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October 16, 2021 By Sam in 3D Printing in Medical Industry
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April 20, 2021 By Sam in 3d printing materials
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April 12, 2021 By Sam in 3D Printing News, Industry 4.0
Zeal 3D Printing Achieves ISO 9001:2015 for Excellent Quality Management Systems
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December 2, 2020 By Sam in 3D Printing News, Fabrication
Impact of 3D Printing vs Fabrication on Various Industries
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November 24, 2020 By Sam in 3D Printing News
The Never-Ending Dilemma: Using 3D printing service Vs. Buying 3D Printer?
3D printing, alternatively called additive manufacturing, is a manufacturing technique where a three dimensional object is created by adding thin layers of material successively using a CAD design. 3D printing is becoming extremely popular, especially in the healthcare industry for making personal protective equipment, ventilator parts that were used across the world for COVID.
3D printing can produce complex shapes and uses lesser materials than conventional manufacturing methods. Some examples of 3D printed products are prosthetic limbs and body parts, homes and buildings, musical instruments, firearms, and more.
There are more than 10 different types of 3D printing technologies today. Some of them are:
• Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM)
• Selective Laser Sintering (SLS)
• Stereolithography (SLA)
• Digital Light Processing (DLP
• Material Jetting (MJ)
• Drop on Demand (DOD)
• Sand Binder Jetting
• Metal Binder Jetting
• Direct Metal Laser Sintering (DMLS)
• Selective Laser Sintering (SLS)
• Electron Beam Melting (EBM)
There are plenty of online 3D print options for each of these processes. Adding, there are many pros and cons for each of these hence it is essential to choose the option rightly.
In the 3D printing process, first the object is designed in a 3D CAD model. There are different software versions for making 3D models in various complex designs. The modelled CAD file is then exported as a printable .STL or .OBJ format.
As a third step, the .STL format is translated into instructions for the 3D printer to follow. This process is called slicing. Slicing involves dividing the file into thousands of layers telling the machine the step-by-step process to do. After the files are sliced, a G-code is generated. The 3D printing machine will automatically follow the G-code without any supervision, and errors.
Finally, the finished parts are removed from the build platform and sent for post processing works like sanding, painting, depending upon the material, product, budget, etc.
More often than not, both rapid prototyping and rapid manufacturing are confused and used interchangeably in different contexts. Both are manufacturing techniques and different from each other.
Rapid prototyping is the process of creating prototypes or preliminary versions of a model for evaluating the designs and testing the functionality. The prototypes are created before a product goes into mass production and could either be high fidelity or low fidelity based on the degree of accuracy.
Rapid manufacturing involves a set of several manufacturing processes to produce a part quickly. In this method, the end product is manufactured directly without making any prototypes. Also called solid freeform manufacturing or direct digital manufacturing.
There are several benefits of 3D printing like:
• As the product is built in layers, 3D printing generates very less material waste, making it one of the best sustainable cost-effective options.
• Businesses can deliver quality, enhanced products in shorter time frames. Designers can think creatively for making complex and intricate geometries and reduce errors.
• 3D printing applications are aplenty right from medical implants, consumer goods, to personal items it is a very popular choice in the manufacturing sector.
• 3D printing enables designers to customize design and print as and when needed, especially for making single parts for one time.
Many industries are reaping the benefits from 3D printing. Some of the top industries are healthcare, aerospace, automotive, mechanical engineering, dentistry, jewellery, deathcare, mechanical engineering, marketing, construction and more.
3D printing technologies have various advantages and each are used in different applications depending on the material and the product to be manufactured. Few of the most common ones are:
Stereolithography, Digital Light Processing, Fused Deposition Modeling, Selective Laser Sintering, Electronic Beam Melting (EBM), Laminated Object Manufacturing (LOM), Selective Laser Melting (SLM), Material Jetting (MJ), Sand Binder Jetting, Metal Binder Jetting, Digital Metal Laser Sintering (DMLS), Continuous Liquid Interface Production.
