Design and Experimental Verification of a Modular Cartesian Additive Manufacturing Platform for Engineering Education
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.63503/acset.136Keywords:
Additive Manufacturing, Cartesian Motion Control, Experimental Verification, Engineering Education, Open-Source Hardware, Modular DesignAbstract
The integration of additive manufacturing technology into engineering courses is often hindered by the high cost of equipment and the "black-box" nature of commercial 3D printers, which limits students' ability to explore the technology's control architecture. This paper describes the design and experimental verification of a modular Cartesian 3D printing platform developed specifically for engineering education. The platform uses an open-architecture control system that relies on the Arduino Mega 2560 and RAMPS 1.4 electronics, allowing students to explore the technology's control architecture. Unlike purely theoretical designs, this paper verifies the platform's performance by creating complex, multicomponent mechanical assemblies. The experimental data show the printer's ability to meet functional tolerances by successfully assembling a multi-component railway bogie and the mechanical integrity of the overhanging mounting brackets printed without support. The accuracy of the platform's dimensions shows that the platform has geometric accuracy like that of entry-level commercial platforms, while providing greater educational benefits due to its open hardware architecture
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