prototypes and prototyping - the future of 3d printers

P r o t o t y p e s & P r o t o t y p i n g : T h e F u t u r e o f 3 D P r i n t e r s – A D E A D E W O L U

P

- The Future of 3D Printers

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Can 3D Printing Technology Shape Your Future?

By Rajat Agrawal

Every other day we hear of new technology trends that boggle our minds and forces

us to think- How is this possible? And slowly and gradually with the lapse of time we

get adapted to the technology making it a part of our everyday lives. Yes, one such

technology trend to which you might be completely ignorant as of now but which is

bound to become a part of your daily lives in times to come is 3D printing- a new

technology I am most excited about.

3D printing is also known as additive manufacturing. In simpler terms, it is a process

whereby a real object can be created from a 3D design. It is done by laying down

successive layers of material in different shapes. Though this technology may sound

a bit too futuristic to some but with HP's 3D printer much anticipated launch in mid

2014, all your ideas turning into real objects are not that far away.

Is 3D Printing The Need of The Future?

At present, 3D printers are generally slow, and the component they use is costly and

inconsistent. But with the advancement of industry, assembly lines could be reduced

and supply chains could be shortened. Also printing on demand could wipe out the

need for warehouses for many companies to a large extent. Reducing shipping and

knocking out the waste and pollution of conventional subtractive manufacturing could

be an environmental boon.

These few examples of what 3D printing could do are definitely bound to catch your

attention:

1. Create Pharmaceutical Drugs – With patients being able to print out their

prescriptions, a revolutionary shift in the pharmaceutical industry is destined to

happen. Yes, tailored to the distinct needs of an individual, 3D printing technology

could let you print your pharmaceuticals at home. "In the future, we will not sell

drugs, but blueprints or apps," says Lee Cronin, a chemist from the University of

Glasgow.

2. Print your own Clothing – Printers are getting closer to generating great

fabric-like materials, using interlinked structures to create knits and stitches. This

could possibly have an impact on the fashion industry in times to come.


3. Print Food – When you think that you've heard it all when it comes to pretty

crazy operations of 3D printing, think again! 3D printers will combine powders to

produce food. 3D printing already functions quite well when it comes to making

chocolate, so who knows what's next?

4. Space Explorations - With NASA investing in 3D food printer for its Mars

Missions, food items for astronauts could also be made on the fly. This also makes

3D Printing a promising technology for future space missions.

Even though some of the current examples of 3D printing may seem a bit out of the

ordinary, the method of adding a number of materials to make products in a very

cost-efficient manner is highly interesting. Though most of the 3D printing

applications are still very much at a prototyping stage in the present day but the

capability to produce medication or food of your choice through your own 3D printer

is not too far away.

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2. The Benefits of The 3D Printers

By Patrick O Asytour

With the world experiencing an upsurge in the demand for more sophisticated

printers, there is need for those in the industry to devise ways to ensure that these

gadgets are readily available. As such, the introduction of the 3D printers in the

market has not only offered a lasting solution but has also enhanced the speed at

which the printing process is accomplished and also the quality of work.

These printer models use special CAD drawings to produce physical objects with

three dimensions. In the market, there are different types of printing technologies

and print media. The 3D CAD-developed programmes - AutoCAD, which can be

downloaded through the internet or the already existing objects can be scanned and

used to create digital plans for the purpose of programming the 3D printers.

When looking for these gadgets, it is good to understand that they come in a wide

range of prices, designs and specifications as well as sizes. There are those that can

be placed on an office desk and those that are big enough to provide good prints

involving buildings with all their components. Likewise, the materials used by the 3D

printers differ; some of them employ molten metal while others use liquid concrete.

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However, it is typical of most of these printers to combine different types of materials.

This is vital in the sense that it makes it easy for the construction of more intricate

objects with movable components and also it helps to integrate electrically-operated

components.

3D Printing Applications

In most cases, 3D printers come with standardized applications in terms of

architectural design to allow those who use them for design work to produce more

intricate prototype by simply pressing a button. Currently, the 3D printer models are

the most widely used in the computer field including civil engineering, engineering

and construction, industrial design, medical industries, education, footwear, etc.

