then the settings are used to print 3-D models. The results of 3-D printing three case study objects of increasing geometric complexity using the process methodology improvements presented, which show resolution of 1 mm bead widths.

Keywords[edit | edit source]

Magneto.jpg
Gearprint.jpg

3-D printing, gas metal arc weld, GMAW, metal inert gas welding, MIG welding, power monitoring, additive manufacturing;data logging; metal printing;open-source hardware; quality control;RepRap; welder;welding; Open-source slicer, Metal 3-D printing, Low cost metal 3-D printer, Open-source metal 3-D printer, GMAW 3-D printing

See also[edit | edit source]

FA info icon.svg Angle down icon.svg Page data
Authors Joshua M. Pearce
License CC-BY-SA-3.0
Language English (en)
Translations Portuguese, Russian, Chinese, German, Danish
Related 5 subpages, 26 pages link here
Impact 1,457 page views
Created October 12, 2017 by Joshua M. Pearce
Modified February 23, 2024 by Maintenance script
Cookies help us deliver our services. By using our services, you agree to our use of cookies.