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Whats is 3D Printing?

The creation of a 3D printed object is achieved using additive processes. In an additive process an object is created by laying down successive layers of material until the object is created. Each of these layers can be seen as a thinly sliced horizontal cross-section of the eventual object.

3D printing is the opposite of subtractive manufacturing which is cutting out / hollowing out a piece of metal or plastic with for instance a milling machine

3D printing enables you to produce complex shapes using less material than traditional manufacturing methods.

“The 3D printing process builds a three-dimensional object from a computer-aided design (CAD) model, usually by successively adding material layer by layer, which is why it is also called additive manufacturing.

How does a 3D Printer work?

Every 3D print starts as a digital 3D design file (3d model)  – like a blueprint – for a physical object. Trying to print without a design file is like trying to print a document on a sheet of paper without a text file

You create one yourself or download it from an online 3D repository. When creating it yourself you can choose to use a 3D modeling software or 3D scanner and there some other ways which I haven’t listed in here.

3D Modeling Software

There are many different 3D modeling software tools available. Industrial grade software can easily cost thousands a year per license, but there’s also open source software you can get for free. 3D Slash. TinkerCAD, FreeCAD. SketchUP, 123Design, Blender, SolidWorks, Rhino3D

It is often recommended beginners to start with Tinkercad. Tinkercad is free and works in your browser, you don’t have to install it on your computer. Tinkercad offers beginner lessons and has a built-in feature to get your 3D model printed via a 3D print service.

Now that you have a 3D model, the next step is to prepare the file for your 3D printer. This is called slicing.

Slicing: From 3D Model to 3D Printer

Slicing is dividing a 3D model into hundreds or thousands of horizontal layers and is done with slicing software.

Some 3D printers have a built-in slicer and let you feed the raw .stl, .obj or even CAD file.

When your file is sliced, it’s ready to be fed to your 3D printer. This can be done via USB, SD or internet. Your sliced 3D model is now ready to be 3D printed layer by layer.

Printing

From here on the printing process varies by technology, starting from desktop printers that melt a plastic material and lay it down onto a print platform to large industrial machines that use a laser to selectively melt metal powder at high temperatures. The printing can take hours to complete depending on the size, and the printed objects are often post-processed to reach the desired finish.

Available materials also vary by printer type, ranging from plastics to rubber, sandstone, metals and alloys - with more and more materials appearing on the market every year.

Types of 3D printers

“Stereolithography (SLA)

Digital Light Processing (DLP)

Fused deposition Modeling (FDM)

Selective Laser Sintering (SLS)

Selective Laser Melting (SLM)

Electronic Beam Melting (EBM)

Laminated Object Manufacturing (LOM)

Binder Jetting (BJ)

Material Jetting (MJ)”

How 3d printing can be used?

·        Toys

·        Guns

·        Prototypes

·        Architecture

·        Buildings & Structures

·        Body (Kidney, Ear)

·        Food

Advantages

Objects are printed using a digital file to the exact object without, so there is no wastage.

Both labor and costs can be dramatically reduced

Produce customized goods quickly and relatively cheaply

It can be used to print more complex designs giving more power into the hands of the creator

Uses less material, can be made lighter and stronger

Disadvantages

High energy consumption

Expensive

Limited materials

Harmful Emissions

3D‐Printers are slow

Production of Dangerous ammunitions

Job Losses

In a great deal of enterprises, 3D printing gives incalculable advantages. Be that as it may or it won't replace the traditional manufacturing. It is as yet a rising innovation with certain hindrances that should be viewed when selecting a product development. Manufacturers and product designers along these lines need to consider it to be a procedure to supplement traditional manufacturing. They can exploit its unique abilities to improve product design and assembling completely new items that couldn't possibly be otherwise created.