Geometric Accuracy Prediction for Additive Manufacturing Through Machine Learning of Triangular Mesh Data

TLDR: A new approach using machine learning with a set of predictors based on the geometric properties of the triangular mesh file used for printing, which can describe important properties of a 3D shape and allow for predictive modeling of dimensional inaccuracies for complex parts.

Abstract: While additive manufacturing has seen tremendous growth in recent years, a number of challenges remain, including the presence of substantial geometric differences between a three dimensional (3D) printed part, and the shape that was intended. There are a number of approaches for addressing this issue, including statistical models that seek to account for errors caused by the geometry of the object being printed. Currently, these models are largely unable to account for errors generated in freeform 3D shapes. This paper proposes a new approach using machine learning with a set of predictors based on the geometric properties of the triangular mesh file used for printing. A direct advantage of this method is the simplicity with which it can describe important properties of a 3D shape and allow for predictive modeling of dimensional inaccuracies for complex parts. To evaluate the efficacy of this approach, a sample dataset of 3D printed objects and their corresponding deviations was generated. This dataset was used to train a random forest machine learning model and generate predictions of deviation for a new object. These predicted deviations were found to compare favorably to the actual deviations, demonstrating the potential of this approach for applications in error prediction and compensation.