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The need for precision and accuracy in manufacturing has grown exponentially in recent years. As such, 3D printing has become an essential tool in many industries due to its ability to create highly precise and accurate parts and products. But what exactly is 3D printing? How does 3D printing work? And what can it achieve?

3D printing involves printing three-dimensional (3D) objects from a model stored as a digital file. It is done by putting down layers of material continuously until the desired object is created. It has become more popular in recent years, and there are now several different methods of 3D printing. This article will explain the 3D printing process in detail below:

What Is 3D Printing?

A 3D printed object is created through additive processes. In this type of printing, consecutive layers of material are set down in varying shapes. On the other hand, subtractive manufacturing involves taking out materials to develop an object.

The main advantage of 3D printing over traditional manufacturing is that it achieves complex shapes and structures that cannot be created using any other manufacturing process. This means that 3D printing can be used to create objects with intricate designs in a fraction of the time and materials it would take to create them using traditional methods.

How Does 3D Printing Work?

3D printing uses a computer-aided design (CAD) file to form an object. The CAD file is then sliced into thin layers, and each layer is printed on top of the other until the object is created. Moreover, 3D printing can be done using various materials, including metals, plastics, ceramics, and human tissue.

It is a versatile manufacturing process that can create objects of almost any shape or size. It is also relatively quick and easy to set up, which makes it an ideal method for prototyping and small-scale production runs.

3D Software And Technologies

The 3D printing process relies on a few key technologies and software, such as the following:

Computer-Aided Design (CAD) Software

Computer-aided design (CAD) is used to create a 3D model of an object you want to print. Designers use CAD to make sure the form and dimensions of the part are correct. The software provides a visual of the part, it will show how the object will operate or fit together with other components. Information regarding material and surface finish can be added. This same software is often used to create technical drawings.

Stereolithography (SLA)

Stereolithography is a 3D printing technology that uses a laser to cure layers of photopolymer resin into solid objects. SLA is one of the most popular 3D printing technologies due to its high accuracy and resolution. It is commonly used for creating prototypes and low-volume production runs.

Selective Laser Sintering (SLS)

This is a 3D printing technology that uses a laser to fuse small particles of plastic, metal, or ceramic powder. It is a versatile 3D printing technology that can be used to create prototypes and functional parts of an object.

Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM)

Fused deposition modelling (FDM) is a 3D printing technology that uses a filament of melted plastic, which is extruded through a heated nozzle to create an object. It is a popular 3D printing technology because of its low cost and ease of use. Additionally, it is commonly used for creating prototypes, small-scale production runs, and individual parts.

STL Files

An STL file is the most common type of file used in 3D printing. It contains a three-dimensional representation of an object created using CAD software. It is then sliced into thin layers to be printed using a 3D printer.

Examples Of 3D Printing

There are diverse industries that apply 3D printing, including the following:

Medicine

3D printing is used in the medical industry to create prosthetics, implants, and other medical devices. It is even used to create human tissue and organs for transplantation.

Automotive Industry

Car manufacturers and suppliers use 3D printing to create prototypes and small-scale production runs of car parts. 3D printing is also used to create aftermarket car parts, such as custom exhaust systems and body kits.

Fashion

Fashion companies use 3D printing to create products, such as shoes, shirts, and dresses. 3D printed clothing is usually more affordable and quicker to produce than traditional methods.

Jewellery

Many jewellers are now using 3D printing to create custom jewellery designs. 3D printing allows for a wide range of design options and can be used to create complex designs that would be difficult to produce using traditional methods. There are specialist printers that print directly in castable wax. This allows custom designs to be created in precious metals with no waste.

Processes Of 3D Printing

3D processing requires three main steps:

1. Modelling

Before building an object, there should first be a model of the object. Therefore, the first step of a 3D printing process is modelling. Typically, most manufacturing plants will use CAD software to generate a 3D model of the object.

Once the model has been generated, it is saved as an STL file, which will then go through a slicing software which is used to generate the G-code. During this step, the model file is checked for errors, such as holes, self-intersections, and overlapping surfaces. These errors must be fixed, as they can cause problems during printing.

2. Printing

If there are no errors on the STL file, the model will be ready for printing. The printer will follow the instructions on the G-code to create the object layer by layer. The printing process can take anywhere from a few minutes to several hours, depending on the size and complexity of the object.

Mostly, the printer will build the object by depositing successive layers of material until the object is complete. The type of 3D printer and the object to be printed will determine the materials used.

3. Finishing

After the object has been printed, it will need to be finished. This step is often skipped for prototypes but is necessary for objects that will be used functionally. The finishing process can include sanding, painting, and sealing.

This step is necessary to remove any rough edges, remove remnants of support structures used during the printing process and ensure that the object is safe to use. The finishing process can be applied to add aesthetic details to the object as well.

Conclusion

3D printing in manufacturing is becoming more and more popular since it comes with advantages. It is a fast and efficient way to produce objects, and it is a great way to create custom or one-of-a-kind objects.

If you are considering using 3D printing in your business, it is important to understand the 3D printing processes and which one is best suited to a given application. You can also contact us if you have any questions surrounding a specific application. We would be happy to assist you further.

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3D printing is essential in manufacturing because of its high precision and accuracy. Click here for a comprehensive guide to the 3D printing process.

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Be it or has been integrated into many areas, not only to elevate the design of such products but to accelerate and optimize Invisalign , i.e, 3D printed clear braces hearing aids Blamey Saunders' , manufacturers of consumer goods are increasingly turning to 3D printing. The technology mass production.

The following shows the latest 3D printed consumer goods across fashion, beauty, sports, music and automotive, each suitable for nomination the upcoming 3D Printing Industry Awards . Or, you can select a 3D printed product that has yet to be highlighted.
Carbon and Riddell's SpeedFlex Precision Diamond helmets
Earlier this year, , the Silicon Valley-based company behind Digital Light Synthesis (DLS) 3D printing technology, unveiled its latest system: the Carbon L1 printer as well as a partnership with American football equipment provider .

As the first company to work with the L1 printer, Riddell is using the system to 3D print Precision-Fit linings for its SpeedFlex Precision Diamond helmet.

The helmet is designed to absorb impact and provide excellent comfort for the athlete, thus, each lattice, generated by the Carbon Lattice Engine, is made up of over 140,000 individual struts. Also, a full lining for the helmet is composed of seven individually 3D printed parts.

Select players of the used the Riddell SpeedFlex Precision Diamond helmets during the 2018 season. The helmets are commercially available from Riddell on a limited basis at the elite level from $409.99 (varsity) and $ 324.99 (youth) .

Also within sports, in November 2018, Callaway Golf Company, a golfing equipment manufacturer, signed a consultancy agreement with GE Additive AddWorks to explore the potential of 3D printing for golfing equipment.
3D printed bicycle frames from Reynold
Brad Rice, Callaway Director, R&D Advanced Engineering, explained, "Callaway needs to learn how to use this tool [additive manufacturing] well, because it is inevitable that 3D printing of production parts is going to happen-it is the production method of the future."

Last year, Reynolds, a UK manufacturer of bicycle frames and components, began using metal 3D printing technology to develop a range of customizable stainless steel and titanium frame-parts. This is intended to streamline production processes for frame builders in the cycling industry.
Chanel's 3D printed mascara brush
For a quote on 3D printed brackets, dropouts, and custom frames, visit the company's website.

In the fashion industry, last year, , began mass producing the 3D printed Volume Révolution mascara brush, made in collaboration with Erpro Group . Said to be the first of its kind, this brush was created using selective laser sintering (SLS), on industrial systems which produced up to 50,000 a day.

3D printing has allowed for microcavities in the core of the brush which holds a larger amount of mascara than previous brushes. Also, the brush's individual strands feature a granular texture, increasing their surface area and the ability of the mascara to adhere to eyelashes.

At a cost of £28.00, the Volume Révolution mascara brush is available in 3 colors from Chanel and European beauty retailers such as Boots, and Debenhams.

Within bespoke accessories, Narbon, a Spanish 3D printing company, launched a service called 3DMemories, which creates 3D printed ceramic jewelry with ashes from a loved one.

The customer is required to send a portion of ashes in an urn to Narbon's lab in Madrid. Following this, they are mixed with a variety of materials, including porcelain, and then 3D printed into a piece of jewelry. The jewelry is then packaged and shipped back to the customer.
Formlabs and Gillette create custom 3D printed razor handles
Design a custom ring, bracelet, emblem and more here. The price of 3DMemories jewelry is disclosed upon the design request.

In October 2018, , a Boston 3D printer developer and manufacturer, partnered with , the shaving supply and razor brand of Procter and Gamble , to produce custom 3D printed razor handles .

Through this project, the partners are aiming to give consumers razors that best suit their grooming preference, budget, look, color, and style.
Additive manufacturing customizes cars with Mini Yours
The Razor Maker handles are available in 48 3D printed designs sorted into one of three different levels of 3D printing, i.e. partially printed ($19), fully printed ($25), or with a chrome effect ($45). Design and order them at Razor Maker: powered by Gillette.

MINI, a British automotive marque of BMW launched a service early last year which uses 3D printers for the mass-customization of its cars. Using the MINI Yours app, customers can add names and symbols to inserts for their car's side scuttles or dashboard trims.