The 3D printers have made it easy for people to place orders or purchase products

online. For instance, it would have been hard for one to find a quick replacement of a

broken washing machine handle. Thus would actually require placing an order for a

new part. However, with the 3D printers, you simply download a 3D file and instantly

print the replacement. In case you have your own 3D scanner to scan the part, you

can also be able to create your own 3D file.

This principle is applicable to nearly all other less complicated objects, allowing

consumers to buy the designs online and print them in their homes. This has the

potential of transforming businesses, cutting down overheads and hypothetically

decreasing our carbon footprint.

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3. 3D Printing and Organ Transplants

By Barbara Meynert

Advances in science and medicine are keeping people alive longer. However, the

more you age the more your organs tend to fail. And there is limited supply of organs

available for transplant. In the US, for example, there are some 90,000 patients

waiting for kidney transplants, and the probability of them receiving a kidney

transplant within five years of being added to the waiting list is less than 35 per cent.

This has now become a public health crisis.

Not surprisingly, therefore, scientists are looking into using 3D printers to print new

organs.

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3D Printing is a digital technology that can produce complex physical objects such as

jewelry and airplane parts. As a gross simplification, think of 3D printers as an inkjet

printer. Instead of ink, the printer deposits successive layers of materials to form an

actual object. Many experts believe that this technology is a game changer in

manufacturing with revolutionary implications for retailing models, international trade

and global supply chain.

I became interested in 3D printing after reading the lead article in the Economist of

February 2011. The front cover has this intriguing title "Print me Stradivarius" and

shows a violin that has been "printed". Since then much has been written about 3D

Printing.

Can human organs be printed?

Yes, 3D printers can print human organs. Instead of creating objects from materials

like metal or plastic used in 3D manufacturing, the bio-printer would print from living

cells. The technology today is able to print all kinds of organs.

Broadly, there are four levels of complexity in human organs. The first are flat organs

like skin comprising just a few types of cells; the second are tubes like windpipes and

blood vessels with slightly more complex shapes and more varied cells; the third are

hollow sac-like organs such as stomachs and bladder that are required to act on

demand, and the fourth are solid organs like kidneys, heart, and lungs that have

complicated architecture with many types of cells and blood vessels.

There are reports of successful transplants of printed organs of the first two levels of

complexity. Of particular challenge are the level four organs even though the

technologies are already here. See the video below demonstrating the printing of a

kidney (not yet usable) by Anthony Atala, Director of the Wake Forest Institute for

Regenerative Medicine, a leading research institute in this area.

I think it is only a matter of time - perhaps five years - before synthetic complex

organs will become widely available for transplants.

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4. The Emergence of 3D Printing

By Rob P James

3D printing has recently been filling up stories in the media with displays of its

remarkable potential and versatility. This has come to light due to the costs of

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production reducing at such a rate. Whereas once, it was almost insurmountably

expensive, now there is the real chance of 3D printing being made for the masses.

So how did this exciting technology start?

Initially, it was used exclusively for large companies who needed detailed prototypes

for their products. It was termed as 'rapid prototyping', but there was a problem: the

materials that the prototypes were made of were not strong enough. The 'printer'

could produce the design and desired structure, but it was just too fragile, almost like

wax. So to begin with, this technology catered for engineers who needed to see how

their designs looked in the flesh.

Then, as it always does, technology progressed. Companies started seeing the

future potential of this prototype machine. Money and energy was invested in

creating more durable materials. This was the key to its success, as nanotechnology

took over to forge designs that were no longer flimsy, but felt as tough as metal. The

creations were as strong and resistant as concrete and the evolution of the 3D

printer grew very suddenly from thereon.

These machines no longer produce prototype designs, but actual working parts that

can be used straight away. Companies began dreaming big and rethinking their

strategies. Now all of a sudden, here was a technique to make elements for all

manner of different uses in a much simpler and cost-effective way than before.

The potential of this technology is vast. It is still relatively new, but in just a few

years, the landscape of industrial processes could be radically altered as a result of

3D printing. It would radically change the way large manufacturers such as

automotive and defence industries produce parts. In the not too distant future, you

could see it on a grand scale, even domestically. You want a new kettle? Order it

and print it in the comfort of your own home!

The beauty of 3D printing is its versatility, and so can even be used for health and

medical industries in creating parts for the human body or prosthetics. The time and

cost of producing these kinds of bespoke materials will be massively reduced by new

technologies. With costs of 3D printing machines coming down all the time, the

revolution has firmly arrived. Time will only tell how far they will go to achieving their

huge potential.

