The Algorithm Development and Implementation for 3D Printers based on Adaptive PID Controller

The 3D printers widely used in the world are produced in different mechanical and electronic designs. The 3D printers which have various mechanical structures such as cartesian, delta and core (xy, xz) already are used open source code software such as Sprinter, Marlin, Cura 3D and Teacup. The control of the 3D printers is usually done by the classical Propotional-Integral-Derivative (PID) control algorithm. In this study, we have developed for the designed 3D printer a new software by using adaptive PID control algorithm instead of classical PID. Five step motors of the designed 3D printer are controlled by the adaptive PID. In addition, there are both heating and cooling processes in the extruder system and these processes are controlled by the adaptive PID. The mechanical design uses a belt and pulley drive system which is suitable for accelerated movements. In the system software, 3D Printing Software Pipeline (input model, orientation and positioning, support structures, slicing, path planning, machine instructions) is applied. The control algorithms for extruder and step motors are prepared as separate function files in software implemented in C. It has been observed that the designed software is particularly successful in eliminating errors on the surface of the products.