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Caterpillar

  • University of Pennsylvania
  • Massachusetts Institute of Technology
  • The University of Sydney

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingConference contributionpeer-review

3 Scopus citations

Abstract

Additive manufacturing has widely been spread in the digital fabrication and design fields, allowing designers to rapidly manufacture complex geometry. In the additive process of Fused Deposition Modelling (FDM), machine movements are provided in the form of Gcode - A language of spatial coordinates controlling the position of the 3D printing extruder. Slicing software use closed mesh models to create Gcode from planar contours of the imported mesh, which raises limitations in the geometry types accepted by slicing software as well as machine control freedom. This paper presents a framework that makes full use of three degrees of freedom of Computer Numerically Controlled (CNC) machines through the generation of Gcode in the Rhino and Grasshopper environment. Eliminating the need for slicing software, Gcode files are generated through user-defined toolpaths that allow for higher levels of control over the CNC machine and a wider range of possibilities for non-conventional 3D printing applications. Here, we present Caterpillar, a Grasshopper plug-in providing architects and designers with high degrees of customizability for additive manufacturing. Core codes are revealed, application examples of printing with user-defined toolpaths are shown.

Original languageEnglish
Title of host publicationIntelligent and Informed - Proceedings of the 24th International Conference on Computer-Aided Architectural Design Research in Asia, CAADRIA 2019
EditorsMatthias Hank Haeusler, Marc Aurel Schnabel, Tomohiro Fukuda
PublisherThe Association for Computer-Aided Architectural Design Research in Asia (CAADRIA)
Pages253-262
Number of pages10
ISBN (Electronic)9789887891727
StatePublished - 2019
Event24th International Conference on Computer-Aided Architectural Design Research in Asia: Intelligent and Informed, CAADRIA 2019 - Wellington, New Zealand
Duration: 15 Apr 201918 Apr 2019

Publication series

NameIntelligent and Informed - Proceedings of the 24th International Conference on Computer-Aided Architectural Design Research in Asia, CAADRIA 2019
Volume2

Conference

Conference24th International Conference on Computer-Aided Architectural Design Research in Asia: Intelligent and Informed, CAADRIA 2019
Country/TerritoryNew Zealand
CityWellington
Period15/04/1918/04/19

Keywords

  • 3D Printing
  • Gcode
  • Grasshopper
  • Modelling
  • Simulation

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