A few years ago we had big hype when someone posted a video showing how a plane wing was printed in true 3D fashion.
Using a modified slicer with an added algorithm the printer used all three axis at once.
The closest we get here is vase mode printing…
Many of the back then leading manufacturers said it has potential, it will be included and all that but nothing ever happened.
Even our latest and fasted printers are 2D only…
Non-planar slicing clearly is not impossible, so what happened to it?
Anyone knows ?
Depends on the type of non-planar slicing you’re looking for, but there are projects to make them a reality anyway. Some, using standard setups require only information about nozzle clearances to be able to take advantage of a bit of room available, others go full multi-axis. That’s however not an easy task either way.
Recent examples of it progressing:
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I did see a few of these project but it seems there isn’t really anything from the mainstream manufactures of printers and slicing apps in regards to finally implementing this in a more or less working fashion.
I mean it is not rocket science.
A long and slim hotend with lots of room before the head assembly start is capable of quite incredible results.
Those tilting heads that some used even better for certain tasks, especially when it comes to multi colour or multi-material prints.
But quite a few years down the road and no mainstream slicer is even close to implementing it.
I saw a demo for a 5 axis 3D printer and apart from the complexity I was impressed.
Impossible overhangs, proper spheres, plane wings, impellers, all those models we keep struggling with in plain FDM looked amazing.
A surface curved in 3 dimensions with no visible layer lines, no visible imperfections…
Even things impossible to print without supporting infill worked just fine.
While 5 axis is total overkill on a hobby level and for most print uses, IMHO non planar printing is long overdue as a standard…