[maurice.schwicker]

Hi everybody,

For the past two years, we have been successfully using RoboDK to 3D-Print using an Industrial Robot.
We appreciate the ease of use of your software.
 
Currently we are researching, how tilting the nozzle effects tensile strength. Therefore we want to print tensile test specimens using different angles of the nozzle.
As a first approach, we want to print a specimen were the nozzle is tilted at a constant angle during one print, but: keeps the melt in front of the nozzle (see left part of  picture, case I)

With the current settings, we only achieve a constant switching between cases I & II, after each thread is complete. This is not desirable, as the melt is either dragged of pushed. But we want to isolate these two cases.

Here you find the files.
 
Now we are wondering, if you know an easy way to solve the issue using RoboDK.
I was thinking if there is some way to “bind” the angle of the TCP to the movement direction vector of the robot flange.
 

We would greatly appreciate your feedback.
 
Regards and many greetings from Germany,

Maurice

[Jeremy]

Hi Maurice, 

I took a quick look at your project. 
I think that you missed one of the crucial options for this to work:

   

But you will still be stuck with the mechanical limitation of the robot. 
Let me know if it helps. 

Jeremy

[maurice.schwicker]

Hi Jeremy,

thanks for your fast reply!
Thats the kind of stuff that takes 2 seconds if you know how, but hours if you don't...
We will try it out ASAP und let you know.
The simulation looks good...

Regards

[maurice.schwicker]

Hi Jeremy,

thank you for your reply. With your advice we completed about 80% of the specimens, thank you. However, there remains a problem. Attached you find the files I am desperately working on.
We want to 3D-Print a standing block and cut specimens out. However the condition: The melt coming out of the nozzle need to be constantly dragged behind the nozzle. This works out just fine for the first strand at the side.
However, once the the robot moves to the actual block, the tool starts to tilt strangely. I tried tinkering with the values, but with no success. The problem persists with smaller blocks, I added to the attachment.
I had success with changing the "Path to Tool Offset" to 15 degrees at the 2nd rotational axis .
The
I would like to know, what causes the robot to behave like this, and how can I keep the melt constantly behind or in front of  the nozzle?

Your help is much appreciated.

Greetings from Germany,

Maurice

[Jeremy]

Hi Maurice, 

I think disabling this option should help:
   

Jeremy

[maurice.schwicker]

Hi Jeremy,
thank you for your fast reply.
This is what I tried several times, but this creates two problems.
1. The nozzle turns around its axis, which should be prevented.
2. The movements at the beginning and end become very unpredictable. More critically: The Robot crashed into the print bed during a PTP move, although the simulation looked fine.
It may be interesting to note, the robot seems to move as desired, at the last strand of the layer with the larger block. Alsothat the problem disappears occasionally, when the print block is narrower.
Hence a was wondering, if there are other options available, I may have overlooked?

Regards,

Maurice

[Jeremy]

Hi Maurice,

I took a deeper look and I better understand the issue you are facing.
I asked one of my colleague for more info, I'll come back to you soon.

Jeremy