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First and foremost, 3D printing (Additive Manufacturing) is a relatively new manufacturing technique compared to traditional manufacturing processes like injection molding.
The general technique of 3D printing is to create a physical object that was first designed in a 3D file, which is then printed layer by layer.
Companies are implementing 3D printing at different stages of their manufacturing processes and rethinking their business strategy with this competitive advantage.
Additive manufacturing offers solutions such as
There are many advantages when it comes to additive manufacturing. Let’s take a look at a few!
Freedom of Design is one of the biggest advantages of 3D printing. It provides the opportunity to transform all your ideas into actual physical objects. Even the most complex geometries can be printed. 3D Printing allows freedom from restrictions imposed by traditional manufacturing. The design process for a layer-by-layer process is different, so if you need help, our experts from Sculpteo Studio are happy to help.
3D printing can produce different objects without creating specific tooling. This is how 3D printing helps increase flexibility in the production flow and helps to reduce industrial expenses. Additive Manufacturing is the perfect solution for the production of small quantities. When using manufacturing techniques such as injection molding, producing small quantities is impossible or can be cost-prohibitive.
3D printing is a great solution to speed up your product development. You will get better and more efficient iterations management. Saving time and quickening your product development cycle is essential when running a business. Manufacturing a prototype using 3D printing is easy. Just get a 3D model of your idea and 3D print it. Instead of taking weeks or months, this process can only take a few days! This fast process also saves time for possible iterations by modifying your 3D model and printing a new version. This manufacturing technology can help speed up prototyping and production processes.
Additive manufacturing is a way to reduce waste. But how? Simply by using 3D printing itself. Compared with traditional manufacturing processes, 3D printing only uses the exact amount of material used to create the needed object without producing waste. But 3D printing is not only sustainable itself. It also makes your business more sustainable.
There are many advantages when it comes to additive manufacturing. Let’s take a look at a few!
An improved Supply Chain is often not the first thing that springs to mind when thinking about the advantages of 3D printing. This technique can become a huge advantage and help you rethink your supply chain and strategy. Additive manufacturing is a way to improve your storage system with the help of a digital inventory. Just create your parts on demand, thanks to 3D printing – no need to store the physical part. You can just print them when you need them.
3D printing allows more flexibility and adaptability for your business. When you need a part, you can just 3D print it. If you need to modify a part, you can also 3D print it. With an online 3D printing service such as Sculpteo, you can order the number of parts you need and we will do the rest.
There are many different 3D printing technologies that are all bundled under the term: Additive Manufacturing. There is SLS and Jet Fusion, which are used for powder material. The SLA, DLP/LCD, Polyjet, and DLS Technology are combined with resin, and the FDM technology is used with filaments. Binder Jetting and DMLS, and SLM Technology are for metal printing.
In the next paragraph, we will explain these different technologies more closely.
SLS stands for Selective Laser Sintering. This 3D printing technique uses a laser to create objects by sintering powder that is inside the printer. The powder bed is preheated during this layer-by-layer process, and a laser sinters the powder according to the 3D model to create the solid object.
The Multi Jet Fusion technology creates a 3D object out of polymer powder. Invented and developed by HP, it creates parts additively thanks to a multi-agent printing process.
SLS stands for Stereolithography and is the first-ever 3D printing technique to be created. This resin additive manufacturing process uses photochemical processes. It uses liquid photopolymers that can be cured. The build plate moves down in small increments, and the liquid polymer is exposed to light, where the UV laser draws a cross-section layer by layer. The process repeats until the object is printed.
DLP stands for Digital Light Processing, and LCD stands for Liquid Crystal Display. Both are technologies combined with resin materials. In essence, these two technologies are similar. However, one big thing is different: the light source. With the LCD a UV Light is the light source, while a digital light projector is the one for DLP.
The Polyjet technology for resin material which sprays layers of curable liquid photopolymer on a build tray. The software calculates the placement of photopolymers and support material during the pre-processing stage. Then, during the printing, the resin 3D printer jets and instantly UV-cures tiny droplets of liquid photopolymer.
The DLS technology developed by Carbon works by projecting a continuous sequence of UV images generated by a digital light projector through an oxygen-permeable, UV-transparent window below a liquid resin bath. The dead zone above the window maintains a liquid interface below the part. Above the dead zone, the curing part is drawn out of the resin bath.
