The motion control architecture of the consumer-oriented New Matter MOD-t 3D Printer is presented with particular emphasis on path planning. Hardware selection and firmware architecture are discussed in light of product requirements, followed by successive stages of motion control capability. The result, with 5 orthogonal, feedback-controlled DOF on a Cortex M3 micro with FreeRTOS, processes million-segment paths with reduced hardware complexity and simplified user requirements.
From follicle implanters to space-flight fiber optics, Derek thrives on innovating technical solutions to multidisciplinary challenges. At New Matter, he is responsible for all hardware and firmware. Over the last 20 years, he has worked on telecom, medical, industrial, and defense products at startups and global behemoths, incorporating force-feedback robotics, industrial-scale solar trackers, and laser-initiated pyrotechnics.