How To Set Up A 3d Printer

The Free Beginner's Guide

Welcome to 3DPI"s Beginner's Guide to 3D Printing. Whether you are new to 3D press technology or simply looking to close a few knowledge gaps, we're glad you stopped by. Past at present, most of us have heard, at some level, almost the potential of 3D printing. Merely with this guide we are offering insights into the history and the reality of 3D printing — the processes, materials and applications — as well as measured thoughts on where information technology might exist heading. We promise you lot'll find this to be one of the most comprehensive 3D printing resources available, and that no matter what your skill level is, there volition be plenty in here to encounter your needs.

Are y'all ready? Let's get started !

01 - Basics

01 – 3D Press Basics

3D Printing — also known as additive manufacturing — has been quoted in the Financial Times and by other sources as potentially being larger than the Internet. Some believe this is truthful. Many others urge that this is part of the extraordinary hype that exists around this very exciting engineering area. And then what really is 3D press, who more often than not uses 3D printers and what for ?

Overview

The term 3D printing covers a host of processes and technologies that offer a full spectrum of capabilities for the production of parts and products in unlike materials. Essentially, what all of the processes and technologies take in common is the manner in which production is carried out layer by layer in an additive process which is in dissimilarity to traditional methods of product involving subtractive methods or moulding/casting processes. Applications of 3D printing are emerging almost past the day, and, as this technology continues to penetrate more than widely and securely beyond industrial, maker and consumer sectors, this is just set to increase. Most reputable commentators on this technology sector agree that, every bit of today, we are only but beginning to encounter the truthful potential of 3D press. 3DPI, a reliable media source for 3D printing, brings you lot all of the latest news, views, process developments and applications as they emerge in this exciting field. This overview commodity aims to provide the 3DPI audience with a reliable backgrounder on 3D printing in terms of what it is (technologies, processes and materials), its history, application areas and benefits

Introduction – What is 3D printing ?

3D Printing is a procedure for making a physical object from a iii-dimensional digital model, typically past laying downwards many successive sparse layers of a material. It brings a digital object (its CAD representation) into its concrete form by adding layer by layer of materials.

There are several different techniques to 3D Print an object. We will become in further details later in the Guide. 3D Printing brings two fundamental innovations: the manipulation of objects in their digital format and the manufacturing of new shapes by improver of material.

Digital

Additive Manufacturing

Technology has affected recent human history probably more than any other field. Recall of a light bulb, steam engine or, more latterly, cars and aeroplanes, not to mention the rise and rise of the world broad web. These technologies have made our lives meliorate in many ways, opened up new avenues and possibilities, simply commonly it takes time, sometimes fifty-fifty decades, before the truly confusing nature of the technology becomes credible.

It is widely believed that 3D press or additive manufacturing (AM) has the vast potential to become one of these technologies. 3D printing has now been covered across many tv channels, in mainstream newspapers and beyond online resources. What actually is this 3D printing that some accept claimed will put an end to traditional manufacturing as nosotros know information technology, revolutionize design and impose geopolitical, economic, social, demographic, environmental and security implications to our every day lives?

The almost bones, differentiating principle behind 3D printing is that information technology is an additive manufacturing process. And this is indeed the primal because 3D printing is a radically different manufacturing method based on advanced applied science that builds upwardly parts, additively, in layers at the sub mm scale. This is fundamentally unlike from whatsoever other existing traditional manufacturing techniques.

There are a number of limitations to traditional manufacturing, which has widely been based on man labour and made past manus credo rooting dorsum to the etymological origins of the French word for manufacturing itself. Nevertheless, the globe of manufacturing has changed, and automated processes such as machining, casting, forming and moulding are all (relatively) new, circuitous processes that require machines, computers and robot engineering.

However, these technologies all demand subtracting material from a larger block whether to achieve the end product itself or to produce a tool for casting or moulding processes and this is a serious limitation within the overall manufacturing procedure.

For many applications traditional design and production processes impose a number of unacceptable constraints, including the expensive tooling as mentioned above, fixtures, and the need for associates for complex parts. In addition, the subtractive manufacturing processes, such as machining, can consequence in up to ninety% of the original block of material being wasted. In contrast, 3D printing is a procedure for creating objects directly, by calculation material layer by layer in a diverseness of ways, depending on the technology used. Simplifying the ideology behind 3D press, for anyone that is still trying to understand the concept (and there are many), it could be likened to the procedure of edifice something with Lego blocks automatically.

3D printing is an enabling applied science that encourages and drives innovation with unprecedented design liberty while being a tool-less process that reduces prohibitive costs and pb times. Components can be designed specifically to avoid assembly requirements with intricate geometry and complex features created at no actress price. 3D press is also emerging as an energy-efficient technology that can provide environmental efficiencies in terms of both the manufacturing process itself, utilising upwardly to 90% of standard materials, and throughout the products operating life, through lighter and stronger design.

In contempo years, 3D printing has gone across existence an industrial prototyping and manufacturing process as the technology has become more accessible to small companies and even individuals. Once the domain of huge, multi-national corporations due to the scale and economics of owning a 3D printer, smaller (less capable) 3D printers tin can now exist acquired for under $thousand.

This has opened up the applied science to a much wider audience, and equally the exponential adoption rate continues quickly on all fronts, more and more systems, materials, applications, services and ancillaries are emerging.