FDM stands for Fused Deposition Modeling and is a technology to print filaments. FDM 3D printers use one or two print heads to deposition melted 3D printing material. The material is melted and extruded through a nozzle to make the desired object.
DMLS stands for Direct Metal Laser Sintering: These 3D printers create parts additively thanks to a laser, sintering fine metal powder particles to fuse them. The process is quite similar to the Selective Laser Sintering process for plastic. The difference is the sintering temperature. Plastic needs to be sintered at a temperature of 160°C to 200°C. In contrast, metal melts at a temperature around between 1510°C and 1600°C, meaning that a higher wattage laser is needed to reach that temperature.
Selective Laser Melting is unlike DMLS. SLM fully melts the powder, and therefore it needs to reach a higher temperature than this other metal 3D printing technique. The printing process fuses metal powder particles in a full melting process. From there, the process stays the same. A laser comes to sinter the powder and creates a solid object.
Binder Jetting is a binding agent. This liquid binding agent is deposited on the powder, according to the 3D model to create. The powder is lightly cured for solidification between each layer. When the printing process is complete, the build box is removed from the printer and placed into an oven for curing. After this, the parts are extracted from the build box, and the remaining powder is removed thanks to brushes and air blowers.
There are endless possibilities with 3D printing, but in this part, we will discuss the coolest, most sustainable, and craziest 3D printing applications. Are you ready?
Drones are becoming increasingly popular. For the private population as well as businesses around the world and 3D printing can become a real game-changer for this industry. The advantages of using additive manufacturing are almost endless. It can create stranger and more functional drones while also being lighter. It also allows making individual fixtures for yourself or your client. If you want to learn more about the combination of 3D printing and drones, click here.
Additive manufacturing also has a place in the medical sector. The medical industry aims to help people and offer them a normal and good life despite their sickness. 3D printing can play a vital role in this goal. Every patient is different, and therefore commoditized devices are often not the best solution for the patient. With 3D printing, individualized devices like orthotics or prosthetics can be printed to fit their body and needs exclusively. However, additive manufacturing can also prepare medical staff for difficult surgeries by training on 3D printed models beforehand.
Whether it is tooling, enclosures, or sheats with 3D printing, you are at the right place. It creates the opportunity to design tailored solutions for electronics projects. Additive Manufacturing can also speed up the prototyping and production processes for electronic devices.
It may sounds weird, but also in the luxury sector, 3D printing is becoming a front-row runner. With the big potential that the innovative manufacturing technique offers, it can be used for footwear, accessories, or eyewear. For the luxury industry, 3D printing impresses with its design process and the short time to market period. It also enables on-demand production and a high-quality finish.
For robotics to work, millions of parts have to work together in perfect harmony. 3D printing offers to possibility to produce these unique parts while staying within the tight tolerances set by the industries. With a variety of materials to match any project’s specifications, 3D printing is an ideal solution, as many offer incredible mechanical properties
3D printing is already established in the automotive sector. Not only for new cars but also for oldtimers. As almost every design can be printed, it is possible to build parts for oldtimers or older cars which are no longer produced. But it also plays an important role in the design process of new cars, as 3D printing can make cars lighter, improve their performance, and therefore make them more eco-friendly.
As we can see in the article, 3D printing is extremely versatile and can be used in different industries for different applications. What will your first or next 3D-printed application be?
If you need help or support on any step of your 3D printing journey, we are here to help. Our expert team can answer your questions, and if you have a 3D file ready to print, you can simply upload it onto the Sculpteo page, and we will do the rest. If you want to learn more about 3D printing, we encourage you to subscribe to our newsletter and check out our extensive Learning Hub with many interesting articles.
3D printing is a manufacturing process, used both for prototyping and production. It is a useful technology, used in diverse industries such as medical, architecture, mechanical engineering, fashion, industrial machinery, etc.
3D printing was invented in 1984, with the Stereolithography technology, also known as SLA. He produced the first commercial 3D printer.
Charles Hull invented 3D printing in 1984. He is the co-founder, executive vice president and chief technology officer of 3D Systems and inventor of SLA 3D printing.
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