This project involves developing a Cooperative Robotic Additive Manufacturing (CRAM) system with a Digital Twin. The entire processing pipeline is being developed, including part decomposition, slicing, motion planning, and execution, as well as sensor integration and feedback. The system is specifically designed to produce 3D printed parts with several benefits over traditional 3D printers. While it has allowed for the creation of complex geometries, 3D printing still has several flaws, including surface quality defects, part strength, and manufacturing speed. These defects can be fixed with the CRAM setup, and the multiple arms will allow for increased fabrication speeds. The robotic arms also have additional degrees of freedom when compared with traditional 3D printers, which allows for complex orientations and nonplanar layer depositions. The ECE team is focused on solving the nonplanar slicing and motion planning problems, in addition to developing the physical system. Typical 3D printers have a slicer, which constructs a toolpath for the printer to follow in order to recreate the modelled part. These slicers do not support the complex movements enabled by the robotic arms. As a result, we must develop a slicer that can create layers along nonplanar surfaces to fully utilize these capabilities. Additionally, since multiple robotic arms will be operating in a shared space, planning must occur to ensure these toolpaths do not lead to conflicts.

Our team collaborated with Computer Science & Engineering 29 on this project.