02 - History

02 – History of 3D Printing

The earliest 3D printing technologies first became visible in the tardily 1980's, at which time they were called Rapid Prototyping (RP) technologies. This is because the processes were originally conceived equally a fast and more price-effective method for creating prototypes for product development within industry. As an interesting aside, the very showtime patent application for RP technology was filed by a Dr Kodama, in Japan, in May 1980. Unfortunately for Dr Kodama, the total patent specification was after not filed before the i yr borderline after the awarding, which is particularly disastrous because that he was a patent lawyer! In existent terms, however, the origins of 3D press can be traced back to 1986, when the first patent was issued for stereolithography appliance (SLA). This patent belonged to ane Charles (Chuck) Hull, who first invented his SLA machine in 1983. Hull went on to co-plant 3D Systems Corporation — one of the largest and most prolific organizations operating in the 3D press sector today.

3D Systems' offset commercial RP system, the SLA-1, was introduced in 1987 and following rigorous testing the kickoff of these system was sold in 1988. Equally is fairly typical with new technology, while SLA tin claim to exist the get-go past the starting post, it was not the merely RP technology in development at this time, for, in 1987, Carl Deckard, who was working at the University of Texas, filed a patent in the US for the Selective Laser Sintering (SLS) RP process. This patent was issued in 1989 and SLS was afterwards licensed to DTM Inc, which was later acquired by 3D Systems. 1989 was besides the year that Scott Crump, a co-founder of Stratasys Inc. filed a patent for Fused Deposition Modelling (FDM) — the proprietary engineering that is notwithstanding held by the company today, but is besides the process used by many of the entry-level machines, based on the open source RepRap model, that are prolific today. The FDM patent was issued to Stratasys in 1992. In Europe, 1989 also saw the formation of EOS GmbH in Deutschland, founded past Hans Langer. Afterward a dalliance with SL processes, EOS' R&D focus was placed heavily on the laser sintering (LS) process, which has continued to go from strength to forcefulness. Today, the EOS systems are recognized around the world for their quality output for industrial prototyping and product applications of 3D printing. EOS sold its first 'Stereos' system in 1990. The company's directly metal light amplification by stimulated emission of radiation sintering (DMLS) process resulted from an initial project with a sectionalization of Electrolux Republic of finland, which was later acquired by EOS.

Other 3D printing technologies and processes were likewise emerging during these years, namely Ballistic Particle Manufacturing (BPM) originally patented by William Masters, Laminated Object Manufacturing (LOM) originally patented by Michael Feygin, Solid Ground Curing (SGC) originally patented by Itzchak Pomerantz et al and 'iii dimensional printing' (3DP) originally patented past Emanuel Sachs et al. And and so the early nineties witnessed a growing number of competing companies in the RP market just simply three of the originals remain today — 3D Systems, EOS and Stratasys.

Throughout the 1990'due south and early 2000's a host of new technologies continued to exist introduced, still focused wholly on industrial applications and while they were still largely processes for prototyping applications, R&D was also being conducted past the more than advanced technology providers for specific tooling, casting and direct manufacturing applications. This saw the emergence of new terminology, namely Rapid Tooling (RT), Rapid Casting and Rapid Manufacturing (RM) respectively.

In terms of commercial operations, Sanders Paradigm (later Solidscape) and ZCorporation were prepare in 1996, Arcam was established in 1997, Objet Geometries launched in 1998, MCP Technologies (an established vacuum casting OEM) introduced the SLM technology in 2000, EnvisionTec was founded in 2002, ExOne was established in 2005 every bit a spin-off from the Extrude Hone Corporation and Sciaky Inc was pioneering its own condiment process based on its proprietary electron beam welding technology. These companies all served to swell the ranks of Western companies operating beyond a global market. The terminology had also evolved with a proliferation of manufacturing applications and the accustomed umbrella term for all of the processes was Additive Manufacturing (AM). Notably, there were many parallel developments taking place in the Eastern hemisphere. However, these technologies, while significant in themselves and enjoying some local success, did not really touch the global market place at that fourth dimension.

During the mid noughties, the sector started to show signs of distinct diversification with 2 specific areas of emphasis that are much more clearly defined today. Kickoff, there was the high end of 3D printing, still very expensive systems, which were geared towards function product for loftier value, highly engineered, complex parts. This is still ongoing — and growing — but the results are merely now really starting to go visible in product applications beyond the aerospace, automotive, medical and fine jewellery sectors, as years of R&D and qualification are now paying off. A great deal still remains behind closed doors and/or nether non-disclosure agreements (NDA). At the other terminate of the spectrum, some of the 3D press arrangement manufacturers were developing and advancing 'concept modellers', as they were chosen at the time. Specifically, these were 3D printers that kept the focus on improving concept development and functional prototyping, that were being adult specifically as part- and convenient, cost-effective systems. The prelude to today's desktop machines. However, these systems were all still very much for industrial applications.

Looking back, this was really the calm before the storm.

At the lower end of the market — the 3D printers that today are seen as being in the mid range — a toll war emerged together with incremental improvements in printing accuracy, speed and materials.

