WHAT IS 3D PRINTING? - TECHNOLOGY DEFINITION AND TYPES

3D printing, also known as additive manufacturing, is a method of creating a three dimensional object layer-by-layer using a computer created design.

WHAT IS 3D PRINTING?

A variety of 3D printing materials includes thermoplastics such as acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS), metals, resins and ceramics.

Materials used

Building on Ralf Baker's work in the 1920s for making decorative articles, Hideo Kodama's early work in laser cured resin rapid proto-typing was completed in 1981.

History of 3D Printing

There are three broad types of 3D printing technology; 1. Sintering 2. Melting 3. Stereolithography

3D Printing Technologies

– Binder Jetting – Direct Energy Deposition – Material Extrusion – Material Jetting – Powder Bed Fusion – Sheet Lamination – VAT Polymerization

3D Printing Processes

3D printing can take anything from a few minutes to several hours or days - speed, resolution and the volume of material are all important factors here.

How Long Does 3D Printing Take?

1. Flexible Design 2. Rapid Prototyping 3. Print on Demand 4. Strong and Lightweight Parts 5. Fast Design and Production 6. Minimising Waste 7. Cost Effective 8. Ease of Access 9. Environment Friendly

3D Printing ADVANTAGES

1. Limited Materials 2. Restricted Build Size 3. Post Processing 4. Large Volumes 5. Part Structure 6. Reduction in Manufacturing Jobs 7. Design Inaccuracies 8. Copyright Issues

3D Printing DISADVANTAGES