Accepted author manuscript, 830 KB, PDF document
Available under license: CC BY: Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License
Final published version, 1.08 MB, PDF document
Available under license: CC BY: Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License
Final published version
Licence: CC BY: Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License
Research output: Contribution to Journal/Magazine › Journal article › peer-review
Research output: Contribution to Journal/Magazine › Journal article › peer-review
}
TY - JOUR
T1 - An Efficient Triangle Mesh Slicing Algorithm for All Topologies in Additive Manufacturing
AU - King, Beth
AU - Rennie, Allan
AU - Bennett, Graham R.
PY - 2021/1/1
Y1 - 2021/1/1
N2 - To date, slicing algorithms for additive manufacturing are most effective for favourable triangular mesh topologies; worst case models, where a large percentage of triangles intersect each slice-plane, take significantly longer to slice than a like-for-like file. In larger files, this results in a significant slicing duration, when models are both worst case and contain more than 100,000 triangles. The research presented here introduces a slicing algorithm which can slice worst case large models effectively. A new algorithm is implemented utilising an efficient contour construction method, with further adaptations, which make the algorithm suitable for all model topologies. Edge matching, which is an advanced sorting method, decreases the number of sorts per edge from n total number of intersections to two, alongside additional micro-optimisations that deliver the enhanced efficient contour construction algorithm. The algorithm was able to slice a worst-case model of 2.5 million triangles in 1025s. Maximum improvement was measured as 9,400% over the standard efficient contour construction method. Improvements were also observed in all parts in excess of 1000 triangles. The slicing algorithm presented offers novel methods that address the failings of other algorithms described in literature to slice worst case models effectively.
AB - To date, slicing algorithms for additive manufacturing are most effective for favourable triangular mesh topologies; worst case models, where a large percentage of triangles intersect each slice-plane, take significantly longer to slice than a like-for-like file. In larger files, this results in a significant slicing duration, when models are both worst case and contain more than 100,000 triangles. The research presented here introduces a slicing algorithm which can slice worst case large models effectively. A new algorithm is implemented utilising an efficient contour construction method, with further adaptations, which make the algorithm suitable for all model topologies. Edge matching, which is an advanced sorting method, decreases the number of sorts per edge from n total number of intersections to two, alongside additional micro-optimisations that deliver the enhanced efficient contour construction algorithm. The algorithm was able to slice a worst-case model of 2.5 million triangles in 1025s. Maximum improvement was measured as 9,400% over the standard efficient contour construction method. Improvements were also observed in all parts in excess of 1000 triangles. The slicing algorithm presented offers novel methods that address the failings of other algorithms described in literature to slice worst case models effectively.
KW - Additive Manufacturing
KW - Slicing Algorithm
KW - Efficiency
KW - Computational Geometry
KW - Rapid Prototyping
U2 - 10.1007/s00170-020-06396-2
DO - 10.1007/s00170-020-06396-2
M3 - Journal article
VL - 112
SP - 1023
EP - 1033
JO - International Journal of Advanced Manufacturing Technology
JF - International Journal of Advanced Manufacturing Technology
SN - 0268-3768
ER -