In 2007, the market place saw the start arrangement nether $10,000 from 3D Systems, but this never quite hit the mark that it was supposed to. This was partly due to the organisation itself, just also other marketplace influences. The holy grail at that fourth dimension was to get a 3D printer under $5000 — this was seen by many industry insiders, users and commentators as the fundamental to opening upwards 3D printing technology to a much wider audition. For much of that yr, the inflow of the highly-anticipated Desktop Manufacturing plant — which many predicted would exist the fulfillment of that holy grail — was heralded as the one to lookout. It came to nothing every bit the arrangement faltered in the stitch to production. Desktop Factory and its leader, Cathy Lewis, were caused, along with the IP, by 3D Systems in 2008 and all but vanished. As it turned out though, 2007 was actually the year that did mark the turning point for accessible 3D press technology — even though few realized it at the time — as the RepRap phenomenon took root. Dr Bowyer conceived the RepRap concept of an open up source, cocky-replicating 3D printer as early as 2004, and the seed was germinated in the following years with some heavy slog from his team at Bath, about notably Vik Oliver and Rhys Jones, who developed the concept through to working prototypes of a 3D printer using the deposition procedure. 2007 was the year the shoots started to show through and this embryonic, open source 3D printing movement started to gain visibility.

But it wasn't until Jan 2009 that the first commercially available 3D printer – in kit form and based on the RepRap concept – was offered for sale. This was the BfB RapMan 3D printer. Closely followed by Makerbot Industries in April the same year, the founders of which were heavily involved in the development of RepRap until they departed from the Open up Source philosophy post-obit extensive investment. Since 2009, a host of similar deposition printers have emerged with marginal unique selling points (USPs) and they continue to do so. The interesting dichotomy here is that, while the RepRap phenomenon has given rise to a whole new sector of commercial, entry-level 3D printers, the ethos of the RepRap community is all about Open Source developments for 3D printing and keeping commercialization at bay.

2012 was the year that alternative 3D printing processes were introduced at the entry level of the market. The B9Creator (utilising DLP engineering) came first in June, followed by the Class i (utilising stereolithography) in December. Both were launched via the funding site Kickstarter — and both enjoyed huge success.

As a consequence of the market divergence, significant advances at the industrial level with capabilities and applications, dramatic increase in sensation and uptake across a growing maker movement, 2022 was as well the twelvemonth that many different mainstream media channels picked upward on the applied science. 2022 was a year of meaning growth and consolidation. One of the most notable moves was the acquisition of Makerbot past Stratasys.

Heralded as the 2nd, third and, sometimes fifty-fifty, 4th Industrial Revolution by some, what cannot be denied is the affect that 3D press is having on the industrial sector and the huge potential that 3D printing is demonstrating for the hereafter of consumers. What shape that potential will take is nonetheless unfolding earlier united states.

03 - Technology

03 – 3D Printing Technology

The starting point for any 3D printing process is a 3D digital model, which can be created using a diverseness of 3D software programmes — in industry this is 3D CAD, for Makers and Consumers there are simpler, more accessible programmes bachelor — or scanned with a 3D scanner. The model is then 'sliced' into layers, thereby converting the design into a file readable by the 3D printer. The material processed by the 3D printer is then layered according to the design and the procedure. As stated, there are a number of different types of 3D printing technologies, which procedure unlike materials in dissimilar ways to create the final object. Functional plastics, metals, ceramics and sand are, at present, all routinely used for industrial prototyping and product applications. Inquiry is besides existence conducted for 3D printing bio materials and different types of nutrient. By and large speaking though, at the entry level of the market, materials are much more limited. Plastic is currently the only widely used cloth — ordinarily ABS or PLA, but there are a growing number of alternatives, including Nylon. There is besides a growing number of entry level machines that take been adapted for foodstuffs, such as sugar and chocolate.

How it Works

The different types of 3D printers each employ a unlike technology that processes dissimilar materials in dissimilar ways. Information technology is important to understand that ane of the well-nigh basic limitations of 3D printing — in terms of materials and applications — is that at that place is no 'one solution fits all'. For case some 3D printers process powdered materials (nylon, plastic, ceramic, metal), which utilize a calorie-free/rut source to sinter/melt/fuse layers of the powder together in the defined shape. Others process polymer resin materials and again utilize a light/laser to solidify the resin in ultra sparse layers. Jetting of fine aerosol is some other 3D printing process, reminiscent of second inkjet printing, but with superior materials to ink and a binder to gear up the layers. Perhaps the nearly mutual and easily recognized process is degradation, and this is the process employed by the majority of entry-level 3D printers. This process extrudes plastics, unremarkably PLA or ABS, in filament form through a heated extruder to form layers and create the predetermined shape.

Because parts tin be printed directly, it is possible to produce very detailed and intricate objects, often with functionality built in and negating the demand for assembly.

However, another important betoken to stress is that none of the 3D printing processes come up as plug and play options as of today. At that place are many steps prior to pressing print and more once the part comes off the printer — these are frequently overlooked. Autonomously from the realities of designing for 3D printing, which can exist demanding, file training and conversion tin likewise testify time-consuming and complicated, especially for parts that demand intricate supports during the build procedure. Still at that place are continual updates and upgrades of software for these functions and the situation is improving. Furthermore, once off the printer, many parts will need to undergo finishing operations. Support removal is an obvious one for processes that demand support, but others include sanding, lacquer, pigment or other types of traditional finishing touches, which all typically need to exist done by paw and crave skill and/or fourth dimension and patience.

