3D printing process selection model based on triangular intuitionistic fuzzy numbers in cloud manufacturing

The distributed and customized 3D printing can be realized by 3D printing services in a cloud manufacturing environment. As a growing number of 3D printers are becoming accessible on various 3D printing service platforms, there raises the concern over the validation of virtual product designs and their manufacturing procedures for novices as well as users with 3D printing experience before physical products are produced through the cloud platform. This paper presents a 3D model to help users validate their designs and requirements not only in the traditional digital 3D model properties like shape and size, but also in physical material properties and manufacturing properties when producing physical products like surface roughness, print accuracy and part cost. These properties are closely related to the process of 3D printing and materials. In order to establish the 3D model, the paper analyzes the model of the 3D printing process selection in the cloud platform. Triangular intuitionistic fuzzy numbers are applied to generate a set of 3D printers with the same process and material. Based on the 3D printing process selection model, users can establish the 3D model and validate their designs and requirements on physical material properties and manufacturing properties before printing physical products.