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What Is 3D Printing, And How Does It Work?

3D printing, also known as additive manufacturing, is an additive technology that uses a computer-generated design to construct a three-dimensional object layer by layer.

This post will explain what 3D printing and 3D printing services are.

What is 3D printing?

3D printing is an additive process that includes layering material to create a three-dimensional component. It is ‘additive’ in that it produces physical objects without using a block of material or a mold; rather, it stacks and fuses layers of material.

This is the polar opposite of subtractive manufacturing processes, which entail removing a completed design from a larger block of material. As a result, 3D printing produces significantly less waste material.

It is widely used in engineering, particularly for prototyping and light geometries. 3D printing is also useful for the speedy creation of complicated, customized things. It can create more complex geometries than ‘conventional’ technologies, and it can do it with an ever-expanding range of materials.

3D printing, also called additive manufacturing (AM), reached a fever pitch in 2009, and 3D is now typically associated with hobbyists, amateurs, and enthusiasts. This is partly due to the availability of 3D printing via low-cost desktop devices. On the contrary, it is almost always associated with commercial and industrial applications.

Types of 3D printing services?

Fused deposition modeling(FDM)

In FDM, a spool of filament is fed into the heated nozzle of the extrusion head. A motor drives the filament through the hot nozzle, melting it.

The printer moves the extrusion head, depositing molten material at exact locations that cool and harden. When a layer is finished, the construction platform moves down, repeating the process.

Selective Laser Sintering (SLS)

SLS uses a high-intensity laser to sinter small polymer powder particles into solids. Inside the build chamber, a thin powder coating is deposited to a platform.

The printer heats the powder to a temperature just below the melting point of the raw material, making it easier for the laser to target specific portions of the powder bed to solidify pieces.

The powder can be recycled, and the printed pieces can be further treated using media blasting or tumbling.

Multi Jet Fusion (MJF)

Multi Jet Fusion is a powder-based process that, unlike SLS, does not employ lasers. Parts are constructed in MJF by jetting a binding agent onto thin layers of polymer powder particles, commonly nylon, and then sintering using an infrared heat source.

By layering this process over and over, the machine creates a part. The build box is removed from the Multi Jet Fusion 3D printer after MJF printing and cooled for a few hours.

Stereolithography (SLA)

Stereolithography is a technology that involves the use of a computer-controlled moving laser beam that has been pre-programmed using CAM/CAD software. The SL machine begins the 3D printing process by drawing the layers of the support structures.

The part is then created by directing an ultraviolet laser onto the surface of a liquid thermoset resin. Following applying a layer to the resin surface, the build platform is lowered, and a recoating bar is moved over the platform to apply the next layer of resin. Layer by layer, the process is continued until the building is complete.

Conclusion

3D printing saves time and money by eliminating the need for multiple machines. It saves money on resources and supports recycling by just using what is needed for the part, with little or no waste. Simply put, technology can change consumerism by allowing unparalleled customization and a dramatic shift in production capability.

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