04 - Processes

04 – 3D Printing Processes

Stereolithography

Stereolithography (SL) is widely recognized every bit the first 3D printing process; it was certainly the outset to be commercialised. SL is a laser-based procedure that works with photopolymer resins, that react with the light amplification by stimulated emission of radiation and cure to form a solid in a very precise manner to produce very accurate parts. Information technology is a circuitous procedure, but simply put, the photopolymer resin is held in a vat with a movable platform inside. A light amplification by stimulated emission of radiation axle is directed in the X-Y axes across the surface of the resin according to the 3D data supplied to the motorcar (the .stl file), whereby the resin hardens precisely where the laser hits the surface. One time the layer is completed, the platform inside the vat drops down by a fraction (in the Z axis) and the subsequent layer is traced out by the laser. This continues until the unabridged object is completed and the platform tin can exist raised out of the vat for removal.

Considering of the nature of the SL process, it requires back up structures for some parts, specifically those with overhangs or undercuts. These structures need to exist manually removed.

In terms of other mail processing steps, many objects 3D printed using SL need to be cleaned and cured. Curing involves subjecting the part to intense light in an oven-like machine to fully harden the resin.

Stereolithography is generally accustomed as existence 1 of the nearly accurate 3D printing processes with excellent surface end. Nonetheless limiting factors include the post-processing steps required and the stability of the materials over time, which tin go more than breakable.

DLP

DLP — or digital calorie-free processing — is a similar process to stereolithography in that information technology is a 3D printing process that works with photopolymers. The major difference is the light source. DLP uses a more conventional light source, such equally an arc lamp, with a liquid crystal display panel or a deformable mirror device (DMD), which is applied to the entire surface of the vat of photopolymer resin in a single pass, generally making it faster than SL.

Also similar SL, DLP produces highly authentic parts with excellent resolution, merely its similarities likewise include the same requirements for back up structures and post-curing. Even so, one advantage of DLP over SL is that merely a shallow vat of resin is required to facilitate the process, which generally results in less waste matter and lower running costs.

Laser Sintering / Light amplification by stimulated emission of radiation Melting

Laser sintering and laser melting are interchangeable terms that refer to a laser based 3D printing process that works with powdered materials. The light amplification by stimulated emission of radiation is traced beyond a powder bed of tightly compacted powdered material, according to the 3D data fed to the machine, in the X-Y axes. As the laser interacts with the surface of the powdered material information technology sinters, or fuses, the particles to each other forming a solid. As each layer is completed the powder bed drops incrementally and a roller smoothes the pulverisation over the surface of the bed prior to the side by side pass of the light amplification by stimulated emission of radiation for the subsequent layer to be formed and fused with the previous layer.

The build chamber is completely sealed every bit it is necessary to maintain a precise temperature during the process specific to the melting point of the powdered material of choice. Once finished, the entire pulverization bed is removed from the motorcar and the excess powder can be removed to leave the 'printed' parts. Ane of the central advantages of this procedure is that the powder bed serves as an in-process support structure for overhangs and undercuts, and therefore complex shapes that could not be manufactured in any other way are possible with this process.

However, on the downside, because of the high temperatures required for laser sintering, cooling times can be considerable. Furthermore, porosity has been an historical outcome with this procedure, and while there accept been significant improvements towards fully dense parts, some applications still necessitate infiltration with some other material to improve mechanical characteristics.

Laser sintering tin procedure plastic and metal materials, although metal sintering does crave a much college powered laser and higher in-process temperatures. Parts produced with this process are much stronger than with SL or DLP, although generally the surface finish and accuracy is not equally adept.

Extrusion / FDM / FFF

3D printing utilizing the extrusion of thermoplastic material is easily the most common — and recognizable — 3DP process. The nigh pop name for the process is Fused Deposition Modelling (FDM), due to its longevity, all the same this is a merchandise name, registered past Stratasys, the company that originally developed it. Stratasys' FDM engineering science has been effectually since the early 1990'southward and today is an industrial grade 3D printing process. Withal, the proliferation of entry-level 3D printers that have emerged since 2009 largely utilize a similar procedure, mostly referred to every bit Freeform Fabrication (FFF), but in a more basic form due to patents still held past Stratasys. The earliest RepRap machines and all subsequent evolutions — open source and commercial — employ extrusion methodology. However, following Stratasys' patent infringement filing against Afiniathere is a question mark over how the entry-level terminate of the market will develop at present, with all of the machines potentially in Stratasys' firing line for patent infringements.

The process works by melting plastic filament that is deposited, via a heated extruder, a layer at a time, onto a build platform according to the 3D data supplied to the printer. Each layer hardens every bit it is deposited and bonds to the previous layer.

Stratasys has developed a range of proprietary industrial grade materials for its FDM procedure that are suitable for some production applications. At the entry-level end of the market, materials are more limited, but the range is growing. The nearly common materials for entry-level FFF 3D printers are ABS and PLA.

The FDM/FFF processes crave support structures for whatever applications with overhanging geometries. For FDM, this entails a second, water-soluble material, which allows support structures to be relatively easily washed away, one time the print is complete. Alternatively, breakaway support materials are also possible, which can exist removed by manually snapping them off the part. Support structures, or lack thereof, have more often than not been a limitation of the entry level FFF 3D printers. However, equally the systems have evolved and improved to comprise dual extrusion heads, it has get less of an issue.

