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Volume-7, Issue-3, May-June 2017

International Journal of Engineering and Management Research
Page Number: 631-634

3D Printing Robotic Arm

Anjali Raghavan1, Neethu P.P2, Dr. AjiJoy3
1,2,3
Department of ECE, Mar Athanasius College of Engineering, Kothamangalam, INDIA

ABSTRACT allows them to be utilized in so many different applications

This project introduces the implementation of a low such as welding, painting, assembly, pick and place,
cost 3D printing Robotic Arm. Industrial Robotic Arms made product inspection, testing, and many more. The industrial
up of several joints and actuated by motors are generally robotic arm has a freedom in movement based on the
used in industrial field for lifting and manufacturing number of serial links that have been connected. The main
purposes. 3D printers are machines used for converting
advantage of industrial robotic arm is their high degree of
digital 3D model into physical 3D object. 3D object can be
build by using Additive Manufacturing process. In AM freedom. Because of this, the tip of a robotic arm has an
process successive layers of material are laid one upon increased level of freedom in its interaction with the work
another and the process repeats until the final object is environment than that of a gantry machine conventionally
obtained. The additive process used in this project is Fused used in 3D printers. This paper introduces the
Filament Fabrication. By using this method it is able to print implementation of a low cost 3D printing Robotic Arm.
object more accurately and smoothly. FFF model uses Industrial Robotic Arms made up of several joints and
thermoplastic filament that is wound on a coil and unreeled to actuated by motors are generally used in industrial field for
supply material through cold end of an extrusion nozzle, lifting and manufacturing purposes. 3D printing exist by
which turns the flow on and off. The hot end of the extruder
converting digital 3D model into physical three dimensional
melts the material and can be moved in both horizontal and
vertical directions. Both the movement of robotic arm and solid object. In this paper these two concepts are combined
extruder is directed by a numerically controlled mechanism together. By using robotic arm platform for 3D printing, the
that is directly controlled by a computer-aided manufacturing area of printing can be increased by comparing with
software package. The model or part is produced by traditional 3D printers. This is possible due to the increased
successively layering the thermoplastic material that is flexibility of the robotic arm. In this paper, additive
extruded from the nozzle. Movement of extruder is controlled manufacturing(AM) is the process used for three
by stepper motor. By combining industrial Robotic arm with dimensional printing.. The additive process used in this
3D printing technology it is capable for increasing range of paper is Fused Filament Fabrication (FFF). By using this
operation and it is comparatively more flexible than
method it is able to print object more accurately and
commercially available desktop 3D printers.
smoothly. By combining industrial Robotic arm with 3D
Keywords-- 3D printer, Robotic arm, Additive printing technology it is capable for increasing range of
manufacturing, Fused Filament Fabrication, Extruder, operation and it is comparatively more flexible than
Computer Aided Manufacturing, Nozzle commercially available 3D printers.

II. LITERATURE REVIEW

I. INTRODUCTION
3D printing is a fast growing technology
3D printers are machines capable of making three- discovered by Charles Hull in 1984. He invented
dimensional solid objects from a digital model by the stereolithography, a printing process that enables a tangible
process of additive manufacturing. In additive process 3D object to be created from digital data. The technology
successive +layers of material are laid down in different is used to create a 3D model from a picture and allows
shapes to make the final object.3d printers are capable of users to test a design before investing in a larger
generating successive layers, and therefore the final object manufacturing program. In 1992 3D printer was made by
under computer control.3D printer is said to be the catalyst Hull’s company called 3D systems.In1999 firstly 3D
for next industrial revolution. The 3D printer manufacturing printing technology used in the medical field for
industry is projected to have a huge growth in this decade. manufacturing human bladder. In 2000 first miniature
3D printers can be used in a wide variety of fields, which structure of human kidney was made using 3D printing.
itself increases its market potential. Industrial robotic arms And in 2006 instead of sterieolithography new method
are a versatile platform used in most manufacturing called laser sintering method of additive layering is
industries. Flexibility is the main quality of robotic arm that introduced. 3D printing is the process of making a three-

