Designing Printers that Print onto Spherical Geometries: A Lo-Fi Prototyping Case

Abstract

This study presents a novel 3D printing mechanism specifically designed to print on spherical surfaces. Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM) is adopted. The initial prototypes of the designed 3D printer have been tested with a specific focus on rotational movement mechanism and developing G-code solutions. The results of the low fidelity prototyping process are discussed in the context of stability of the system, usability of the proposed tool, sufficiency of step motor torque, distance between nozzle and the printing surface, producibility with reasonable budget, and flexibility. The distinctive feature of this study, unlike robot-aided additive manufacturing applications, is that it can be achieved with a low budget. The study is expected to be useful for designers who are interested in designing bespoke additive manufacturing solutions for double-curved and spherical geometries.