3D Printing Processes
Our 3D printing service consists of six 3D printing technologies to transform your 3D files into plastic, metal, and elastomeric parts. In addition to a broad material selection, we offer several post-processing options to improve cosmetics or enhance mechanical properties.
3D Printing Material Avaialble
The aluminium alloy has a low density but relatively high strength and can be processed into a variety of shapes. Its plasticity is excellent and it can match or exceed that of high-quality steel. Comparatively to steel, it is widely used in industry because of its high electrical conductivity, thermal conductivity, and corrosion resistance.
Some aluminium alloys can obtain excellent mechanical properties, physical properties and corrosion resistance after heat treatment. Hard aluminium alloy belongs to the AI-Cu-Mg series, usually contains a small amount, and is enhanced by heat treatment. Hardness is high, but plasticity is poor.
In the super aluminium alloy Al-1-Al-Al-O system, heat treatment can strengthen the material. It is the highest strength aluminium alloy at room temperature, but it has poor corrosion resistance and softens quickly at high temperatures. Wrought aluminium alloy is mainly an alloy of aluminium-aluminium alloy. It has a variety of elements, less content, good thermoplasticity, and is suitable for forging.
Alloys derived from aluminium have excellent properties including processing, welding, corrosion resistance, toughness, high toughness, no deformation, easy polishing, no defects, and fantastic oxidation properties.
The material is moderately strong, has good corrosion resistance, is weldable, and has good process performance (easy to be extruded). Scope of application: building windows, curtain walls, industrial equipment, frame accessories, solar energy frames, etc.
AL6061, Al6063, AL6082, AL7075, AL5052, A380.
There are two types of brass: ordinary brass and special brass. Brass is highly plastic, corrosion-resistant, deformable, and castable, and has a substantial industrial application value. According to the different chemical compositions, brass can be divided into two categories: ordinary brass and special brass. The so-called ordinary brass is a binary alloy of copper and zinc.
The copper-zinc alloy can be divided into ordinary brass and special brass based on the elements added for better strength, corrosion resistance, and casting performance. The elements aluminium, iron, silicon, manganese, nickel, and others are added for better strength, corrosion resistance, and casting performance. Therefore, copper alloys composed of two or more elements are called special brass.
Ordinary brass is composed of copper and zinc. According to the difference in zinc content, it can be divided into single-phase brass and dual-phase brass, but the zinc content cannot exceed 45%, otherwise, the material will become brittle and cannot be used.
Special brass: Lead, tin, aluminium, and other alloying elements are frequently added to ordinary brass to create special brass. Lead brass, tin brass, and aluminium brass are the popular names for special brass. The purpose of adding alloying elements. Its main purpose is to increase tensile strength and improve processing performance.
HPb63, HPb62, HPb61, HPb59, H59, H68, H80, H90
Red copper is pure copper, also known as red copper. Due to its excellent electrical and thermal conductivity, copper is widely used in the electrical industry and precision processing industries. The biggest advantage and performance of copper is its good electrical conductivity, second only to silver, but the price of copper is much cheaper than silver. Red copper has become the most important part of the electrical industry.
High-purity copper is the primary condition for use in the electrical industry, and the purity must be higher than 99.95%. As long as a very small amount of impurities are mixed, the conductivity of the product copper will be greatly reduced, and the oxygen content of copper will also have a great influence on the conductivity. Impurities like phosphorus, arsenic, aluminium, lead, and antimony should be avoided in most cases. This kind of high-purity copper can only be obtained by electrolysis using original copper as the positive electrode, pure copper as the negative electrode, and sulfuric acid solution as the electrolyte. During the electrolysis process, the original copper on the positive electrode is melted and ionized, and pure copper ions are adsorbed on the negative electrode to obtain the pure copper we need.
Purposes of copper: wires, cables, brushes, EDM copper, generators, bus bars, switch cabinets, transformers, heat exchangers, pipelines, flat plate collectors for solar heating devices, etc.
C11000, c12000, c12000, c26000, c51000
Steel is an iron-carbon alloy. We usually call it steel. The carbon content of the material must not exceed 1.7% to ensure its toughness and shape. In addition to iron and carbon, other elements of steel include silicon, manganese, sulfur, and phosphorus. Other components will make the steel performance different.
Both steel and iron are iron-based iron-carbon alloys, but due to the difference in carbon content, the state and structure of iron-carbon alloys are also different at different temperatures. Iron has poor formability, is not easy to deform, and has poor weldability. These properties of steel are very good, especially when a certain amount of alloying elements are added to steel, there will be some special properties, such as high strength, resistance to wear, heat, corrosion, etc.