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dimensional solid object of virtually any shape from a four stepper motors are used. Three of them for X ,Y, Z
digital model. Devices which perform 3D printing are movement and one for extruder. At the end of the robotic
called 3D printers. Mainly 3D objects can be manufactured arm an extruder is connected. The motor moves the arm
by two processes, Additive process and Subtractive and the extruder connected at the tip of the arm in various
process. Subtractive manufacturing creates a product by trajectories of image. Through the nozzle present at the tip
removing sections from a block of material. The main of the extruder is providing the material for printing. The
disadvantage is that it generates waste through the excess stepper motor connected to the extruder allow the
material that is removed. It also got limited design movement of printing material.A4988 stepper motor driver
capabilities Additive manufacturing creates a product is used for driving this stepper motor.
through adding materials to the object. It adds material
layer by layer until printing is finished. It also allows IV. STEPS IN 3D PRINTING
complex and intricate designs. Thus additive
manufacturing is superior over the other for creating 3D
objects. Here the additive mode of 3D printing is used and
fused deposition modeling is the technique used. It is an
additive manufacturing technology commonly used for
modeling, prototyping, and production applications. The
Fused Filament Fabrication (FFF) technology adopted in
this paper belongs to this category.

III. METHODOLOGY
The first stage is to decide the robotic control Fig.2 Steps in 3D printing
system.Most 3D printers are controlled using G-code
created using a slicing algorithm. The robot cannot execute There are various steps involved in creating a 3D
G-code, so we brainstormed various solutions to the object from a digital model and a number of softwares are
components that the robot control system required. Once used for this purpose. The above figure explains various
prototype designs and plans for the individual components steps in creating a 3D object from a CAD model. In the
were completed, we analyzed the system as a whole. We first step the CAD model of the object to be printed is
ensured that each of the individual components could meet created using a CAD software. The output of CAD
their requirements using a centralized power supply. For software is converted into codes for 3D
Gcode production we researched popular slicing programs Printer using a slicing software. The codes generated by
before arriving at one that was reliable and free to use. For slicing software are used by printer to create the object.
G-code translation program was written iteratively. New A. Computer Aided Design (CAD)
program features were written then thoroughly tested Before slicing it is important to consider the way
before additional features were begun. a digital model is obtained as an STL file. There are many
Here we are using LPC2138 ARM processor as the different possibilities to model objects, such as 3D
controller section using Kiel software and A4988 is the scanning, taking measurements for a full-scale replica .
stepper motor driver used for driving the stepper motors. Furthermore by taking a video or a series of pictures all
around an object it is feasible to feed those into a program
BLOCK DIAGRAM
like Autodesk Memento and create a 3D model. The
easiest way is to download existing models from online
platforms i.e. Grab CAD or similar ones. As a consequence
that all of these methods are making use of a computer,
which leads to the fact that this entire process is called
Computer Aided Design (CAD).
B. SLIC3R
Slic3r is a tool which translates digital 3D models
into instructions that are familiar with 3D printer. It slices
the model into various horizontal layers and generates
suitable paths to fill them. Slic3r also generate code for
tool path to create each layer. These codes are called G-
Fig.1 Block Diagram codes. It is one of the commonly used numerical control
language.Slic3r has a tool, called Plater, which allows one
The G code for the image, to be printed is or more models to be loaded and arranged before being
generated by the software’s in the pc. This G Code file sliced. Once we acquired a model, drag it onto the Plater
then given to the controller section by connecting a USB to window to load it into Slic3r.
PC. The controller converts the G Codes into machine C. STL format
familiar language. Controller generates pulses for driving STL means Stereolithography and can be
the stepper motor according to the G Code. A4988 stepper exported into most CAD software suites. It is a file format
motor driver is used for driving the stepper motor. Here native to the stereolithography CAD software created by
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3D Systems .STL has several after the fact back acronyms In Fig:4, if the index of X axis is zero then check
such as "Standard Tessellation Language". This file format the index of Y. If it is a non-zero value then new position is
is supported by many other softwares and it is widely used attained by adding index number of X with current position
in applications like rapid prototyping,3D printing and of X. If index of Y is non zero value, then new position of
computer-aided manufacturing .STL files describes only Y axis is attained by adding the index number of Y axis
the surface geometry of a three-dimensional object without with current position. Then finally check the index number
indicating its color, texture or other common CAD model of Z axis, if it is non zero then new position of Z axis is
attributes. The STL format specifies both ASCII and obtained by adding the index number with current position
binary. Binary files are more common, since they are more of Z axis. Finally three axis got the current position and
compact. An STL file represents a raw unstructured moves three motors accordingly. Then again capture the
triangulated surface by the unit normal and vertices of the next line of G Code for the next movement.
triangles using a three-dimensional Cartesian coordinate
system. VI. RESULT AND DISCUSSION
D. G-code
Most 3D printers includes three axes, an extruder, Here we are exploring the possibilities of
a hot end and a heated bed. Therefore it includes four integrating 3D printing technology with robotic arm is used
motors and two heated elements to control. With an STL for both prototyping and distributed manufacturing with
file the printer is not yet able to control the requested applications in architecture, construction, industrial design,
moves. Hence, a G-code is introduced to transfer the automotive, aerospace, military, engineering, civil
required movements to the tools of the printer. engineering, dental and medical industries, biotech (human
G-code, which has many variants, is the common tissue replacement), fashion, footwear, jewellery, eyewear,
name for the most widely used numerical control (NC) education, geographic information systems, food, and many
programming language. This language is mainly used in other fields. Successfully developed the mechanical
computer-aided manufacturing to control automated structure of the robotic arm and interfaced robotic arm with
machine tools. G-code is sometimes called G programming LPC2148 ARM processor. Generated G-codes of various
language The G programming language provides ever figures and converted those codes to controller familiar
information the printer needs to know to print the desired language.
object, including the speed and path of moving the axes. In
addition it has to supply information about the temperature
of the heated elements and speed of extruding the filament.