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5.Laser Sintering: The Science Behind 3D

Printing's Rapid Emergence in the Marketplace

By Mark U Williams

3D laser printing has entered the mainstream with everyone from students, to artists,

to small businesses jumping on the 3D laser printing bandwagon. Though for many

of us the technology is relatively new, 3D laser printing or "additive manufacturing",

as it is also known, began in the 70s and 80s, with the efforts of scientists and grad

students to find a way to more efficiently and economically manufacture goods on a

small scale.

The core manufacturing processes - casting/molding, forming, joining and machining

- have not been replaced by 3D printing, as one might speculate, but have simply

been scaled down through the adaption of new techniques in manufacturing. New

techniques for solid modelling have allowed researchers to translate 3-D geometries

into mathematical terms, which in turn enabled them to become the instructions for

equipment control systems.

As additive manufacturing has evolved, taking on new processes and advances in

solid manufacturing, the technology has expanded to supporting rapid fabrication

from digital models or templates and a range of geometries that surpasses the

capabilities of other methods.

The lion's share of the additive manufacturing techniques that make up the

foundations of the technology were invented and patented in the 80s. To better

understand 3D laser printing today, let's review some of the components that led to

creating it.

To begin with, "additive manufacturing", simply put, is a process of making

something three dimensional by literally layering materials upon each other following

a digital design or template. What follows is a brief overview of some of the original

3D printing or additive manufacturing techniques and processes:

Stereolithography, sometimes called vat photopolymerization, is an additive

manufacturing process that uses resins and lasers to build 3D objects. Selective

laser sintering (SLS), also known as powder bed fusion, uses a computer-controlled

laser (e.g., a sealed off CO2 laser) to selectively "sinter," or fuse, cross-sections of

powder into a solid.

Sheet lamination, also known as laminated object manufacturing, is the process of

cutting a thin sheet of paper, plastic or metal into a desired shape with a laser,

repeating this and bonding each layer upon the previous one.

Material extrusion works by pushing liquid plastic or metal out through a nozzle,

following a path on a digital map. 3-D printing, also known as binder jetting, involves


repeatedly laying down layers of powder and then squirting liquid binder on the areas

to be solidified to construct 3-D objects.

There a number of companies providing SLM technology, such as Coherent,

because of SLM's ability to enable highly accurate, smooth, and consistent

components with a wide range of materials., which has led to their utilization by a

variety of industries, such as, automotive design, heavy equipment, aerospace,

defense, medical, electronics and consumer products and government research.

In a recent article of http://www.Phys.org, Steve McKnight, director of the NSF

Division of Civil, Mechanical, and Manufacturing Innovation, was quoted as saying,

"To realize the full promise of additive manufacturing, researchers will need to

discover new ways to increase speed, lower costs, improve consistency and develop

and qualify novel materials for all kinds of applications. It will take the ingenuity of

engineers, students and makers."

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Mark_U_Williams

6. Will 3D Printing Hurt Big Box Retailers and

Dollar Type Retail Stores the Worst?

By Lance Winslow

Right now, many folks are questioning the future of 3D printing, but of course as you

might have guessed I am not one of them, neither are those in my immediate circle

of acquaintances - mostly because I've now convinced them - that indeed 3D printing

is the future. This is another disruptive technology - but it is one of those ultimate

disruptive technologies - it will change everything, in every industry. What you are

witnessing now is just the beginning.

Recently, I read the 'Quote of the Week' in the Forbes NanoTech and 3D Printing

Online Newsletter;

"Our base scenario envisions an eventual expansion of consumer 3D printers from

its hobbyist base into a prototyping tool for 'creative consumers' and for home

printing of toys to become mainstream," by Peter Misek, Analyst at Jeffries.

Right so, apparently the investors and Wall Street sees it too, as well they should - I

don't see it as a secret anymore - the cat is out of the bag. The game is changing.

One of the online industry trade journals I take is Plastics Today, and there is not a

single week that goes by without a mention of 3D printing technologies on their blog,

and not a magazine issue without several articles, press releases and many

advertisements about these technologies.

http://www.phys.org/

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In watching the abilities of the smallest consumer 3D printers and what they are

capable of, it seems that once the price of the material is competitive, anyone will be

able to print any sort of plastic device, tool or object of small size at home. They

should be able to down-load the file and press print from a simple email attachment.