The custom-designed components are then 3D printed on-demand by MINI and colored either in "Aspen White", "Chili Red", "Jet Black", "Melting Silver" or "White Silver". The custom service is available for current MINI 3-door, MINI 5-door, and the MINI convertible cars. In addition, all of the 3D printed parts can be installed by the customers.

MINI customers can personalize their car's side scuttles and cockpit facia for €145.00, as well as the LED door sills at a cost of €290.00, and LED door projector for €119.00. Get started on the MINI Yours platform here.

MINI Yours was shortlisted for a 2018 3D Printing Industry Award .
Carbon and Adidas running shoes
MINI also integrated Belgian personalization software provider 's customization software to provide mass customization services using 3D printing .

In 2017, announced a partnership with Carbon for shoes with 3D printed midsoles called the Futurecraft 4D . Last year, the partners unveiled the AlphaEDGE 4D LTD running shoes featuring the midsoles produced using Carbon's DLS technology.

The Futurecraft 4D midsoles are made of UV-curable resin and polyurethane mixture, arranged in complex lattice structures. An initial batch of shoes with the Futurecraft 4D midsoles was available from $300. A further 5,000 pairs were released later in the year, by which time second-hand prices exceeded $20,000 .

Following this, last month, Adidas unveiled a new iteration of its , also made in collaboration with Carbon. The latest Y-3 4D Runner is available from £ 449.00 on the Y-3 4D Runner Adidas Y-3 store.

Similarly, Reebok and BASF teamed up to create its first line shoes known as the Liquid Factory. In 2016, a limited run of 300 shoes with 3D printed outsoles was released at $189.50. The shoes were reportedly sold out in a matter of hours. Last year, the partners announced the production of the shoes. The price of the latest Liquid Factory show is yet to be disclosed.

Staying on footwear, Canadian custom footwear manufacturer Wiivv, and Dr. Scholl's, a foot care brand owned by the pharmaceutical company Bayer, partnered last month to create customized 3D printed insoles.
3D printed biodegradable stationery
Currently, the soles are available in full length and three-quarter sizes. Both sizes are now available to buy for $99.

Last month, Batch.Works , a London-based 3D printing service bureau, debuted its collaboration with international stationery store Paperchase to create a collection of 3D printed biodegradable paperclips, pen pots, and ballpoint pens. This selection of stationery is made from bioplastic and included in Paperchase's Conscious Living collection.

Batch.Works additively manufactured 30,000 pieces of stationery within two months with Ultimaker 3D printers , then used an Epilog Laser system to engrave te xt on the parts.
3D printed eye-wear
Purchase the 3D printed pens from £3.00, 3D printed paper clips at £0.80, and a 3D printed 3-tray pen pot set for £15.00 from Paperchase now.

Recently, MOREL, a French eyewear brand, and INITIAL, a Seynod-based 3D printing service bureau, unveiled a range of glasses with 3D printed frames.

This line of eyewear is made in three different models using polyamide-based nylon and SLS. The side arms are made of a titanium alloy known as beta-titanium, one of the most common materials used in orthodontics. The glasses weigh 10g.
3D printed violins
The glasses are presented in three different colors: Blue, Burgundy, and Black. The price is yet to be disclosed.
3D printed e-commerce service & showerheads
For the musicians, 3Dvarius, a French manufacturer of 3D printed instruments, released its range of 4 and 5 string violins in October 2018, called The Line. The violins are 3D printed using stereolithography (SLA) and are available for purchase from €1149.00.

In April 2018, Voodoo Manufacturing, a New York-based 3D printing bureau, launched a new service, Fulfilled by Voodoo (FBV). This service connects directly to e-commerce storefronts in order for businesses to outsource all aspects of manufacturing, including 3D printing, assembly, and shipping.

Through FBV, Zooheads, a brand of Voodoo Manufacturing, is selling its 3D printed animal shower-heads. These shower-heads are 3D printed using FFF in a variety of colors from an eco-friendly PLA in 24-hours.
Don't forget to nominations for the "Consumer product of the year" as well as other categories for the We also have a host of new jobs available on our 3D Printing Jobs page. Check it out for the best in additive manufacturing careers. 2019 3D Printing Industry Awards
Purchase a shower-head from $29.95 here. Also, use the Fulfilled by Voodoo on-demand service here.

Featured image shows Clear Aligners being 3D printed via SLA. Photo via Youtube/Align Technologies, Inc.

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Introduction to Advantages of 3D Printing

In this Topic, we are going to learn about the advantages of 3d printing. This 3D printing is also known as Additive Manufacturing, a process in which three-dimensional objects are created by either joining or solidifying materials & putting them together layer by layer under computer controls. 3D Printing is popular and has set its grounds in the field of manufacturing. This technology is now commonly used by both professionals and hobbyists. 3d printing is a progressive technology and is being updated by advanced 3D printers every year. A printer usually takes 5-20 hours to complete the entire process, depending on the nature of a printer. Since 3D printing is a dynamic process, the 3D printed parts cannot be used just after the printing; they require some post-processing surface finishing for results.

This activity always starts with a digital 3D model or a CAD file. Science-fiction author Arthur C. Clarke invented this technique in 1964. The basic technique of 3D printing includes the model being divided by the printer's software into fine, two-dimensional layers and then follow the set of rules in G-code language for the printer to execute the further process. The materials used can also differ in the printing process. Metals and plastics are by far the most commonly used materials.

The advantages of this 3D Printing technology can help the designers and professionals make better decisions in selecting a better manufacturing process and will help deliver great results.

Advantages of 3D Printing

The top 10 advantages are as follows:

1. More Affordable

This 3D printing deals with a low cost of labor, and this is one of the most important pros of 3D Printing technology. Labor Costs has a huge role in deciding the amount of money to be used in creating a framework. Labor costs are very high when dealing with conventional manufacturing, and it requires experienced machine operators. But, in 3D printers, we only need an operator to press a button, and the rest of the procedure is followed by the automated process of the printer. Also, manufacturing products using 3D printing is equal to small scale and mass manufacturing.

2. Faster Production

The speed at which 3D printers can produce models is also a benefit in using this technology as compared to the old manufacturing methods. So, 3d printing is much quicker and easier than the conventional methods of manufacturing. From the stage of the blueprint to the final product, 3D printing incorporates ideas and designs quickly. Complicated designs can be taken from a CAD model and can be used for printing, and it takes just a few hours for the process to complete.

3. Better Quality of Objects

The biggest roadblock for designers is how to manufacture objects as systematically as possible. Additive manufacturing machines accomplish the task in a build-in, a one-step process. This process is so efficient that it doesn't require any interaction of the machine operator during the build phase. It takes only a couple of hours to get the results once the CAD design is finalized and uploaded to the machine. The designer achieves full control over the final product as the machine produces a part in just one step, thus reducing the dependence on various manufacturing processes like welding, painting, etc.

4. Risk Reduction

A faulty prototype may cost the designer both time and money. Even minor changes to the mold may have a large impact on financial grounds. Proper design verification is an important part of investing in a costly molding tool. 3D printing technology helps in checking a design by printing a production-ready prototype before investing in expensive manufacturing tools; thus, it removes the risk during the prototyping process.

5. Freedom of Creative Designs & Customization

Although Traditional manufacturing methods are better in creating hundreds of copies of the same thing, it results in the same lifeless and monotonous designs. While 3D printing gives the designers the freedom to design creative models with endless customization, making it easier to indulge in personal touches that the customers request. Most of the limitations of additive manufacturing revolve around how to efficiently create a print to reduce support dependency. So, the designers are free to create models and complex geometries.

6. Usage of Mixed Raw Materials

Mass manufacturing does not encourage the combination of raw materials as it can be expensive. Also, the product designers must first calculate the materials used for subtractive or injection mold manufacturing and combining chemical and physical elements. But with the 3D printing technology, nothing but the designer's imagination is a limitation. This technology easily accommodates a varied range of raw materials like metal, biomaterial, glass, ceramics, paper, silver, etc.

7. Sustainability

The subtractive manufacturing methods, like CNC milling, results in huge volumes of waste materials. These methods remove a notable amount of materials from the first initial block. Fortunately, 3D printing uses only materials that are required to create a part. Furthermore, the materials can be reused and recycled for further processes. Thus, Additive manufacturing results in very little waste and saves a lot of money.

8. Accessibility

Today, more and more people are getting access to 3D printing. 3D pens are also produced that can give the same results as that of the 3D printer. With this progress and advancement in this technology, many designers, companies, and professionals can create the product they need, when and wherever they are.

9. Practical Product Testing

3D printing offers the advantage of experiencing the touch and feel of the product prototype to test it and search for any errors or drawbacks in the design. The designers can even modify the CAD designs in case of a problem and again print them with a modified version.

10. Unlimited use of Shapes and Geometry

The old techniques of manufacturing count on molds and cutting technologies to produce the desired shapes. So, designing complicated shapes with this technology was both difficult and troublesome for the designers. With the introduction to 3D printing, this challenge can also be overcome, and with the availability of proper materials, this technology can achieve the desired results.

Conclusion

3D printing technology is a modern age technology that is better, cheaper, faster, more sustainable, more flexible, and more environment-friendly. We live in a fast-paced world where everything is needed quickly, and so, this is where 3D printing technology can be used to convert our imagination to reality; this is a great advantage in the printing world.