After ordinary steel is refined and other alloying elements are added, widely used steels with different properties can be produced, such as fatigue resistance, heat resistance, impact resistance, wear resistance, corrosion resistance, high polishing, etc. These high-quality steels are widely used in machinery parts, injection mold steel, stamping mold steel, aerospace, tools, automobiles, home appliances and other industries.
In order to improve the performance of steel, we usually use heat treatment, stress treatment, quenching and tempering treatment, surface coating and other methods.
SS303, SS304, SS316, SS416, low carbon steel, carbon steel, 4140, 4340, Q235, Q345B, 20#, 45#
Plastic is a polymer, and its main component is a synthetic resin. In addition, add some specific purpose additives as needed, such as plasticizers that can improve plasticity, anti-ageing agents that prevent plastics from ageing, and so on.
Polymers may have a large relative molecular weight, but their compositions are not complex and their structures follow certain rules. They are made by the polymerization of small molecules, such as polyethene plastics, which are made by the polymerization of ethylene molecules. When polyethene plastic is heated to a certain temperature range, it starts to soften until it melts into a flowing liquid. The melted polyethene plastic becomes solid after cooling and then melts into liquid after heating. This phenomenon is called thermoplasticity.
Polyethene, polyvinyl chloride and polypropylene are all thermoplastics. A thermosetting plastic, such as phenolic resin, will no longer be able to be softened and molded after processing, but it can be softened and molded when heated in the manufacturing process.
Plastic is a poor conductor of heat, which has the effect of silencing and damping. Plastic hardness, tensile strength, elongation and impact strength. Due to its small specific gravity and high strength, plastic has high specific strength.
Plastic parts are widely used in various fields of life, such as household appliances, instrumentation, wires and cables, construction equipment, communication electronics, automotive industry, aerospace, daily hardware, etc.
ABS, PC, PE, POM, Delrin, nylon, Teflon, PP, PEI, Peek, carbon fiber.
Our commonly used titanium alloys are composed of titanium, aluminium, tin, vanadium, and niobium, and different elements form different properties.
The main excellent characteristics of titanium are described as follows:
Low density and high specific strength: Titanium has a higher density than aluminium but is lower than steel, copper and nickel, but the strength is on top of the metal.
Good corrosion resistance and heat resistance. It is possible to use the titanium alloy at a temperature of 600°C for a long time.
Low-temperature resistance: Titanium alloys Ti-al-2, Ti- 2-o and Ti alloys are low-temperature titanium alloys, whose strength increases with decreasing temperature, but the plasticity changes little. In cryogenic environments, it exhibits good plasticity and toughness at temperatures as low as 196-253°C, avoids cold brittleness common in metals, and is an ideal material for storage tanks and containers.
The tensile strength is close to its yield strength: the titanium material has a higher yield strength ratio (tensile strength/yield strength) during the forming process, indicating that its plastic deformation is poor. As a result of titanium’s high modulus of elasticity compared to its yield limit, it has an incredibly flexible forming process.
Better heat transfer performance: Although the thermal conductivity of titanium is lower than that of carbon steel and copper because titanium has excellent corrosion resistance, the thickness can be greatly reduced, and the surface heat resistance and steam reduce the thermal resistance, so there is no junction on the surface. By reducing thermal resistance, fouling can significantly improve titanium’s heat transfer capabilities.
Alloys made from titanium have excellent physical properties that make them a preferred material in the aerospace, aviation, marine biomedicine, and automotive industries.
Ti 1 grade, Ti 2 grade.
It is a blend of polycarbonate and ABS. As a result, ABS can be made more heat resistant, impact-resistant, and have stronger tensile strength; on the other hand, polycarbonate can be made cheaper, with lower melt viscosity, improved processing, and less sensitivity to internal stress and impact strength. Today, polycarbonate/ABS alloys are available in many flame retardant, glass fibre reinforced, electroplated, and ultraviolet resistant formulations. Mainly used in the automotive industry, computers, copiers, electronic and electrical components, etc. PC/ABS alloy materials have been widely used in automotive decorative parts, lampshades, high-temperature electrical enclosures and other fields.
PC/ABS must be dried before processing. The humidity should be less than 0.04%. The recommended drying condition is 90mm 110℃, drying for 2h; the melting temperature should be around 23m ~ 300℃; the mold temperature should be 100℃ within 50 meters; the injection pressure depends on the plastic parts, and the injection speed has no special requirements. , But the higher the more appropriate.