Now then, as people do this they will be printing up a storm and no longer buying all

those plastic products imported from Asia that are found in dollar type stores or even

Walmart.

Now mind you for low-cost retailers these are high profit items, knick-knacks made of

plastic, which will hurt their bottom line, or in the case of Walmart with huge online

sales maybe not. After all, you'll have to buy the file online from someone, why not

the Walmart Website.

Of course, other retailers like dollar type stores do not have significant online e-

commerce sites. Amazon does, and they will be selling files of 3D printable objects,

perhaps a huge array of choices as in perhaps 30,000 skews of various objects - and

you can probably join their 3D club too (like Kindle Prime scenario), for free files

monthly.

Why wouldn't Google get into that game, as they already have a huge audience?

Yes, you can expect that as well. Like I said this is just the beginning, perhaps 2014

Christmas will have consumers running out to buy cheap 3D printers. None of any of

what I've said here would surprise me - indeed, as a futurist - I expect it. Please

consider this.

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7. 3D Printing Goes Dental

By Quinn Farhessi

Most of us know the dreaded sound of the dentist. As much as you may fear going to

the dentist, oral hygiene is very important to your overall health. Cavities should be

filled and missing or damaged teeth should be corrected. Currently dentists take a

few weeks to complete dental models and implantations. With two advances in the

3D printing world, the time and efficiency can improve drastically.

BEGO and Renishaw Team Up

As we all know, additive manufacturing allows for a greater level of customization.

People who have ever worked on someone's mouth know the uniqueness of teeth.

The two make a perfect pair for each other, so does Renishaw and BEGO.

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Based in England, Renishaw designs and builds laser melting machines. BEGO, a

company based in Germany, uses CAD and CAM software to make digital solutions.

This includes holding several design patents in the dental sector. Hardware and

software companies always find a way to cooperate.

The two made an agreement where Renishaw will sell their 3D printing devices and

BEGO will grant Renishaw's customers access to the dental patents. It couldn't have

happened at a better time. As Renishaw's Engineering Director, Geoff McFarland,

puts it "It comes at a time when we are introducing a range of innovative processes

for the manufacture of dental structures". This new licensing agreement may be the

next biggest thing for BEGO since launching the additive technology into the dental

industry back in 2001.

Stratasys Launches Objet30 OrthoDesk 3D Printer

While BEGO and Renishaw told the public about their deal together, Stratasys, a top

3D printing manufacturer, announced the release of the Objet30, the world's first

desktop size printer designed for small orthodontic labs and clinics.

The printer should increase production of dental models and the digital files it uses

should help eliminate clutter in the offices. It uses PolyJet printing technology to

create thinner layers, thus making a smoother surface.

The printer has a max build size of 3cm x 2cm x 1cm and the layers produced are

roughly.028 mm. It can make up to 20 models in one run.

The Objet30 OrthoDesk could be a major game changer. Right now most 3D printers

in the dental industry reside in larger labs. With the accuracy and small size and

price of the Stratasys' printer, the smaller places should have no problem

considering purchasing one.

The Future of Additive Manufacturing in the Dental Industry

These three companies are working hard to push dentists into using 3d printing in

their job. The benefits are quite clear. Especially with plenty of environments turning

completely digital, the dental one may not wait around to see if others use it. There is

still plenty of work that remains so the transition will take some time. As word

spreads and more advances come to the market, you soon may see people having

custom printed teeth.

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8. The Intricacy Of 3D Printing

By Chris Waldo

3D printing is a pretty interesting form of manufacturing technology in my opinion. It

gives designers, artists, engineers, computer graphic artists, or whatever - a chance

to design and create products. These "products" can do pretty much whatever you

need them to in a sense.

3D printing is a form of manufacturing that involves the use of over 100 materials,

thus giving designers a chance to produce a product out of almost any material.

Think about that: with 3D printing, a designer can create a product out of almost any

material necessary. Let me go into further details.

Imagine you're working for NASA or Red-bull and you are trying to work on a highly

classified and custom engine to a certain jet. Well, you can't simply go to Home-

Depot to pick up the part you are looking for in many cases, you have to build it

yourself! These facilities often use CNC machining methods to produce parts, but 3D

printing can take an edge in some situations.

