One of the main barriers preventing 3D printing becoming more widely adopted is speed. 3D printing is slow compared to traditional manufacturing. However, this latest update may solve some of these speed-related complaints.
Engineers in Michigan have made a fantastic discovery. They have announced that they created algorithms that double your 3D printer’s print speed. What’s more – you won’t see any of the negative effects associated with higher speed such as bad print quality.
The Discovery
The discovery stems from that fact that often to keep printers affordable, manufacturers use cheap parts. These cheap parts are not as strong as expensive ones, they’re usually more light and flexible. In addition, negative effects can result from this such as vibrations in the printer whilst printing. If printing is accelerated, these vibrations become significant and result in poor print quality.
Michigan Engineers therefore came up with a solution: nullify the effects of these vibrations. They came up with “Filtered B-Spline” (FBS) algorithms to compensate for these vibrations. These algorithms use a model of the printer’s dynamics and adjust the control of the printer, mitigating the vibrations.
A graphic showing the negative effects of running at double speed without the algorithms, and with the algorithms.
A Free Upgrade
As they’re free, this is basically a free upgrade that allows you to print twice as fast. It is important to remember however that this isn’t just a speed boost – this is a way of making your printer more reliable, safer, and more consistent. The algorithms counteract the negative effects of cheap parts, and save consumers lots of money.
You can see how the algorithms work in Michigan Engineers’ video below:
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