G-code Visualization and Editing Program for Inexpensive Metal 3D Printing

Abstract

This work focuses on improving an existing system for 3D printing of metal objects using a sinterable clay or paste. The existing software and firmware used by the current 3D Mini Metal Maker (MMM) printer produce a high rate of poor quality products that result from either under-extrusion or over-extrusion conditions. In practice, to successfully print an object, different extrusion rates and printing speeds are needed for different sections of the part, such as the outline, the infill, and the lettering. For an MMM printer, the extrusion rate is manually controlled by a knob, which is ineffective and inaccurate given the noticeable lag response of the extruder motor. In this paper, a 3D visualization MATLAB™ program is developed to read the G-code file, separate the G-code into color-coded sections and produce a 3D graphical model, and change the values according to user specifications. It allows users to easily and visually recognize and select a separate chunk of G-code, such as layer by layer or individual graphical elements in each layer, then to edit the printing speed and extrusion rate accordingly. It also allows users to optimize these printing parameters in a batch mode if such desired printing speeds and extrusion rates for a different section of the printing part are already known. Experiments conducted with an MMM printer and bronze-paste materials show improvements in both printing time and quality.