Of all the 3D printing materials, plastic is the most widely used one. However, 3D printing is compatible with a range of materials like nylon, resin, gold, powdered materials like polyamide, alumide, bronze, gold, nickel, stainless steel, titanium, carbon fiber, graphene, graphite, paper, high impact polystyrene, polycarbonate, PVA, nitinol, and more.
Stereolithography or resin 3D printing dates back to the 1980s where it was first established as a commercial 3D printing process. In SLA 3D printing, UV laser is used to cure photopolymer cross sections transforming them from liquid to solid forms. SLA parts are then removed from the build, cleaned in a solvent solution to remove residues from the surface.
SLA 3D printers are capable of printing even the tiniest parts of a few mm size with intricate details and high accuracy and resolution.
There are many benefits of SLA 3D printing like mass customization, creating functional prototypes, transparent products, complex assemblies and more.
SLS uses powder bed fusion to manufacture 3D objects. A high power laser is used to sinter small particles of material powder into solid objects.
SLS process: thin layers of polymer powder are dispersed in the build chamber. Once the printer preheats the powder to the desired temperature, lasers scan the powder in cross sections of the 3D model heating it below the melting point of the material. The same process repeats for all layers, fusing the particles together to make a solid part.
The finish of SLS parts are slightly grainy in texture and hence media blasting or media tumbling is recommended for making it smoother. SLS 3D printing also offers great benefits like fantastic mechanical properties, faster turnaround times, high strength and stiffness.
Fused Deposition Modeling or Fused Filament Fabrication is a 3D printing technology. FDM 3D printer consists of a printer platform, a nozzle and the filament (raw material). FDM works by extruding thin filaments through the heated nozzle. The extruded material is then deposited at the bottom of the platform where it gets cooled and solidified. An object is built by fusing each layer as it gets extruded one after the other.
Some of the commonly used FDM materials are nylon, ABS and its variations like polycarbonates, thermoplastic urethane, etc.
The best advantage of using PolyJet 3D printers is that multiple materials can be used to manufacture a single part. Low volumes of accurate parts can be created in shorter time frames. In a PolyJet 3D printing, hundreds of droplets of liquid photopolymer are sprayed onto a build platform, and are cured using ultraviolet light.
The end products are hardened and can be drilled or tapped. They can be made more aesthetic by painting and giving other smooth additional finishes.
3D metal parts are made from even layers of a powdered metal bed in which high powered UV laser beams are used to bind the particles. The different types of 3D metal printing processes include powder bed fusion, binder jetting, directed energy deposition and material extrusion.
Metal 3D printing is becoming the go-to option for many modern day manufacturers for various reasons like:
Also known as direct metal laser sintering (DMLS) and selective laser melting (SLM), it helps in making complex end-parts at much reduced costs and lead times. The 3D printed metal parts can be customized and are highly popular in industries like automotive and healthcare. Compared to conventional manufacturing, 3D metal printing is energy-efficient and requires only less energy, generating less waste material.
Some of the heavily used metal 3D printing technologies are:
• Powder Bed Fusion
• Selective Laser Melting (SLM)
• Electron Beam Melting (EBM),
• Directed Energy Deposition or also called Laser Material Deposition,
• Electron Beam Additive Manufacturing,
• Binder Jetting,
• Bound Powder Extrusion
Metal 3D printing is becoming and will become more mature in the future years. With a huge market opportunity, following are some of the 3D metal printing applications:
• Tool components and finished parts in aerospace and automotive sectors
• Aircraft components, rocket motors, propulsion-based components and other parts that are of lightweight
• Functional metal prototypes for easy design and functionality tests and changes
• Battlefield armour and other weapons for military & defense
• Marine industry for making boat propellers
• Dental implants, orthopaedic implants, spinal devices, etc. in the medical field
• High-security cylinder locks and keys
Some of the common metal 3D printing materials are titanium, cobalt, aluminium, maraging steel, cobalt-chrome, nickel super alloy, aluminium alloy and iconel 625.
• Stainless steel
• Cobalt
• Aluminium
• Titanium
• Iconel 625
With their varied characteristics like chemical-resistant, strength, corrosion-resistant, temperature-resistant, mechanical properties, dynamic properties, each material has its own pros and cons.
