SECRETS YOU SHOULD KNOW ABOUT 3D PRINTING

3D printing technology, also known as Digital fabrication technology or additive manufacturing, fabricates physical objects from digital models or geometrical representations by consecutive insertion of different materials. 3D printing technology is a rapidly growing technology and is widely used across the world. The use of 3D printing technology is statistically increasing for mass customization and production of any designs in the automotive industry, healthcare, locomotive, etc. 3D printing technology prints an object by deposition of layer one upon another direct from a computer-aided design model (CAD). Everyone knows this information about 3D printing technology. Still, there is some other unknown information about this technology, so let us find the secrets of this technology.

The five secrets that you should know about 3D printing:

3D printing is prevalent and demanding technology across the whole world. So, here are some secrets or say, some detailed information on 3D printing technology.

• History of 3D printing: 

  We all think that 3D printing is a new concept, but that’s wrong, it has been around for 40 years. The first model was introduced in Japan when the engineers were coming with the sculpting of robots. The compact 3D printers, which we all know today, result from their research and developments throughout the years. New designs and ideas are introduced every day for 3D printers, but it still uses the same old concept from their early counterparts that were made in the early ‘80s.

• Types and costing of 3D printing: 

  There are many types of 3D printers, but the two which are readily available and easy to use are Fusion-deposition modelling (FDM) and Stereolithography (SLA).

These two printing methods have reduced the printing cost so much that the consumers, small businesses, hobbyists, etc. can afford them. An FDM printer costs much lower than an SLA printer and has a low maintenance cost as well. The price of a 3D print depends on the size of the object, the Infill of the object (Density), type of filament used, and the layer thickness of the object you want to print. Most importantly, it depends on the type of printer in which you wish to print.

How 3D printing transform the manufacturing industry?  

3D printing is evolving continuously in the manufacturing sector, and the factory workers are rapidly adopting the technology. The consultants state that three big reasons will make changes in goods manufacturing and industrial processes:

1. Volume and compute capacity: It’s a massive flow of data and an increase in computational power and all-over connectivity. The consulter points the primary attention to the effect of low-power, wide-area networks.
2. New user-interface: 3D printing is utilized as a new user-interface (UI) to realize a design idea in your hand and to understand how it transforms at a non-rational level.
3. Analytics: AI boosts business analytics that, in turn, increases supply chains, and this is applicable for both global events and small changes.
   

• Design and preparation of prints: The 3D printing process starts with a plan or idea and then transforms into a 3D-printed object, and it must go through two software tools, i.e., 3D-modelling (CAD) software and slicers.

3D-modelling software

Computer-aided Design (CAD) is a 3D-modelling software, and it is taken as the engine for the creation of 3D objects. You use Photoshop for creating a graphical design; you use MS word for creating an article just like this one, in the same way, you use CAD software to make a design for a 3D object.

Slicers

      The 3D-modelling software (CAD) creates the design of the 3D model.
      3D printing is mostly done in a layer by layer concept, in slices. The slicer program converts a 3D design into a 3D object by processing it into a movement of a machine on a 2D plane. The G-code, which is an integral part of a slicer, is a universal numerical control language recognized and accepted by most of the Computer-Aided fabrication device.

• One Myth - buster about the 3D printer: 

  The 3D printer cannot replicate anything and everything, there are some limitations. If you own a 3D printer and have some visitors at your place, they will inevitably start imagining what they want to get printed. 

But this is not how it works; it cannot print entirely new inventions overnight; they have some design curb and production restrictions.