Recommended Articles

This has been a guide to the advantages of 3D Printing. Here we have discussed the 10 topmost Advantages of 3D Printing technology in the real world. You can also look at the following articles to learn more.

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Advantages of 3D Printing | Top 10 Important Advantages of 3D Printing

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In this Topic, we are going to learn about the advantages of 3d printing. This 3D printing is also known as Additive Manufacturing, a process in which three-dimensional objects are created by either joining or solidifying materials & putting them together layer by layer under computer controls.

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There are a variety of 3D printing materials, including thermoplastics such as acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS), metals (including powders), resins and ceramics.

Who Invented 3D Printing?

The earliest 3D printing manufacturing equipment was developed by Hideo Kodama of the Nagoya Municipal Industrial Research Institute, when he invented two additive methods for fabricating 3D models.

When was 3D Printing Invented?

Building on Ralf Baker's work in the 1920s for making decorative articles ( patent US423647A), Hideo Kodama's early work in laser cured resin rapid prototyping was completed in 1981. His invention was expanded upon over the next three decades, with the introduction of stereolithography in 1984. Chuck Hull of 3D Systems invented the first 3D printer in 1987, which used the stereolithography process. This was followed by developments such as selective laser sintering and selective laser melting, among others. Other expensive 3D printing systems were developed in the 1990s-2000s, although the cost of these dropped dramatically when the patents expired in 2009, opening up the technology for more users.

There are three broad types of 3D printing technology; sintering, melting, and stereolithography.

Sintering is a technology where the material is heated, but not to the point of melting, to create high resolution items. Metal powder is used for direct metal laser sintering while thermoplastic powders are used for selective laser sintering.

Melting methods of 3D printing include powder bed fusion, electron beam melting and direct energy deposition, these use lasers, electric arcs or electron beams to print objects by melting the materials together at high temperatures.

Stereolithography utilises photopolymerization to create parts. This technology uses the correct light source to interact with the material in a selective manner to cure and solidify a cross section of the object in thin layers.

Types of 3D printing

3D printing, also known as additive manufacturing, processes have been categorised into seven groups by ISO/ASTM 52900 additive manufacturing - general principles - terminology. All forms of 3D printing fall into one of the following types:

Binder jetting deposits a thin layer of powered material, for example metal, polymer sand or ceramic, onto the build platform, after which drops of adhesive are deposited by a print head to bind the particles together. This builds the part layer by layer and once this is complete post processing may be necessary to finish the build. As examples of post processing, metal parts may be thermally sintered or infiltrated with a low melting point metal such as bronze, while full-colour polymer or ceramic parts may be saturated with cyanoacrylate adhesive.

Binder jetting can be used for a variety of applications including 3D metal printing, full colour prototypes and large scale ceramic moulds.

Direct energy depositioning uses focussed thermal energy such as an electric arc, laser or electron beam to fuse wire or powder feedstock as it is deposited. The process is traversed horizontally to build a layer, and layers are stacked vertically to create a part.

This process can be used with a variety of materials, including metals, ceramics and polymers.

Material extrusion or fused deposition modelling (FDM) uses a spool of filament which is fed to an extrusion head with a heated nozzle. The extrusion head heats, softens and lays down the heated material at set locations, where it cools to create a layer of material, the build platform then moves down ready for the next layer.

This process is cost-effective and has short lead times but also has a low dimensional accuracy and often requires post processing to create a smooth finish. This process also tends to create anisotropic parts, meaning that they are weaker in one direction and therefore unsuitable for critical applications.

Material jetting works in a similar manner to inkjet printing except, rather than laying down ink on a page, this process deposits layers of liquid material from one or more print heads. The layers are then cured before the process begins again for the next layer. Material jetting requires the use of support structures but these can be made from a water-soluble material that can be washed away once the build is complete.

A precise process, material jetting is one of the most expensive 3D printing methods, and the parts tend to be brittle and will degrade over time. However, this process allows for the creation of full-colour parts in a variety of materials.

Powder bed fusion (PBF) is a process in which thermal energy (such as a laser or electron beam) selectively fuses areas of a powder bed to form layer, and layers are built upon each other to create a part. One thing to note is that PBF covers both sintering and melting processes. The basic method of operation of all powder bed systems is the same: a recoating blade or roller deposits a thin layer of the powder onto the build platform, the powder bed surface is then scanned with a heat source which selectively heats the particles to bind them together. Once a layer or cross-section has been scanned by the heat source, the platform moves down to allow the process to begin again on the next layer. The final result is a volume containing one or more fused parts surrounded by unaffected powder. When the build is complete, the bed is fully raised to allow the parts to be removed from the unaffected powder and any required post processing to begin.

Selective laser sintering (SLS) is often used for manufacture of polymer parts and is good for prototypes or functional parts due to the properties produced, while the lack of support structures (the powder bed acts as a support) allows for the creation of pieces with complex geometries. The parts produced may have a grainy surface and inner porosity, meaning there is often a need for post processing.

Direct metal laser sintering (DMLS), selective laser melting (SLM) and electron beam powder bed fusion (EBPBF) are similar to SLS, except these processes create parts from metal, using a laser to bond powder particles together layer-by-layer. While SLM fully melts the metal particles, DMLS only heats them to the point of fusion whereby they join on a molecular level. Both SLM and DMLS require support structures due to the high heat inputs required by the process. These support structures are then removed in post processing ether manually or via CNC machining. Finally, the parts may be thermally treated to remove residual stresses.

Both DMLS and SLM produce parts with excellent physical properties - often stronger than the conventional metal itself, and good surface finishes. They can be used with metal superalloys and sometimes ceramics which are difficult to process by other means. However, these processes can be expensive and the size of the produced parts is limited by the volume of the 3D printing system used.

Sheet lamination can be split into two different technologies, laminated object manufacturing (LOM) and ultrasonic additive manufacturing (UAM). LOM uses alternate layers of material and adhesive to create items with visual and aesthetic appeal, while UAM joins thin sheets of metal via ultrasonic welding. UAM is a low temperature, low energy process that can be used with aluminium, stainless steel and titanium.

VAT photopolymerization can be broken down into two techniques; stereolithography (SLA) and digital light processing (DLP). These processes both create parts layer-by-layer through the use of a light to selectively cure liquid resin in a vat. SLA uses a single point laser or UV source for the curing process, while DLP flashes a single image of each full layer onto the surface of the vat. Parts need to be cleaned of excess resin after printing and then exposed to a light source to improve the strength of the pieces. Any support structures will also need to be removed and additional post-processing can be used to create a higher quality finish.

Ideal for parts with a high level of dimensional accuracy, these processes can create intricate details with a smooth finish, making them perfect for prototype production. However, as the parts are more brittle than fused deposition modelling (FDM) they are less suited to functional prototypes. Also, these parts are not suitable for outdoor use as the colour and mechanical properties may degrade when exposed to UV light from the sun. The required support structures can also leave blemishes that need post processing to remove.

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What is 3D Printing? - Technology Definition and Types

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3D printing, also known as additive manufacturing, is a method of creating a three dimensional object layer-by-layer using a computer created design.

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The Wonderful World of 3D Printing: Examples for SMEs in 2023

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Could 3D printing give your business the edge? We show you how businesses from startups to industry leaders are successfully innovating in this space

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The 'false start' of FFF

Early 2012 witnessed the peak of what is now referred to as "The 3D printing hype" - a moment in time when 3D printing and its possible applications entered the news stream as "The new industrial revolution" and "Industry 4.0". While this propelled keen public interest, it also had the undesirable side effect of creating unrealistic expectations regarding the technology and its potential. The clash of expectations of what could be versus what was feasible formed many decisions that FFF systems were insufficient tools.

Many professional consumers who attempted to incorporate early systems into their production workflow experienced a 'false start' effect, which formed a negative opinion on the capabilities of FFF systems, and prompted them to either invest in an entry-level high-end additive manufacturing system, outsource the production of parts to an external provider, or move away from FFF altogether in favor of traditional fabrication methods.

FFF systems that are currently available on the market have advanced a long way since their DIY origins. The main drawbacks of the early systems included low-quality results (parts which often featured prominent layering, underextrusion, or deformations), lack of print consistency (no guaranteed repeatability), limited material selection (at the time, the leading filament was either PLA or ABS), and limited build volume. Further problems were caused by unoptimized 3D files and slicing software, as well as unreliable hardware. Moreover, in order to perform their best, the machines required regular maintenance and a certain degree of technical know-how to operate correctly (hardware calibration and cleaning) and optimize the end results (slicer software calibration). Prosumer manufacturers have since resolved these issues: quickly evolving and agile, prosumer desktop systems are themselves the result of iterative design, with each iteration further optimizing the hardware, software, and materials, to create easy to use, functional, and ultimately reliable systems that can be adapted into any office.

Prosumer systems have the potential to change the way FFF systems can be perceived as a whole. With the emergence of prosumer desktop solutions, there are a few reasons why now might be a good time to rethink the previous limitations of the desktop-based systems, and open up to the possibilities the iterative design on the desktop-level.

The prosumer FFF market

84 % of companies surveyed for EY's Global 3D Printing Report 2016 reported using 3D printing for product development, with 38 % expecting that additive manufacturing would become a part of their production processes to create end-use items by 2021.

