Generating optimal slice data for layered manufacturing

Staircase errors are inherent in layered manufacturing because the fabrication processes involve layering of materials. The CAD input format that reduces this error has, therefore, been investigated by several researchers. Among others, adaptive slicing methods improve the accuracy and the build speed of a model using variable slice thicknesses. However, these methods have problems in practice owing to computational inefficiency. A new adaptive slicing algorithm that gives a drastic improvement in computing time is proposed in this research. It uses contour line intervals between two consecutive slices instead of calculation efficiency is further improved by introducing the vertical character lines of the model. The results in terms of accuracy and speed are compared with the existing methods.