3D Printing : How it works, Types, Advantages , Disadvantages+ Much More ! Find Your Manufacturing Inspiration!
Abstract:
3D printing is a manufacturing process that creates physical objects from digital models using a variety of technologies: Additive manufacturing: The umbrella term for 3D printing, which is inspired by the idea of adding material together.
Stereolithography (SLA): A precise technology that uses a UV laser to cure liquid photopolymer resin.
Binder jetting: A technology that uses a powder base material and a liquid binder to create parts layer by layer.
Digital light process (DLP): A technology that projects an image across a material vat using UV light.
Selective laser sintering (SLS): A technology that uses materials commonly used in the plastics industry.
Fused deposition modeling (FDM): A 3D printing technology.
Multi jet fusion (MJF): A 3D printing technology.
PolyJet: A 3D printing technology.
Direct metal laser sintering (DMLS): A 3D printing technology.
Electron beam melting (EBM): A 3D printing technology.
3D printing is used in a variety of industries, including automotive and manufacturing, to create tools and parts.
Keywords
3D printing , Electron beam melting, PolyJet, Multi jet fusion, Fused deposition modeling, Selective laser sintering , Stereolithography, Additive Manufacturing
Learning Outcomes
After undergoing this article you will be able to understand the following
1. What's 3D Printing?
2. What materials can be used?
3. What's the History of 3D Printing?
4. What Technologies are used in 3D printing?
5. What's the types of processes in 3D?
6. What's the Advantages of 3D Printing
7. What's the disadvantages of 3D Printing ?
8. What is an STL file?
9. Application of 3D in Industries
10. Conclusions
11. FAQs
References
1. What's 3D Printing?
3D printing is an additive manufacturing process that uses a digital model to create a physical object by layering material:
How it works
A computer-aided design (CAD) is sliced into thin layers, which are then fused together to create the final object.
Materials
3D printing can use a variety of materials, including plastic, metal, resin, and even living stem cells.
Benefits
3D printing is different from subtractive manufacturing, which cuts a final design from a larger block of material. 3D printing can create complex shapes with less waste and often at a lower cost.
Uses
3D printing is used in many industries, including manufacturing, automotive, fashion, and aerospace.
History
The first commercial 3D printer, the SLA-1, was released in 1987 or 1988 by 3D Systems Corporation.
2. What materials can be used in 3D printing?
A variety of materials can be used in 3D printing, including:
Plastics
Common plastics used in 3D printing include ABS, PC, and polyamide (nylon). High-performance polymers are strong but lighter than metals and are used in the aerospace, automotive, and medical sectors.
Wood
Wood-based filaments are a composite of PLA and wood dust, cork, and other powdered wood derivatives.
Carbon
Carbon is extremely strong but lighter than other materials.
Metal
Metals such as steel, titanium, and aluminum are used in 3D printing. Steel is strong and fatigue-resistant, while titanium is light, strong, and biocompatible. Aluminum is lightweight and versatile, and is resistant to corrosion.
Fiber-reinforced concrete
Fiber-reinforced concrete is used in 3D construction printing and contains additional fibers to improve its strength and crack resistance.
Bioinks
Bioinks are used for printing living tissue or organs.
Plant-based filaments
Plant-based filaments include soy-based, algae-based, and seaweed-based materials.
Paper pulp
Paper pulp is mixed with a natural binder and pumped through a tube to be deposited on the print bed.
3. What's the History of 3D Printing?
In the 1980s the first ever 3D printer was patented by Chuck Hull. It used a technique which he called stereolithography (SLA) which is still in use today. The printer functioned by curing, or hardening, successive layers of photosensitive resin one on top of another to gradually build up an object.
4. What Technologies are used in 3D printing?
There are several different 3D printing technologies, including:
Fused deposition modeling (FDM)
A popular technology that uses inexpensive materials and equipment to create 3D geometries by extruding thermoplastic filaments.
Selective laser sintering (SLS)
A popular technology that can produce durable, accurate parts in bulk.
Digital light processing (DLP)
A technology that uses UV light to solidify liquid photopolymer. It's fast and has a simple hardware mechanism.
Electron beam melting
A metal 3D printing technology that uses an electron beam to melt metal powder.
Binder jetting
A technology that uses a liquid binder and powdered material to print large, complex parts.
Material jetting
A technology that uses liquified material droplets to build layers. It can use different materials on the same object.
Selective laser melting (SLM)
A technology that uses a high intensity infrared laser beam to melt metal powder. It can produce parts in common engineering metals and alloys.
Stereolithography (SLA)
A technology that uses light to cause chemical monomers to link together and form polymers. It's often used for large-scale 3D printing.
5. What's the types of processes in 3D printing?
There are many types of 3D printing processes, including:
Selective laser sintering (SLS)
An advanced process that uses a laser to fuse powder together into complex shapes.
Fused deposition modeling (FDM)
A common process that uses a thin filament of plastic wire that is melted and extruded onto a build plate.
Stereolithography
A process that uses a photo-reactive resin to create additive layers of material.
Electron beam melting
A high-tech process that uses a laser beam to melt powder particles that are deposited onto a print bed.
Binder jetting
A process that uses a binder to make parts from metal, sand, or ceramic powders.
Digital light processing (DLP)
A process that uses a projector to cure photopolymer resin.
Material jetting
A process that deposits material from an inkjet printhead, similar to traditional 2D printers.
6. What's the Advantages of 3D Printing?
3D printing has many advantages, including:
Customization
3D printing is easy to customize because it doesn't require tooling or molds, so there's no upfront investment.
