What is 3D printing?
It is also known as additive manufacturing (AM) and is used to make three-dimensional objects with the help of a digital file or CAD model. A 3D printed object is formed by passing through various additive procedures. The process includes the covering of layers upon layers until the object creation. These layers are visible when seeing a cut cross-sectional area of the product part.
3D printing produces complex, high-quality, light-weight, and strong three-dimensional product parts.
Advantages of 3D printing:
The following are some advantages of 3D printing.
1. Speed
2. Cost
3. Quality
1. Speed:
It is one of the biggest advantages of 3D printing. It can do quick prototyping. Prototyping is defined as the capability to design, manufacture, and examine a product part within minimal time-lapsed. Necessary modifications in the product part can be made after its completion, without causing dimensional defects.
2. Cost:
3D printing is the most cost-effective technology to manufacture different product parts. Ancient methods, including CNC machining and injection molding need plenty of costly machinery, and their labour cost is much higher than 3D printing. So, 3D printing can provide high-quality, but inexpensive 3D objects for daily life uses.
3. Quality:
Traditional methods like CNC machining and injection molding can cause defects in design, size, and composition. While 3D printing produces products parts by step by step layering that increases the accuracy and quality of the product.
Applications of 3D printing:
The following are some applications of 3D printing.
1) Jewelry
2) Construction
3) Medicine
4) Education
1) Jewelry:
Jewelry makers and designers use this technology to make models of necklaces, lockets, and other jewelry. It reduces the risk of waste of the gold or other metals used for making jewelry. In this way, they save precious metals from waste.
2) Construction:
Many engineers and designers use this technique to make models of buildings, roads, malls, and other constructions. Ensures the accuracy and precision of the work. Moreover, the material is consumed in a proper way for construction.
3) Medicine:
Many 3D body parts are being used in our daily lives. This technique is used to make artificial hands, legs, and other body parts to support disabled people. Moreover, it is also used to make supportive equipment like a cane and walker for weak and disabled people.
4) Education:
3D printing is the most widely spread technique in the education sector. Most of the primary schools in the world teach a 3D curriculum to the primary level. It is also used in many colleges and universities for different engineering works and diplomas. Furthermore, offices also use this technique for many projects.
The major types of 3D printing are as follows.
· Direct Metal Laser Sintering (DMLS)
· STEREOLITHOGRAPHY (SLA)
· Direct metal laser melting (DMLM)
· Selective laser sintering (SLS)
· Focused deposition modelling (FDM)
Direct metal laser sintering (DMLS):
This technique is one of those 3D printing technologies that create a metallic part by using its computerized model. This technology is an updated version of powder metallurgy ( a metal molding procedure that produces powdered metallic parts by using heat and pressure).
Finely powdered metal is used as a working substance for this process. The length of the produced parts ranges from 20-40 micrometers. The height, form, and magnitude of the particle decide the resolution of the product part.
STEREOLITHOGRAPHY (SLA):
This additive manufacturing (AM) technology belongs to a Vat photo-polymerization family. It creates an object using highly radio-active ultraviolet rays and by choosing a layered polymer resin. Photosensitive thermoset polymers in liquid form are used in this technique as a working substance.
It is also the first used 3D printing technology and is similar to direct processing (it is also a Vat photopolymerization technology). In short, both of these techniques have equal features to each other.
Direct Metal Laser Melting (DMLM):
This technique is also known as ‘laser powder bed fusion (LPBF)’ and ‘selective laser melting (SLM)’. It is also an additive manufacturing technique used to melt and fuse metallic powders with the help of high-powered laser beams.
This technique is a subcategory of selective laser sintering (SLS) and it is useful for manufacturing three-dimensional parts. Its industrial uses include aerospace, medical, and prototyping, etc.
Selective laser sintering (SLS):
This additive manufacturing (AM) technique is a member of the Powder Bed Fusion Family. In this process, a selective laser is used to sinter polymer powder particles to fuse them to create a layered product part. Granular thermoplastic polymers are used as a working substance in this method. This technique is used to produce prototyped functional polymer and small product parts of high accuracy and precision.
Manufacturers consider advantages and disadvantages while manufacturing production parts using this technology.
Focused deposition modelling (FDM):
This technology is also called ‘fused filament fabrication’ and ‘filament freedom fabrication’. It uses thermoplastic filamentous material and puts it on the growing work to manufacture production parts. The shape of the product part is finalized by the printing head.
The print head moves in horizontal and vertical positions to form the final product and start a new layer for the production of the next product part. The print head may be controlled to begin and restrict the deposition of the material to form the p4oduct part.
Professional 3D printing in the First Part:
First Part is a Chinese branded company and provides professional 3D printing services to many people all over the world. Many experienced and professional chemical engineers of the First Part are producing many types of products using specific 3D printing technology.
They provide industrial 3D printing services to manufacture a large variety of product parts of rich quality and strength. Their salient capabilities are additive manufacturing, including SLS and SLA.
They have good online manufacturing services. Anyone can order their desired product part production. They have a rapid turnaround, and they deliver the product parts for shipment within 24 hrs. But product part delivery depends upon the magnitude, shape, and complexity of the product.