In terms of models produced, the FDM procedure from Stratasys is an accurate and reliable procedure that is relatively role/studio-friendly, although extensive post-processing tin be required. At the entry-level, as would be expected, the FFF process produces much less accurate models, simply things are constantly improving.

The process can exist slow for some office geometries and layer-to-layer adhesion tin can be a problem, resulting in parts that are non watertight. Once again, post-processing using Acetone tin resolve these issues.

Inkjet

There are ii 3D printing process that use a jetting technique.

Folder jetting: where the fabric being jetted is a folder, and is selectively sprayed into a pulverisation bed of the part cloth to fuse information technology a layer at a fourth dimension to create/impress the required part. As is the instance with other pulverisation bed systems, once a layer is completed, the powder bed drops incrementally and a roller or bract smoothes the powder over the surface of the bed, prior to the next pass of the jet heads, with the binder for the subsequent layer to exist formed and fused with the previous layer.

Advantages of this process, like with SLS, include the fact that the demand for supports is negated because the pulverisation bed itself provides this functionality. Furthermore, a range of different materials can be used, including ceramics and food. A further distinctive advantage of the process is the ability to easily add together a total color palette which can be added to the binder.

The parts resulting direct from the automobile, however, are not as stiff as with the sintering procedure and require post-processing to ensure durability.

Material jetting: a 3D printing procedure whereby the actual build materials (in liquid or molten country) are selectively jetted through multiple jet heads (with others simultaneously jetting support materials). Even so, the materials tend to be liquid photopolymers, which are cured with a laissez passer of UV calorie-free as each layer is deposited.

The nature of this production allows for the simultaneous degradation of a range of materials, which means that a single part can be produced from multiple materials with dissimilar characteristics and properties. Textile jetting is a very precise 3D printing method, producing accurate parts with a very smooth end.

Selective Degradation Lamination (SDL)

SDL is a proprietary 3D printing process developed and manufactured past Mcor Technologies. There is a temptation to compare this procedure with the Laminated Object Manufacturing (LOM) process adult by Helisys in the 1990's due to similarities in layering and shaping newspaper to form the final part. However, that is where any similarity ends.

The SDL 3D printing process builds parts layer by layer using standard copier paper. Each new layer is stock-still to the previous layer using an adhesive, which is practical selectively according to the 3D data supplied to the car. This means that a much higher density of adhesive is deposited in the expanse that will become the part, and a much lower density of agglutinative is practical in the surrounding area that volition serve every bit the support, ensuring relatively easy "weeding," or support removal.

After a new sheet of paper is fed into the 3D printer from the paper feed mechanism and placed on peak of the selectively applied adhesive on the previous layer, the build plate is moved up to a heat plate and pressure is applied. This pressure ensures a positive bond betwixt the two sheets of paper. The build plate then returns to the build tiptop where an adjustable Tungsten carbide blade cuts ane canvas of newspaper at a time, tracing the object outline to create the edges of the office. When this cut sequence is complete, the 3D printer deposits the next layer of adhesive and and then on until the part is complete.

SDL is one of the very few 3D printing processes that tin produce full colour 3D printed parts, using a CYMK colour palette. And because the parts are standard paper, which require no post-processing, they are wholly safety and eco-friendly. Where the process is not able to compete favourably with other 3D printing processes is in the production of complex geometries and the build size is express to the size of the feedstock.

EBM

The Electron Beam Melting 3D press technique is a proprietary procedure developed by Swedish visitor Arcam. This metal printing method is very similar to the Direct Metal Laser Sintering (DMLS) procedure in terms of the formation of parts from metallic pulverization. The primal departure is the estrus source, which, as the name suggests is an electron beam, rather than a laser, which necessitates that the procedure is carried out under vacuum conditions.

EBM has the capability of creating fully-dense parts in a variety of metallic alloys, even to medical form, and equally a event the technique has been particularly successful for a range of product applications in the medical industry, particularly for implants. Yet, other hi-tech sectors such as aerospace and automotive have as well looked to EBM technology for manufacturing fulfillment.

05 - Materials

05 – 3D Printing Materials

The materials available for 3D press have come up a long fashion since the early days of the technology. In that location is now a wide variety of different material types, that are supplied in dissimilar states (powder, filament, pellets, granules, resin etc).

Specific materials are now generally developed for specific platforms performing dedicated applications (an instance would be the dental sector) with material properties that more than precisely suit the awarding.

However, there are now way too many proprietary materials from the many unlike 3D printer vendors to encompass them all here. Instead, this article will wait at the most popular types of material in a more generic way. And also a couple of materials that stand out.

Plastics

Nylon, or Polyamide, is usually used in powder form with the sintering procedure or in filament form with the FDM procedure. Information technology is a strong, flexible and durable plastic material that has proved reliable for 3D press. It is naturally white in colour only it can be coloured — pre- or mail service printing. This material tin also be combined (in powder format) with powdered aluminium to produce another common 3D printing cloth for sintering — Alumide.

ABS is some other common plastic used for 3D printing, and is widely used on the entry-level FDM 3D printers in filament form. It is a particularly strong plastic and comes in a wide range of colours. ABS can be bought in filament class from a number of non-propreitary sources, which is some other reason why information technology is then pop.

PLA is a bio-degradable plastic material that has gained traction with 3D printing for this very reason. It can be utilized in resin format for DLP/SL processes besides equally in filament form for the FDM procedure. Information technology is offered in a multifariousness of colours, including transparent, which has proven to exist a useful pick for some applications of 3D printing. However it is not as durable or as flexible as ABS.

