One approach would be to represent the closed slice contours as Lasajous patterns having a series of Fourier coefficients in radial coordinates about a center point. The angle of the surface of the slice would be a second function of direction from the center of the curve for a given angular position on the curve. I had originally considered it as a way to drive a laser projector using galvanic mirrors or Bragg cells, but it would be readily adaptable to RP. The accuracy of sharp corners would be determined by the number of coefficients. Another function may be more efficient for plotting to x-y coordinates, such as splining together arcs for the contour. The slice would need a third variable for thickness.
I've considered a large scale RP application, extruding polyurethane foam in layers, followed by spraying an epoxy coating, and finishing with an NC machining operation with a 5-axis head to apply a varying slope to the contours to approximate the surface.
> From owner-rp-ml@ltk.hut.fi Thu Mar 15 02:02:15 2001
> From: "synergy3" <synergy3@synergy-3.com>
> To: <rp-ml@ltk.hut.fi>
> Subject: Adaptive slicing
> Date: Thu, 15 Mar 2001 10:46:24 +0100
> MIME-Version: 1.0
> X-Priority: 3
> X-MSMail-Priority: Normal
> X-MimeOLE: Produced By Microsoft MimeOLE V5.00.2314.1300
>
> Hi all,
> is there any standalone soft able to calculate :
> - layers with various thicknesses taking in account the curvature of the
> surface
> in the vertical direction ?
> - layers with sloping boundary surfaces that "closely match" the shape of
> the required surfaces ?
>
> Regards,
> Denis Cadamuro
>
> Synergy3
> Zone Industr. Le Ried - BP 8
> F-67850 HERRLISHEIM - FRANCE
> Voice: +33 3 88968800
> Fax: +33 3 88597940
> Email: synergy3@Synergy-3.com
>
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