Layerless FDM and Layerless PBF
摘要
In fused deposition modeling (FDM), during the formation of a layer, the height of a nozzle from the layer does not change. The nozzle moves up after the last line of the layer is deposited, i.e., it gets the opportunity to move up only after the completion of each layer. What if a nozzle does not wait for the completion of a layer before it moves up? In a layerless FDM, the nozzle constantly moves up while it deposits a line. Thus, simultaneously moving up and forward by the nozzle makes a deposition path spiral. Moving up in such a way does not let a layer be made. If there are no layers, there does not exist any problem associated with joining them. A constantly upward-moving nozzle means there will always be an empty space, i.e., the process does not have the capability to fill up an empty space that is made by a spiral path. For example, for making a thin cylinder by a spiral path, there will always be space at the center, i.e., the formation of the cylinder will necessarily create a cylindrical space at the center of the cylinder along its height.