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. Sintering2. Melting3. 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 Design2. Rapid Prototyping3. Print on Demand4. Strong and Lightweight Parts5. Fast Design and Production6. Minimising Waste7. Cost Effective8. Ease of Access9. 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