3D printing allows for the creation of practically anything out of a very wide variety of

materials. This technology, also referred to as additive manufacturing, can do some

very interesting stuff that other forms of manufacturing simply cannot. Let me

elaborate.

3D printing works with a layer by layer process which uses a CAM system, or a

computer aided manufacturing system. Only one layer of material is made at a time,

allowing for the creation of some seriously intricate things.

What does this mean? Imagine a very intricate city, in the form of a 3D model. There

are lots of sky scrapers, buildings, water parks, landmarks, statues, etc. Remember,

this city is captured in a 3D model, which we want to manufacture. Imagine placing

this intricate city inside of a ball.

Keep in mind, the ball must be able to fit in the palm of your hand, so the resolution

and detail tolerance must be high. If you try to take the 3D model of a city within a

ball to a machine shop, you will be let down - it simply cannot be done! However,

with 3D printing, this is very possible. Let's go back to the layer by layer process I

mentioned earlier.

Through 3D printing, a machine will lay down very small layers of material down in

accordance to the design. Sometimes the detail level is a fraction of a millimeter.

Think about this city being constructed from 3D printing. Small buildings, stop signs,

cars, and various landmarks are being made.25 millimeters at a time, all while laying

down material for the ball which encompasses the city. The end product will result in


a ball with a miniature city inside of it. This is very possible through 3D printing, other

forms of manufacturing simply cannot do this.

This manufacturing technology is very good for creating very intricate models like the

one I mentioned earlier, among other things. There are so many possibilities with this

technology that I can't even count them! 3D printing is, and will continue to change

the world.

If you enjoyed this article, you might want to learn about 3D Printing, or possibly

you'd like to join a 3D Printing Community.

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9. An Overview Of 3D Printing

By Chris Waldo

3D printing is a pretty interesting form of manufacturing technology that allows for the

creation of pretty much whatever you'd like. The designs used within this technology

are very creative and intricate in many cases, but one thing that stands out is this:

there is a huge variety of materials to choose from!

One of the newest materials that a lot of people are gaining access to are the

ceramic materials. Yes, ceramics. As in, 3d printing your coffee cup - it's possible.

There are tons of innovative materials that are available through the manufacturing

technology known as 3D printing. Let's cover how the process works in a nut shell.

In a nut shell, 3D printing is the layer by layer creation of pretty much whatever you

want, from a 3D printer. Essentially, for this process to come to fruition, a 3D model

must be made by some kind of a designer. There are various names for the

computer engineer, such as a designer, artist, architect, character modeler, or

whatever else you can think of - the point is: a designer of some kind will design a

3D model on the computer.

This model will serve as the blueprint of the manufacturing procedure known as 3D

printing. Once the final product has been designed, and in some cases, colored in, it

will then be sent to the printer itself or the manufacturing facility.

Once the model is created for 3D printing, sent, and received by the facility, an

operator of some kind will have to move it into the 3D printer itself. The printer and all

other 3D printers follow a process and a system. This system is referred to as a CAM

system, or a computer aided manufacturing system. What is a CAM system? This is

a computerized manufacturing process that almost entirely automates the procedure.

A computer inside the 3D printing machine will tell the ink jets exactly where to go

when it comes down to laying down material. The computer involved will tell the ink

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jets or lasers to move in a certain direction, in accordance to 2 axes. The ink jets will

move left and right, but they will also move up and down. It will have to move left and

right, but they will also move up and down. This makes it easy for the machine to

produce three dimensional products.

After the model has been received by the operator and placed within the machine,

the operator must make sure that the material is also loaded into the machine. This

material could consist of liquid resin, powdered material, or melt-able plastic. There

are quite a few options. Once the operator presses go, the machine will start

working! There are various methods of 3D printing and I won't cover them right now,

but ultimately the printer will do one of the following.

It will lay down layers of material to be bonded together in accordance to the design,

it will use an ultraviolet light to cure liquid resin in accordance to the design, or it will

lay down thin melted plastic material in accordance to the design. One of these

processes will be used in accordance to the design within 3D printing!




