A CAD-Based Method for the Measurement of AM Parts Accuracy Considering the Build Orientation

In Additive Manufacturing (AM), several printing processes such as Fused Deposition Modelling (FDM) can deliver complex parts and shapes in short building time using different types of materials. However, the quality and the accuracy of the printed parts might vary according to several print input parameters. In this regard, the present paper aims to study and quantify the effect of the build orientation parameter on the dimensional accuracy of printed parts in FDM 3D printing. An example of a part prototype is manufactured based on the FDM technique and considering different build orientations. Points cloud of the printed prototype is extracted using the 3D scan method. The realistic CAD models of parts features are determined considering the point clouds resulting from the scan process. The dimensional accuracies of the reconstructed parts features are computed according to different build orientations. The developed method can be considered a preliminary decision support tool that assists designers and 3D printing manufacturers in the investigation of the build orientation impact on the accuracy of the printed parts features.