Chemical and physical properties: ABS+PC has the comprehensive characteristics of PC and ABS, such as ABS is easy to process, and PC has excellent mechanical properties and thermal stability. The ratio of the two will affect the thermal stability of the ABS+PC material. The ABS+PC hybrid material also shows excellent flow characteristics. The shrinkage is about 0.5%. ABS+PC is a mixed synthetic modified engineering plastic. As for PC and ABS – acrylonitrile (A), butadiene (B) and phenylephrine (S) – they are polycarbonates. This modified plastic has better performance than simple PC and ABS. Such as improved impact resistance, heat resistance, hardness and so on.
PMMA acrylic plastic properties:
PMMA acrylic plastic is a hard and transparent material with a density of 1.19-1.22g/10cm³. The biggest feature of PMMA acrylic plastic is its high transparency and 92% light transmittance, which is the highest among plastics. The ultraviolet light transmittance is also as high as 75%.
PMMA acrylic plastic has good comprehensive mechanical properties. Its tensile strength, compressive strength, and flexural strength are higher than PE, PVC, PS, but its impact toughness is poor, so it is a hard and brittle material. PMMA has low heat resistance, the glass transition temperature of 104℃, melting temperature of 160-200℃, the thermal decomposition temperature of 270℃, easy to burn, the flame is blue when burning, the top is white, and it has a strong floral and fruity smell. And the smell of rotten vegetables.
PMMA has excellent dielectric and insulation properties, excellent arc resistance, and ageing resistance to atmospheric agents. PMMA is chemically stable and can withstand the dilution of inorganic acids, salts, and oils, but is not resistant to concentrated inorganic salts, Hot alkalis, ketones, chlorinated hydrocarbons, aromatic hydrocarbons, etc., will expand and break in alcohols, and have good corrosion resistance to ozone and sulfur dioxide gas.
PMMA acrylic plastic use: widely used in the manufacture of various optical glasses, such as lenses, prisms, mirrors, camera lenses, etc. And can make lamps, lighting equipment, instrument dials, dials, etc. In addition, it can also manufacture aircraft cabin glass, bulletproof glass, optical fibre, etc. In addition, adding fluorescent powder or pearl powder can make beautiful and beautiful products, which can be widely used in advertising decoration and handicraft production.
Polyvinyl chloride (polyvinyl chloride) is one of the most widely used plastics. Various additives are usually added to improve the performance of PVC materials, such as stabilizers, lubricants, processing aids, pigments, enhancers, etc.
PVC resin softens at a temperature close to that of its decomposition. It starts to decompose at 140°C, but decomposes faster at 170°C. In order to ensure the normal processing of PVC resin, the two most important process indicators are called decomposition temperature and thermal stability. The so-called decomposition temperature refers to the temperature at which a large amount of hydrogen chloride is released, and the so-called thermal stability refers to the time during which a large amount of hydrogen chloride is not released at a certain temperature (usually 190°C). PVC plastic will decompose for a long time at 100°C unless an alkaline stabilizer is added. If the temperature exceeds 180°C, it will quickly decompose.
PVC has the advantages of flame retardancy, high chemical resistance (resistant to concentrated hydrochloric acid, 90% sulfuric acid, 60% nitric acid, 20% sodium hydroxide), good mechanical strength, and electrical insulation.
A wide variety of PVC plastic materials are used for a variety of purposes, including PVC profiles, PVC pipe, PVC hard plates, PVC soft goods, PVC packaging materials, PVC walls and floors, PVC consumer goods, PVC transparent sheets, etc. PVC plastic materials, PVC plastic materials , PVC plastic materials: PVC profiles, PVC pipes, PVC hard materials and plates, PVC general soft products, PVC packaging materials, PVC wallboards and floors, PVC consumer goods, PVC transparent sheets, etc.
Process conditions of the injection mold. The drying temperature is 80°C within 2 hours, the material tube temperature is 160-190°C, the molding temperature is 30-60°C, and the molding shrinkage rate is 0.1-0.5%. The injection pressure can reach 1500bar, and the holding pressure can reach 1000bar. In order to avoid material degradation, an appropriate injection speed is required.
The main properties of POM are its hardness, high steel content, and wear resistance. POM is particularly suitable for making gears and bearings because of its low coefficient of friction and good geometric stability. The properties of POM make it appropriate for use in pipeline equipment (pipe valves, pump housings), lawn equipment, etc.
POM is a tough and elastic material with good creep properties, geometric stability and low-temperature impact resistance. Due to the high crystallinity of POM, the shrinkage rate is high, up to 2% ~ 3.5%. Different reinforcement materials have different shrinkage.
