Additive manufacturing processes are inherently subject to discretization effects. For most technologies, stair-stepping artifacts impair the surface quality of 3D printed objects, especially when the surface slope is close to horizontal.
In this video we propose a novel Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM) slicing approach that combines nonplanar and planar layers, increasing printing quality and resulting in smoother, stronger object surfaces. Our slicing algorithm automatically detects which parts of the object should be printed with nonplanar layers and uses a geometric model of the printhead and extruder to generate collision-free toolpaths.