Pillar-Based Overhang Generation to Reduce Waste in 3D Printing
by Raymond Feng
Category: Computer Science
Abstract – Pillar-Based Overhang Generation, or PBOG, is a novel algorithm that generates support structures for 3D printing. In 3D printing, overhangs are parts in midair that cannot be printed. The most popular way to overcome this issue is to add support structure. The PBOG algorithm is proposed to decrease material usage in support structure. The algorithm uses three steps: overhang detection, vertex simplification, and pillar generation. Compared with Cura and Meshmixer, results show that PBOG uses less waste and has a higher success rate. In conclusion, PBOG outperforms currently popular methods Cura and Meshmixer in material waste and success rate.