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3d printing or additive manufacturing is an advanced manufacturing method that lets anyone print three-dimensional items from a digital file. It is an additive process in which the object is manufactured in a layer-by-layer fashion. The printed object's every layer is visible as a thin-sliced cross-section.
This process is the opposite of traditional processes which follow 'subtractive manufacturing' in which an object is made hollowing or cutting out a plastic or metal filament block. 3d printing is widely employed in various industries and it's especially used for rapid prototyping. This technology allows on-demand design printing without requiring a heavy production setup.
There are several types of 3D printing methods available, but there are nine basic types of printing methods that are widely popular. These 3d printing technologies are Stereolithography (SLA), Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM), Selective Laser Sintering (SLS), Digital Light Processing (DLP), Electron Beam Melting (EMB), Selective Laser Melting (SLM), Laminated Object Manufacturing (LOM), Binder Jetting (BJ), and Material Jetting.
All these technologies are widely used for rapid prototyping and various online 3d print applications. Every 3d printing method has its distinctive 3d print design characteristics that are suitable for multiple industrial applications. FDM and SLA are the most popular additive manufacturing techniques.
First, the engineer uses 3d software to prepare the design that is going to come out as the final product. The CAD software generates an STL file that contains all data related to the design. Once the STL file is ready, a 3d printer reads the data and initiates the 3d printing process.
Depending on the material (filament), printing technology, and 3d model, the final object starts printing in a layer-by-layer manner. The layered printing continues till the final product is prepared completely. Once the 3d-printed object is ready, it goes through post-production work to get its final touches.
Rapid prototyping is a fast-paced design method that involves ideation, prototyping, testing, and finally building utilizing CAD software. The manufacturing process is performed using a 3d printer in which the object is printed in a layer-by-layer fashion. Rapid prototyping services are quite popular for testing out new design ideas and functional geometries.
On the other hand, the rapid manufacturing process does not produce the design but the final products that will be used under real-life scenarios. Rapid manufacturing involves multiple additive manufacturing methods including solid freeform manufacturing, stereolithography, direct digital manufacturing, and more. This process is helpful in testing the functionality of a prototype.
3d printing technology is transforming the entire manufacturing industry and there are several 3D printing advantages to count on. Some of the vital pros of 3D Printing are:
• 3d printing allows the manufacturing of complex designs that are not possible with traditional manufacturing.
• Rapid prototyping is much faster and cost-effective with additive manufacturing.
• It's easier to 3d print lightweight and strong parts with 3d printing.
• The turnaround time is much faster than traditional processes.
• Material wastage is minimum in 3d printing.
Industries using 3D printing applications include automotive, aerospace, construction, healthcare, manufacturing, education, and many more.
There are several additive manufacturing techniques that cater to different purposes and performances. Below are the types of popular 3D printing processes:
Fused Deposition Modelling (FDM)
It is the most popular and affordable 3D printing technology and it uses production-grade thermoplastics to print objects.
Selective Laser Sintering (SLS)
In this additive manufacturing technology, tiny particles of filaments are fused by producing heat using a high-power laser to form a solid object.
Stereolithography (SLA)
This 3d printing process uses a high-power laser to harden liquid resin to produce final products.
PolyJet
In this method, the 3d printer sprays drops of photopolymer that get solidified when they come in contact with UV light.
There are several options available for 3D printing materials that are used to create objects of different properties and textures. Some of the popular materials used to 3d print objects are:
• ABS (Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene)
• PLA (Polylactic Acid)
• Nylon
• Resin
• Stainless steel
• Carbon fiber
• Ceramics
• PET/PETG
• HIPS (High Impact Polystyrene) and many more
Stereolithography or SLA 3D Printing is the oldest 3D printing process that is used to manufacture objects of high tolerances and excellent smooth finish. SLA printing is used to produce parts with greater detailing and functional applications.
The biggest utility of this industrial 3D printing is in the healthcare industry and some of the popular SLA applications are producing snap-fit assemblies, moulds & casting patterns, jigs & fixtures, and much more. In the medical industry, this 3d printing technology is used for creating anatomical models. Common benefits of SLA are accurate prototypes creation, faster turnaround, smooth product finishing, and more.
Selective Laser Sintering or SLS 3D Printing utilizes a powder bed fusion process to produce 3D parts. SLS 3d printed parts are produced from thermoplastic filaments and are ideal for functional testing. Parts made up from this additive manufacturing have rough surface texture and it doesn't need support structures.
SLS's biggest utility is that it can produce multiple parts into a single build hence it is suitable for printing parts in multiple quantities. The SLS process is ideal for small and medium batch parts production with complex geometries.
