Review of heterogeneous material objects modeling in additive manufacturing

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Manufacturing Engineering
• Computer-Aided Design

Background:

• Additive Manufacturing (AM) enables complex geometries.
• Heterogeneous object modeling is crucial for multi-material and functionally graded AM parts.
• Current modeling techniques face challenges in representation and process planning.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review recent developments in heterogeneous object modeling for AM.
• To identify and discuss prevalent problems and solutions in modeling methods.
• To analyze state-of-the-art process planning procedures in AM.

Main Methods:

• Literature review of heterogeneous object representations.
• Categorization of representations based on data structures.
• Review of process planning strategies including part orientation, slicing, and path planning.

Main Results:

• Heterogeneous object representations are classified by their underlying data structures.
• Various solutions for part orientation, slicing, and path planning in AM are examined.
• Key challenges and potential future research avenues are highlighted.

Conclusions:

• Effective heterogeneous object modeling is vital for advanced AM applications.
• Further research is needed to address current limitations in modeling and process planning.
• Standardization and development of robust modeling techniques are essential for AM innovation.