10. Distinguishing Between Rapid Prototyping & 3D Printing

By Roisin B McLaughlin

For over 25 years the process of building 3D physical models layer by layer from a

series of CAD data has been available to those within the design and development

industry however the official title for this technology has proven a topic of much

debate. Recently a shift in pricing and availability has led to greater public interest in

this additive layer technology which in turn has led to a clear winner emerging. 3D

Printing has become the term of choice when referring to the technology of building

models layer by layer.

Therefore we can define 3D Printing as the process of joining materials layer by

layer to form a physical 3D model. This definition is perhaps overly simplistic as it

fails to take into account variations in the applications of this technology. Take for

example the difference between the curious individual interested in creating a low

cost 3D design and the professional designer seeking a high quality fully functional

model.



Both have very different requirements and expectations and it is perhaps a result of

these differences that many within the world of Product Design and Development

continue to use both the title Rapid Prototyping and 3D Printing when referring to

layer by layer additive manufacturing technologies.

Some differences between these technologies include;

Part Size: Most 3D Printers are designed as desktop devices and as such have a

limited build platform typically producing parts no larger than 250mm cubed. Rapid

Prototyping machines on the other hand tend to produce parts no less than 250mm

cubed with some building parts up to 2150 x 700 x 800mm

Material Choice: With Rapid Prototyping playing a key role in the design and

development process there has been significant investment in materials research

over the past decade. 3D Printing has also seen an increase in the range of

materials available with users having a range of functional materials for a number of

applications including concept modelling. Differences remain however in the

materials range with Rapid Prototyping offering ceramic and metal based materials.

Costs: When sourcing prototype models for an external service bureau significant

differences in cost per unit can be seen when comparing 3D Printing and Rapid

Prototyping. This cost difference is a result of the variations in running costs between

the devices.

Purchasing an entry level 3D Printer will set you back a couple of thousand with

annual running costs likely to range between several hundred to a few thousand

pounds. For an entry level Rapid Prototyping machine you can expect to pay no less

than a hundred thousand pound with annual materials and running costs in the tens

of thousands range.

Ease of Use Geared more towards the individual user some 3D printers are

designed to facilitate immediate use without the need for training. Rapid Prototyping

machines offer increased flexibility however significant training is required to run and

maintain Rapid Prototyping machines.

When selecting the most appropriate of the two technologies it is important to

consider the application. 3D Printers often prove an invaluable tool for early concept

models while Rapid Prototyping machines come into their own for the production of

marketing samples or low volume production of production quality components.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Roisin_B_McLaughlin


11. 3D Printing And Marketing

By Chris Waldo

3D printing is a pretty interesting form of manufacturing technology in existence

today that gives quite a few people the opportunities to build some seriously intricate

parts. The pieces that come out of 3d printers can be very neat and very helpful to

businesses across the globe. These manufacturing machines have the capabilities to

produce intricate parts that other forms of manufacturing cannot.

3D printing is great for creating high resolution "prints" out of 3D models from the

computer. A machine known as a 3D printer will lay down layers of material down in

accordance to a 3D model which is drawn on the computer, to create a final product.

This 3D model is typically designed by some kind of artist, designer, engineer, or

whatever you'd like to call it.

Either way, there will be a person working on the computer to digitally sculpt a

product. This product model will then serve as the blueprint for manufacturing

processes. After the blueprint is made, it will be sent to a printer. The printer itself will

always operate using a CAM system, or a computer aided manufacturing system.

This means that the computer within this machine will tell the ink heads where to

shoot out layers of material.

After the model has been sent to the printer and the operator clicks "go", the process

is automated. After the print has been completed, some processes involve some

cleaning up of the models, de-powdering, or infiltration. Ultimately, the process is as

simple as that. A designer of some style will create a 3D model. This 3D model will

then be sent to the 3D printer itself. The printer will produce the part, and sometimes

it needs to be cleaned up after words. That's pretty much it! How can it help though?

3D printing has made its way through quite a few local and international business

worlds throughout the world. Some of these industries revolve around engineering,

and this is great for 3D printing. When it comes down to it, this manufacturing

technology can be used to create highly unique and specialized parts that an

engineer might find very handy. Quite a few artists are taking advantage of the

capabilities of 3D printing, and are using this manufacturing process to create

physical models of their work. Others are using it for the vast ventures within the

medical field. Other people are using it to take part within the maker movement.