V. ALGORITHM
The Fig 3 shows algorithm determines the
conversion of G-codes. From the G codes each lines are
captured. First capture the G-code and if \n or \r is present
then it will be the end of the line. Then check for the
presence of any symbols like,’(’,’)’,’;’ etc then neglect the
Gcode. And then check the condition of alphabets. If it is
lower case then convert it into upper case. Make the
position of X,Y and Z axis to its minimum position and
then capture the index number of each axis.

Fig.4 Algorithm part 2

Designed the PCB board with controller section

and the motor drivers, A4988 stepper motor driver is used.
The commercially available 3D printers usually have a
printing area of dimension about 200mm x 200mm x
100mm.Inorder to increase the area of printing and to print
tiny curves more flexible structure is required. This is
where the importance of 3D printing robotic arm exist. This
is low cost, simple mechanical design and these features
makes it suitable for households, educational applications
and hobbyist purposes. For printing wide range of materials
are used including plastics, resins, metals, ceramics and
more. Even concrete are also using as printing material now
a days. The most popular material. used is plastic and most
Fig.3 Algorithm part 1
of style printers print objects using plastic, however some

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of the higher-end printers are capable of printing using http://www.dainf.ct.utfpr.edu.br/ murilo/public/slicing.pdf

many different materials. The printing material used here is [Accessed 2015]
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VII. CONCLUSION [5] Slicing Algorithms for 3D-Printing Fabian Schurig,
Student,B.Sc.ComputerScienceTechnischeUniversit¨atM¨u
Successfully developed the mechanical structure nchen E-mail: [email protected]
of the robotic arm and interfaced with the ARM processor. [6] Pires,J.N. (2007). Industrial Robots Programming:
Developed G-codes for various figures and successfully Building Applications for the Factories of the Future. New
translated to controller familiar language. Thus by York, NY: Springer Science+Business Media, LCC.
combining the highly flexible robotic arm structure with 3D [7] Robot Arm Platform for Rapid Prototyping: Concept
printing technology it is able to increase the printing area IsmayuzriIshak Joseph Fisher Pierre Larochelle Robotics &
and can print tiny curves easily. Spatial Systems Laboratory Department of Mechanical and
Aerospace Engineering Florida Institute of Technology
Melbourne, Florida 32901 {iishak2014,
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Figure 5 Working model

Figure 6 Stepper motor driving signal

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