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Some of the bigger 3D objects that exist... so far!

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Some of the bigger 3D objects that exist... so far!

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3D Printing Blog: Tutorials, News, Trends and Resources | Sculpteo

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Posted By Kat Plewa on Dec 3, 2019 |

From 3D printed hearts to car restorations, Additive Manufacturing has numerous applications in many industries, but did you know that it is also possible to 3D print on a large scale? Concrete houses, bridges or even ship propellers, 3D printing keeps bringing absolutely new, innovative solutions. What is the largest 3D printed object yet? Let's find out!

#6 Titanium Brake Caliper by Bugatti

The automotive industry is certainly one that makes the most of 3D printing technologies. One of the leaders, Bugatti, wasn't waiting for their competitors to start benefiting from Additive Manufacturing. They are creating a new path of production using the Selective Laser Sintering (SLS) technique.

Thanks to 3D printing, Bugatti made a huge improvement in their brake caliper design and manufacturing. The brake produced with traditional methods weighed 4.9 kg and was made out of aluminum. Additive Manufacturing allowed the engineers to use titanium, which is much stronger and robust. Not only that, but they could also use new design methods bringing the weight of caliper down to 2.9 kg!

Only 3D technologies could allow Bugatti's team to reduce weight and at the same time improve the quality of the 3D printed part. Additive Manufacturing is the true future of the automotive industry.

#5 Two-level villa

Chinese company HuaShang Tengda knows how to produce impressive extra-large projects. Our Top 6 list of the largest 3D printed objects wouldn't be complete without a concrete 3D printed habitat.

The revolution of using additive manufacturing for houses is the speed of producing them. HuaShang Tengda managed to build a two-story villa in just 45 days! They developed dedicated hardware but also developed an innovative technique complementing 3D printing. First, the frame of the building was put up and then a 3D printer laid the concrete.

To produce this XL object 20 tons of concrete were used! This 3D printed house shows another advantage of Additive Manufacturing: lowering material waste, which reflects on the costs. Most impressive is still the timeframe. 3D printing can improve your production by making it faster and therefore bringing the costs down.

#4 The largest 3D printed bridge

Another outstanding project on our list is the world's longest 3D printed bridge produced in Shangai. The previous bridge was built during the Sui Dynasty (581- 618 CE) and it took 11 years to complete it.

To compare, the 3D printed structure was manufactured in less than 19 days! To make the bridge, 68 slide pieces and 64 deck pieces were 3D printed. What is so striking about this bridge is not only the manufacturing speed but also the fact that it includes senor accumulating displacement data which will be used later to improve the design of future 3D printed bridges.

On top of that, the bridge is very strong. It was tested during inauguration when 100 people stood on it at the same time! This experiment truly proves that Additive Manufacturing is totally capable of producing complex constructions that can withstand tons of stress.

#3 World's first 3D printed propeller

Another industry where 3D printing is a groundbreaking solution to improving the production process is the maritime sector. One of the latest developments is WAAMpeller. It is the first-ever 3D printed ship propeller. Where its unique name comes from?

WAAM is a technology invented especially for this project. WAAM is short for Wire Arc Additive Manufacturing. This 3D method melts metal wire with an electric arc, layer by layer. The WAAMpeller is built of nickel aluminum bronze alloy and composed of 298 layers. The final result was truly impressive and fully functional! The 3D printed propeller was installed on a workboat Stan Tug 1606.

#2 3D printing and space exploration: Aeon 1

Can Additive Manufacturing improve space exploration? Yes! In fact, there are many different ways where 3D technologies print new, better solutions to space travel. Relativity Space, a young American start-up, saw the potential of 3D printing.

They developed robotic arms that are capable of 3D printing with metal. What for? To manufacture a rocket engine: Aeon 1! Rocket engines are extremely hard to design and produce, they are made of multiple parts which raises the risk of failure. Thanks to 3D techniques, the design od a rocket engine could be rethought.

Usually, this component of a rocket has many parts, but thanks to 3D printing, it was composed only of 3 parts! That's a huge leap forward in terms of material usage, functionality, production time, and costs. It only took one month to manufacture Aeon 1, compared to 6 months when made with traditional technologies. Also, having fewer parts means a shortened assembly time.

Aeon 1 was successfully fired up on numerous occasions, which proves that it's fully functional and ready for further improvements.