LayWood is a specially developed 3D printing material for entry-level extrusion 3D printers. It comes in filament form and is a wood/polymer composite (as well referred to as WPC).

Metals

A growing number of metals and metal composites are used for industrial grade 3D press. 2 of the nearly common are aluminium and cobalt derivatives.

I of the strongest and therefore virtually usually used metals for 3D printing is Stainless Steel in pulverisation class for the sintering/melting/EBM processes. It is naturally silver, but can be plated with other materials to give a gilded or bronze effect.

In the terminal couple of years Gold and Silver have been added to the range of metal materials that can be 3D printed directly, with obvious applications across the jewellery sector. These are both very strong materials and are processed in powder class.

Titanium is one of the strongest possible metallic materials and has been used for 3D printing industrial applications for some time. Supplied in powder grade, it can be used for the sintering/melting/EBM processes.

Ceramics

Ceramics are a relatively new group of materials that can be used for 3D printing with various levels of success. The particular affair to annotation with these materials is that, mail printing, the ceramic parts need to undergo the aforementioned processes as any ceramic role made using traditional methods of production — namely firing and glazing.

Paper

Standard A4 copier paper is a 3D printing fabric employed by the proprietary SDL procedure supplied by Mcor Technologies. The visitor operates a notably different business model to other 3D printing vendors, whereby the capital outlay for the car is in the mid-range, but the emphasis is very much on an hands obtainable, toll-constructive fabric supply, that can be bought locally. 3D printed models made with paper are safe, environmentally friendly, easily recyclable and require no postal service-processing.

Bio Materials

There is a huge corporeality of inquiry being conducted into the potential of 3D printing bio materials for a host of medical (and other) applications. Living tissue is being investigated at a number of leading institutions with a view to developing applications that include printing human organs for transplant, equally well equally external tissues for replacement body parts. Other inquiry in this area is focused on developing food stuffs — meat being the prime example.

Food

Experiments with extruders for 3D printing food substances has increased dramatically over the last couple of years. Chocolate is the most mutual (and desirable). There are as well printers that work with sugar and some experiments with pasta and meat. Looking to the futurity, research is beingness undertaken, to utilize 3D printing technology to produce finely counterbalanced whole meals.

Other

And finally, one company that does have a unique (proprietary) material offering is Stratasys, with its digital materials for the Objet Connex 3D printing platform. This offering means that standard Objet 3D press materials can exist combined during the press procedure — in diverse and specified concentrations — to form new materials with the required backdrop. Up to 140 different Digital Materials can exist realized from combining the existing chief materials in different ways.

06 - Global Furnishings

06 – 3D Press Global Effects

Global Furnishings on Manufacturing

3D printing is already having an event on the mode that products are manufactured – the nature of the engineering science permits new means of thinking in terms of the social, economic,ecology and security implications of the manufacturing process with universally favourable results.

One of the fundamental factors behind this statement is that 3D printing has the potential to bring production closer to the terminate user and/or the consumer, thereby reducing the current supply concatenation restrictions. The customisation value of 3D printing and the ability to produce pocket-sized production batches on demand is a sure way to appoint consumers AND reduce or negate inventories and stock piling — something similar to how Amazon operates its concern.

Aircraft spare parts and products from one part of the world to the other could potentially go obsolete, equally the spare parts might maybe be 3D printed on site. This could have a major impact on how businesses big and minor, the military and consumers operate and collaborate on a global scale in the future. The ultimate aim for many is for consumers to operate their own 3D printer at dwelling house, or within their customs, whereby digital designs of whatever (customizable) product are available for download via the internet, and can be sent to the printer, which is loaded with the right material(due south). Currently, there is some debate about whether this will ever come to pass, and even more rigorous fence about the time frame in which it may occur.

The wider adoption of 3D printing would likely cause re-invention of a number of already invented products, and, of course, an even bigger number of completely new products. Today previously incommunicable shapes and geometries tin be created with a 3D printer, but the journeying has actually just just begun. 3D press is believed by many to accept very nifty potential to inject growth into innovation and bring back local manufacturing.

Potential Effects to the Global Economic system

The use of 3D printing technology has potential effects on the global economy, if adopted world broad. The shift of production and distribution from the current model to a localized product based on-demand, on site, customized production model could potentially reduce the imbalance betwixt consign and import countries.

3D press would have the potential to create new industries and completely new professions, such as those related to the product of 3D printers. In that location is an opportunity for professional services around 3D press, ranging from new forms of product designers, printer operators, cloth suppliers all the way to intellectual belongings legal disputes and settlements. Piracy is a current concern related to 3D press for many IP holders.

The outcome of 3D printing on the developing world is a double-edged sword. I example of the positive event is lowered manufacturing cost through recycled and other local materials, but the loss of manufacturing jobs could hitting many developing countries severely, which would accept time to overcome.

The developed globe, would benefit maybe the almost from 3D press, where the growing aged guild and shift of historic period demographics has been a concern related to production and work force. Also the health benefits of the medical employ of 3D press would cater well for an aging western society.

07 - Benefits & Value

07 – 3D Printing Benefits & Value

3D printing, whether at an industrial, local or personal level, brings a host of benefits that traditional methods of manufacture (or prototyping) simply cannot.

