Abstract

Most additive manufacturing technologies, such as 3D printing, utilize support materials in the fabrication process. Beyond the technical challenges of support removal, these materials are wasteful – increasing fabrication and processing time while impacting quality. This paper presents “Freeform Printing”, a novel design approach for 3D printing without additional auxiliary structures. A 6-axis KUKA robotic arm is repurposed as a 3D printing platform onto which custom-designed thermoplastic extruders are attached. We demonstrate freeform extrusion using a round nozzle attached to an active air-cooling unit, which solidifies the material upon extrusion. In addition, we present a method for printing geometrically complex structures using a multi-strand extrusion nozzle. The experiments presented in this paper, combined with their evalua-tion and analysis, provide proof-of-concept for Freeform Printing without support materials. They represent a sustainable approach to additive manufacturing and digital fabrication at large, and point towards new possi-ble directions in sustainable manufacturing.

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Freeform 3D Printing