Machine vision integrated three-dimensional printing system

Abstract

Three-dimensional printing has been a widespread solution of fabricating geometrical customized products. Any 3D printed product is normally fabricated at a position defined with respect to the coordinate system of the corresponding 3D printer. So, the 3D printing cannot be conveniently implemented in some fabricating applications in which fabricating positions are commonly constrained to some physical references, e.g., architecture construction, surface restoration, food decoration, etc. This research aimed to integrate the 3D printing with machine vision, which is vastly used for guiding robotic systems to operate at desirable positions constrained to physical objects. Hence, the 3D printing can be conveniently and affordably implemented at any position constrained to any physical reference. The proposed machine vision integrated 3D printing system comprises a 3D printer, which is originally constructed in this research, a commercial web camera, and a commercial computer. The web camera was equipped to the printhead of the 3D printer, and necessary computer programs were developed. Then, evaluating products were fabricated on evaluating physical reference, in order to evaluate the machine vision integrated 3D printing system. From the successfully fabricated results of the evaluating products, the machine vision integrated 3D printing system gives promise of conveniently, affordably, and accurately, implementing the 3D printing in the mentioned applications.