EHMP-DLP: multi-projector DLP with energy homogenization for large-size 3D printing
ISSN: 1355-2546
Article publication date: 21 November 2018
Issue publication date: 21 November 2018
Abstract
Purpose
In some three-dimensional (3D) printing application scenarios, e.g., model manufacture, it is necessary to print large-sized objects. However, it is impossible to implement large-size 3D printing using a single projector in digital light processing (DLP)-based mask projection 3D printing because of the limitations of the digital micromirror device chips.
Design/methodology/approach
A multi-projector DLP with energy homogenization (EHMP-DLP) scheme is proposed for large-size 3D printing. First, a large-area printing plane is established by tiling multiple projectors. Second, the projector set’s tiling pattern is obtained automatically, and the maximum printable plane is determined. Third, the energy is homogenized across the entire printable plane by adjusting gray levels of the images input into the projectors. Finally, slices are automatically segmented based on the tiling pattern of the projector set, and the gray levels of these slices are reassigned based on the images of the corresponding projectors.
Findings
Large-area high-intensity projection for mask projection 3D printing can be performed by tiling multiple DLP projectors. The tiled projector output energies can be homogenized by adjusting the images of the projectors. Uniform ultraviolet energy is important for high-quality printing.
Practical implications
A prototype device is constructed using two projectors. The printable area becomes 140 × 210 mm from the original 140 × 110 mm.
Originality/value
The proposed EHMP-DLP scheme enables 3D printing of large-size objects with linearly increasing printing times and high printing precision. A device was established using two projectors to practice the scheme and can easily be extended to larger sizes by using more projectors.
Keywords
Acknowledgements
The authors thank Professor Chi Zhou from the Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering, State University of New York at Buffalo, for giving us useful suggestions. The authors also appreciate Dr Kejian Cui from Institute of Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, for providing the resin to us.
This work is supported in part by the Beijing Natural Science Foundation (No. J170001), in part by the Chaoyang District Postdoctoral Research Foundation (No. 2017ZZ-01-06), and in part by the China Postdoctoral Science Foundation (No. 2018T110019).
Citation
Wu, L., Zhao, L., Jian, M., Mao, Y., Yu, M. and Guo, X. (2018), "EHMP-DLP: multi-projector DLP with energy homogenization for large-size 3D printing", Rapid Prototyping Journal, Vol. 24 No. 9, pp. 1500-1510. https://doi.org/10.1108/RPJ-04-2017-0060
Publisher
:Emerald Publishing Limited
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