During homopolymerization of POM, the heat distortion temperature is 136°C, while during copolymerization, the heat distortion temperature is 110°C. Co-formaldehyde, however, has a higher continuous use temperature due to its different molecular structure. Generally speaking, the long-term use temperature of polyoxymethylene is about 100℃. UL specifies the long-term heat-resistant temperature of POM as 85-105°C. Mechanical properties: Since POM is a highly crystalline polymer, it has high elastic modulus, high hardness and rigidity. It can be used for a long time under the condition of -40 ~ 100℃. And it can withstand repeated shocks with little change in strength. Temperature and temperature changes do not greatly affect strength.
Injection molding conditions: POM does not need to be dried before injection molding. The melting temperature range is 190-220°C. By increasing the holding pressure during injection molding, the pressure drop can be reduced. The material will decompose at a high melting temperature. The screw speed should be appropriate, not too high, and the residue should be reduced; the appropriate mold temperature is (80mm 100℃), and the product demoulding temperature is relatively high, so pay attention to the protection work when disassembling the parts. POM should be processed under the conditions of medium injection pressure, medium injection speed, low material temperature and high mold temperature.
This engineering plastic consists of an aryl, ketone and ether chain bond and is a high molecular polymer. It has many properties such as high-temperature resistance, strong flame retardancy, and good chemical stability, so it is often used in construction machinery and aerospace products.
PEEK plastic has the advantages of strong heat resistance and high-temperature resistance. The positive high-temperature resistance of PEEK plastic is 260°C, and the heat distortion temperature is 160°C. If 30% glass fibre is added for modification, the heat distortion temperature can be increased to 280-300℃.
PEEK plastic has excellent electrochemical properties. Even in the high-frequency range, the dielectric index and dielectric loss of 10HZ plastic are very small. Under the PVA environment, the dielectric loss is only 0.02, while the dielectric point constant is only 3.2.
It has excellent chemical stability and can withstand acids and alkalis. Almost any chemical reagent except concentrated sulfuric acid still maintains good stability at high temperatures.
It has excellent hydrolysis resistance and can be used for a long time even in a steam environment at 200-250°C.
In addition, PEEK plastic also has excellent flame retardancy, melt fluidity, thermal stability, corrosion, high strength and easy formability.
PEEK plastic is widely used in the chemical industry, electronic equipment, automobile industry, aerospace and other fields because of its excellent high-temperature resistance, heat resistance, high height and processability.
This material is formally known as polyphenylene sulfide. It is famous for its thermal stability and is widely used in special engineering plastics after filling and modification.
PPS is a special high engineering plastic with excellent properties such as high-temperature resistance, flame retardant, corrosion resistance, weather resistance, dimensional stability, and excellent electrical properties. The transformed PPS is widely used as special engineering plastics, mainly in the fields of electronics and electrical appliances, such as transformer skeletons, high-frequency coil skeletons, plugs, sockets, contactor drum plates, junction frames, and different kinds of precision parts.
Heat resistance is PPS plastic: the heat distortion temperature exceeds 260℃, which is one of the highest temperatures of thermoplastic engineering plastics. The long-term use temperature is 220-240℃, and the short-term temperature can reach 260℃.
Inorganic acids, alkalis, and salts do not dissolve PPS plastic below 200°C. At present, no solvent can dissolve PPS below this temperature.
When exposed to high temperatures, high humidity, and high frequency, PPS plastic exhibits high surface resistivity, low breakdown voltage, low dielectric constant, and dielectric loss tangent, making it an excellent insulation material. After modification, it can also be made into a high-strength material with good electrical conductivity.
PPS plastic mechanical properties: strong rigidity, high surface hardness, excellent creep resistance and good fatigue resistance.
Injection conditions: The material is dried at 130-150°C for 3 hours, the barrel temperature is 280-330°C, 40%GF+PPS 300mm, 350°C, the mold temperature is 120-180°C, the injection pressure is 50-130V MPA, and the injection speed is medium.
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Finishing Methods
Polishing is the process of grinding and modifying the surface of parts using various tools and media. The function of polishing is to make the surface of the part smoother, but it cannot improve the geometric shape and dimensional accuracy of the part. Technically speaking, polishing refers to the use of abrasives and machinery to make the surface of parts smooth, while using machinery to apply abrasives to the surface of loose parts is a more active process, which will make the surface finish smoother and brighter.
Polishing on mechanical parts is generally divided into three steps:
The first step: After the processes of knife scar, grinding, CNC, spark machine, wire cutting, etc., the surface is generally rough, so we need to polish the surface of the part with oilstone.
Step 2: After the oilstone operation, the sandpaper operation is performed. When the sandpaper operation, pay attention to the round edges, sharp corners, rounded corners, and orange peel of the parts.