FDM 3D Printing or Fused Deposition Modeling is among the most popular plastic 3d printing technologies. In this desktop 3D printing technology, the plastic filament is extruded from the nozzle and it builds the objects layer-by-layer. FDM is a widely employed technology in several industries as it's highly cost-effective and produces objects in a faster turn-around.
FDM technology can also be used for producing certain functional plastic parts for testing and demonstration purposes. The objects produced by this additive manufacturing have rough surface texture and the objects are of limited strength. This technology is perfect for personal 3d printing hands-on as it's easy to operate.
PolyJet 3D printing method manufactures parts by jetting photopolymer droplets on the 3d printing bed and the droplets are then solidified leveraging a strong UV light. Polyjet is among the fastest additive manufacturing processes that produces accurate geometries. This method also follows a layer-by-layer manufacturing process and the layers are of photopolymer.
Also known as MultiJet 3d printing, this technique offers higher repeatability and accuracy which makes it an ideal choice for small and medium-sized batch production. This additive manufacturing can deliver accuracy up to 0.004” on every part. PolyJet 3D printing is suitable for printing prototypes at a faster turnaround.
Metal 3d printing is the most advanced and modern additive manufacturing technique which is used to produce complex 3d metal parts. With this technology, engineers can produce complex robust tooling parts that can be used in traditional manufacturing. Metal printing helps in reducing lead times and offers high-grade quality.
The 3d metal parts produced with this technology are both functional and non-functional which can be employed in various industries. 3d metal printing technologies used for this operation are Direct Metal Laser Sintering (DMLS) and Selective Laser Melting (SLM). This technology offers robust design flexibility along with the functional mechanical properties of the metal.
There are several robust benefits of 3d metal printing that are transforming the entire industrial manufacturing paradigm. Some of the key advantages of opting for metal 3d printing are:
Highly customizable - Metal 3d printing allows engineers to accomplish complex geometries without compromising the strength of the object.
Shorter lead times - As compared to the conventional manufacturing processes, metal 3d printing can deliver final products with a shorter turnaround time.
Less material wastage - The material wastage while manufacturing 3D printed metal parts is significantly lower as compared to the traditional subtractive methods.
There are several popular types of 3d metal printing that are widely employed in industrial work which are:
Powder Bed Fusion
Selective Laser Melting (SLM)
Electron Beam Melting (EBM)
Direct Energy Deposition
Powder DED
Wire DED
Binder Jetting
Bound Powder Extrusion
There are several advanced uses of 3d metal printing in multiple industries and these applications are much more capable than the traditional manufacturing methods. Some of the advanced 3d metal printing applications are:
• Manufacturing Production tools
• Fully functional prototypes
• Manufacturing of tooling equipment
• Rigid housings
• Spare parts manufacturing
• Ductwork
• Heat exchangers & heatsinks
There are majorly four types of metal 3d printing materials available in the market but engineers can produce custom filament by the combination of more than two materials. The popular metal 3d printing materials are:
•Aluminium
• Titanium
• Stainless steel
• Inconel
All these materials have their distinctive properties and are used in different industrial applications.
The 3d metal printing uses powder bed technologies in which the metal is in powdered form and is fused to create complex parts. In another process, the 3d printing machine uses a strong laser which heats up the powder and finally creates a solid form of the object.
The printers produce the metal parts in a gradual way and once the objects are made, they are sent for post-production work. Depending on what material and technology are used for printing, the turnaround time also changes.
Metal 3d printing is among the most promising advancements of additive manufacturing. This technology can be majorly classified into two categories. The first category is the powder bed technologies and the second category is Laser Metal Deposition technologies. Both types of metal 3D printing technologies have distinctive properties used suitable for various industrial operations.
In powder bed 3D technology, the metal powder is fused over a bed and then the parts are created additively. On the other hand, the laser metal deposition technologies, the machine heats up the metal powder to form an object. Along with these two popular categories, Binder Jetting, and casting are also widely used metal 3d printing technologies.
Selective Laser Melting (SLM) 3d printing technology is widely used for producing metal alloys. In this printing technology, a sharp laser sinters the metal in a layer-by-layer fashion and prepares the shape as per the 3d model. In SLM, the metal powder is completely melted during the printing process.
This process uses inert gases like nitrogen and argon. Selective Laser Melting is ideal for pure metals like aluminium and it can produce robust metal parts. This technology does require supports to strengthen small angles and hangovers. Once the 3d printing is completed, the supports are then removed from the main object.