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Early 2012 witnessed the peak of what is now referred to as "The 3D printing hype" - a moment in time when 3D printing and its possible applications entered the news stream as "The new industrial revolution" and "Industry 4.0".

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https://3dprintingindustry.com/news/the-best-3d-printed-consumer-products-148352/
This website had some great products, but I particularly liked the mention of Invisalign braces-a product that is well known!

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Here is the website visited when researching the benefits of 3D printing

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Here is the website visited when researching the benefits of 3D printing

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8 min read | When it comes to 3D printing, there are many different ways to use this technology to express yourself.

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This website has a good list of benefits of 3D printing

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Another big advantage of 3D printing is that any given printer can create almost anything that fits within its build volume.

With traditional manufacturing processes, each new part or change in part design, requires a new tool, mold, die, or jig to be manufactured to create the new part.

In 3D printing, the design is fed into slicer software, needed supports added, and then printed with little or no change at all in the physical machinery or equipment.

3D printing allows the creation and manufacture of geometries impossible for traditional methods to produce, either as a single part, or at all. Such geometries include hollow cavities within solid parts and parts within parts.

3D printing, in contrast to traditional methods, allows the inclusion of multiple materials into a single object, enabling an array of colors, textures, and mechanical properties to be mixed and matched.

3D printing allows any user, even those with limited CAD experience, to edit designs however they like, creating unique, customized new parts. This also means any given design can be manufactured in a wide range of different materials.

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Are you aware of the many advantages of 3D printing? Follow along as we break down our top 10 here in our latest blog post!

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Research on Current developments in 3D printing

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Research on Current developments in 3D printing

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Present and Future of 3D Printing - Fabheads

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The Industry 4.0 revolution speaks highly about 3D printing technology. Experts say that additive manufacturing techniques will become...

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This website had a mix of long term possibilities and current developments

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What Are the Latest Developments in 3D Printing?

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As an emerging technology, it is constantly being developed and improved upon to meet the needs of various users.

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Some great advantages here!

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This production process offers a range of advantages compared to traditional manufacturing methods. These advantages include those related to design, time and cost, amongst others.

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 printing can manufacture parts within hours, which speeds up the prototyping process. This allows for each stage to complete faster. When compared to machining prototypes, 3D printing is inexpensive and quicker at creating parts as the part can be finished in hours, allowing for each design modification to be completed at a much more efficient rate.

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 as they are printed using a 3D model as either a CAD or STL file, 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.

The main 3D printing material used is plastic, although some metals can also be used for 3D printing. However, plastics offer advantages as they are lighter than their metal equivalents. This is particularly important in industries such as automotive and aerospace where light-weighting is an issue and can deliver greater fuel efficiency.

Also, parts can be created from tailored materials to provide specific properties such as heat resistance, higher strength or water repellency.

Depending on a part's design and complexity, 3D printing can print objects within hours, which is much faster than moulded or machined parts. It is not only the manufacture of the part that can offer time savings through 3D printing but also the design process can be very quick by creating STL or CAD files ready to be printed.

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.

As a single step manufacturing process, 3D printing saves time and therefore costs associated with using different machines for manufacture. 3D printers can also be set up and left to get on with the job, meaning that there is no need for operators to be present the entire time. As mentioned above, this manufacturing process can also reduce costs on materials as it only uses the amount of material required for the part itself, with little or no wastage. While 3D printing equipment can be expensive to buy, you can even avoid this cost by outsourcing your project to a 3D printing service company.

3D printers are becoming more and more accessible with more local service providers offering outsourcing services for manufacturing work. This saves time and doesn't require expensive transport costs compared to more traditional manufacturing processes produced abroad in countries such as China.

As this technology reduces the amount of material wastage used this process is inherently environmentally friendly. However, the environmental benefits are extended when you consider factors such as improved fuel efficiency from using lightweight 3D printed parts.

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.

Like with almost any other process there are also drawbacks of 3D printing technology which should be considered before opting to use this process.

While 3D Printing can create items in a selection of plastics and metals 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.

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 labour is used to join the parts together.

Although large parts require post-processing, as mentioned above, most 3D printed parts need some form of cleaning up to remove support material from the build and to smooth the surface to achieve the required finish. Post processing methods used include waterjetting, sanding, a chemical soak and rinse, air or heat drying, assembly and others. The amount of post processing required depends on factors including the size of the part being produced, the intended application and the type of 3D printing technology used for production. So, while 3D printing allows for the fast production of parts, the speed of manufacture can be slowed by post processing.

3D printing is a static cost unlike more conventional techniques like injection moulding, where large volumes may be more cost effective to produce. While the initial investment for 3D printing may be lower than other manufacturing methods, once scaled up to produce large volumes for mass production, the cost per unit does not reduce as it would with injection moulding.

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), while polyjet and multijet parts also tend to be more brittle. In certain cases it may be better to use injection moulding as it creates homogenous parts that will not separate and break.

Another of the disadvantages of 3D technology is the 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.

Another potential problem with 3D printing is directly related to the type of machine or process used, with 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.

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.

Get Further Advice On 3D Printing

Need help with determining whether 3D printing is the right process for you?

Contact our team of world-leading experts with over 20 years of experience in the additive manufacturing field.

Our technology experts help to ensure our customers apply the correct technology process depending on each individual or company requirements:
contactus@twi.co.uk

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What are the Advantages and Disadvantages of 3D Printing?

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This page has been created to help with the manufacturing selection process, explaining each of the advantages and disadvantages of 3D printing.

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There is a clear definition of what 3D printing involves

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3D Printing: What It Is, How It Works and Examples | Built In

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3D printing uses computer-aided design (CAD) to create three-dimensional objects. 3D printing involves layering materials to create solid objects.

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3D printing or additive manufacturing is a process of making three dimensional objects from a digital 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.

There is one exception though, and it's called volumetric 3D printing. With volumetric printing entire structures can be formed at once without the need for layer-by-layer fabrication. It's worth noting, however, that as of now, volumetric technology is primarily in the research phase.

3D printing is the opposite of subtractive manufacturing which is cutting out / hollowing out a block of material with for instance a milling machine.

3D printing enables you to produce complex shapes using less material than traditional manufacturing methods.

How Does 3D Printing Work?

It all starts with a 3D model. You can opt to create one from the ground up or download it from a 3D library.

3D Software

There are many different software tools available. We've created an overview on our 3D software page.

We often recommend beginners to start with Tinkercad. Tinkercad is free and works in your browser, you don't have to install it on your computer. Tinkercad offers beginner lessons and has a built-in feature to export your model as a printable file e.g .STL or .OBJ.

Now that you have a printable file, the next step is to prepare it for your 3D printer. This is called slicing.

Slicing: From file to 3D Printer

Slicing basically means slicing up a 3D model into hundreds or thousands of layers and is done with slicing software.

When your file is sliced, it's ready for your 3D printer. Feeding the file to your printer can be done via USB, SD or Wi-Fi. Your sliced file is now ready to be 3D printed layer by layer.

3D Printing Industry

Adoption of 3D printing has reached critical mass as those who have yet to integrate additive manufacturing somewhere in their supply chain are now part of an ever-shrinking minority. Where 3D printing was only suitable for prototyping and one-off manufacturing in the early stages, it is now rapidly transforming into a production technology.

Most of the current demand for 3D printing is industrial in nature. Acumen Research and Consulting forecasts the global 3D printing market to reach $41 billion by 2026.

As it evolves, 3D printing technology is destined to transform almost every major industry.

Examples of 3D Printing

3D printing encompasses many forms of technologies and materials as 3D printing is being used in almost all industries you could think of. It's important to see it as a cluster of diverse industries with a myriad of different applications.

A few examples:

- consumer products (eyewear, footwear, design, furniture)

- industrial products (manufacturing tools, prototypes, functional end-use parts)

- dental products

- prosthetics

- architectural scale models & maquettes

- reconstructing fossils

- replicating ancient artefacts

- reconstructing evidence in forensic pathology

- movie props

Rapid Prototyping & Rapid Manufacturing

Companies have used 3D printers in their design process to create prototypes since the late seventies. Using 3D printers for these purposes is called rapid prototyping.

Why use 3D Printers for Rapid Prototyping?
In short: it's fast and relatively cheap. From idea, to 3D model to holding a prototype in your hands is a matter of days instead of weeks. Iterations are easier and cheaper to make and you don't need expensive molds or tools.

Besides rapid prototyping, 3D printing is also used for rapid manufacturing. Rapid manufacturing is a new method of manufacturing where businesses use 3D printers for short run / small batch custom manufacturing.

Automotive

Car manufacturers have been utilizing 3D printing for a long time. Automotive companies are printing spare parts, tools, jigs and fixtures but also end-use parts. 3D printing has enabled on-demand manufacturing which has lead to lower stock levels and has shortened design and production cycles.

Automotive enthusiasts all over the world are using 3D printed parts to restore old cars. One such example is when Australian engineers printed parts to bring a Delage Type-C back to life. In doing so, they had to print parts that were out of production for decades.

Aviation

Aviation loves additive manufacturing, largely due to the promise of lightweight and stronger structures offered by 3D printing. We've seen a whole bunch of innovations in the domain of aviation lately, with the appearance of more critical parts being printed.
Turbine Center Frame
One such large component printed this year was the turbine center frame which was printed by GE as part of the EU Clean Sky 2 initiative.