The third step: We mainly use diamond grinding paste, and the accuracy requires Ra0.2, which requires a clean polishing room.
The processed surface is the surface effect of the workpiece obtained by directly processing the workpiece with various machines and equipment without any post-processing. With the improvement of modern machinery accuracy, the surface quality of the workpiece is getting better and better. Although the processing line can be seen on the surface of the workpiece, it is actually very smooth, and the general processing surface quality can reach Ra3.2.
Anodizing is divided into ordinary anodizing and hard anodizing.
The conversion film formed in the process of metal anodization is wear-resistant, corrosion-resistant, and other functional or decorative properties on the metal surface in the electrolytic solution electrochemical treatment, and the treated part is used as the positive and negative corrosion-resistant materials.
The object of anodizing treatment can be aluminum and aluminum alloy, magnesium alloy, titanium and titanium alloy, etc. The anodic oxidation of aluminum and aluminum alloys is widely used in the market and is developing rapidly.
The main function of anodizing is to improve the hardness, wear resistance, corrosion resistance and surface coloring of the workpiece, and to protect and beautify the surface of the workpiece.
Sandblasting is a kind of high-pressure air as the power to spray abrasives into the workpiece that needs surface treatment at a high speed, thereby changing the post-treatment process of the surface of the workpiece. Due to the impact and cutting action of the abrasive on the surface of the workpiece, the working surface will get different roughness, which improves the mechanical properties of the working surface and improves the fatigue durability of the workpiece. Due to the influence of abrasives, very small pores are generated on the working surface, thereby increasing the adhesion between the workpiece and the coating and prolonging the service life of the coating.
The main functions of sandblasting are as follows:
In order to remove oil and rust, sandblasting can remove rust and other dirt on the surface of the workpiece, forming a certain rough surface on the surface of the workpiece, thereby improving the adhesion of the plastic powder and the paint film.
For processed workpieces, burrs on the surface can be removed by sandblasting to make the workpiece more beautiful.
For castings or heat-treated parts, sandblasting can remove oil and scale on the surface, improve the surface finish, and make the workpiece more beautiful.
Powder coating electrostatic spraying is to use static electricity to adsorb the powder coating on the working surface, and the powder is baked at high temperature to form a solid coating on the surface of the part.
Electrostatic powder spraying must first have an electrostatic generator to generate DC high voltage, a spray gun, a power supply system, and a powder recovery system to spray and atomize the powder. The workpiece to be sprayed should be grounded to the positive electrode, and the negative high voltage generated by the discharge needle gun connected to the powder outlet of the spray gun will generate corona discharge through the discharge needle. At this time, the negatively charged powder particles reach the surface of the workpiece under the action of static electricity and compressed air flow.
Due to the attraction of electrostatic force, the powder is uniformly adsorbed on the surface of the workpiece for a period of time without falling off. The workpiece enters the curing furnace, leveled, consolidated, and controlled humidity or time, and finally a tight, uniform, smooth and dense coating is combined with a firm workpiece. .
Powder spraying makes the surface of the product smooth, and the coating has strong acid resistance, alkali resistance, impact resistance and abrasion resistance. And can withstand strong ultraviolet radiation and acid rain for a long time, and the coating has no powdering, discoloration, falling off and other phenomena.
Black oxidation is an oxidation treatment on the surface of steel, mainly suitable for carbon steel and low alloy steel.
The black oxide heats the workpiece in a solution of concentrated alkali and oxidant (heating temperature is about 550°C), forming a dense oxide film (fe3-fe3) on the surface of the steel. The iron oxide film can isolate the air, prevent the internal steel from oxidizing, and achieve the purpose of corrosion resistance.
The steel is oxidized to form a protective oxide film with magnetic iron oxide (fe-fe2o3) as the main component. Its color is generally black or blue-black, and cast steel and silicon steel are brown. The oxidation treatment methods include alkali oxidation, alkali oxidation, acid oxidation and so on. It is often used for the protection and decoration of machinery, precision instruments, weapons and daily necessities.
Whether iron oxide can be oxidized with dense and smooth iron oxide, it is very important to choose a strong oxidizer. The strong oxidant is composed of sodium hydroxide, sodium nitrite and sodium hydroxide phosphate. When the color is blue, the steel part is treated with its molten liquid; when the steel part is treated with an aqueous solution, the steel part is black.
Surface drawing is a surface treatment method that forms lines on the surface of the workpiece by polishing the product and has a decorative effect.