Customisation

3D printing processes allow for mass customisation — the ability to personalize products according to individual needs and requirements. Even within the same build bedchamber, the nature of 3D printing ways that numerous products can exist manufactured at the same fourth dimension according to the cease-users requirements at no additional process cost.

Complexity

The appearance of 3D printing has seen a proliferation of products (designed in digital environments), which involve levels of complexity that just could non be produced physically in any other way. While this reward has been taken upwardly by designers and artists to impressive visual effect, it has also made a significant impact on industrial applications, whereby applications are being developed to materialize complex components that are proving to exist both lighter and stronger than their predecessors. Notable uses are emerging in the aerospace sector where these issues are of main importance.

Tool-less

For industrial manufacturing, i of the most cost-, time- and labour-intensive stages of the product development process is the product of the tools. For low to medium book applications, industrial 3D printing — or additive manufacturing — can eliminate the need for tool production and, therefore, the costs, atomic number 82 times and labour associated with it. This is an extremely bonny suggestion, that an increasing number or manufacturers are taking reward of. Furthermore, because of the complexity advantages stated in a higher place, products and components tin can exist designed specifically to avert assembly requirements with intricate geometry and complex features further eliminating the labour and costs associated with assembly processes.

Sustainable / Environmentally Friendly

3D printing is also emerging as an energy-efficient technology that can provide environmental efficiencies in terms of both the manufacturing procedure itself, utilising upward to xc% of standard materials, and, therefore, creating less waste, just besides throughout an additively manufactured production's operating life, by way of lighter and stronger pattern that imposes a reduced carbon footprint compared with traditionally manufactured products.

Furthermore, 3D printing is showing great promise in terms of fulfilling a local manufacturing model, whereby products are produced on demand in the place where they are needed — eliminating huge inventories and unsustainable logistics for shipping high volumes of products around the world.

08 - Applications

08 – 3D Press Applications

The origins of 3D printing in 'Rapid Prototyping' were founded on the principles of industrial prototyping every bit a means of speeding up the primeval stages of production development with a quick and straightforward way of producing prototypes that allows for multiple iterations of a product to arrive more rapidly and efficiently at an optimum solution. This saves time and money at the outset of the entire product development process and ensures confidence ahead of production tooling.

Prototyping is still probably the largest, even though sometimes overlooked, application of 3D printing today.

The developments and improvements of the procedure and the materials, since the emergence of 3D printing for prototyping, saw the processes being taken up for applications further down the production development process chain. Tooling and casting applications were developed utilizing the advantages of the dissimilar processes. Once more, these applications are increasingly existence used and adopted across industrial sectors.

Similarly for final manufacturing operations, the improvements are standing to facilitate uptake.

In terms of the industrial vertical markets that are benefitting profoundly from industrial 3D printing across all of these broad spectrum applications, the following is a basic breakdown:

Medical and Dental

The medical sector is viewed equally beingness ane that was an early adopter of 3D printing, but also a sector with huge potential for growth, due to the customization and personalization capabilities of the technologies and the ability to improve people'southward lives equally the processes improve and materials are developed that come across medical course standards.

3D press technologies are existence used for a host of unlike applications. In add-on to making prototypes to support new product development for the medical and dental industries, the technologies are also utilized to make patterns for the downstream metallic casting of dental crowns and in the manufacture of tools over which plastic is being vacuum formed to make dental aligners. The engineering is also taken reward of directly to manufacture both stock items, such as hip and knee implants, and bespoke patient-specific products, such as hearing aids, orthotic insoles for shoes, personalised prosthetics and one-off implants for patients suffering from diseases such equally osteoarthritis, osteoporosis and cancer, along with accident and trauma victims. 3D printed surgical guides for specific operations are too an emerging application that is aiding surgeons in their work and patients in their recovery. Technology is besides being developed for the 3D printing of peel, bone, tissue, pharmaceuticals and fifty-fifty human organs. However, these technologies remain largely decades away from commercialisation.

Aerospace

Like the medical sector, the aerospace sector was an early adopter of 3D printing technologies in their earliest forms for product evolution and prototyping. These companies, typically working in partnership with academic and research institutes, have been at the abrupt end in terms or pushing the boundaries of the technologies for manufacturing applications.

Because of the critical nature of aircraft development, the R&D is enervating and strenuous, standards are critical and industrial grade 3D press systems are put through their paces. Process and materials evolution accept seen a number of fundamental applications developed for the aerospace sector — and some non-critical parts are all-ready flying on aircraft.

High profile users include GE / Morris Technologies, Airbus / EADS, Rolls-Royce, BAE Systems and Boeing. While well-nigh of these companies practice accept a realistic approach in terms of what they are doing now with the technologies, and most of it is R&D, some practice get quite bullish about the future.

Automotive

Another full general early adopter of Rapid Prototying technologies — the earliest incarnation of 3D printing — was the automotive sector. Many automotive companies — especially at the cutting edge of motor sport and F1 — have followed a similar trajectory to the aerospace companies. Commencement (and nonetheless) using the technologies for prototyping applications, but developing and adapting their manufacturing processes to comprise the benefits of improved materials and end results for automotive parts.

Many automotive companies are at present also looking at the potential of 3D printing to fulfill afterwards sales functions in terms of production of spare/replacement parts, on demand, rather than holding huge inventories.