Cost-effective
3D printing can be cost-effective for startups and small businesses because it allows them to produce items on demand.
Flexible design
3D printing allows for the design and printing of complex shapes that would be difficult or impossible to produce using traditional methods.
Rapid prototyping
3D printing can quickly produce parts, which speeds up the prototyping process.
Sustainability
3D printing is more sustainable than traditional manufacturing because it doesn't require cutting down trees or mining for materials. 3D-printed products can also be recycled or reused.
Accessibility
3D printing has been used to create assistive technology like casts for broken bones, prosthetic limbs, and wheelchairs.
Minimizing waste
3D printers use the exact amount of material needed for construction, so there's less waste.
Print on demand
3D printing doesn't require a lot of space to stock inventory, unlike traditional manufacturing processes.
7. What's the disadvantages of 3D Printing ?
Like with almost any other process there are also drawbacks of 3D printing technology which should be considered before opting to use this process.
Limited Materials.
Restricted Build Size.
Post Processing.
Large Volumes.
Part Structure.
Reduction in Manufacturing Jobs.
Design Inaccuracies.
Copyright Issues.
Cost
8. What is an STL file for 3D printing?
An STL file is a file format used for 3D printing that describes the surface of a 3D model using a series of triangles. STL stands for stereolithography, a popular 3D printing technology.
Here are some things to know about STL files:
File extension: STL files have a .stl file extension.
Creation: STL files are usually created in a CAD environment.
Uses: STL files are used for 3D printing, rapid prototyping, and additive manufacturing.
Complexity: The more complex the design, the more triangles are used and the higher the resolution.
Size: Simple geometry files may only be a few hundred kilobytes, while complex models can be 1–5 MB.
Transformation: Before printing, the STL file is transformed into G-code, which is the printing machine code.
Rules: STL files follow certain rules, such as the vertex to vertex rule, which states that each triangle must share two vertices with its neighbors.
9. Application of 3D in Industries
3D printing and 3D modeling are used in many industries, including:
Healthcare: 3D printing is used to make patient-specific implants, surgical planning models, and prosthetic limbs. 3D printing can improve patient comfort and functionality, and reduce costs and recovery time.
Fashion: 3D printing can be used to make customized glasses and apparel with complex designs and unusual shapes.
Pharmaceuticals: 3D printing can be used to make tissues for testing drug side effects and validating safe dosages.
Food: 3D printing could be used to produce large amounts of fruits, vegetables, and meat.
Manufacturing: 3D printing can be used to make vital components faster and at a lower cost.
Industrial mock-ups: 3D printing can be used to make lightweight, sturdy, and precise mock-ups.
Gaming: 3D models are used in gaming.
Architecture: 3D modeling is used in architecture.
Entertainment: 3D modeling is used in entertainment.
Publishing: 3D modeling is used in publishing.
Advertising and marketing: 3D modeling is used in advertising and marketing.
Geology and science: 3D modeling is used in geology and science.
10. Conclusions
3D printing has had a significant impact on many industries, including manufacturing, healthcare, construction, and oil and gas:
Manufacturing
3D printing has revolutionized manufacturing by allowing for the creation of customized products, complex geometries, and the use of new materials. 3D printing can also save materials, reduce warehousing and shipping costs, and shorten time to market.
Healthcare
3D printing has improved precision and cut costs in healthcare, leading to shorter recovery periods. For example, 3D printing can be used to create patient-specific implants and surgical planning models.
Construction
3D printing can offer low-cost, efficient, and environmentally responsible solutions for the construction industry.
Oil and gas
3D printing can be used in the oil and gas industry to create safer and more efficient products and assets.
Sustainability
3D printing can help companies reduce energy consumption and practice optimum utilization of resources. For example, Adidas has introduced a type of sneaker that can be destroyed and remade into new pairs.
11. FAQs
Q. What's 3D Printers?
Ans.
Different types of 3D Printing is basically different types of 3D Printer.
The 3D Printer which is most used is FDM.
The basic component of a 3D printer is
Print Platform
Print Head
Extruder
Filament Sensor
Filament
Components for XYZ Motion
SD Card Slot
Q. What's the Process of 3D printing?
Ans.
This point portraits the complete process of 3D Printing
- Ideation: The first thing before designing obviously is ideation.
- Designing: Then comes designing. Whatever we thing must first be in the digital file. There is various software available for designing like TinkerCAD, AutoCAD, etc. The one we are going to use is TinkerCAD. It is a free web application to design. The file is then stored is in the form of .STL accepted by the slicing software.
- Slicing: As we know 3D Printer prints object layer-by-layer. It is time to slice the object in layers. For this, we are going to use Slicer. Out of many available, the one we are using is CURA. It is also free software. Once you go through the software you will find that there are a number of options or settings available to change. Each one of them holds special duty.
- Uploading to the SD Card: Once sliced, the file is then downloaded into an SD Card. It converts .STL file into G-Code. As printers only work on gcode. Once we have gcode in the Card. Insert the SD Card into the card slot.
- Choose the filament: Next thing you need to do is decide the filament color and material that you want to use.
- Setup the Printer: Next, you need to insert the filament into the printhead through extruder via the nozzle.
- Start Printing: Once you insert the filament, it’s time to bring our design into a physical model. Press Print to start the printing.
- Remove the Model: Once printing is completed, take out the model from the print bed using a spatula.
- Post Processing: You may need to remove the supports if present for a smooth model. You can even paint the model as you like.
References
ScienceDirect.com
https://manufacturingitsummit.com
https://www.aurum3d.com
https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com
https://zmorph3d.com
Jabil.com
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