The surface drawing process is to use drawing materials to make a decorative surface of metal stainless steel aluminum surface, and the surface drawing process is also a surface treatment method. It can make the surface clearly show every tiny silk mark, so as to make the metal frosted surface a fine brushed gloss product. Because wire drawing surface treatment can make the surface of the material show different textures and make the product more beautiful, wire drawing processing is becoming more and more popular nowadays.
There is no uniform classification and name for wire drawing. Usually divided into straight wire and wire according to the surface effect. Straight wire is also called silk thread; while silk thread is called snow pattern.
Electroplating is the use of electrolyte to electroplate other types of metals on the workpiece. Use electrolysis to attach the surface of the part to the metal film to prevent metal oxidation (corrosion), improve wear resistance, electrical conductivity, anti-reflection, corrosion resistance (such as copper sulfate), and improve aesthetics.
Electroplating metal or other insoluble materials, anodizing the workpiece, and cathode coating metal cations, form a coating surface on the surface of the workpiece. In order to eliminate the interference of other cations and make the electroplating uniform and firm, the electroplating solution should be used as the electroplating solution containing electroplating metal cations to keep the concentration of metal cations unchanged.
3D Printing Prototype Service FAQ
3D Printing Prototype -Definitive Guide
3D printing is the name and terminology also known as rapid prototyping 3D printing. In ancient times, creating and 3D working was very expensive and slow, but with the latest and advanced techniques, you can do 3D printing with high quality and lower cost than what you need to develop a 3D printing prototype. The first and most important is that you must have access to 3D printing materials. The other two factors are saving time and money.
1. What is 3D printing?
3D printing or additive manufacturing is the process of creating three-dimensional objects from digital files. The creation of 3D printed objects is achieved through an additive process. During the adding process, an object is created through successive layers of materials until the object is created. Each of these layers can be thought of as a thinly sliced cross-section of the object. 3D printing is the opposite of subtractive manufacturing, where a milling machine is used to cut or hollow out a piece of metal or plastic. 3D printing can create complex shapes with less material than traditional manufacturing methods.
2. Why use a 3D printer for rapid prototyping?
In short, it’s fast and relatively cheap. Going from an idea to a 3D model, to a prototype in your hands is a matter of days, not weeks. Iterating is easier and less expensive, and you don’t need expensive molds or tools. Besides rapid prototyping, 3D printing is also used for rapid manufacturing. Rapid manufacturing is a new manufacturing method where businesses use 3D printers for short-run/low-volume custom manufacturing.
3D printing encompasses many forms of technology and materials, as 3D printing is being used in almost every industry you can think of. It’s important to think of it as a cluster of different industries with countless different applications. Here are some examples:
- Consumer goods (glasses, footwear, design, furniture)
- Industrial products (manufacturing tools, prototypes, functional end-use parts)
- Dental products
- Prosthetics
- Architectural scale models and drawings
- Reconstruction of fossils
- Imitation of ancient artefacts
- Evidence reconstruction in forensic pathology
- Movie props
3. Benefits of 3d printing prototype:
3D printing prototyping is very beneficial for the worker and organization but remembers that you can get help if you choose the right and good quality material. Moreover, you can get benefits if you choose the correct procedure because it saves them both time and money. The benefits of the 3D printing prototype are as follow:
1) You can create various iterations
Liberty in 3D printing is much more than that of other printing techniques. The beneficial aspects are beautiful and require design by using the digital 3D model and 3D modeling software. Moreover, this technology allows the world to create any project from scratch, and you can get more precise and quality visualization. This technique is helpful to make a variety of iterations. It means the prototype perfectly matched your desired product or fulfilled the requirements of your desired products.
2) Save Money
You can save the most significant portion of your income by using this technique because the cost or expense of photo printing is lower than injection molding and additive manufacturing.
Here the question comes to mind: what is the reason behind the lower cost? The biggest reason is that you can create the mould to create objects that are undoubtedly the most beneficial and significant advantage. Time and money are the two precious things for every company. Due to this reason, 3D printing is supportive and helps in creating objects for every organization.
3) Time saver
In addition to the most significant benefit of 3D printing, you can do several iterations as you want. Furthermore, the process of 3D printing prototypes is also speedy. Instead of creating the mould and waiting for the whole process of injection modelling, you can get direct access to the object. In conclusion, this technique and procedure are perfect for efficient or quick prototyping, which is very helpful in creating fast development of the project.
4) Run tests with functional prototypes:
We are very thankful for the availability of a variety of 3D printing materials and services available online. Due to the online shopping facility, access to the latest and advanced material is straightforward. Out of these many of the materials are adapted to production which is very helpful to use your prototyping process. So if you are required to do the test, these materials show you they have more advanced, impressive, and latest properties for manufacturing advanced and latest functional prototypes.
