Strengthening of 3D printed robotic parts via fill compositing

Abstract

Three-dimensional printing technology, also known as additive manufacturing, has shown a significant increase in popularity as the cost of printers comes down and part accuracy and build quality continually improves. To date, the major limitation of the various additive manufacturing techniques is the limited range of print materials and properties, with 3d printed parts unable to be used in most load-bearing applications in robotics and other domains. In this paper, we present a technique for increasing the strength of 3d printed parts while retaining the benefits of the process such as ease and speed of implementation and complex part geometries. By carefully placing voids in the printed parts, which are later filled with higher-strength resins, we can improve the overall part strength and stiffness by up to 45% and 25%, respectively. We show three-point bend testing data comparing solid printed ABS samples with those strengthened through the fill compositing process, as well as examples of 3D printed parts used in robotic applications.