Real-Time Regulation of Direct Ink Writing Using Model Reference Adaptive Control

Abstract

Direct Ink Writing (DIW) has gained attention for its potential to reduce printing time and material waste. However, maintaining precise geometry and consistent print quality remains challenging under dynamically varying operating conditions. This paper presents a control-focused approach using a model reference adaptive control (MRAC) strategy based on a reduced-order model (ROM) of extrusion-based 3D printing for a candidate cementitious material system. The proposed controller actively compensates for uncertainties and disturbances by adjusting process parameters in real time, with the objective of minimizing reference-tracking errors. Stability and convergence are rigorously verified via Lyapunov analysis, demonstrating that tracking errors asymptotically approach zero. Performance evaluation under realistic simulation scenarios confirms the effectiveness of the adaptive control framework in maintaining accurate and robust extrusion behavior.