Geometrical Accuracy Analysis of an Additively Manufactured Upper Arm Link for Space-Based Exoskeleton Applications

Though Additive Manufacturing (AM) has emerged as a transformative technology in recent years, its adoption in production-grade settings has been limited due to concerns about the geometrical performance of additively manufactured components. Dimensional inconsistency is a long-standing challenge in AM, underscoring the need for efficient and standardized methods to quantify geometric quality. While various methods have been explored on geometric deviations, there is still a need for a standardized, comprehensive quantitative approach to characterize the deviations between AM-built parts and their respective CAD models. This study aimed to develop a point-cloud-based workflow to evaluate the geometrical accuracy of a high-precision exoskeleton component. An optical 3D scanner was used to capture the actual geometry and generate a detailed point cloud of as-built parts, which was then processed through a MATLAB-implemented Volumetric Data Analysis (VDA) algorithm. The developed workflow enables quantified evaluation of localized deviations, providing an interpretable and repeatable method for assessing dimensional fidelity in AM-built parts. The results demonstrate that the proposed workflow provides a robust analytical foundation for future studies and supports continued refinement toward a standardized geometric assessment framework applicable to a wide range of materials and AM processes.