Direct Metal Laser Sintering (DMLS) is an advanced and popular metal printing technology that is very similar to SLM. In DMLS 3D printing technology, the 3d printing machine sinters the powdered metal as per the 3d CAD model. However, the core difference is that DMLS does not melt the metal powder completely. Due to this change, the material doesn't need to reach the peak high temperature and the cooling period is much shorter in this process.
The biggest advantage of DMLS is that it's easier to print several components into a single object. These mechanical parts are widely used in aerospace and automotive.
In Directed Energy Deposition (DED) printing technology, the feedstock is brought and fused at the same duration through a nozzle. DED 3D printing technology is similar to the Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM) process and the core working principle remains the same. In this process, the metal powder is first melted and then solidified using a laser.
This additive manufacturing technology offers great accuracy and the substrate is positioned at 3−axis systems which is the stationary position. On the other hand, it can be positioned at 5+ axis systems, which is the rotating stage. Parts made up from DED have good mechanical properties.
Binder Jetting is a popular additive manufacturing method in which the 3d printhead precisely deposits a fluid binding agent over a thin layer of powder particles. — It is a metal 3D printing method that is used to build high-quality and robust custom parts and tooling parts.
Just like other 3d printing methods, Binder Jetting 3D printing technology also follows instructions from the CAD file and drafts the required design. Once the printing job is complete, the build box is separated from the 3d printer and then kept into an oven for curing.
Casting or lost-wax casting is a substitute for additive and subtractive manufacturing and this method produces multiple models from the main master model. This metal casting technology uses the master model as a reference and then creates a high-quality replica of the same. The objects are 3D printed in wax.
Once the master model is ready, the mould made up in plaster is spilled over it. When the plaster mould is finally ready, the metal which is in liquid form is injected into the mould. This will replace the wax which is drained via a tree-shaped structure to produce the object.
A 3D model is a digital file that contains the mathematical representation of an object that is going to print using a 3d printer. This 3d model is created using 3d CAD computer software or using 3d scanning technology. The 3d model design file is first uploaded and then the 3d printing process begins.
To upload a 3d file, you need to go to the G-Code Files section and there, you will find the upload option. You need to click on the Upload G-Code File(s) button and select the file. Once the 3d printing design is uploaded, it's ready for print.
Basically STL file stores all the data about 3d models that are going to print. This file format stores the information of the object's surface geometry and it does not include any colour, or texture details. CAD software generates these 3d STL files and the full form of this format is "Standard Tessellation Language" or "Standard Triangle Language." It is the most employed file format of 3d printing technology. When this STL file for 3d printing is used as a combination with a 3D slicer, then it allows the computer to establish a communication with the 3D printer hardware.
Multi-jet modelling is a popular rapid prototyping technique that is used to create plastic-based models in a layer-by-layer fashion directly from a 3d CAD file. This technology uses a print head that has multiple nozzles arranged in a linear pattern. In MJM 3d printing, the wax-textured thermoplastics are sprinkled on as little drops by a heated print head at a 300 dpi resolution.
For overhangs in MJM additive manufacturing, a special support structure of lower-melting wax is created which is later removed. This printing method is suitable for printing very high-detailed 3d models. The final products are easier to work on in the post-production stage.
Polylactic Acid or PLA material is one of the most popular 3d printing filaments and is made up of renewable resources. The PLA plastic is made up of natural elements that include tapioca roots, corn starch, or sugarcane. In simple terms, the PLA plastic definition revolves around the utilization of natural products' extracts for 3d printing objects. When we compare ABS or PLA plastic, PLA is stiffer and stronger than ABS but the heat resistance is on the lower side.
PLA 3d printing filaments are bio-based and they are easy on recycling as compared to other plastic-based 3d filaments.
Injection moulding is a very popular manufacturing method for the production of plastic parts. A wide variety of objects are made using plastic injection moulding which are of different sizes and complexities. This process uses an injection moulding machine and it takes raw plastic material as filaments produce objects using a mould. In plastic moulding, the filament is first melted in the machine and then injected at speed into the mould.
This process is used for manufacturing thin-walled plastic parts which are widely used in households. Along with this, the injection moulding process is also used in the automotive industry.
The fundamental advantage of injection moulding is that it is easy to scale without complicating the manufacturing process. The price per unit involved in injection-moulded manufacturing is comparatively lower than other traditional production methods. This manufacturing process is ideal for the mass production of identical objects. It is a highly repeatable process which makes it a perfect method for producing objects with practically identical characteristics.
As compared to other manufacturing processes, material wastage is lower and manufacturers can employ the material block to its highest usability factor. High volume production in injection moulding is more affordable as compared to other methods.
