Mechanical Parts Manufactured by a 3D Printer for Industrial Robot

Abstract

Needs of new materials that can be used a mechanical parts for industrial robots are increasing. 3D printers can be a very effective solution to this problem, as they can be used with a wide variety of materials, from metals to super engineering plastics, and can produce complicated 3-dimensional parts at low cost. However, when 3D printers are used to manufacture mechanical parts for robots, the dimensional accuracy is poor, and this is a major problem for practical use. In this study, we evaluated the dimensional accuracy of parts made by FDM 3D printers. As a result, it was found that the dimensional accuracy was greatly affected by the uniformity of the internal tool path rather than the effect of heat shrinkage.