A critical issue in additive manufacturing (AM) is the control of the printer actuators such that the deposition of material (or a few different materials) takes place in an organized way. Typically, the actuators are connected with a low-level controller that can receive computer numerical control (CNC) instruction. A 3D printer controller is, usually, expected to receive a set of CNC instructions in a format called G-Code, where a set of control instructions is provided. These instructions include the necessary settings for the printer to work (e.g., a temperature setup) and printer head movement instructions (e.g., the x-, y-, and z- positions in reference axes). The set of the printer actuators positions, where some operations take place, is called the printer path. Path planning or generation corresponds to the computation of the printer head trajectory during a period of time where the object is to be built. A five-degree of freedom/5-axis 3D printer that considers a hybrid process based on additive manufacturing of composites with long or short fibers reinforced thermoplastic matrix is being addressed in this book.
