To date, slicing algorithms for additive manufacturing is the most effective for favourable triangular mesh topologies; worst-case models, where a large percentage of triangles intersect each slice plane, take significantly longer to slice than a like-for-like file. In larger files, this results in a significant slicing duration, when models are both worst cases and contain more than 100,000 triangles. The research presented here introduces a slicing algorithm which can slice worst-case large models effectively. A new algorithm is implemented utilising an efficient contour construction method, with further adaptations, which make the algorithm suitable for all model topologies. Edge matching, which is an advanced sorting method, decreases the number of sorts per edge from n total number of intersections to two, alongside additional micro-optimisations that deliver the enhanced efficient contour construction algorithm. The algorithm was able to slice a worst-case model of 2.5 million triangles in the 1025s. Maximum improvement was measured as 9400% over the standard efficient contour construction method. Improvements were also observed in all parts in excess of 1000 triangles. The slicing algorithm presented offers novel methods that address the failings of other algorithms described in literature to slice worst-case models effectively.

迄今为止，增材制造的切片算法对于有利的三角形网格拓扑结构是最有效的。最坏的情况是模型，其中很大比例的三角形与每个切片平面相交，因此切片所需的时间明显长于同类文件。在较大的文件中，当模型都是最坏的情况并且包含超过100,000个三角形时，这将导致很长的切片时间。这里提出的研究引入了一种切片算法，该算法可以有效地分割最坏情况的大型模型。利用有效的轮廓构造方法实施了新算法，并进行了进一步的调整，使该算法适用于所有模型拓扑。边缘匹配是一种高级排序方法，可将每个边缘的排序次数从n个减少交点总数达到两个，同时进行了附加的微优化，这些优化提供了增强的高效轮廓构造算法。该算法能够对1025年代250万个三角形的最坏情况模型进行切片。与标准的有效轮廓构造方法相比，最大改进为9400％。在超过1000个三角形的所有零件中也观察到了改进。提出的切片算法提供了新颖的方法，可以解决文献中描述的其他算法无法有效切片最坏情况的模型的缺点。