Build Time Estimation for Fused Filament Fabrication via Average Printing Speed.

Area of Science:

• Additive Manufacturing
• Materials Science
• Mechanical Engineering

Background:

• Accurate build time estimation is crucial for additive manufacturing but remains a significant challenge.
• Existing methods often require complex printer kinematic parameters, limiting their practical application.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a simplified and accurate build time estimation method for fused filament fabrication (FFF).
• To reduce the dependency on detailed printer kinematics knowledge for time estimation.

Main Methods:

• A novel build time estimation model based on average printing speed was developed.
• Printer kinematics are captured by fitting printing speed measurements for varying segment lengths and direction changes.
• Two fitting approaches were proposed: linear/power approximations and Coons patch.

Main Results:

• The method was successfully applied to three desktop FFF printers with diverse infill patterns and part geometries.
• The proposed model demonstrated robust and accurate build time estimations.
• A maximum relative error of less than 8.5% was achieved.

Conclusions:

• The developed average printing speed model offers a practical and accurate solution for FFF build time estimation.
• This approach simplifies the process, making accurate time prediction accessible to a wider range of users.
• The method's low error rate validates its effectiveness in real-world additive manufacturing scenarios.