Jewellery

Traditionally, the design and manufacturing process for jewellery has always required high levels of expertise and knowledge involving specific disciplines that include fabrication, mould-making, casting, electroplating, forging, silver/gold smithing, stone-cutting, engraving and polishing. Each of these disciplines has evolved over many years and each requires technical knowledge when applied to jewellery industry. Just one instance is investment casting — the origins of which can be traced back more than 4000 years.

For the jewellery sector, 3D printing has proved to be particularly confusing. There is a great bargain of involvement — and uptake — based on how 3D printing tin can, and volition, contribute to the further evolution of this industry. From new design freedoms enabled past 3D CAD and 3D press, through improving traditional processes for jewellery production all the mode to straight 3D printed production eliminating many of the traditional steps, 3D printing has had — and continues to accept — a tremendous impact in this sector.

Art / Design / Sculpture

Artists and Sculptors are engaging with 3D printing in myriad of unlike ways to explore grade and part in ways previously impossible. Whether purely to detect new original expression or to larn from old masters this is a highly charged sector that is increasingly finding new ways of working with 3D printing and introducing the results to the world. There are numerous artists that have now made a name for themselves past working specifically with 3D modelling, 3D scanning and 3D printing technologies.

Joshua Harker
Dizingof
Jessica Rosenkrantz at Nervous Arrangement
Pia Hinze
Nick Ervinck
Lionel Dean
And many others.

The discipline of 3D scanning in conjunction with 3D printing also brings a new dimension to the art world, still, in that artists and students now accept a proven methodology of reproducing the work of past masters and creating exact replicas of ancient (and more contempo) sculptures for close report – works of art that they would otherwise never accept been able to collaborate with in person. The work of Cosmo Wenman is particularly enlightening in this field.

Compages

Architectural models have long been a staple application of 3D printing processes, for producing authentic demonstration models of an architect'south vision. 3D press offers a relatively fast, easy and economically viable method of producing detailed models directly from 3D CAD, BIM or other digital data that architects utilize. Many successful architectural firms, now normally employ 3D printing (in house or as a service) as a critical part of their workflow for increased innovation and improved communication.

More recently some visionary architects are looking to 3D printing equally a straight structure method. Inquiry is being conducted at a number of organizations on this front end, well-nigh notably Loughborough University, Contour Crafting and Universe Architecture.

Way

As 3D printing processes have improved in terms of resolution and more flexible materials, ane industry, renowned for experimentation and outrageous statements, has come up to the fore. We are of course talking about fashion!

3D printed accessories including shoes, head-pieces, hats and bags accept all made their style on to global catwalks. And some even more visionary fashion designers take demonstrated the capabilities of the tech for haute couture — dresses, capes, full-length gowns and even some nether wear take debuted at unlike fashion venues around the world.

Iris van Herpen should get a special mention as the leading pioneer in this vein. She has produced a number of collections — modelled on the catwalks of Paris and Milan — that incorporate 3D printing to blow up the 'normal rules' that no longer apply to fashion design. Many accept followed, and go along to follow, in her footsteps, often with wholly original results.

Nutrient

Although a late-comer to the 3D printing party, food is one emerging application (and/or 3D press material) that is getting people very excited and has the potential to truly have the technology into the mainstream. After all, we volition all, always, need to eat! 3D printing is emerging as a new fashion of preparing and presenting food.

Initial forays into 3D printing food were with chocolate and sugar, and these developments have continued apace with specific 3D printers striking the market. Some other early experiments with food including the 3D printing of "meat" at the cellular protein level. More recently pasta is another nutrient grouping that is beingness researched for 3D printing food.

Looking to the future 3D printing is besides being considered every bit a consummate food preparation method and a style of balancing nutrients in a comprehensive and healthy way.

Consumers

The holy grail for 3D printing vendors is consumer 3D press. In that location is a widespread debate as to whether this is a feasible future. Currently, consumer uptake is depression due to the accessibility bug that be with entry level (consumer machines). At that place is headway being made in this direction by the larger 3D press companies such as 3D Systems and Makerbot, as a subsidiary of Stratasys as they endeavour to make the 3D printing process and the coincident components (software, digital content etc) more accessible and user-friendly. At that place are currently three principal ways that the person on the street tin can interact with 3D printing tech for consumer products:

design + impress
choose + print
choose + 3D printing service fulfillment

09 - Glossary

09 – Glossary

3DP3D Printing

ABS Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene

AM Additive Manufacturing

CAD / CAM Computer-aided design / Figurer-aided manufacturing

CAEComputer-aided engineering

DLPDigital Light Processing

DMDDirect Metal Degradation

DMLSDirectly Metal Laser Sintering

EBMElectron Beam Melting

EVAEthylene Vinyl Acetate

FDMFused Deposition Modelling (Trademark of Stratasys)

FFFFreeform Fabrication

LENSLaser Engineering Net-Shaping (Trademark of SNL, licensed to Optomec)

LSLight amplification by stimulated emission of radiation Sintering

PLAPolylactic Acid

REOpposite Engineering science

RMRapid Manufacturing

RPRapid Prototyping

RTRapid Tooling

SLStereolithography

SLAStereolithography Appliance (Registered Trademark of 3D Systems)

SLMSelective Light amplification by stimulated emission of radiation Melting

SLSSelective Laser Sintering (Registered Trademark of 3D Systems)

STL / .stlStereo Lithograpic