The Advanced Additive Integrated Turbine Centre Frame (TCF) is a 1 meter diameter part printed in nickel alloy 718 by GE and a consortium from Hamburg University of Technology (TUHH), TU Dresden (TUD) and Autodesk. It is one of the largest single metal parts printed for aviation.

Typically components like this are manufactured using casting, and consist of multiple parts. In the case of the 3D printed version, it was reduced from an assembly of 150 parts down to just 1 single piece. The printed version also benefits from a reduction of both cost and mass by 30%, and a reduction in lead time from 9 months to just 10 weeks.
Metal Parts Certified by EASA
Back in June 2022 it was reported that Lufthansa Technik and Premium AEROTEC had created the first load-bearing metal part that had been approved for use in aviation.

The new A-link was produced using LPBF and had demonstrated higher tensile strength compared to the traditionally-forged version.

The part was made at Premium AEROTEC's facility in Varel, Germany, and a large number of test parts were printed and tested to ensure quality and repeatability for certification.

Printing the part represented a cost saving for the component and set the stage for using this manufacturing method for creating structurally important metal parts in the future. It was also used to test the process and to demonstrate the certification process of load-bearing AM parts.
Hypersonic Fuel Injector
This next printed item was never destined to be fitted to an aircraft, but rather it was designed to be installed in a facility for testing flow conditions at hypersonic speeds.

When flying in the hypersonic flight regime above (Mach 5), the air passing around the vehicle becomes incredibly hot, and the pressure increases significantly. These conditions can cause the air itself to become chemically reactive, which causes issues for fuel burning vehicles.

Simulating flow conditions with computational flow diagnostics (CFD) is computationally expensive (if not impossible), and so to replicate the flow conditions, researchers at Purdue fabricated a giant burner to recreate the hot, fast, high pressure experienced in hypersonic flight. In short, they basically built a rocket nozzle and they placed the test components in the exhaust plume to see how they performed.

The injectors that they printed feed fuel and air into the combustion chamber to create specific turbulent flow fields and a stable flame.

The injectors were printed with Hastelloy X, which is a superalloy with superior temperature resistance. The team printed multiple different injectors in rapid time, and tested them all in the burner to see which performed the best.

Now they are able to replicate the hypersonic conditions for flight on Earth at a fraction of the cost (and risk) associated with doing it miles above the Earth's surface. This can benefit fast aircraft such as scramjet powered vehicles as well as space vehicles.
Relativity Space
US-based rocket printing company Relativity Space has a super large metal printer, dubbed the "Stargate". The 4th gen Stargate 3D printer is capable of printing objects measuring 120ft long and 24ft in diameter.

This AI-assisted robotic printer has been able to achieve fast print speeds thanks to its innovative multi-wire print head. This print head allows for multiple metal feedstock wires to be fed into it at the same time, resulting in higher deposition rates.

The company has made their first LEO test flight of the printed Terran-1 rocket in 2023, so we just thought we would give them an honorable mention in this article as a reminder.

You can see the Terran-1 undergoing a hot fire test in the video below.

Construction

Is it possible to print walls? - yes it is. 3D printed houses are already commercially available. Some companies print parts prefab and others do it on-site.

Most of the concrete printing stories we look at on this website are focused on large scale concrete printing systems with fairly large nozzles for a large flow rate. It's great for laying down concrete layers in a fairly quick and repeatable manner. But for truly intricate concrete work that makes full use of the capabilities of 3D printing requires something a little more nimble, and with a finer touch.

Consumer Products

When we first started blogging about 3D printing back in 2011, 3D printing wasn't ready to be used as a production method for large volumes. Nowadays there are numerous examples of end-use 3D printed consumer products.
Footwear
Adidas' 4D range has a fully 3D printed midsole and is being printed in large volumes. We did an article back then, explaining how Adidas were initially releasing just 5,000 pairs of the shoes to the public, and had aimed to sell 100,000 pairs of the AM-infused designs by 2018.

With their latest iterations of the shoe, it seems that they have surpassed that goal, or are on their way to surpassing it. The shoes are available all around the world from local Adidas stores and also from various 3rd party online outlets.
Eyewear
The market of 3D printed eyewear is forecasted to reach $3.4 billion by 2028. A rapidly increasing section is that of end-use frames. 3D printing is a particularly suitable production method for eyewear frames because the measurements of an individual are easy to process in the end product.

But did you know it's also possible to 3D print lenses? Traditional glass lenses don't start out thin and light; they're cut from a much larger block of material called a blank, about 80% of which goes to waste. When we consider how many people wear glasses and how often they need to get a new pair, 80% of those numbers is a lot of waste. On top of that, labs have to keep huge inventories of blanks to meet the custom vision needs of their clients. Finally, however, 3D printing technology has advanced enough to provide high-quality, custom ophthalmic lenses, doing away with the waste and inventory costs of the past. The Luxexcel VisionEngine 3D printer uses a UV-curable acrylate monomer to print two pairs of lenses per hour that require no polishing or post-processing of any kind. The focal areas can also be completely customized so that a certain area of the lens can provide better clarity at a distance while a different area of the lens provides better vision up close.
Jewelry
There are two ways of producing jewelry with a 3D printer. You can either use a direct or indirect production process. Direct refers to the creation of an object straight from the 3D design while indirect manufacturing means that the object (pattern) that is 3D printed eventually is used to create a mold for investment casting.

Healthcare

It's not uncommon these days to see headlines about 3D printed implants. Often, those cases are experimental, which can make it seem like 3D printing is still a fringe technology in the medical and healthcare sectors, but that's not the case anymore. Over the last decade, more than 100,000 hip replacements have been 3D printed by GE Additive.

The Delta-TT Cup designed by Dr. Guido Grappiolo and LimaCorporate is made of Trabecular Titanium, which is characterized by a regular, three-dimensional, hexagonal cell structure that imitates trabecular bone morphology. The trabecular structure increases the biocompatibility of the titanium by encouraging bone growth into the implant. Some of the first Delta-TT implants are still running strong over a decade later.

Another 3D printed healthcare component that does a good job of being undetectable is the hearing aid. It is estimated that 99% of hearing aids manufactured are made with the use of additive manufacturing, and it's clear to see why.
Dental
In the dental industry, we see molds for clear aligners being possibly the most 3D printed objects in the world. Currently, the molds are 3D printed with both resin and powder based 3D printing processes, but also via material jetting. Crowns and dentures are already directly 3D printed, along with surgical guides.
Bio-printing
As of the early two-thousands 3D printing technology has been studied by biotech firms and academia for possible use in tissue engineering applications where organs and body parts are built using inkjet techniques. Layers of living cells are deposited onto a gel medium and slowly built up to form three dimensional structures. We refer to this field of research with the term: bio-printing.

Food

Additive manufacturing invaded the food industry long time ago. Restaurants like Food Ink and Melisse use this as a unique selling point to attract customers from across the world.

Education

Educators and students have long been using 3D printers in the classroom. 3D printing enables students to materialize their ideas in a fast and affordable way.

While additive manufacturing-specific degrees are fairly new, universities have long been using 3D printers in other disciplines. There are many educational courses one can take to engage with 3D printing. Universities offer courses on things that are adjacent to 3D printing like CAD and 3D design, which can be applied to 3D printing at a certain stage.

In terms of prototyping, many university programs are turning to printers. There are specializations in additive manufacturing one can attain through architecture or industrial design degrees. Printed prototypes are also very common in the arts, animation and fashion studies as well.

Types of 3D Printing Technologies and Processes

Below we discuss six types of 3D printing. These are:

Vat Photopolymerisation

A 3D printer based on the Vat Photopolymerisation method has a container filled with photopolymer resin. The resin is hardened with a UV light source.
Stereolithography (SLA)
SLA was invented in 1986 by Charles Hull, who also at the time founded the company, 3D Systems. Stereolithography employs a vat of liquid curable photopolymer resin and an ultraviolet laser to build the object's layers one at a time. For each layer, the laser beam traces a cross-section of the part pattern on the surface of the liquid resin. Exposure to the ultraviolet laser light cures and solidifies the pattern traced on the resin and fuses it to the layer below.

After the pattern has been traced, the SLA's elevator platform descends by a distance equal to the thickness of a single layer, typically 0.05 mm to 0.15 mm (0.002″ to 0.006″). Then, a resin-filled blade sweeps across the cross section of the part, re-coating it with fresh material. On this new liquid surface, the subsequent layer pattern is traced, joining the previous layer. Depending on the object & print orientation, SLA often requires the use of support structures.
Digital Light Processing (DLP)
DLP or Digital Light Processing refers to a method of printing that makes use of light and photosensitive polymers. While it is very similar to SLA, the key difference is the light source. DLP utilizes other light sources like arc lamps. DLP is relatively quick compared to other 3D printing technologies.

Continuous Liquid Interface Production (CLIP)

CLIP is a proprietary 3D printing technology developed by Carbon. CLIP uses an oxygen-permeable window which creates a "dead zone" (a thin liquid interface) of uncured resin between the window and the object. This prevents the part from adhering to the bottom of the print basin. This technology allows for a continuous printing process, which significantly speeds up production.

Material Jetting

In this process, material is applied in droplets through a small diameter nozzle, similar to the way a common inkjet paper printer works, but it is applied layer-by-layer to a build platform and then hardened by UV light.

