Abstract
Additive manufacturing (AM) is a rapidly growing technology descended from the first stereolithography systems. AM describes a variety of material deposition technologies for forming objects in a digital manner layer-by-layer under computer control. Now commonly known as 3D printing, AM quickly branched out into several key directions – material extrusion, sheet lamination, direct energy deposition, vat polymerization, powder bed fusion, binder jetting, and material jetting. The common factor in all AM branches is a foundation in robotics and automation. While most of the mechanical 3D printing structures are based on simple gantry systems, there are Gough-Stewart platforms and, more recently, six or more DoF manipulator-based systems that have been developed. Currently available commercial systems are based on open-loop control with minimum sensing capabilities; the latest systems in development are starting to take advantage of complex feedback loops and layers of advanced sensing and data logging. The Manufacturing Demonstration Facility of Oak Ridge National Laboratory is leading the efforts in applying advanced robotics in the creation of large-scale 3D printers. The recent demonstration of an additively manufactured excavator at the CONEXPO 2017 exhibition in Las Vegas showed that the use of cutting edge robotics and automation is essential for the next generation of additive systems. The future of AM will heavily rely on advanced robotics, machine learning, and the internet of things. This paper summarizes progress in AM; presents the practical aspects, challenges, and lessons learned in developing robotic-based AM systems; and outlines the needs and future directions of robotics for AM.
Original language | English |
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Title of host publication | Automation 2018 - Advances in Automation, Robotics and Measurement Techniques |
Editors | Roman Szewczyk, Cezary Zielinski, Malgorzata Kaliczynska |
Publisher | Springer Verlag |
Pages | 3-13 |
Number of pages | 11 |
ISBN (Print) | 9783319771786 |
DOIs | |
State | Published - 2018 |
Event | International Conference on Advances in Automation, Robotics and Measurement Techniques, AUTOMATION 2018 - Warsaw, Poland Duration: Mar 21 2018 → Mar 23 2018 |
Publication series
Name | Advances in Intelligent Systems and Computing |
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Volume | 743 |
ISSN (Print) | 2194-5357 |
Conference
Conference | International Conference on Advances in Automation, Robotics and Measurement Techniques, AUTOMATION 2018 |
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Country/Territory | Poland |
City | Warsaw |
Period | 03/21/18 → 03/23/18 |
Funding
This manuscript has been authored by UT-Battelle, LLC under Contract No. DE-AC05-00OR22725 with the U.S. Department of Energy. The United States Government retains and the publisher, by accepting the article for publication, acknowledges that the United States Government retains a non-exclusive, paid-up, irrevocable, world-wide license to publish or reproduce the published form of this manuscript, or allow others to do so, for United States Government purposes. The Department of Energy will provide public access to these results of federally sponsored research in accordance with the DOE Public Access Plan (http://energy.gov/downloads/doe-public-access-plan).
Keywords
- 3D metal printing
- Large-scale additive manufacturing
- Robotics