Glaze Artist using openPOWERLINK (Decentralised Printing system)

Concept paper
Introduction:
With lot of Revolutions happening in the industry of 3D printing, I believe there will be
a demand for a special type of machine which should be used for Glazing over 3D objects
which are either used created by 3D printer or not created by 3D printer.
The Glaze Artist is going to be a revolutionary machine which is going to change the
way of printing over 3D objects like mug, cup, Ice, earthen pot, Ceramic objects, Rapid
prototyped products etc.,. The traditional/ current method for designing/printing over these
objects are by using hand carvings/painting for earthen pot and Ceramic object, Cutting using
various tools manually for Ice structures, linear stickers pasted on a circular cup, Among these
stickers are found to be the most efficient way of working, but it has limitations like, the object
should be exactly circular with same external diameter. So, we are making this device which
can make the printing in real-time irrespective of shape of object.
Glaze artist is type of simple machine with very less/ no separate processor for
working, instead it depends upon the PC/laptop/Server to which it is connected through
Ethernet cable . On embedded part, it contains just few sensors a control /driver system for
driving the actuators and Ethernet port with embedded openPOWERLINK. It consists of
actuators which can make the printing pointer to move in 3 degrees of freedom and
accomplish the printing task. It can make the task of printing faster, efficient, and accurate.

Use of openPOWERLINK:
The main purpose of using openPOWERLINK is in order to reduce the embedded
systems part used inside a printer, and using openPOWERLINK the current status and position
of actuators is given to the PC/server and the instantaneous control of which actuator to be
ON/OFF will be said by the computer/server.
One of the major component of the project is openPOWERLINK, which is open source
software used for Real-time and deterministic communication which make a hardware stack
and syncs object dictionary at a defined regular interval. It is used for communication
between PC/Laptop and Glaze artist and even with other Glaze Artist machines. In this model,
a laptop/server will be Managing Node (MN) and Glaze artist will be Controlled Node (CN).
Thus, it can even allow multiple Glaze Artist being connected to the server without any
difficulties and can perform the printing action with identical or variant patterns/designs with
independent control of every Glaze artist.

Hardware stack:
PI_OUT (From server to Glaze Artist):
o
o
o
o
o

PI_IN (From Glaze Artist to server):

Actuator 1 movement
Actuator 2 movement
Actuator 3 movement
Pointer
Status

o
o
o
o

Actuator 1 position
Actuator 2 Position
Actuator 3 position
Status

Glaze Artist Interface/ Working Procedure:

1. Connect Glaze artist with the server/PC using Ethernet and running
openPOWERLINK over it.
2. The user makes the design in the software given and selects print operation.
3. The whole design is analysed and Function is generated for each variant
pattern or design and small image map of design is created in the system.
4. openPOWERLINK driver starts syncing current position of the actuators and
generates the movement needed to be done, and sends the data (next time
frame actuator movement) to Glaze Artist.
5. The sensors present in the Glaze artist get the new data and syncs it with server
and gets new actuator movement control.
6. The whole printing process is accomplished by repeating the steps 3 and 4
again and again until the whole pattern has been printed.

Other added advantages of using openPOWERLINK:

The exact printing status machine can be showed on the server/PC with even
exact error detection.
Non-requirement of separate embedded devices to control the devices.
Follows the exact WYSIWYG (What You See Is What You Get) model where if a
complex design is loaded/ created in the system is surely compatible with the
Glaze artist with no doubt.
It can contain approximately 42 variables in the payload and thus it can sync in
less than 10us (microseconds).
Because of this much sync speed it can support very high resolution and very
high density pattern (approximately 1 million pixels/cm).
Can support more Glaze artist at the same time allowing more scalability and
flexibility without reduction in performance.

Advantages of Glaze Artist:

Support for very high density designs/patterns.

Cheaper machine design due to non-existence of separate processor or
memory unit or display unit.
Makes more precise design/patterns with long time repeatability
characteristics due to error detection and control mechanism managed by
server software.
Involves very less or no maintenance due to automatic error detection and
control.
Accomplishes the task much faster as it involves rapid data exchange rate and
precision control.
Consumes less power due to less electronic parts and the process threat
(Printer control) being shared between the server.
Tells user about the exact real time progress of the printing operation.
Follows exact WYSIWYG (What You See Is What You Get) model where all the
operations can be done using the same machine without

Future Scope:
The Initial plans of the proposed system includes making direct printing or writing over
a 3D object with variable diameter which can be used for printing over plastic bottles without
wrapping a label over them. It is thus expected to be eco-friendly product as it can help reduce
the use of the wrapping covers and instead printing over the circular objects or bottles.
It is proposed as a universal standard tool which can be used for plotting over a 3D
object , with various tools an controls enabling it to perform processes like Carving, moulding,
partial heat treatment based designing etc.,.