Defect Mitigation for Robot Arm-based Additive Manufacturing Utilizing Intelligent Control and IOT

TL;DR

This paper introduces an integrated robotic additive manufacturing system with real-time defect detection and correction, combining thermal control, vision-based defect localization, and autonomous re-extrusion to improve print quality.

Contribution

It presents a novel robotic AM system that integrates IoT-enabled thermal regulation, vision-based defect detection, and autonomous correction for enhanced manufacturing quality.

Findings

Successful defect mitigation demonstrated in experiments

Real-time thermal and defect control improved print quality

System adaptable for aerospace, biomedical, and industrial uses

Abstract

This paper presents an integrated robotic fused deposition modeling additive manufacturing system featuring closed-loop thermal control and intelligent in-situ defect correction using a 6-degree of freedom robotic arm and an Oak-D camera. The robot arm end effector was modified to mount an E3D hotend thermally regulated by an IoT microcontroller, enabling precise temperature control through real-time feedback. Filament extrusion system was synchronized with robotic motion, coordinated via ROS2, ensuring consistent deposition along complex trajectories. A vision system based on OpenCV detects layer-wise defects position, commanding autonomous re-extrusion at identified sites. Experimental validation demonstrated successful defect mitigation in printing operations. The integrated system effectively addresses challenges real-time quality assurance. Inverse kinematics were used for motion planning, while homography transformations corrected camera perspectives for accurate defect localization. The intelligent system successfully mitigated surface anomalies without interrupting the print process. By combining real-time thermal regulation, motion control, and intelligent defect detection & correction, this architecture establishes a scalable and adaptive robotic additive manufacturing framework suitable for aerospace, biomedical, and industrial applications.