Open Vector Format for Laser-Based Computer-Aided Manufacturing

Abstract

Data preparation for additive manufacturing (AM) is a complex process that gained importance as the industrialization of various AM technologies progressed. Lots of effort has been spent on the analysis of three-dimensional (3D) computer-aided design data handling, where the Standard Tessellation Language, or STL, forms a de facto industry standard. To manufacture a given geometry using AM, the 3D data need to be sliced into 2.5D layer-wise data and subsequently into vectors. For AM machines based on multiaxis systems, the G-Code Standard is common for the transfer of already sliced information. Yet, for systems using a galvanometer scanner to change the position of the focus and working point (e.g., laser powder bed fusion), G-Code has several limitations. Proprietary formats are almost exclusively used instead of standards. In this paper, the requirements for a more flexible, open, and technology-independent data format are discussed and analyzed. The data structure, objects, and metadata are deducted from the use case technology laser powder bed fusion. Based on this, an open-source reference implementation of a new format prototype, the Open Vector Format using Google Protocol Buffers technology, is presented and its performance is evaluated in research projects of RWTH Aachen University.

Authors 3

1. Sebastian Dirks Aachen Digital Additive Production (DAP)

   RWTH Aachen University

   Affiliation as printed

   Digital Additive Production, RWTH Aachen University 1 , Aachen, North-Rhine Westphalia, Campus Blvd. 73, 52074, DE

2. Andreas Collet Aachen Digital Additive Production (DAP)

   RWTH Aachen University

   Affiliation as printed

   Digital Additive Production, RWTH Aachen University 1 , Aachen, North-Rhine Westphalia, Campus Blvd. 73, 52074, DE

3. Johannes Henrich Schleifenbaum Aachen Digital Additive Production (DAP)

   RWTH Aachen University

   Affiliation as printed

   Digital Additive Production, RWTH Aachen University 1 , Aachen, North-Rhine Westphalia, Campus Blvd. 73, 52074, DE