#1 Largest solid 3D printed object

The leader in aircraft manufacturing Boeing knows that producing aircraft is time-consuming and complicated. Not every tool needed to manufacture, for instance, wings, is available on the market. Special equipment is required for a plane to be built. This is exactly why 3D printing is the answer.

Thanks to 3D modeling, engineers from Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) in cooperation with Boeing were able to produce highly customized and at the same time, the largest ever solid 3D printed object. The part needed was a trim tool. The purpose of this tool is to hold Boeing 777x's wing skin while it's being machined and drilled. The tool holds the title of the largest 3D printed object in Guinness Records.

To be able to produce it, the researchers developed Big Area Additive Manufacturing (BAAM) 3D printer. The machine took only 30 hours, instead of 7 days, to produce a large-scale trim tool. The component is a combination of 80% ABS plastic and 20% carbon fiber. It weighs 745 kg, is 5.3 meters long, 1.5 meters wide and 0.5 meters tall. The 3D printed tool showcases how much potential lays in additive manufacturing for the aerospace industry.

What is the future of XL 3D printing?

As you see, there are some really impressive projects when it comes to the largest 3D printed object. From improving airplanes production, the longest bridges to building houses, Additive Manufacturing keeps on surprising us with its groundbreaking applications. And it definitely won't stop there. Every year there are new solutions and projects that come up, such as the biggest yet 3D printed boat.

Big or small, if you have a 3D printing project, you can easily produce it with an online 3D printing service like Sculpteo. All you have to do is upload your file or if you have any doubts.

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What is the largest 3D printed object? (2021 Update)

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Posted By Kat Plewa on Dec 3, 2019 | From 3D printed hearts to car restorations, Additive Manufacturing has numerous applications in many industries, but did you know that it is also possible to 3D print on a large scale? Concrete houses, bridges or even ship propellers, 3D printing keeps bringing absolutely new, innovative solutions.

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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

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I think this is a great little video that explains 3D printing clearly

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I think this is a great little video that explains 3D printing clearly

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What Is 3D Printing and How Does It Work? | Mashable Explains

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3-D printing: The new industrial revolution

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This article examines the characteristics and applications of 3-D printing and compares it with mass customization and other manufacturing processes. ...

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3D printing has become synonymous with manufacturing. Research, in fact, indicates it's the most popular prototyping method used by manufacturing companies. Using a 3D printer, manufacturing companies can quickly build prototypes for testing and quality assurance purposes. While there are many different types of 3D printing processes, though, nearly all of them consist of three basic steps. So, what are the three basic steps of 3D printing exactly?

Step #1) Modeling

Before a manufacturing company can build an object with a 3D printer, it must design the model using computer software. Modeling is the first step of 3D printing. Manufacturing companies typically design object models using a special type of computer software known as a computer-aided design (CAD) package. Once complete, the object model is saved as a stereolithography (STL) or an additive manufacturing file (AMF) format.

During the modeling step, manufacturing companies will check the model file for errors. Most CAD packages are able to detect errors that, if ignored, could cause defects in the printed object. Common errors found in model files include holes, self-intersections, manifold errors and faces.

Step #2) Printing

The second step of 3D printing involves printing, or building, the object. Assuming there are no errors in the STL or AMF file, the manufacturing company can upload it to the 3D printer. The 3D printer will use the instructions in the respective file to dictate where and how the material is deposited.

Most 3D printers build objects by depositing layers of material onto a bed. The 3D printer will build the bottom layer first, after which it will build the next-highest layer. 3D printers may use different materials to build objects, though thermoplastic is the most common material used for this process. Thermoplastic pellets or beads are extruded out of the printer head, at which point they fall onto the bed where they form the printed object.

Step #3) Finishing

The third and final step of 3D printing is finishing. As the name suggests, finishing involves making the final touches on the printed object. Solvents, for example, may be added to the printed object to eliminate any superficial imperfections while also creating a smoother surface finish. Alternatively, if supports were used to hold the object during printing, they'll have to be removed during this third and final step.

In Conclusion

3D printing is typically performed in three steps. The first step involves designing the object model in a CAD package. The second step involves building the object with a 3D printer. The third step consists of finishing where the final touches are made.

Do you have a prototype that has been stuck in your head? We can help get it out of your head and into your hands with our 3D printing portal.

