3D Printing Technologies

3D Printing Technologies

3D printing, also known as additive manufacturing, is the construction of a three dimensional object from a digital model using different techniques that deposit, join or solidify materials under computer control.3d printing technologies The printing process is additive, meaning that each layer builds upon the previous one and results in a solid item which has been cut into thin cross sections to reveal the finished product.

Currently there are more than 20 FDA-approved 3D printing materials including metals, thermoplastics, polyurethane, ceramics, concrete and shape memory alloys (also known as smart materials).3d printing technologies Unlike traditional manufacturing techniques like CNC machining, injection molding or lost wax casting, which are labor intensive, costly and require significant set-up and training, this new technology offers a cost effective alternative to produce small parts that could be used in production lines. It has become increasingly popular in the medical industry for producing surgical guides, orthopedic implants and prosthetics as well as patient specific replicas of bones, organs and blood vessels.

The 3D printing industry is at an inflection point with many industrial businesses just now starting to realize its value and begin investing in the technology.3d printing technologies In the near future the market will commoditize as the big players develop platforms for connecting producers with the material, customers and users who require their products. The platforms will be powerful as they essentially act as the middleman for all these transactions, collecting and selling valuable data in the process.

In the past, 3D printing has been seen as a prototyping technology used for quick tools and trinkets, but its capabilities have expanded well beyond this, with many engineers and executives not realizing that the technology is now capable of creating durable, safe products in moderate to large quantities for sale to real customers.3d printing technologies Some of the most exciting applications include lightweight structures, aerospace engineering and consumer goods.

While plastics and metals are the most common printing materials, there is scope to print items from other materials which may offer specific properties like thermal conductivity, water repellency or higher strength for particular applications.3d printing technologies These specialised printing materials are being developed in various labs around the world and have already been used in a number of 3D printed products.

There are several 3D printing technologies that use different methods to construct an item, these include sintering, melting, direct energy deposition and stereolithography.3d printing technologies Sintering technologies such as selective laser sintering, electron beam melting and direct metal laser sintering fuse the particles of a plastic or metal powder together into a single solid object layer by layer. Melting processes such as direct energy deposition, multi jet fusion and powder bed fusion bind the particles of a metal powder together at high temperatures. Stereolithography, which was invented in 1981, utilises photosensitive materials to cure and solidify a cross section of an object in thin layers.

All of these printing technologies can be classified under the broad term of additive fabrication, but there is another technique that goes by the name of volumetric 3D printing, which uses a unique method to create objects without the need for layer by layer fabrication. This is still in the research phase, but has the potential to speed up production times significantly.

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