There are a ton of possibilities from this technology, but let's talk about 3D printing

and marketing.

Some of the prints which have been made through this technology known as 3D

printing have included marketing diagrams. For example, an architecture firm may

use3D printing to produce full color displays of their building designs and ideas.

Other companies have used 3D printing for marketing purposes by creating intricate


yet simple prints of their products. This is great for companies all across the world,

as many of them now have the chance to manufacture promotional pieces for

various products, blocks, and ideas.




12. Why People Love 3D Printing

By Chris Waldo

3D printing has the power to change the world, and in fact - it has been doing so for

the past 20 years. When it comes down to getting certain parts custom

manufactured, 3D printing is usually there to pick up the slack.

Some people enjoy designing characters and various parts on the computer in their

spare time, and don't have thousands to spend in seeing their creations come to life.

These artists are using 3D printing to create full color prints of these characters for

their personal use. If you've ever seen a talented 3D artist go to work on a part,

product, or character, you'll know that it takes time. Of course every model is

different, but these designs can truly be pieces of art.

To bring a project that took over 20 hours of skilled labor into the physical world is

impressive. 3D printing is here to bridge the gap for these artists that can't afford to

send out an order overseas. Some full colored models can be made for under thirty

dollars. Of course you can spend as much as you'd like on certain parts, but 3D

printing is available for a pretty inexpensive rate at some places if you are an artist

looking to create something.

Perhaps you don't really have a desire to produce parts "just to do it", but you want

to actually make a functional part. Maybe you're interested in eventually mass

producing a part, but you need to prototype. 3D printing is definitely there to pick up

the slack in this instance as well. 3D printing has a large variety of materials to

choose from when actually producing parts. Some are better than others for certain

models and designs, but there is a material for practically everything. If you need a

metal that can withstand the heat inside of a jet engine, you can use 3D printing.

If you need a product that can be flexible or rubber like, this technology is for you. If

you need a full color model, it is for you. If you need a part that offers chemical and

heat resistance, this technology is for you. I'm not going to say that 3D printing is



going to be there for absolutely everything, but at the same time I can't think of

anything right now that couldn't be prototyped through this technology. 3D printing

can be pretty expensive in some cases, and not all machines can produce large

pieces, but aside from that - there aren't very many downsides to this technology.

Within the past few years, this technology has been blowing up at an exponential

rate. There are 3D printers being placed by hobbyists to have in their own homes.

There are quite a few international companies that offer this technology as a service.

There are tons of local facilities across the world doing it as well. Within the next 10

years, this technology is going to be significantly changing the way that we look at

manufacturing goods and parts.




13. A Step By Step Look Into 3D Printing

By Chris Waldo

3D printing is a pretty interesting form of manufacturing technology that is already

starting to change the way that we look at creating things, on any scale. Whether you

are a part of a huge marketing firm, or you are a consumer working out of his or her

garage, you can have access to 3D printing. What can this technology do? Well,

frankly, it can create things. These things that are created range from toys, to

complex parts for machinery, to character models, to jewellery, to whatever! 3D

printing can create virtually anything. Before I jump into what it can make, let's

discuss what takes place when it comes down to creating a print through 3D printing.

In order to use this manufacturing technology, some form of a blueprint is required.

This means that a n artist, designer, engineer, or whomever will have to create a

model on the computer. This model will be made through some form of 3D software.

This software might be Maya, Autodesk, Solid-works, Blender, or whatever.

So an artist will work to design a 3D model, and then when the piece is finally

designed, we will have the blueprint. After this is made, throwing the design into the

printer I required. 3D printers will create pretty much whatever you'd like to have

them create as long as enough material is available, the printer Is large enough for

what you want, and you're using the right style of 3D printing for that said job. This is

very powerful for designers, artists, engineers, et c, but what does 3D printing

actually entail.



3D printing is sort of slang for additive manufacturing, or the layer by layer creation

of various objects through a layer by layer process. For 3D printing to work, there

have to be a few things. Like I mentioned earlier, a designer of some kind will have

to create a 3D model of the part you're looking for. After that is done, this model will

then be sent to the manufacturing facility, where it will be put into a printer. The

printer technician essentially presses go, and the print starts! Layers of material will

be laid down on top of this build tray, and after a certain amount of build-up, you'll

see a final product come about.

