Non-orthogonal additive manufacturing and the treatment of parts manufactured thereof

A 3D printer comprising:

• a gantry;
• and
• an extruder assembly, wherein the extruder assembly is operably attached to the gantry, and wherein the extruder assembly is configured to print a material in a printing plane and the printing plane forms a first angle with a horizontal plane;
• wherein the 3D printer is configured to:
• determine an allowed maximum layer time and an allowed minimum layer time, at least in part, using a bead width and properties of the material;
• determine a layer time for a 3D part comprising at least one overhang or hollow section, wherein the layer time depends on i) a cross sectional area, in the printing plane, of the 3D part, ii) a print speed of the 3D printer, iii) the bead width of the material, or iv) any combination thereof;
• rotate the extruder assembly so that the printing plane forms an adjusted angle with the horizontal plane, the adjusted angle increasing or decreasing the cross sectional area of the 3D part to be printed in such a way as to maintain the layer time between the allowed maximum layer time and the allowed minimum layer time;
• and
• deposit a layer of the material on a receiving surface,
• wherein the 3D part is printed without support material under the at least one overhang or hollow section.