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The 3 Basic Steps of 3D Printing | Blog Posts | OneMonroe

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3D printing has become synonymous with manufacturing. Research, in fact, indicates it's the most popular prototyping method used by manufacturing companies. Using a 3D printer, manufacturing companies can quickly build prototypes for testing and quality assurance purposes. While there are many different types of 3D printing processes, though, nearly all of them consist of three basic steps.

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Abstract
Digital fabrication and '3D Making' are prominent recent additions to school curricula, hastened by the increased affordability of Computer Assisted Design software and devices such as 3D printers. It is increasingly argued that classroom use of these technologies can re-orientate schools towards forms of skills and knowledge appropriate for contemporary industry, STEM education and 'Maker culture'. Amidst such rhetoric, questions are raised about how these technologies are being used in schools, and the extent to which this represents 'new' and/or 'innovative' forms of education. This paper presents an ethnographic investigation of a 3D printing course enacted in an Australian high school. These curricular activities are considered from three different perspectives: (i) the artefacts and devices involved in the project; (ii) the surrounding social and educational contexts; and (iii) the activities and practices implicit in the implementation of the project. These different levels of analysis highlight the complexities of technology-based schooling - not least the ways in which possible technical and/or pedagogical 'innovations' associated with 3D printing are shaped by the situational constraints of school contexts. The paper concludes by considering the likely future(s) of 3D printing and other forms of digital fabrication within the institutional confines of school.

Acknowledgement

We would like to thank the participating administrators, teachers and students at Lakeside, as well as the other principal investigators on the project - Scott Bulfin and Nicola Johnson.

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Making the best of it? Exploring the realities of 3D printing in school

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Abstract Digital fabrication and '3D Making' are prominent recent additions to school curricula, hastened by the increased affordability of Computer Assisted Design software and devices such as 3D printers. It is increasingly argued that classroom use of these technologies can re-orientate schools towards forms of skills and knowledge appropriate for contemporary industry, STEM education and 'Maker culture'.

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The plant in Mělník manufactures motor mounts for car manufacturers around the world to avoid unwanted noise and vibration from the motor. The production process of these parts is complex and requires a high level of precision with the creation of individual parts and their assembly. This is then reflected in the economically sustainable methods of the company with a low amount of scrap waste.

„Because 99 percent of prints are utilized directly in our production, this greatly increases production efficiency and quality control of outputs ," states Luděk Rozmanitý, designer of jigs and moulds. And further describes the typical scenario at a number of other Czech companies:
„If we had to come up with a process different from 3D printing, everything would take longer. The first step would be the design of an aluminum jig, followed by the selection process of a tool shop, then about 4 weeks of waiting for a free workshop date and then delivery. In short, about 5-6 weeks of waiting going the traditional way. With a DeltiQ 3D printer, production usually takes only a few days from initial request to deployment."
With the acquisition of the 3D printer, there has been a change in thinking about product development, naturally. „From the beginning, we had our mind set on machining. The moment a person has access to 3D printing, they have to completely change their way of reasoning and start thinking proactively. The fact that you have an iteration of the product in your hands within a few hours and that you can work on another iteration right away helps. All this and 3D printing only further increases efficiency - it also reduces the complexity of product and material consumption as well as printing time," adds Luděk Rozmanitý.

„From the beginning, we had our mind set on machining. The moment a person has access to 3D printing, they have to completely change their way of reasoning and start thinking proactively." - Luděk Rozmanitý

What about the longevity of plastic products? The DeltiQ printer at Vibracoustic mainly prints with low-cost, mechanically resistant PETG material. Printed stackers have now been used on the assembly line for two years in a row, and defects are rare and usually out of the operator's negligence rather than wear and tear.

Another undeniable advantage of in-house 3D printing is when a replacement is needed. It is possible to optimize the size of the spare parts warehouse and further print ad-hoc on demand within a few hours.

A typical example of increasing the efficiency of processes are devices for quality control of output, in this case, components for motor placement in cars. The previous method of manual inspection was far from effective, as described by Mr. Rozmanitý: „You held the part in one hand, and a thread in the other, which you then tried to screw into the controlled thread. It made exit control more complex and less effective."

With the arrival of 3D printing, the inspection department switched to pneumatic thread inspection, especially with the requirements to create many variants of part positioning jigs that firmly seat each component on the workbench and allow its quick inspection. Now normally on the second or third day with overnight printing. „ Productivity is now on a completely different level from the former manual control method. Swapping products for a different production line is now just a matter of loosening four screws," adds Luděk Rozmanitý and within a minute, proceeds to replace a 3D-made stand with another.

