Parametric zigzag toolpath generation for thin-walled structures in wire laser additive manufacturing: a grasshopper-based approach

This paper proposes a parametric approach for generating zigzag toolpaths for thin-walled structures in wire laser additive manufacturing using Grasshopper. Three zigzag types - sinusoidal, sharp-angle, and square-angle - were developed with adjustable parameters such as width and spacing, and applied to various path shapes including lines, arcs, and curves. Experiments were conducted by fabricating 6 mm wide, 50-60 mm long, and 16 mm high walls using a 5-axis wire laser additive manufacturing system with 316L stainless steel wire. Results revealed clear differences in dimensional accuracy and surface finish, with the sinusoidal pattern showing the closest match to design and smoothest surface. The proposed parametric method provides a flexible tool for toolpath generation in wire laser additive manufacturing.