As each layer is exposed to the light, the printer raises the build platform slightly out of the resin pool, exposing the next layer to light. A build tray is lowered into the resin (usually upside down) and light (sometimes from an LCD, sometimes from an ultraviolet laser) creates a chemical reaction in the resin that causes it to harden.
SLA starts with a liquid resin as its source material. Over time - sometimes a lot of time - an object is built up from hundreds or thousands of these layers. The layers are incredibly thin, and as each molten layer is laid down on top of the previous layer, it partially fuses as it cools.Īlso: 3D printing and robots power largest furniture maker in the world An FDM printer heats the filament, squeezes it out through an extruder nozzle, and lays down layers on a build surface. These typically come in strands either 1.75 or 2.85 millimeters thick, rolled onto a spindle. There are several types of 3D printers out there, but we'll be focusing on two: fused-deposition modeling (or FDM) and stereolithography (or SLA).įDM starts with rolls of filament as its source material. What makes the 3D printer three-dimensional is that once a pattern is drawn, the print head moves up (or the print surface moves down), and another pattern is drawn on top of the first. In the case of a 3D printer, the pattern is usually drawn with plastic, not ink. 3D printers work much more like plotters, moving a print head along both the X and Y axis to draw a pattern. Computer printers generally operate a row at a time. Most 3D printers add material to the object one very thin layer at a time, which is why 3D printers are classified as "additive manufacturing." How does additive manufacturing work? What is 3D printing?ģD printing is the process of creating objects (usually plastic, but sometimes metal or composite material) from a digital model. Other factors include a huge increase in data volume and processing, improved analytics, improved human factors, and the automation of various production processes. By delivering 3D objects across the globe in digital form and printing locally, the cost and time of shipping can be completely eliminated.Ĭan 3D printing transform the manufacturing industry? The manufacturing industry is undergoing a vast transformation of which 3D printing is one element. It also allows spare parts to be "stored in the cloud," so physical inventory isn't required until there is a demand for an object. How does 3D printing affect the supply chain? 3D printing is ideal for short-run manufacturing and small production jobs. But once the setup and tooling costs are paid for, traditional manufacturing techniques like injection molding can produce objects in volume more quickly and at lower cost. It's far less expensive and takes far less time to create prototypes, jigs, tools, and fixtures using 3D printing. How expensive is 3D printing compared to traditional manufacturing processes? That depends.
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It helps foster the creation of new products and new companies, and teaches skills transferable into a wide variety of technical and professional jobs. How does 3D printing impact the economy? 3D printing is a component of the maker movement, which has benefits to communities, education, entrepreneurship, and traditional enterprises. Layers of plastic are built up one after the other to create an object. What is 3D printing? 3D printing is the process of creating a physical object from a digital model. Communities foster makerspaces that teach STEM skills and aid in the start-up of new businesses, thereby creating new jobs and local opportunities.Īlthough mostly used for the creation of plastic objects, 3D printing can also generate metal objects, although this is a much more costly and far less common process than plastic 3D printing. Engineers in factories can create custom jigs and fixtures that both save time and reduce injury during the manufacturing process. Physicians can print physical models of portions of patient anatomy to better visualize procedures and demonstrate practice. Because 3D printing allows for the transformation of a digital design into a tangible object, a wide array of uses have been found.Īlso: How Heineken is using 3D printing for on-demand brewery parts NASA maintains a 3D printer on the International Space Station and astronauts can build custom tools (like this maintenance wrench) without having to fly them into space.ģD printing has been adopted by students, entrepreneurs, hobbyists, and massive factories. 3D printing is quite literally out of this world. Our take on the state of 3D printing, the ways companies are using it today, and how it's going to revolutionize the future of business.ģD printing transforms spools of plastic filament or trays of resin into physical objects.