Part orientaton in layer-based machining

Determination of build orientation for layer-based manufacturing (LM) call be considered as a multi-criteria optimization problem. The preferred build orientation should have the tendency to maximize surface quality, minimize build time and build cost simultaneously. For a given part model, different build orientation will result in variant surface quality, Support design, number of stock layer, removed material volume and part stability. In this paper, determining the build orientation is modeled as a fuzzy decision making problem. Fuzzy sets are employed to rate the contribution made by alternatives. The preferred orientation is then chosen according to its rank in the result of fuzzy synthesis evaluation.