StressPath 1.35 | Stress-informed structural printing

stresspath

Developed by Teng TengBased on the IASS 2023 paper ↗

v1.35 · Material

2D · Design

Your canvas

Portal frame

5 nodes · 4 membersReady to explore

Open case

Grid

Largest axial force

—N

Largest bending moment

—N·mm

Peak movement ≈

—mm

Tension + / Compression −

Drag a node to reshape. Select anything to edit.X 0 · Y 0 mm

TOOLPATH & LAYER STACK

From force to fill

Longitudinal in tension. Transverse in compression. Connected through the joints.

Display mode Display line · px0.65

Thin centerlines; screen line width stays fixed when zooming.

Base width · mmDeposited bead · mm

Orientation rule Allow local widening

Add tapered width for narrow fill or unresolved path connections. Added material is shown in green.

Redistribute node fill

Move node curves and adjacent fill into remaining gaps while retaining tensile runs and bead spacing.

Section & analysis

Section depth · mm

Width is in the drawing plane; depth is out of plane. Changing either updates the rectangular section in analysis: A = width × depth; I = depth × width³ / 12.

Axial + bending uses N/A − M·y/I. Junction fill is routed geometrically.

Updates automatically after design changes.

Build thickness · 3D

Available after the path finishes. Disperse eligible splices across multiple layer layouts.

Total thickness · mmLayer height · mm

Stagger layer splicesMinimum lap · bead widthsMaximum shift · bead widths

Layer splices are planned when 3D opens.

Reconnects short foldbacks at other positions and avoids recent seam alignment. Lap follows the strand around turns. Remaining aligned seams are reported below; this is not a verified bond strength.

View

Complete the path to build a layer stack.

Actual toolpath · machine parameters

Generic Marlin-style XYZ/E. The same placed coordinates feed the 3D nozzle view, Rhino file and G-code. Set these values for your machine.

Build X · mmBuild Y · mm

Build Z · mmXY edge margin · mm

Nozzle · °CPrint bed · °C

Waits for heating before motion; 0 turns a heater off without waiting. Both heaters turn off at the end.

Print · mm/sTravel XY · mm/s

Travel Z · mm/sZ clearance · mm

Extrusion calibration

Filament diameter · mmFlow multiplier

Retract · E unitsRetract · E units/s

Nominal flow = bead width × actual layer height × distance × flow multiplier. Calibrate for your material. Layer links do not deposit material. G-code sets temperatures and waits for heating. It assumes a homed, prepared printer; purge and printer-specific start/end routines are not included.

Complete a path to generate XYZ motion.

—Separate paths · target 1

—Area covered

Printing distance—

Loop splices—

Boundary tie continuity—

Tensile member ends—

Interior tensile continuity—

Longitudinal tensile runs—

Existing longitudinal tensile runs are protected from splice cuts, including straight runs across aligned members. Every interior tensile strand must continue into the shared node core. Export requires one uninterrupted deposition path, no travel, and every required tensile strand entering the node core. Failed continuity or geometric checks block export; remaining gaps need review. Continuity alone does not verify joint strength.

Min. sampled spacing—

Crowded path length—

Wide gap area—

Spacing view: red marks lanes below 88% of bead width; amber marks uncovered gaps at least 25% of bead width. Turns are excluded from the spacing sample. Flow is not simulated.

Travel · mm—

Local widening—

Local path repair—

Node gap reduction—

Routing clearance—

Nominal overlap ≈—

Preview options

Show tensile strand checks & node coresShow node connection collarsShow widening & original boundaryShow travel movesNumber path startsHighlight uncovered area

Export single layer

Path data uses millimetres. Export requires one continuous path with no non-printing travel. Blocked previews remain available for inspection.

What this preview models

Constant-width beads in one flat layer. Coverage uses swept bead geometry. Sharp turns, flow, material properties and joint stresses require physical validation. Printed geometry does not create the hinges used in an idealized analysis.

Design tools

See how it behaves

Explore forces and movement as you reshape your frame.

Show movement

Dashed lines amplify movement for visibility. Force colors show the axial resultant.

Display options

AmplificationAutomatic

Node & member IDsForce valuesSupport reactions

Material & section Advanced

Material stiffness · E MPa = N/mm²

Area · mm²Inertia · mm⁴

These properties apply to every member. Area controls axial stiffness; inertia controls bending stiffness.

About this model

2D, linear elastic frame analysis. Straight members with rigid or hinged joints. Small displacements; no buckling, plasticity or shear deformation. Drawn crossings connect automatically. Reloading resets the sketch.

Material distribution

Assign recipes to the deposited path

Module

Selected region

Generate a toolpath to preview deposited materials.

LayersLayer 1

Left: select / inspect · Right drag: navigate · Wheel: zoom. Regions use module-local millimetres.

Materials

Set a default, then add regions.

Your material regions

Overlapping areas use the last region in this list.

Blend along the path

Blend length · mm

How far the mixture blends when one continuous toolpath enters a different material. 0 = an abrupt change.

Material switching delay

If the material exits later than commanded, enter the delay measured along the printed path. Use 0 until measured.

Measured material delay · mm Compensate for delay

More: mixing inside the nozzle

Measured nozzle mixing length · mm

Save & print

Keep your design and materials to continue later.

More tools

Plan statistics

Inspect mixtures along the path

Distance along path · mm

Portal frame

Material distribution

Spatial Howe

Import 3DM / DWG