Binder Jetting

With Binder Jetting two materials are used: powder base material and a liquid binder. In the build chamber, powder is spread in equal layers and binder is applied through jet nozzles that "glue" the powder particles in the required shape. After the print is finished, the remaining powder is cleaned off which often can be re-used printing the next object. This technology was first developed at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 1993.

Material Extrusion
Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM)
FDM works using a plastic filament which is unwound from a spool and is supplied to an extrusion nozzle which can turn the flow on and off. The nozzle is heated to melt the material and can be moved in both horizontal and vertical directions by a numerically controlled mechanism. The object is produced by extruding melted material to form layers as the material hardens immediately after extrusion from the nozzle.

FDM was invented by Scott Crump in the late 80's. After patenting this technology he started the company Stratasys in 1988.
Fused Filament Fabrication (FFF)
The exactly equivalent term, Fused Filament Fabrication (FFF), was coined by the members of the RepRap project to give a phrase that would be legally unconstrained in its use.

Powder Bed Fusion
Selective Laser Sintering (SLS)
SLS uses a high power laser to fuse small particles of powder into a mass that has the desired three dimensional shape. The laser selectively fuses powder by first scanning the cross-sections (or layers) on the surface of a powder bed. After each cross-section is scanned, the powder bed is lowered by one layer thickness. Then a new layer of material is applied on top and the process is repeated until the object is completed.
Multi Jet Fusion (MJF)
Multi Jet Fusion technology was developed by Hewlett Packard and works with a sweeping arm which deposits a layer of powder and then another arm equipped with inkjets which selectively applies a binder agent over the material. The inkjets also deposit a detailing agent around the binder to ensure precise dimensionality and smooth surfaces. Finally, the layer is exposed to a burst of thermal energy that causes the agents to react.
Direct Metal Laser Sintering (DMLS)
DMLS is basically the same as SLS, but uses metal powder instead. All unused powder remains as it is and becomes a support structure for the object. Unused powder can be re-used for the next print.

Due to of increased laser power, DMLS has evolved into a laser melting process. Read more about that and other metal technologies on our metal technologies overview page.

Directed Energy Deposition

This process is mostly used in the metal industry and in rapid manufacturing applications. The 3D printing apparatus is usually attached to a multi-axis robotic arm and consists of a nozzle that deposits metal powder or wire on a surface and an energy source (laser, electron beam or plasma arc) that melts it, forming a solid object.

Materials

Multiple materials can be used in additive manufacturing: plastics, metals, concrete, ceramics, paper and certain edibles (e.g. chocolate). Materials are often produced in wire feedstock a.k.a. filament, powder form or liquid resin. Learn more about materials on our materials category.

Services

Looking to implement 3D printing in your production process? Get a quote for a custom part or order samples on our 3D print service page.

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What is 3D printing? How does a 3D printer work? Learn 3D printing

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Learn how to 3D print. 3D printing or additive manufacturing is a process of making three dimensional solid objects from a digital file.

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3D printing sure has become the bread and butter of the technology and science family with its amazing perks of convenience and low cost. It has contributed towards a lot of fields and we decided to show you an overview of what this amazing technology has accomplished. We have compiled a list of 20 products that have been created using 3D printers. Check them out and let us know what you think of them.

20. 3D Printers

Did you know 3D printers can print 3D printers? The RepRap machine will cost you $600 dollars but is capable of printing itself again and again.

19. Adult Products

3DEA sells customizable 3D printed products for adults in New York City.

18. Pizza

Funded by NASA, this 3D printer is capable of printing a pizza!

17. Bikinis

This 3D printed bikini is waterproof and, reportedly, the only swimsuit that becomes comfortable upon getting wet.

16. Guitars

Musicians can 3D print guitars!

15. Educational products

Educational models and maps can be 3D printed thus reducing their cost and increasing their accessibility.

14. Shoes

In Future of Fashion exhibition carried out in Amsterdam, these shoes were printed by fashion designer Pauline Van Dongen.

13. Flutes

Known as 'shakuhachi,' this is a 3D printed flute - the traditional Chinese flute that dates back to 8th century. The flute has been printed with bronze.

12. Medical Models

Cadavers will soon be out of business because 3D printed medical models are becoming mainstream.

11. Custom-Fit Clothing

Custom-fit clothing can be printed by using your body's data. This way of manufacturing clothes leaves no waste behind and makes the whole process environment friendly.

10. Bartending Machines

Bartenders, beware! 3D printed machines are capable of mixing up and serving any kind of drink that the user wants.

9. Ears

3D printed ears are created from cartilage cells of cow and collagen from rat tails. These are incubated for a period of 3 months before they can be transplanted.

8. Camera Lenses

By 3D printing camera lenses, their price will become affordable as compared to the expensive camera lenses available right now.

7. Cars

Yes, cars are being 3D printed as well and the first of them is known as 'Urbee' and can run for 200 miles per gallon gas.

6. Houses

Still in development phase though, this sure looks amazing! A number of plans are in the pipeline to 3D print houses.

5. Bicycles

Check out the amazing 3D printed trail bike that can be completely customized and is made of titanium.

4. Skin Grafts

Once the wound of the patient has been scanned, skin can be 3D printed and applied on the wounded area.

3. Meat

Modern Meadow is a US based start-up that has come up with a 3D printed meat prototype. Although the meat isn't ready for human consumption, it resembles real meat quite well.

2. Guns

Yes, guns and that too the kind that can fire live rounds.

1. Fetuses

As always, such a thing could come from Japan only. At a cost of $840, the Japanese company will print a 3D model of a fetus after conducting an ultrasound.

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20 Products That Are Now Being Made Using 3D Printing

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10 Advantages of 3D Printing - 3D Insider

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Posted on

It is wise to think about the best tools and processes to finish your design when you want to develop a product prototype. The three primary ways to make prototypes are subtractive manufacturing (CNC machine parts), injection molding (designed to pre-produce prototypes), or additive manufacturing (3D printing).

It is crucial to understanding the differences between these three types of product development methods to pick the right technology for your project and determine if 3D printing is the best option.

Subtractive Manufacturing, Injection Molding, and 3D Printing

Subtractive manufacturing is a product development process used to create 3D objects by continuously cutting material from a solid block of material such as metal. This can be carried out manually or with a CNC machine.

Injection molding, on the other hand, is a manufacturing process for producing products in large volumes. It can be used to do initial product prototypes, but is mostly used in mass production processes where one production part can be created thousands if not millions of times in succession.

Additive manufacturing, also known as 3D printing, refers to the process of producing 3-dimensional solid objects from a computer file. Printing happens in an additive process where a solid object is developed through the successive layering of material. There are a wide range of materials to choose from including plastic and metal. The procedure starts with the creation of a 3D digital file such as Computer Aided Design. The 3D digital file is then sent to a 3D printer for printing using a simple print command.

We can now look at the advantages of 3D printing after understanding how it compares to traditional manufacturing techniques.

Benefits of 3D Printing Technology

Many companies have embraced 3D printing. Others have plans to introduce the technology and replace traditional subtractive manufacturing. As a matter of fact, recent research shows that over 70 percent manufacturers have now adopted 3D printing. Additionally, over 50 percent expect 3D printing technology to be used for high volume product development, and about 22 percent others estimate that its effects on supply chains will become even more disruptive.

A 2015 report by Wohlers Associates, a leading 3D printing analyst firm, estimated an annual 31 percent growth in the 3D printing industry between 2014 and 2020. In 2014, the 3D print industry produced approximately $4 billion global revenue. In 2016, over 275,000 3D printers were sold worldwide according to Wohler's yearly report. Projected growth shows that 3D printing will ultimately generate more than $21 billion in revenue across the globe.

Using 3D printing technology can provide numerous benefits both for individuals and businesses alike. Here are ten significant benefits that 3D printing technology provides:

1. Faster Production

3D printing is quicker than conventional manufacturing including injection molds and subtractive production. Think the speed of a sports car versus the speed of a horse cart. Both will reach their destination, but the time difference is significantly huge. From a prototype to a final product, 3D printing tests ideas and designs quickly.

Faster design and prototype production means more time to iterate the prototype and find product market fit before competitors. 3D printing production takes just hours. Conversely, testing ideas and designs with conventional manufacturing methods can take up days, if not several weeks.

2. Easily Accessible

3D printing has been around for decades but it really did not take off until 2010. The explosion of 3D printing interests has brought easier to use software and hardware to consumers as more competition has entered the space. It's never been easier to learn the technology and you can incorporate it in a matter of days into your production cycle.

3. Better Quality

Traditional manufacturing methods can easily result in poor designs, and therefore poor quality prototypes. Imagine a scenario where someone wants to bake a cake by combining all the ingredients together, mixing them up, and putting them in the oven to cook. If the elements did not mix well, the cake will have issues such as air bubbles or a failure to cook thoroughly. That is how subtractive or injection molds can sometimes be. You are not assured of quality 100 percent of the time. 3D printing allows the step-by-step assembly of the object, which guarantees enhanced designs and eventually better quality objects.

4. Tangible Design and Product Testing

There's no way seeing a product on the screen or virtually can compare to the actual feel of a prototype. 3D printing offers that benefit. It is possible to experience the touch and feel of the product prototype to physically test it and find flaws in the design. If a problem is found, you can modify the CAD file and print out a new version by the next day.

