Adaptive Layer Slicing for Variable-Diameter 3D Printing

Overview

A proof-of-concept adaptive slicing algorithm built for Aptus Tech's variable-nozzle-diameter print head — using cusp height to decide, region by region, where a model needs finer layers — plus a controlled benchmark quantifying whether the idea is worth building.

What I built

• Designed a cusp-height-based adaptive slicing algorithm that inserts finer sub-perimeters only where surface curvature demands it.
• Evaluated and rejected OpenGL, Assimp, and Slic3r before extending an existing open-source Python slicer instead of building one from scratch.
• Ran a controlled benchmark across three geometries (cube, sphere, ring) and three slicing strategies, isolating the algorithm's effect from the printer's.
• Quantified the trade-off: 18.54% more print time than a coarse baseline to match the precision of a full fine-diameter print, which itself costs 147.7% more time.