Deposition Toolpath Pattern Comparison: Contour-Parallel and Hilbert Curve Application

Abstract

For the construction of a piece using additive manufacturing technology, there are several methods of toolpath planning, which affect the quality and quantity of material deposited. In this document, we take an approach to commonly used patterns, and propose two path planning techniques based on contour-parallel and Hilbert curves, applying a smoothing process on them. To evaluate these methods, the areas of overfilling, underfilling and external filling are quantified; as well as the length of the deposited material, the travel moves and the estimated time in the printing process. A comparison is presented with the trajectories offered by a commercial software. The planning and quantization method has been implemented in MATLAB and evaluated on diverse geometries to be filled.