Sunday, September 6, 2020

Everything you need to know about 3D printing

Nowadays the industries are growing rapidly and expanding at a large scale. Considering the fact that new products and innovations are been introduced in the market. 

The purpose and manufacturing process of this products will definitely vary form each other. That is some products should be light/soft, while some strong, while some need to be both. For producing such products 3D printing, also known as rapid prototyping technology could also be used as alternative to more traditional methods of product development.

What is 3D printing ?

3D printing is nothing but making a product layer by layer. The detailed explanation is as follows

  1. Create the base by using the specific material which is suitable to satisfy the end need. It may be wood, plastic, fiber, etc.
  2. Then adding a layer on top of the base in proportion to final shape of the product.
  3. Then after the first layer is been added we keep adding the layers until the final product is been formed.

For these reasons this method is also known as additive manufacturing process.

3D printing process explained in detail

What are the types and materials used in 3D printing

The materials used in the 3D printing process mainly are ones that can melt and take the suitable shape required for the product and consist of all the characteristics required. Some of them are

  1. Composite materials.
  2. Wood.
  3. Plastic.
  4. Fibre.

The types of 3D printing methods are mainly classified on the type of material and the process used to create a product required for different purposes.

  1. Stereo lithography.
  2. Selective laser sintering.
  3. Electron beam welding.
  4. Fused deposition modelling.
  5. Multi jet fusion.

Future scope in 3D printing.

3D printing is currently at a developing stage in many countries. In some places only the prototype are been prepared and actual product is still in making.

3D printing targets the sectors which mainly include these 2 particular regions.

  1. Automobile sector.
  2. Medical industry.

Automobile sector

Starting form complex parts to light weight and storing parts everything can be achievable using 3D printing.

The traditional manufacturing methods employ methods which require lot of various processes and steps to prepare a single part, while this same can be achieved in a simple and efficient way using 3D printing.

Steel, fibre and composites can be used as a modern age solution to the problems faced today.

Small mechanical model of a gear train is made using 3D printing

Medical industry

In today's age usage of various 3D printed parts in the medical sector is growing at a rapid scale. This parts not only fullfil the specific purpose or task but also is durable and can withstand crucial circumstances with ease.

Some of the application of 3D printing in today's medical is as follows.

  1. Prosthetic body parts ( including legs, arms, fingers, etc)
  2. Dentistry ( many of teeth and jaw alignment are prepared using 3D printing)
  3. Bio-printing ( Various tissues and organs stop functioning or damaged due to some reason, they can be restored using 3D printing).
  4. Instrumentation (e.g. guides to assist with proper surgical placement of a device)

3D printed body parts used as replacement for original parts

While the 3D printing can also be used in various other sectors such as sports sectors, military applications, learning and teaching application, product initial prototype making and so on. Prototype of mobile smart phones, laptops and tablets using 3D printing to take faster design decisions.

Launched the first ever 3D printed shoe.

Career opportunities in the 3D printing sector

By the next decade the 3D printing technology will become the leading production technology that will be widely used in the industry.

As this methods reduces the load on the operator as well as produces complex and fit to purpose part at a rapid scale with exact specific dimensions and minimum error rate.

According to 6Wresearch, a market research and advisory intelligence company, 3D printing technology market in India will touch US$ 71 million by 2022.

Many 3D printing startups came into existence in last 4-5 years. These startups mostly focus on producing products on a small scale while some of them make sure they target the big market.

Some of them are as follows.

  1. Centurion3d.
  2. Global3dlabs.
  3. think3D.
  4. Brahma3.
  5. Fractal works.
  6. ShaperJet

These startups are creating a great positive impact in our world and economy using products made with 3D priniting.