Non-planar 3D printing Enhancing Design Potentials by Advanced Slicing Algorithms and Path Planning

In non-planar 3D printing, the material is no longer restricted to pre-planned, flat movements, but print layers can be freely aligned in three-dimensional space. This results in challenges for path planning and control while significantly improving the mechanical properties of components. Considering recent research results and challenges in non-planar 3D printing, this paper makes two key contributions. First, we investigate to what extent conventional 3D printers (Prusa MK4) can effectively perform non-planar 3D printing and how slicing and path generation can be performed on an algorithmic level. Second, we examine fundamental relationships between the mechanical properties of the resulting part and parameters of non-planar 3D printing (layer orientation, layer thickness, etc.) to identify key design potentials.