„Productivity is now on a completely different level from the former manual control method. Swapping products for a different production line is now just a matter of loosening four screws," adds Luděk Rozmanitý

By the way, you can also see the printed tester arm holder and its ergonomic head in the picture. You will find a number of similar aids within the plant facility.

Products made from 3D printers are not just "pieces of plastic", as it might seem. In combination with other materials and construction procedures, Vibracoustic has acquired a tool that directly affects production efficiency.

It's an insert preparation into the molds of a vertical vulcanizing press. It is used to insert plastic rings and metal cores into the press, where it is connected to the rubber.

The product itself demands admiration with its intuitiveness. It is a combination of a universal metal bar, a closed pneumatic circuit and in-house developed and optimized nozzles, produced by the TRILAB DeltiQ printer.

As explained by the designer Luděk Rozmanitý, „By bringing compressed air into the jig, the collected components are fixed and easily transferred to the press in bulk. The components can be prepared in advance on an auxiliary bench again with the help of 3D printing, which not only shortens the total time of one production cycle, but also increases the stability of the process, which is much more cost-effective than simply accelerating production."

Thanks to 3D printing, the interval between pressing cycles is shortened, perfect placement of components is ensured and errors due to negligence are minimized. In addition to higher productivity, any deviations in the quality parameters of products are also reduced. As it was practically calculated directly in the production, the use of jigs shortens the entire cycle depending on the complexity of the part by 5 - 15%. As product complexity increases so does the benefit. Due to the production volumes, this creates a significant increase in process efficiency.

In addition, thanks to the availability of 3D printing, the design office can easily prepare other types of jigs for different product models and put them into production within just a few days. Luděk Rozmanitý contrasts this progression with the past when they worked without 3D printing: „It is unrealistic to design such a product from aluminum, for example, to tender a tool shop, wait 4-5 weeks for its delivery, and only then to test and change the parameters of the handpiece. We would only be able to propose a maximum of several variants per year. Within a year, instead of two variants, we managed to test and debug over fifty variants. Without 3D printing, this product would not have come into being at all," he adds.

„Within a year, instead of two variants, we managed to test and debug over fifty variants. Without 3D printing, this product would not have come into being at all."

Each of the previously introduced products will economically justify the acquisition of a 3D printer for the company, but its use goes even further. "After the production of the first 3D printed products, we suddenly began to see opportunities where 3D printing can help everywhere," states Rozmanitý, for whom the construction of preparations is a daily duty. Its created countless holders, ergonomic handles and delimiters that make work easier.

An interesting example is the production of a pressure gun holder and the application of a separator in the form of a press. With the initiative of work safety, a requirement arose for a stable location of the pressure gun.

The first versions of the product were aesthetically pleasing, but because of 3D printing and the ability to quickly create several iterations, Vibracoustic soon worked out the final version of a simple handle that meets safety requirements and its production is fast and inexpensive.

The end product would normally be manufactured using a different technology, but the entire development with fast iterations would be much slower and incomparably more expensive without 3D printing.

„The deployment of 3D printed jigs has reached the stage that during a year of operation we printed so many jigs, holders, stackers and everything (approx. 25km (72kg) of filament a year) that even though their service life is good with proper handling, the printer still basically worked nonstop with breaks only for service cases. That is why we agreed to purchase a second TRILAB DeltiQ 2 machine," concludes Luděk Rozmanitý.

Vibracoustic is just one of the many companies that we have helped with the delivery of a suitable 3D printing solution and its deployment. We have experience from engineering plants, automotive, casting, design offices, to production lines and scientific institutions. TRILAB DeltiQ jigs and models have already saved time and money at these businesses and workplaces. And even inspired prototypes, jigs and products that have never occurred to anyone with their own 3D printer.

Contact us by e-mail, telephone or via social networks and we will be happy to show you free of charge, how TRILAB 3D printers will help your company as well.

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How 3D printing increases the efficiency at Vibracoustic | TRILAB

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The plant in Mělník manufactures motor mounts for car manufacturers around the world to avoid unwanted noise and vibration from the motor. The production process of these parts is complex and requires a high level of precision with the creation of individual parts and their assembly.