5. Cost-effectiveness

Labor costs play a huge role in determining the amount of money to be spent in developing a prototype. Traditional prototyping methodologies including production runs and injection mold are costly as they require a lot of human labor. Labor costs are also very high with conventional subtractive manufacturing. You need experienced machine operators and technicians to handle the production. Also, you have to pay these laborers and use expensive machinery. With 3D printing, however, labor can be as little as one person issuing a print command.

6. Creative Designs and Customization Freedom

Traditional manufacturing techniques are good at creating millions of copies of the same thing. It results in same dull and boring designs without the capacity to be improved much. Making each design unique with these techniques is extraordinarily hard.

3D printing allows for endless personalization, which makes it much simpler to accommodate personal touches that are requested from customers. Your imagination is the only limitation. You can make a crown that is precisely engineered to fit in someone's mouth for example. This cuts down on the number of visits that a patient needs to make sure they have a properly fitting crown.

7. Unlimited Shapes and Geometry

Old methods of manufacturing rely on molds and cutting technologies to generate the desired shapes. Designing geometrically complex shapes can be hard and expensive with this technology. 3D printing takes on this challenge with ease and there's not much the technology can't do with the proper support material.

8. Can Implement Assorted Raw Materials

Product designers have to keenly calculate their steps when it comes to materials to use with either subtractive or injection mold manufacturing. Mass manufacturing doesn't support the blending of raw materials as it can be expensive. Furthermore, combining chemical and physical elements is complicated. 3D printing easily accommodates a diverse range of raw material including glass, metal, paper, ceramics, biomaterial, silver, etc.

9. Less Waste Production

CNC cutting and injection molding result in a lot of wasted resources. Both involve the removal of materials from solid blocks. Unlike these two, 3D printing only uses material that is needed to create a prototype part - no more, no less. Additionally, reusing the materials from a 3D print is relatively straight forward. As a result, additive manufacturing creates very little waste, and saves a company a lot of money.

10. Risk Reduction

When it comes to product manufacturing, a good designer knows that proper design verification is crucial before investing in an expensive molding tool. 3D printing technology enables product designers to verify product prototypes before starting out on substantial manufacturing investments that can sometimes be disastrous.

3D printing enables you to turn a concept into reality faster than you can imagine. Products are built quickly and cheaply. The technology will no doubt continue to transform every industry, changing the way we work and live in future.

Warning; 3D printers should never be left unattended. They can pose a firesafety hazard.

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10 Advantages of 3D Printing - 3D Insider

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Posted on It is wise to think about the best tools and processes to finish your design when you want to develop a product prototype. The three primary ways to make prototypes are subtractive manufacturing (CNC machine parts), injection molding (designed to pre-produce prototypes), or additive manufacturing (3D printing).

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What Are the Latest Developments in 3D Printing?

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As an emerging technology, it is constantly being developed and improved upon to meet the needs of various users.

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Here are some current developments that I found

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Present and Future of 3D Printing - Fabheads

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The Industry 4.0 revolution speaks highly about 3D printing technology. Experts say that additive manufacturing techniques will become...

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The use of 3D printing technology is expanding in multiple industrial sectors. The technology is now used for a range of applications, from prototyping to final manufacturing, and has something to offer almost every company and department.

A growing number of businesses are finding that using 3D printing to create prototypes and finished products can reduce production time while simultaneously increasing the quality of their output.

The use of additive manufacturing in commercial industries has expanded greatly over the past few years, with many more companies adopting this technique as standard practice. This blog post provides you with an overview of key trends we expect to see in the world of 3D printing in 2022.

3D Printing in Manufacturing

3D printing is a process that makes it possible to produce finished products from a computer-generated design from a wide range of materials, including plastics, ceramics and even organic materials. The process is done by building up materials in layers to create a three-dimensional object. This technology is commonly used in product design and research and development, manufacturing (including the production of spare parts), and other industries.

This enables companies to create prototypes, spare parts, and end-use products more quickly and less expensively than with traditional manufacturing methods. Industrial-scale additive manufacturing has emerged as an alternative to traditional mass production. It has become an integral component of advanced manufacturing strategies and short-run production strategies, often involving 3D printing to manufacture final end-use parts directly from digital models.

Other advantages include elimination of inventories, improved product performance and design flexibility, enhanced design analysis, reduced time to market and significant savings in logistics. In automotive applications, 3D printed production tooling can quickly and cost effectively produce near net shape final casting moulds for complex components with better surface finish compared to traditional die cast moulds.

In electronics applications ; focused on rapid deployment of prototypes that are directly converted into working 3D products by additive manufacturing methods. In aerospace applications, lightweight durable parts produced by additive manufacturing or Additive Layer Manufacturing (ALM) implies reduced material usage accompanied by higher toughness of the build structures provides key benefits towards increased safety in aircraft construction.

This reduction in volume makes it attractive technology with possible adopting process among motorsport industries as composites are far lighter and stronger than traditional steel alloys used in the auto racing industry.

According to Wohlers Report 2017 , we predict a strong market for on-demand stereolithography (SLA), digital light processing (DLP), The technology is applied to make finished products, original equipment parts, tools, and other machine components by building them up layer by layer from a wide range of materials.

Additive Manufacturing of Metal Materials

Metal 3D printing has come a long way since the 1980s when pioneers like Chuck W. Hull explored the potential of this technique. Metal AM is now a $5 billion industry, with $1.5 billion of that being spent on investment in equipment by the end of 2022. The terms "3D printing" and "Additive Manufacturing" (AM) are often used interchangeably, but they are not the same thing. 3D printing refers to the process of making objects from computer-generated designs by depositing material.

Additive manufacturing, or "3D printing," is a technology that uses a computer-controlled machine to build parts one layer at a time by adding material (typically plastics, rubber, or metals)-to-market, and customization.

Full scale production is the desired end-use part or product that would go to market in one (will enter what stage of production) These parts can be up to 2 meters high. The output from an AM machine is a fully dense 3D printed article made out of the material upon which a laser beam "ignites" powder of which the desired shape will form by mechanical and chemical action inside computer-based control that directs energy onto that build area at a resin powder polymer acrylic glue irradiated platform The finished products are trimmed off leaving closed clean holes for stress-free part for its intended use.

The most obvious advantage is the cost related to materials. 3D printers today are advertised as using costs on a plastic resin by weight, essentially replicating itself, making it cheaper than its original bulk material cost.

Printing speed/time & dimensional accuracy to market, and reduced prototyping costs. 5-8 However, use of 3D printers introduces several potential risks such as unqualified personnel attempting to operate a printer and using this technology to build weapon parts or components. One of the companies using this technology was intercepted when trying to procure 3D printed aircraft parts across borders. Also, printed components began failing after short periods of time although used in critical applications (high temperature).

Environmental Trend Indicators Exploring future green technologies trends could help law enforcement foresee potential environmental threats resulting from smuggling activities in 3D printing technology based products such as bitcoins / cryptocurrencies, body armor, toxin sprinkler systems for pesticides for organic products etc.

Utility helicopter's engines along with power plants (turbines) can be custom manufactured in near future through 3D printing technology which could be endangering air pollution risk from CO2 later or when they are flown over border during bio-fertiliser trafficking while committing offences against environment laws itself at national or international level usually through bribery / corruption laws which can hamper Environment regulators access to involved pollution producing units and manufacturing units responsible for large scale scaring , also heavy to market, energy savings and environmental impact.

3D Printed Robotics & Drones

Robots are seen as the next frontier in automated technologies. In fact, the robotics industry has seen an annual growth rate of 15% since 2012, with an expected compound annual growth rate of 13.9% through 2022. The use of additive processes in robotics and drones is primarily driven by the ability to produce complex geometries that are difficult to achieve using other manufacturing methods. Because it enhances the standardization of product design, additive manufacturing also offers improved quality control.

Verdict: Emerging Opportunities is one of six emerging technologies on Black & Veatch's Building Innovation Radar™ 4.0, an online assessment tool that forecasts influences on the built environment through 2028. Developed by the company's Advanced Technology Group, it points to important future technologies to watch in the areas of smart cities and infrastructure, clean technology, and wellness advancement through human augmentation. It is based on thousands of research papers written by Black & Veatch subject-matter experts over more than two decades." to market and reduced pollution.

Additive manufacturing typically uses the following processes:

* Stereolithography (SLA)Laser sintering

* Selective laser melting (SLM)Fused Deposition Modeling Selective Heat Sintering binder jetting Laminated object manufacturing

* Compression mold loading of parts3D printing technologies come in a variety of scale from very large industrial systems to desktop versions. Some of these techniques allow new designs to be created that are not possible using traditional methods. 3D printing is a multi-disciplinary technology touching multiple fields such as mechanical engineering, electro-mechanical engineering, electrical engineering, material science, and biomedical engineering.

* Additive methods can create parts consisting of a combination of functional materials (for example polymers or metals) that cannot be produced by conventional subtractive mixing.

* Some product characteristics remain constant during the process such as density.

* Mesh performance in additive vs squeeze feeding is similar until dynamic wall stresses are reached then further characteristic shifts take place as walls begin to compress.

3D Printing With Bio-Printing

Biomedical research has seen a large increase in the use of 3D printing for creating implants and biological scaffolds. 3D printed biological structures are often created from hydrogels, a material that consists mostly of water.

