3D Printing of Topographic Map Based on UV Ink-Jet Printer

Traditional maps have the characteristics of high and low terrain, using the method of contour. Although contour map can express relief form, the stereo sense is not intuitive. In this paper, according to the characteristics of UV inkjet printer, the designed test pattern was printed, different colors of ink layer thickness was measured to establish a quantitative relationship between ink thickness and ink layers. The contour map of Taiwan was chosen, in graphics processing software, to extract the contour vector image according to its elevation. According to the relationship between ink thickness and ink layers, the corresponding relation table between the actual elevation and ink layers was established. Layered corresponding table was designed, according to the contour of layered principle. The experimental result shows that the color topographic map with stereoscopic effect can be obtained, through UV ink-jet printer.