First, a 3D design is created in CAD software, and then converted into .STL format which the 3D metal printer interprets the instructions. As in every additive manufacturing technique, even in 3D metal printing the file is sliced into horizontal layers each of which are max 0.1 mm in thickness. The laser pulse is then used to heat up and trace the shape of the design to form a solid. This process is based on powder bed technology.
Any metal part whether it's a complex tube, overhangs, hollow middles with undercuts, and other intricate designs are easily achievable through this process, also called Direct Metal Laser Sintering or Selective Laser Melting (SLM).
Metal 3D printing is an umbrella term for a group of technologies consisting of powder bed fusion, laser cladding, directed energy deposition (DED), wire DED, powder DED, and metal binder jetting and bound powder extrusion.
In Selective Laser Melting (SLM), high-powered laser beams are made to melt and fuse layers of metallic powder for creating a solid object. That is, the laser is used to melt successive layers of the metallic powder until the part is formed.
A classic example of SLM is its application in the healthcare industry to produce prosthetics where the model can be modified to the patient’s anatomy.
DMLS is one of the 3D printing techniques that is popular and effective. Unlike other metal 3D printing where only certain alloys could be used, DMLS is compatible with almost any metal alloy. Almost similar to SLM, in DMLS the model is divided into fine layers and a laser is slowly made to move across the surface that is to be printed and fuse together the particles to form an object. Additional layers of powder are applied and sintered successively. Here, the powdered metal is not completely melted but it is heated just enough to weld it whereas in SLM the laser completely melts the powdered metal into liquid before fusing it to produce the object.
Directed Energy Deposition (DED) is an additive manufacturing technique where the material is melted and deposited onto the surface, with the help of focussed energy sources like laser or plasma arc, in layers and then the material gets solidified. DED 3D printing technology machines use a nozzle mounted on a multi axis arm like 3-axis or 5+ axis systems, which move in multiple directions to lay down the material. The material layers are usually of 0.25mm to 0.5 mm in thickness.
DED technique is mainly used in repairing high-quality functional parts, and for relatively large parts that need less tooling.
Binder Jetting 3D printing technology is being considered as one of the lucrative options as it is suitable across all industries. Here, a liquid binding agent is selectively applied to layers of powder which are then joined together to form an object. As the printing plate gets lowered every time when an additional powder layer is added, almost 95% of the material could be recycled. The parts made with this metal 3D printing method require post-processing works like curing, sintering, infiltration and polishing or plating with gold or nickel for that aesthetic touch.
Binder Jetting is far more economical than other processes like SLM or DED.
By definition in manufacturing terms, metal casting is a process in which liquified material like hot metal is poured into a mold which has a hollow cavity of the desired shape. The liquid is then taken off or removed once it is cooled and hardened.
A 3D model is a mathematical representation of 3D objects. 3D models bring in the “real-world”effect into visuals like animation, video games, illustrations, advertising and all others related to entertainment. To bring in the perfect 3D model designs for 3D printing, it is important to get a basic understanding of the 3D printing technologies available, wall thickness, file resolution, software guidelines, etc.
To upload a 3D model design for 3D printing first convert 3D files into the supported .sTL format, slice the model with any available software and then either use your 3D printer or hire a professional service.
• Convert 3D file into STL format
• Slice the model with any slicing software
• Use your 3D printer
STL stands for STereoLithography or Standard Tessellation Language. STL files for 3D printing are first designed in CAD and then converted into STL format.
Also called PolyJet, Multi-jet modelling (MJM) is an additive manufacturing technique. In the MJM 3D printing process, a printhead with multiple nozzles layers liquid polymer onto a build platform. The layers are then cured by exposing them to UV lamps. The printhead moves across the path as defined in the CAD model.
MJM can produce high precision parts, good surface quality and the process is relatively faster with no heating or cooling time required.
Polylactic acid or polylactide or PLA is biodegradable thermoplastic based on lactic acid. It is extracted from renewable sources like corn, sugarcane, tapioca roots, etc. PLA plastic is eco-friendly, non-toxic and has better thermal processability.
