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Stevens AG, Oliver CR, Kirchmeyer M, et al. Conformal Robotic Stereolithography. 3D Print Addit Manuf. 2016;3(4):226-235doi: 10.1089/3dp.2016.0042.
Stevens, A. G., Oliver, C. R., Kirchmeyer, M., Wu, J., Chin, L., Polsen, E. S., Archer, C., Boyle, C., Garber, J., & Hart, A. J. (2016). Conformal Robotic Stereolithography. 3D printing and additive manufacturing, 3(4), 226-235. https://doi.org/10.1089/3dp.2016.0042
Stevens, Adam G, et al. "Conformal Robotic Stereolithography." 3D printing and additive manufacturing vol. 3,4 (2016): 226-235. doi: https://doi.org/10.1089/3dp.2016.0042
Stevens AG, Oliver CR, Kirchmeyer M, Wu J, Chin L, Polsen ES, Archer C, Boyle C, Garber J, Hart AJ. Conformal Robotic Stereolithography. 3D Print Addit Manuf. 2016 Dec 01;3(4):226-235. doi: 10.1089/3dp.2016.0042. PMID: 29577062; PMCID: PMC5363219.
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3D Print Addit Manuf. 2016 Dec 01;3(4):226-235. doi: 10.1089/3dp.2016.0042.

Conformal Robotic Stereolithography.

3D printing and additive manufacturing

Adam G Stevens, C Ryan Oliver, Matthieu Kirchmeyer, Jieyuan Wu, Lillian Chin, Erik S Polsen, Chad Archer, Casey Boyle, Jenna Garber, A John Hart

Affiliations

  1. Department of Mechanical Engineering and Laboratory for Manufacturing and Productivity, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts.
  2. Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan.
  3. MINES ParisTech, PSL Research University, Paris, France.

PMID: 29577062 PMCID: PMC5363219 DOI: 10.1089/3dp.2016.0042

Abstract

Additive manufacturing by layerwise photopolymerization, commonly called stereolithography (SLA), is attractive due to its high resolution and diversity of materials chemistry. However, traditional SLA methods are restricted to planar substrates and planar layers that are perpendicular to a single-axis build direction. Here, we present a robotic system that is capable of maskless layerwise photopolymerization on curved surfaces, enabling production of large-area conformal patterns and the construction of conformal freeform objects. The system comprises an industrial six-axis robot and a custom-built maskless projector end effector. Use of the system involves creating a mesh representation of the freeform substrate, generation of a triangulated toolpath with curved layers that represents the target object to be printed, precision mounting of the substrate in the robot workspace, and robotic photopatterning of the target object by coordinated motion of the robot and substrate. We demonstrate printing of conformal photopatterns on spheres of various sizes, and construction of miniature three-dimensional objects on spheres without requiring support features. Improvement of the motion accuracy and development of freeform toolpaths would enable construction of polymer objects that surpass the size and support structure constraints imparted by traditional SLA systems.

Keywords: photopatterning; projection lithography; robotics; stereolithography

Conflict of interest statement

No competing financial interests exist.

References

  1. Biotechnol Bioeng. 2013 May;110(5):1444-55 - PubMed
  2. Science. 2015 Mar 20;347(6228):1349-52 - PubMed
  3. Science. 2016 Jan 1;351(6268):58-62 - PubMed

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