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3D printing technology is a production method that can print everything from shoes to jewelry, firearms, and aerospace components through computer control. The basic rule is to use a stacking additive manufacturing technology, unlike machining, turning, milling, and sawing, which cut away unwanted parts and retain the necessary ones.
Despite the various 3D printing technologies available, all 3D objects are usually obtained by printing layer by layer. Starting from the bottom layer, the object can start functioning once it dries or cures. The differences in the layering process depend on the printer and the materials used (metal, polymer, resin plaster), as well as whether it is an industrial or commercial 3D printer.
Industrial vs Commercial
While 3D printers aimed at individuals and small businesses are just starting to emerge, the use of 3D printing in industry has a history of 30 years, thanks to companies like MakerBot and RepRap. Although industrial 3D printers are generally large and expensive, they are much faster than commercial 3D printers. Additionally, some industrial 3D printers can work with multiple nozzles and even use metals (with more materials to come later). While most industrial 3D printers are primarily used for rapid prototyping (often used by architects and automotive manufacturers), sometimes, especially when 3D printed components are made of metal, they can be used in final products.
In contrast, personal 3D printers are cheaper, smaller, slower, and lower in resolution. Although personal consumer-grade 3D printers are still used for rapid model design, they are also used by those who simply enjoy printing things with a 3D printer. Typically, personal consumer-grade 3D printers use extruded thermoplastic, which means they print using tiny droplets of molten plastic.
Different Printing Technologies
Depending on the materials used, the types of colors needed, the required resolution, and the amount you are willing to spend, there are at least five popular 3D printing methods to choose from. Some are very similar, but others are quite crazy (or outstanding).
Fused Deposition Modeling — The most common 3D printing method is Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM). The raw materials for this process are plastic or metal filament spools, which are melted by the printer nozzle and deposited. It quickly hardens, allowing for a second layer to be placed. For commercial printers (like MakerBot), FDM always uses plastic filament, often referred to by laymen as “thermoplastic deposition.”
Inkjet Printing — Using special inks (resins and adhesives), devices similar to home or office inkjet printers can create a 3D model. Resins and adhesives are layered until the object is created. This is the only process that allows custom color 3D printing.
Selective Laser Sintering — Sintering is the process of making solid objects from powders, and in the case of Selective Laser Sintering (SLS), the powder can be metal, plastic, ceramic, or glass. Essentially, SLS uses a pulsed laser to “draw” the desired cross-section. The powder melts, and the laser forms another layer on top. This is a very commonly used industrial method because it requires a fairly strong laser.
DLP (Digital Light Processing) — Using DLP (yes, the same technology behind DLP projectors), liquid polymers are exposed to light, turning into very hard solids. This technology can achieve very high precision/resolution — moreover, it is an industrial method. Stereolithography is similar to DLP manufacturing but is significantly more expensive.
Others — Finally, there are a few 3D printing technologies that are not widely used but may have potential in the future. Resins can be processed using LEDs (similar to DLP), and two-photon polymerization can be used to create ultra-small 3D printed features. Layered object manufacturing uses a large amount of paper or cards glued together and then cut with a laser.
The Future of 3D Printing
We have mentioned several uses of 3D printing technology — prototyping and making things at home. However, the more incredible things that 3D printing technology can currently achieve are worth exploring, and the breakthroughs it can achieve in the future are equally exciting.
3D printers can be used to manufacture titanium aircraft parts, human bones, complex nanoscale machines, and more. In the future, it should be a very reliable assumption that we can use 3D printers to make almost anything — although there are still some things (like clothing and textiles) that we cannot make with printers, nor can we make them with CNC machines or similar devices, this will still be considered in the future. Ultimately, 3D printers may also be key to material cloning, just as depicted in “Star Trek.” It is worth noting that we already have very accurate tools to create 3D models of existing objects; we scanned a cup, and we can immediately create an exact replica of that cup with a 3D printer; we now have this capability.
Finally, perhaps one day, you will walk up to a 3D printer and say, “Give me an iPad,” and it will make one for you. If we can create 3D printers with atomic-level resolution, we may see another “Star Trek” gadget: the transporter. Another fact (which is quite concerning?) is that many commercial printers are labeled as “self-replicating machines” because they can print their replacement parts. In other words, if we give a 3D printer some form of artificial intelligence, no one knows what it will become.
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