ABS or PLA plastic is considered to be a semi-crystalline polymer with a melting temperature of 180 degree celsius and is best suitable for 3D printing, especially for beginners.
Plastic injection molding is a manufacturing process in which the plastic pellets are heated, melted and sent to the mould where it cools and hardens. The desired part is then obtained when it is removed from the mold. This is mainly used for mass production.
The main advantage of injection molding is its ability to produce parts en masse where the same part is created more than a thousand times continuously. However this manufacturing process has got other pros.
• Production of high-volume parts
• Wide range of material choice
• Low scrap rates
• Speedy production
• More economical
• Less of finishing works
• Design flexibility
In injection molding process, the product is first designed using CAD software. Once the designs are finalized, the mold is designed with any suitable material. Thermoplastic pellets are then heated, melted and injected into the mold quickly. The part is ejected once its cooled and solidified.
Plastic injection molding PLC machine is used to produce plastic parts through injection molding method. It is divided into three: hydraulic injection molding, electric injection molding and hybrid injection molding.
• Hydraulic Injection Molding: It is useful for making valve gates, ejectors, etc and easier to operate.
• Electric Injection Molding: With better energy efficiency, these machines have less down time and produce parts quickly with no supervision
• Hybrid Injection Molding: It is flexible with lesser downtimes, and highly energy efficient
CNC stands for Computer Numerical Control. CNC machining is a metal fabrication method where unlike conventional methods, software programs control the machinery. In CNC, material is removed in layers during the production process to form a part. It is a good option to produce low to medium volume parts and works well on materials like glass, plastic, foam, etc.
There are three different types of CNC machining operations like CNC drilling, CNC milling, CNC turning, etc.
CNC machining is used to manufacture products like metal aircraft components, aerospace components like engine mounts and fuel access panels, automotive parts, consumer electronics like fixtures, jigs, medical components, pistons and cylinders, and more.
CNC produces parts with utmost accuracy and precision, faster, efficient and contributes to cost savings.
• CNC machining can provide highly precise, high quality components.
• It needs only lesser skilled technicians making it a cost effective option.
• CNC machines need no out-of-hours, hugely increasing the production.
• CNC can aid in processes like injection molding.
• When combined with 3D printing or metal casting, it can produce even more superior parts.
Vacuum casting is a casting method for elastomers polymers polymers that use vacuum to draw liquid material into the mold. With this reproduction technology, it is easy to produce flexible, rigid parts that are of different textures and colours.
In vacuum casting, the master model is first made by laser sintering following which a two part rubber mold is made. Once the master model is fixed on it, the mold is cured at high temperatures. When it is cured, a hollow cavity with the same dimensions of the master model is formed at the centre. Any extra air bubbles is removed when the mold filled with the material is placed in the vacuum chamber. This mold could be used to make more copies.
Vacuum casting also referred to as polyurethane casting is used to make rubber and plastic components from silicone molds. It uses a vacuum to suck the molten metal into the mold. A steady, constant pressure, force is needed to overcome the surface tension of the molten metal else the metal would blob.
Vacuum casting is extremely useful in rapid prototyping injection molding parts and there are different applications of VC like:
• Product design verification
• Field user testing
• Parts with different surface textures and hardness
• Aerospace manufacturing
• Rapid plastic prototyping
• Home decor
• Function testing
• Automotive parts
Some of the popular materials used in vacuum casting are rubber for high flexibility, ABS for high rigidity and strength, filled ABS for resistance, polyamide/glass filled nylon for high rigidity, polycarbonate for high temperature resistance, HDPR for high elasticity, wax which is flexible to form any shapes, and more.
Vacuum casting offers advantages like excellent quality parts, speedy mass production, versatile parts, most cost-effective option as no hard tools or expensive equipment are used, fine surface details, customizable master patterns.
Vacuum casting has several applications like prosthetic and medical devices, automotive and aerospace parts, decorative objects, IOT products, flexible medical parts, enclosures, household products, etc.
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