What is 3D Printing ?

        3D Printing is a process whereby physical, three-dimensional objects are created by a machine, known as a 3D printer, using designs created in CAD.

History

Growth & Development

There are six unique technologies predominantly used in 3D printing.

1. Stereolithography (SL)
2. Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM)
3. Selective Laser Sintering (SLS)
4. 3 Dimensional Printing (3DP)
5. Polyjet
6. Polyjet Matrix

Fused Deposition  Modelling

Type: Extrusion  Visible layer lines 
Material: PLA, ABS

Selective Laser Sintering

Type: Powder melted with LASER,  Requires post processing 

Material: Nylon, metal

Powder Binding

Type: Binder jetting
Full color fragile
Material: Talcum powder

Stereo Lithography

Type: LASER cured resin  High resolution, Fragile 

Material: Resin

Polyjet

Type: UV cured photopolymer  High resolution, Multi material 

Material: UV cured  photopolymer

Laminated Object Manufacturing

Type: UV cured photopolymer  High resolution
Material: Plastic, paper and metal
laminates

Lets discuss some popularly used 3D printing technologies

Fused deposition modeling

• Stl file of the design is fed into the printer.
• Raw material is heated up to its melting point in the extrusion head.
• Model or part is produced by extruding thermoplastic used.
• The part is created layer by layer – Additive Manufacturing.
• Material layers hardens immediately after extrusion from the nozzle.
• The finished product is removed easily.
  

Selective Laser Sintering (SLS)

• The technique that uses a laser as the power source to sinter powdered  material.
• Laser automatically points in space defined by a 3D model and binds the  material together to create a solid structure.
• A recoater  blade is used to move new powder over the build platform.
• The technology fuses metal powder into a solid part by melting it locally  using the focused laser beam.

PolyJet Printing

        It works by jetting photopolymer materials in ultra-thin layers onto a build  platform. Each photopolymer layer is cured by UV light immediately after it is jetted,  producing fully cured models that can be handled and used immediately, without post-  curing. The gel-like support material, designed to support complicated geometries, is  subsequently removed by water jetting.

Materials used

PLA (Polylactic Acid):

        It is a biodegradable thermoplastic aliphatic polyester derived  from renewable resources, such as corn starch, tapioca roots, chips or  starch, or sugarcane. In 2010, PLA had the second highest consumption  volume of any bioplastic of the world.

ABS (Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene):

        It combines the strength and rigidity of acrylonitrile and styrene  polymers with the toughness of polybutadiene rubber. It is considered  superior for its hardness, gloss, toughness, and electrical insulation  properties.

LAYWOOD:

Laywood is a wood based filament that can be used in most desktop  3D printers. The wood filament prints easily, similar to PLA, and has a  wood smell when printing. This filament comes in a 0.25kg coil and has a  cherry wood color.

Other materials…

• PRO series PLA: They are commercially used PLA material which are a higher  grade of the same.
• PRO series ABS: These are commercially available ABS material.
• LAYBRICK: These are materials with grey contrast which resembles as a brick.
• PVA (Polyvinyl Acetate)
• Poly Carbonate (PC), etc.

Parts of 3D Printer

Stepper Motors

To control the movement of extruder in x,y,z  directions based on the G-codes.

Inductive Sensor

These are the sensors used for automatic bed  levelling.

Microcontroller

        Microcontroller is used to guide the STEPPER MOTORES and to control  the process

Shafts

To hold and move the extruder by sliding through.

SYNCHRO BELT :

To move the extruder in x,y,z directions based on the feed from  the stepper motor.

Temperature Indicators

To indicate the temperature of the material(s) used for the printing.

Hope this article make you to understand the gear concept better. Please checkout our other posts too. Thank You.