These hydrogels are formed from natural materials like proteins that can be found in the human body. Biomedical companies are also moving towards printing living tissue that can be used for human implantation.

One such company, BioBots, is working towards the goal of creating organs for transplant. BioPrinting is the process of 3D printing biological structures such as tissues, bacteria, viruses, and stem cells.

3D Printing With Polymers

This technology has seen rapid growth in product design and prototyping, as well as end-use parts production. Polymer 3D printing holds a lot of promise as an alternative to traditional manufacturing methods and labor charges, and improved competitiveness in global markets (O'Sullivan and Turner, 2010).

Additive manufacturing is growing as a disruptive technology because on one hand it creates new opportunities for companies to enter international markets due to its low-overhead advantage and production flexibility, but on the other hand innovative companies that produce and sell original designs can be threatened because someone will copy their products freely so there would never be a copyright. Without the rigorous provisions required by the US Fair trade commission, it could make the transition from an advance technologic method to a mass production strategy difficult for pioneers.

It therefore overturns patents regulation (2.1) which has effects on supplies chain which have consequences for all participants including corporations specifically IKEA's entry into India could be negative or positive depending on various factors (Rothbart et al., 2017b; Geggelwal et al., 2016). Although additive manufacturing will democratize he field of design, yielding better products at lower cost, this industrial revolution can still have negative aspects especially in terms of intellectual property rights which may affect future copyrights protections. This industry might need more regulations that can work well with additive manufacturing machinery.

On first instance it seems strange how new disruptions like 3D printers to market, and lower product development/process costs. We believed that that our proprietary technology advantages are material to the operation of our business.

Our Technology enables the production of complete functional products from digital data from a wide range of materials. Every component or component part created by 3D printing can be economically made and at greater scale than with any other current production method. We directly manufacture parts for the global aerospace, automotive, motorcycle, medical device, consumer goods and weapons industries in addition to simpler forms of replacement parts for other consumer goods manufacturers such as boats and power tools.

We believe this gives us a significant advantage over our competitors and also enables us to use a variety of different materials to meet a wider range of customer requirements including designers as well as individual consumers in some sectors who may be able to source their own materials through 3D printing marketplaces on-line or currently with new manufacturing companies and reduced labor content.

3D printing can print a range of material including polymers such as ABS, nylon and polycarbonate, metal alloys including titanium to aerospace-grade aluminium, semiconductors and ceramics.

3D Printing for the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT)

The IIoT (Industrial Internet of Things) is already being implemented in many manufacturing industries. The IIoT has expanded to include industrial-scale additive manufacturing (IM/AM), which enables manufacturers to create customized goods in small batches. These products can meet the demand for variety and customization that consumers are demanding. This technology enables manufacturers to integrate AM with the rest of their business operations.

Additive manufacturing (AM) is a process of making three-dimensional solid objects from a digital file by successively "adding" layers of material until the object is complete. The process involves an AM machine, which is essentially a 3D printer that can print in metal, plastic or other materials. The AM machine uses additive processes to manufacture parts from computer aided design (CAD) data. The CAD file is broken down into many layers and each layer is printed separately and then stacked on top of one another to create the final object.

Additive manufacturing has been used for rapid prototyping for over 30 years and has been used by NASA to make tools in space since 1986. However, it was not widely adopted until the last decade due to improvements in technology and the development of new materials that can be used in additive manufacturing machines. Today, AM machines are capable of producing parts with high accuracy, strength and speed while reducing waste material.

3D Printed Electronics

Electronics 3D printing is relatively new, but it is expected to become more common as awareness and adoption of this technology increases. This technology allows engineers to create multi-layered printed circuit boards (PCBs) with different materials such as conductive ink, synthetic resin, and photopolymers and cost of development, and improved product quality. This report focuses on the global market for industrial-scale additive manufacturing (AM), also known as 3D printing. Industrial-scale AM is a subset of the broader additive manufacturing market, which includes desktop 3D printers used by engineers and hobbyists.

While desktop 3D printers are gaining in popularity, they are not discussed in this report. Industrial-scale AM is expected to be a major driver of growth in the broader additive manufacturing market, which is forecast to grow to £13 billion by 2025. The market for industrial-scale AM will be driven primarily by strong demand from automotive and aerospace companies and other manufacturers that produce high volumes of complex metals parts through AM, as well as by significant demand for plastics parts from the medical and dental industries.

The growing use of AM for these applications will result in strong growth over the next 10 years. Covered in this report The report covers the present scenario and the growth prospects of the global industrial-scale additive manufacturing market.

3D Printing in Manufacturing and Supply Chain Reinvention

As the adoption of industrial-scale AM grows, we will see a transition from traditional supply chains to more agile and customized supply chains. This change will offer businesses a number of benefits, such as improved product quality, reduced production time, reduced labor, and lower production costs.

For example, a car manufacturer or an aircraft manufacturer that uses AM could have parts designed specifically for an individual customer and delivered quickly. The company could use data from sensors on a vehicle or other equipment to collect information about wear and tear and then order specific replacement parts for that customer on demand and reduced shipping costs.

The technology has been around for decades, but until recently it was too expensive for commercial use. In the past few years, however, several factors have come together to make 3D printing more commercially viable.

These include:

Improved design software that allows engineers to create detailed designs easily and quickly; Improved hardware and materials that make it possible to print objects in a wider range of materials; Development of new business models that provide the technology at a reasonable cost.

Some people are concerned that 3D printing may threaten traditional manufacturing industries by allowing manufacturers to produce goods without investing in tooling or setting up factories.

However, some observers believe this development will spur innovation among traditional manufacturers and lead to greater product customization:

"3D printing will be a boon for inventors and entrepreneurs with ideas for products but no real way of getting them made - from fashion designers who can't afford to build a prototype before showing their collection on the runway to car designers who need a custom part but don't want to wait six months while it is manufactured by an off-shore supplier."

3D printed food and fabric will see growth

Organized Retail and Online Retailers will be the Growth Drivers The rise of e-commerce has caused many traditional retailers to increase their focus on the importance of the customer experience and how they can meet the needs of their customers more efficiently.

Although 3D printing is still in its infancy in the consumer goods market, it is expected to grow substantially in the coming years. This growth is expected to be fueled by the increase in demand for customization in the consumer goods market.

Consumers are growing more accustomed to having unique products, and they are demanding more variety in the products they purchase.

This trend is expected to be accompanied by an increase in demand for personalized products, such as personalized shoes, toys, bags, and apparel.

Metal 3D printing will continue to grow

Metal 3D printing is used in aviation, aerospace, automotive, construction, and other industrial sectors. The use of metal AM for these industries will likely increase as the technology advances.

Metal 3D printing is expected to continue growing in the coming years. Companies in these industries will likely continue investing in metal AM technology and look for improved process efficiency and machine performance.

The use of AM in the automotive industry, for example, is expected to grow as demand for customized products increases. In addition, the introduction of hybrid metal AM technologies is expected to help drive the growth of this industry.

Conclusion

The implementation of AM in various industries has shown that the technology can be used to produce a wide range of products and components. This article provides insight into the various trends in the world of 3D printing in 2022. As this technology continues to grow, more industries and businesses will benefit from its advantages. The technology is also often used in design education and for rapid prototyping.

3D printing is not limited to finished goods. It can be used to create prototypes or models that help designers verify their ideas before committing time and money to a production run. However, it is being used for short-run production as well, with some companies already using the technique for low-volume production runs of hard goods such as hearing aids.

The term "additive manufacturing" was originally coined in 1988 by Joseph Beaman of the University of Texas at Austin in his paper "Additive Manufacturing: A Definition of the Process" published by SAE International.

This definition has been accepted by both industry and academia since its conception, although there is no consensus on what constitutes an additive process versus a subtractive process (more on this later). Since then, the term has become common usage within both industry and academia when referring to additive manufacturing technologies.

There are many different types of 3D printers available today which use different processes to fabricate objects from digital designs.

Some of these processes include: Selective Laser Sintering (SLS), Fused Deposition Modeling ( FDM)

Additive manufacturing is based on the principle of layering materials to create a three-dimensional object.

The technology uses computer aided design (CAD) software to slice a 3D object into thin layers, which are then stacked on top of each other until the complete object is created. The process is repeated until all of the components have been printed.

There are several different techniques used to 3D print an object:

SLS printing, which uses a powder material that is heated up until it melts, allowing it to be deposited layer by layer in any desired shape; this technique can be used with various thermoplastic materials such as nylon, PETG or polycarbonate;

FDM printing, which uses molten thermoplastic material that can be extruded through a nozzle in any desired shape; this technique can be used with various thermoplastic materials such as PLA or ABS;

SLA printing, which uses a UV-curable resin material that hardens when exposed to UV light from an LED source; this technique can be used with acrylic resin.

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3D Printing On Demand UK | 3D Printing | Online Service |

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The use of 3D printing technology is expanding in multiple industrial sectors. The technology is now used for a range of applications, from prototyping to final manufacturing, and has something to offer almost every company and department.

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Here is a website I visited when researching what 3d printing involves 

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Here is a website I visited when researching what 3d printing involves 

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3D Printing: What It Is, How It Works and Examples | Built In

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3D printing uses computer-aided design (CAD) to create three-dimensional objects. 3D printing involves layering materials to create solid objects.