Problem

Our team was tasked with creating a solution to address the common printing issues that arise in 3D printing. One of the biggest challenges we faced was identifying potential issues with small features and determining optimal object orientations to minimize support material requirements. This required a lot of manual work and was time-consuming, which made it difficult for our clients to efficiently prepare models for printing.

To solve this problem, we needed to develop a tool that could automate voxelization, feature detection, and orientation optimization while minimizing common printing issues visually.

Learn more about our process here.

Solution

We developed a MATLAB script called the 2.086 3D Printability Script that automates the entire process of preparing models for 3D printing. The script uses voxelization to detect small features and matrix manipulation to determine optimal object orientations that minimize support material requirements.

In addition, we incorporated a genetic algorithm into the script to optimize support volume and reduce print time. This allows our clients to efficiently prepare their models for printing without having to manually adjust settings or spend hours troubleshooting common printing issues.

Impact

Reduced print time by X%
Minimized support material requirements by X%

"This tool has been incredibly helpful in streamlining our 3D printing process. We've saved so much time and resources since implementing it."

Team

Team Member #1 - Software Engineer
- Oversaw the development of the 2.086 3D Printability Script
- Implemented voxelization and feature detection algorithms
Team Member #2 - Data Scientist
- Incorporated genetic algorithm into the script to optimize support volume and reduce print time
- Analyzed data to ensure optimal performance of the script

Automating 3D Print Prep with MATLAB Script