Non-planar slicing algorithm based on Geodesic field on Tetrahedral mesh for AM fabrication

Additive manufacturing (AM) is a family of manufacturing processes suitable for rapid prototyping and building near-net-shape components. AM mainly relies on the 2D-slicing process, which does not perform well for free-form shapes, causing the need for support structures, staircase defects, and anisotropy. To address these challenges, several works have been done on Non-planar (NP) slicing techniques to improve flexibility and fabrication performances. While existing work primarily focuses on thin-walled geometries and conformal printing, the issue of filled fabrication with inner cavities remains partially unaddressed. In this context, this work specifically tackles NP-slicing for overhanging components with internal features (such as inner cavities). Our method uses a volumetric mesh (based on tetrahedral elements) and leverages the geodesic field to minimize layer thickness variations, aiming to reduce anisotropy. Although this work is exploratory, it shows the method’s feasibility through the robotic toolpaths’ simulations.