4. How does 3D printing work?
Producing a 3D part is a multi-step process. The first step is the making of an architectural design which is usually done with a CAD model or 3D Scan data. Then the file is converted into a readable format like OBJ or STL.
Already installed software in the printer adjusts the orientation, size, height and dimension, layers of the 3D model before printing. The print is formed using laser technology to cure the liquid resin into hard plastic or by fusion of small polymer particles at high temperatures to solidify.
Uncured liquid resin or excessive powder polymer particles are cleaned as the printing is done. It is clean by rinsing in isopropyl alcohol, compressed air, or media blaster depending on the printing technology.
1) Design
3D printers generate three-dimensional models of computer-aided design (CAD) software, and mathematical representations of any three-dimensional surface or 3D scan data develop. The design is then exported as an STL or OBJ file that print preparation software can interpret.
3D printers contain print settings software and divide the digital pattern into horizontal cross-sections of the component into layers. Adjustable printing parameters include guidance, layer height, material, support structures (if required). The program transmits instructions over a wireless or cable connection to the printer after the set-up is over.
2) 3D Print
Some 3D printers utilize a laser to cure liquid resin into solid plastic, while others employ high temperatures to fuse tiny particles of polymer powder to create components. Most 3D printers may be left unattended until the job is finished, and contemporary systems will automatically replace the material needed for the pieces from cartridges.
3) Post Process
The printed parts may need to be rinsed in isopropyl alcohol (IPA) to remove any uncured resin from their surface, post-cured to stabilize mechanical properties, manual work to remove support structures, or cleaning with compressed air or a media blaster to remove excess powder, depending on the technology and the material. With the help of accessories, some of these procedures may be automated.
3D printed pieces for specific purposes may be utilized immediately or after processing and the appropriate ends may be machined, primed, painted, or attached. In addition to traditional techniques of production, 3D printing sometimes acts as an intermediary stage such as positive for the investment of dental and dental gems and molds.
5. Processing of various 3D printing technologies
3D printing is a versatile technology and it is getting advanced day by day. Every day brings new specifications in this field. Different types of technologies are used for 3D printing; let’s go through some of these.
1) Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM)
FDM is a quick and low-cost printing technology with the lowest resolution and accuracy. But still, it is most widely used during the year 2021 with 71% of consumers utilizing it in houses. This technology is used to get simple prototypes for basic proof-of-concept models.
The FDM-based printers work on melting and extruding technology. The printers use thermoplastic filaments like polylactic acid. These filaments are heated and squeezed through the nozzle of the printer in liquid (melted) form. The melted liquid is cast gently layer by layer to form a sculpture.
2) Selective laser sintering (SLS)
Selective laser sintering (SLS) technology is popular for its high efficacy in making complex materials. It’s the second most widely used technology in the year 2021. It is an ideal choice for engineers to get functional prototypes at a low cost.
The technology works on sintering small parts of polymer powder into a solid structure. There is no need for any sort of anchoring material as the powder holds supporting properties. Nylon is the most commonly used thermoplastic in SLS technology. It bears excellent mechanical properties. Apart from this, it is easy to mold, lightweight and strong. Nylon is resistant to UV light, heat, dirt, water, and chemicals.
3) Stereolithography (SLA)
This technology is ideal for concept modelling, short-run production, functional and rapid prototyping, dental application, and in the jewellery industry. This is the most established and earliest form of 3D printing technology.
The SLA 3D works on a photopolymerization strategy. The technology in which a laser is used to cure the liquid into hardened plastic. The prototype produced as a result is highly accurate, watertight, and isotropic. Another benefit of this technology is a smooth finish with fine features. Stereolithography provides amazing mechanical, optical, and thermal properties.
6. Challenges in 3D Printing Process
Following the procedures mentioned above, one may believe that 3D printing is as simple as pressing the print button on a computer. A slew of stories in the news appears to guarantee the same thing. Unfortunately, this is no longer the case. The following are some of the areas where 3D printing varies from paper printing:
It is difficult to create useful 3D content. Though anyone can create a document for printing, creating 3D data requires the use of advanced design tools or scanning/digitizing devices. The capacity to utilize these goods entails training and money, which is out of reach for the typical customer.
Not everything in 3D is made identical. It does not mean that a 3D picture is printable because a 3D may be displayed on the computer screen. In addition to being particular, 3D printers need 3D data to comply with certain geometric limits.
So “middleware” software solutions are required, which receive input 3D data and turn it into 3D data, which can then be printed in 3D. The reuse of these systems calls for time and resources training and commitment.
