3D printing uses computer-aided design (CAD) to create three-dimensional objects through a layering method.
Principle
In 3D printing, a 3D printer makes a three-dimensional object from a CAD (computer-aided design) file.
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 cross-section of the object.
3D printing enables us to produce complex shapes using less material than traditional manufacturing methods.
Working of a 3-D Printer
A typical 3D printer is very much like an inkjet printer operated from a computer.
It builds up a 3D model one layer at a time, from the bottom upward, by repeatedly printing over the same area in a method known as fused depositional modeling (FDM).
Working entirely automatically, the printer creates a model over a period of hours by turning a 3D CAD drawing into lots of two-dimensional, cross-sectional layers—effectively separate 2D prints that sit one on top of another.
What kind of "ink" does a 3D printer use?
Where an inkjet printer sprays liquid ink and a laser printer uses solid powder, a 3D printer uses neither.
The 3-D printer deposits layers of molten plastic or powder and fuses them together (and to the existing structure) with adhesive or ultraviolet light.
The most common 3D printing raw materials are the commodity thermoplastic polymers:
These materials, made in huge quantities by the global chemicals and plastics industry, are readily available, relatively inexpensive.
The most readily available metallic raw materials are aluminium and bronze powders, selected grades of stainless steels, a few aluminum alloys, cobalt-chromium compounds and a limited number of titanium alloys.
Private industry and independent research agencies are investing substantial R&D resources to expand the envelope of metals for 3D printing.
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Benefits of 3 D Printed House
Potentially reduces overall construction cost significantly
Order of magnitude difference in overall construction time
Brings down the related carbon footprint
Increases productivity of labour involved
Offers raw material flexibility/utilisation of eco-friendly materials.
Applications of 3 D Printing
Some interesting examples of 3D-printed objects include, but are not limited to: -
Prosthetic limbs and other body parts
Homes and other buildings
Food
Medicine
Firearms
Liquid structures
Glass products
Acrylic objects
Movie props
Musical instruments
Clothing
Medical models and devices
3D printing clearly has applications in many industries.
What are some types of 3D printing software?
Different CAD software will use a variety of file formats but some of the most common are:
STL -Standard tessellation language, or STL is a 3D-rendering format that can usually only handle a single color. This is typically the file format most desktop 3D printers use.
VRML -Virtual Reality Modeling Language: These are typically used for printers with more than one extruder and can handle multi-color model creation.
AMF - Additive Manufacturing file format: this is a .xml based open standard for 3D printing. It can also support multiple colors.
GCode - GCode is another file format which can contain detailed instructions for the 3D printer to follow for laying down each slice.
Advantages of 3 D Production Process
Faster production - 3D printing can manufacture parts within hours, which speeds up the prototyping process. This allows for each stage to complete faster.
Easily accessible - 3D printing has been around for a few decades now and has exploded since around 2010. There are now a wide variety of printers and software packages available making it easy for almost anyone to learn how to do it.
Better quality products - 3D printing produces a consistent quality of product. So long as the model is accurate and fit for purpose, and the same type of printer is used, the final product will usually always be of the same quality.
Great for design and product testing - 3D printing is one of the best tools for product design and testing. It offers opportunities to design and test models to allow refinement with ease.
Cost-effective - 3D printing, can be a cost-effective means of production. Once the model is created, the process is usually automated, and raw material waste tends to be limited.
Product designs are almost infinite - The possibilities of 3D printing are almost limitless. So long as it can be designed in CAD and the printer is big enough to print it, the sky is the limit.
Flexible Design- 3D printing allows for the design and print of more complex designs than traditional manufacturing processes. More traditional processes have design restrictions which no longer apply with the use of 3D printing.
3D printers can print using various materials - Some 3D printers can actually blend or switch between materials. In traditional printing, this can be difficult and expensive.
Print on Demand- Print on demand is another advantage as it doesn’t need a lot of space to stock inventory, unlike traditional manufacturing processes. This saves space and costs as there is no need to print in bulk unless required. The 3D design files are all stored in a virtual library. This means they can be located and printed when needed. Edits to designs can be made at very low costs by editing individual files without wastage of out of date inventory and investing in tools.
Minimising Waste- The production of parts only requires the materials needed for the part itself, with little or no wastage as compared to alternative methods which are cut from large chunks of non-recyclable materials. Not only does the process save on resources but it also reduces the cost of the materials being used.
Environmentally Friendly - As this technology reduces the amount of material wastage used this process is inherently environmentally friendly.
Advanced Healthcare: 3D printing is being used in the medical sector to help save lives by printing organs for the human body such as livers, kidneys and hearts. Further advances and uses are being developed in the healthcare sector providing some of the biggest advances from using the technology.
Disadvantages
Reduction in Manufacturing Jobs: There could be potential reduction in human labour, since most of the production is automated and done by printers. However, many third world countries rely on low skill jobs to keep their economies running, and this technology could put these manufacturing jobs at risk by cutting out the need for production abroad.
Limited Materials: 3D Printing can create items in a selection of plastics and metals. But the available selection of raw materials is not exhaustive. This is due to the fact that not all metals or plastics can be temperature controlled enough to allow 3D printing. In addition, many of these printable materials cannot be recycled and very few are food safe
Restricted Build Size : 3D printers currently have small print chambers which restrict the size of parts that can be printed. Anything bigger will need to be printed in separate parts and joined together after production. This can increase costs and time for larger parts due to the printer needing to print more parts before manual labor is used to join the parts together.
Design Inaccuracies: Some printers having lower tolerances, meaning that final parts may differ from the original design. This can be fixed in post processing, but it must be considered that this will further increase the time and cost of production.
Part Structure: With 3D printing (also known as Additive Manufacturing) parts are produced layer-by-layer. Although these layers adhere together it also means that they can delaminate under certain stresses or orientations. This problem is more significant when producing items using Fused Deposition Modelling (FDM),. Polyjet and multijet parts also tend to be more brittle.
Copyright Issues: As 3D printing is becoming more popular and accessible there is a greater possibility for people to create fake and counterfeit products and it will almost be impossible to tell the difference. This has evident issues around copyright as well as for quality control.
Final Thoughts
Today, 3D printing technology is evolving as rapidly as its use cases.
Cutting-edge technology developments, evolving value chains and market innovations are pushing 3D printing into the mainstream arena.
According to the new Smithers report “The Future of Global 3D Printing to 2027” this market is set for explosive growth over the next decade.
It will rise from $5.8 billion in 2016 to $55.8 billion by 2027, an aggressive annual growth rate of 23.0%.
The pace of raw materials development for 3D printing will also accelerate dramatically over the coming years.
Improvements in materials formulations and processing techniques will make them more user friendly.
3D printing has the potential to democratize the production of goods, from food to medical supplies, to great coral reefs.
In the future, 3D printing machines could make their way into homes, businesses, disaster sites, and even outer space.
As this technology spreads, it could help connect marginalized and difficult-to-reach populations with essential products.
All in all, this emerging technology has the potential to revolutionize our societies, and transform the development sector.