This is great, as the layer by layer process used in3D printing allows for the creation

of some seriously unique products and images. This gives the beneficiaries a lot to

work with. There is almost too much that these printers. Various materials come into

play when thinking about 3D printing. Some materials feature mechanical properties,

such as stainless steel or Inconel. Others offer ceramic capabilities,. Others offer

things like full color from within a sandstone ZP150 printer. The possibilities as to

what can come out of a 3D printer are pretty endless. There are so many options! If

you're considering purchasing a printer, leasing a printer, or using a 3D printing

service, it would be good idea to check it out - this technology is pretty neat!




14. Three Dimensional (3D) Printing At A Glance

By Rajot Chakraborty

In the Beginning

In the mid-80s when the first machines for 3D printing began to circulate, few were

willing to bet that the technology had a chance to drive a real revolution in the field of

manufacturing. At the time the only available technique was stereo lithography,

which utilized print layers of photopolymers modelled through the use of ultraviolet

light and gradually superimposed to form more or less faithful reproduction of a

three-dimensional object.

It was a slow and expensive process (a machine could cost as much $ 500K) and

therefore was unattractive for large-scale application. Almost thirty years later, the

situation has drastically changed.



3D Printing Today

The cost of machinery over the years has literally collapsed, to the point that these

days many companies exploit 3D printing to build three-dimensional prototypes of

plastic material without having to activate an entire production process ad hoc. But it

is only in recent years that the prices of machinery for 3D printing have decreased

dramatically, making it possible for the common man to use 3D printing technology.

Suffice it to say that there are companies that have already sold small 3D printers

whose price do not exceed one thousand euro (some even offer it in less than 500

euro).

3D Printing Production Techniques

Of course, the basic concept of 3D printing is interesting: build a three-dimensional

model on your computer and input commands, which will order the printer to use the

3D model and forge a true representation of the model. Most 3D printers use a

production technique known as additive manufacturing - the desired object is

modelled printing a layer at a time and superimposing it to those layers which are

already printed. This can be done in several ways. 3D printers using laser sintering

method create the object by heating the powder metal or the thermoplastic.

In Fused Deposition method, a heated nozzle is used that melts the material, which

lies three-dimensionally so as to reproduce the 3D model displayed on the computer

screen. There are other techniques used mainly in industrial environments, such as

the Laminated Object method, which involves stacking thin layers of material, which

are engraved by laser from time to time. There are several methods which can be

used in 3D printing, for reproducing the image of an object, very realistically.

Different organizations and industries use the method which is best suited to meet all

the needs of their business.

Please visit our site for all kinds of information on 3D printing.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Rajot_Chakraborty

http://ezinearticles.com/?expert=Rajot_Chakraborty


Conclusion

Hi – I hope you’ve enjoyed the opinions of these expert Authors and the issues they

have raised. Most importantly, I hope you have found greater insight into how best to

position your business to make the best use of the 3D Printing Processes otherwise

known as Computer Aided Manufacturing (CAM) or simply expressed as

Prototyping.

Below is a number of Urls to give more substance when you watch their illuminating

displays of what you can expect to gain in using the 3D Printing and Prototype

Equipment being discussed.

Let us know your views and opinions as they would help us in the continuing process

of development for our customers and even in giving you better value in the future.

URL Listing: Blog: Prototypes – Afinia H-Series 3D Printer Reviews

http://PrototypesPrinter.Blogspot.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/afinia3dprinter

Prototypes - Afinia H-Series 3D Printer Demo

Vid. 01 - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_9IPLOxCzVU

Prototyping - Afinia H-Series 3D Printer

Vid. 02 - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FCEdpe6VkP0

Prototypes and Manufacturing Services - Afinia 3D Printer

Vid. 03 - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SYn1gX_EWIE

Prototypes - Afinia H-Series 3D Printer Set Up

Vid. 04 - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e0_hq20kn14

http://prototypesprinter.blogspot.com/

http://prototypesprinter.blogspot.com/

https://www.facebook.com/afinia3dprinter

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_9IPLOxCzVU

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_9IPLOxCzVU

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FCEdpe6VkP0

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FCEdpe6VkP0

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SYn1gX_EWIE

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SYn1gX_EWIE

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e0_hq20kn14

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e0_hq20kn14

prototypes and prototyping - the future of 3d printers

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