7. Applications to 3d printing prototypes
The 3D printing or additive manufacturing technology is amazing for crafting the three-dimensional parts or the whole object using CAD (Computer-aided design). The printer squeezes material layers over layer till the formation of an object or prototype.
Producing a 3D part is a multi-step process. The first step is the making of an architectural design which is usually done with a CAD model or 3D Scan data. Then the file is converted into a readable format like OBJ or STL.
Already installed software in the printer adjusts the orientation, size, height and dimension, layers of the 3D model before printing. The print is formed using laser technology to cure the liquid resin into hard plastic or by fusion of small polymer particles at high temperatures to solidify.
Uncured liquid resin or excessive powder polymer particles are cleaned as the printing is done. It is clean by rinsing in isopropyl alcohol, compressed air, or media blaster depending on the printing technology.
It began in the 1980s but advancement in technologies and software made it accessible for most of the industries, like Engineering, manufacturing, dentistry, healthcare, education, entertainment, jewellery, audiology, and other industries are getting benefit from 3D printing since it speeds up innovation and helps businesses.
1) Audiology
The 3D printing technology is used in the formation of high-quality and custom audio products like earplugs, earbuds, behind-the-ear hearing aids, and hearing protection. The printing requirement is higher and more consistent. Most importantly it is recommended by a hearing specialist.
Audio products like earbuds and soft silicone earmolds are the latest trends in the market. Digital printing services are now affordable to custom fit ear devices for audiology, consumer audiology industries, and noise pollution.
This digital technology is helping to produce accurate and consistent prints for clinics by reducing the peeling force during printing. 3D printing is low cost and provides rapid production. Along with this, the technology made it possible to print any sort or size of a prototype; either it is tiny earbuds or large earmoulds.
2) Manufacturing
Advance 3D printing technology delivers a broad spectrum in applications of prototypes. These prototypes are high precision and functional, bearing the characteristic to be the final product or part. 3D printing prototypes fasten the efficacy by providing tools that make the production process better and save money and time.
There is a list of prototype applications in the manufacturing industry. Digital printing catalyzes production at almost every level. Metal casting, molding, tooling, jig and fixtures, short-run production, and mass customization are some of the services of digital printing in this field.
3) Engineering and Product Design
Rapid prototyping and design for manufacturing or design for assembling technologies are uplifting the industry of engineering.
DFM
Design for manufacturing (DFM) or design for assembly (DFA) technology provides ready to manufacture and assemble products by turning the specifications like geometrics, feature requirements, and mechanism, during the process.
This technology benefits the engineers in terms of speed, insignificant scrap rates, low part cost, and minimizing tools. Reliability is the key feature for the manufacturer using this tech.
Rapid Prototyping
The technique involved in creating a scale model of physical parts quickly is rapid prototyping. Rapid prototyping uses an additive fabrication technique that doesn’t require tooling. It provides instant models of the concept in no time, allowing the creators to visualize beyond imagination.
Sharing of ideas has become easy by showing them into realistic forms of conceptual models. Concept models aids in the identification of the flaws, and refinement of the models by clients, before production.
The multi-step process of production is now easy with this technology. The prototype can be evaluated at every stage to build a sharply define desired object.
4) Education
3D printers present learners the professional-level technology and creativity. The printing technology encourages advanced learning and helps students in research. STEAM curricula in design, arts, science and engineering now adopt digital printing services to make the learning experiences better.
Custom research setups, fab labs and mark spaces, Models for STEM curricula are the application of 3D printing services in the field of education.
5) Jewelry
The beautiful, elegant, and sharp-featured designs, in a short period with a variety of materials, are possible because of 3D printing services.
Fitting pieces of jewellery, creating master patterns for rubber molding, and lost wax casting are the digital applications in the jewellery industry. The application of this service in the field makes it convenient to print batches within a few hours.
The exceptional feature of 3D printing is it molds your choice into the desired prototype. What design you want, what size you think of, and what material you aspire, It’s all up to you. Nylon, paper, metal glass, ceramics, diamond, plethora, and all crude materials are choices for you.
Whether it’s a fine fabricated design or a micro-size product, you can get this with 3D printing technology. Which is sometimes not possible with traditional manufacturing? 3D printing also allows you to make new choices like ceramic jewellery.
6) Entertainment
Props, hyper-realistic sculptures, and character models are 3D printing prototypes. These applications are filmed in stop-motion movies, bespoke costumes, and video games. The digital printing service portrays high-definition models, which are also used for special effects in movies.
7) Dental Industry
Dentures, crown and bridges models, patterns for casting and pressing, clear aligner, Hawley retainer models, splints and occlusal guides, surgical guides are the applications of digital printing in the dental industry.