Large-scale 3D printing with a cable-suspended robot

Abstract

Although additive manufacturing (AM) is now a well-established industry, very few large-scale AM systems have been developed. Here, a large-scale 3D printer is introduced, which uses a six-degree-of-freedom cable-suspended robot for positioning, with polyurethane foam as the object material and shaving foam as the support material. Cable-positioning systems provide large ranges of motion and cables can be compactly wound on spools, making them less expensive, much lighter, more transportable, and more easily reconfigurable, compared to the gantry-type positioning systems traditionally used in 3D printing. The 3D foam printer performance is demonstrated through the construction of a 2.16-m-high statue of Sir Wilfrid Laurier, the seventh Prime Minister of Canada, at an accuracy of approximately 1cm, which requires 38h of printing time. The system advantages and drawbacks are then discussed, and novel features such as unique support techniques and geometric feedback are highlighted. Finally, a description of the planned system modifications is provided.