The injection moulding process includes heating and then injecting plastic material under high pressure. It is done into a closed-shape metal mould tool. In this method, the molten plastic solidifies inside the mould tool. Once the process is completed, the object is then ejected from the mould. The plastic material granules from the tank are fed into the heated barrel. The melting is either done by heat, friction or strong shear force. This method is a perfect pick for manufacturing very complex parts that hold intricate geometrics.
There are majorly three types of Plastic Injection Molding machines that are widely employed in different industries.
Hydraulic Injection Molding Machine
The hydraulic injection moulding machines come with an excellent clamping force which makes them an ideal choice for producing high-detailed objects. The parts of hydraulic machines have a higher resistance to wear and tear.
Electric Injection Molding Machines
The electric injection moulding machine is a highly energy-efficient machine and it comes with less down-time. The production is faster with these electric machines.
Hybrid Injection Molding Machines
This Plastic Injection Molding PLC Machine is a combination of the above machines and it offers higher design flexibility and material strength.
CNC machining is an advanced manufacturing technology in which a computer program controls the machinery and hence no manual control is required. CNC machining technology is used for controlling a wide range of complex machinery with higher accuracy and faster turnaround. Grinders, lathe, milling machines are some of the commonly employed equipment of this technology.
As the CNC gets instructions from a computer program, the complete manufacturing process becomes error-free. CNC eliminates the need for manual handling and supervision of manufacturing processes.
CNC machining technology is widely used in several industries and there are many applications of this technology including:
• Signage board creation
• Cabinets and furniture
• Rapid prototyping and 3D modelling
• Brass and aluminium machining
• Musical instruments manufacturing and more
Along with the above applications, CNC is also used for creating various tooling equipment.
CNC machining technology brings in a wide array of advantages over the conventional processes including:
• CNC machining offers higher scalability in the production
• It helps in manufacturing components with greater precision
• Less manual labour is needed in CNC service
• Faster turnaround time
• Uniform product manufacturing
Vacuum casting is copying or casting technique for elastomers polymers and this method uses a vacuum to extract the liquid material into the mould. This technology is an ideal fit when there is an issue of air entrapment with the casting mould. Vacuum casting which is also known as reproduction technology is a suitable manufacturing technique for producing complex details.
Vacuum casting with metal is also possible where this technology can deliver high-quality and complex geometries end products. This method is also known as thermoforming because it also involves a rapid prototyping technique in which the plastic or other filament is preheated.
The vacuum casting process starts with the production of a master model pattern using Stereolithography technology. After this, the master pattern is fixed with a casting gate and then hung over the parting line of the casting frame mould.
In this formative manufacturing process, the silicone rubber is mixed and poured into a mould casting frame which is under vacuum. This silicone rubber will flow around the master pattern and it will create a silicone mould. After this, the mould is preserved under the heating chamber and once the mould is set, it is removed. The master model or pattern is finally removed before placing the casting funnel & the mould is then sealed closed.
The vacuum casting machine utilizes a powerful vacuum to suck the molten filament into the mould. During this, a force is required to pass the surface tension of the molten filament. If the force is not sufficient, the molten filament will form into a blob.
Using SLA or laser sintering, the master model is prepared which brings an excellent surface finish. Then, the silicone mould is manufactured by casting the silicone material around the master pattern copy. This process is done under vacuum to avoid any kind of air bubble from appearing. Once the curing is done, the silicone mould is cut as per the pre-defined planes.
There are several high-performance applications of vacuum casting including:
• Manufacturing of high-quality plastic prototypes and parts for multiple industries including consumer goods.
• VC is heavily used in prosthetics and medical device manufacturing.
• In aerospace and automotive parts production.
• Engineers also make use of VC in functional testing and part integration.
• Manufacturing home decorative items.
Vacuum casting supports a variety of materials that offer different physical properties and stress levels. Following are some of the most popular vacuum casting materials:
• Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene (ABS)
• Polypropylene (PP)
• Glass-filled polymers
• Polycarbonate (PC)
• Rubber
• Wax
There are many productive advantages of choosing vacuum casting for industrial manufacturing. The silicone moulding delivers excellent quality parts as compared to other traditional manufacturing processes. Vacuum casting is a perfect manufacturing technique for performing functional testing. VC offers a wide degree of finishing options and even in limited quantities, it delivers excellent quality. VC is suitable for both small-batch and bulk manufacturing.
There are many vacuum casting uses in multiple industries. Some of the popular applications of this manufacturing technology are:
• Pre-launch product quality and functional testing
• Small-series production of covers and housings
• Manufacturing of prototypes and concept models
• Aesthetic validation of product design
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