What is 3D Printing? & How Exactly Does It Work?

What is 3D Printing?

You may have heard a lot of buzzes lately about 3D printing and 3D printers, and for a good reason. This incredible technology, which has been around for more than 30 years, has been rapidly increasing and getting traction in both professional and hobby gatherings equally, being recognized by some as the catalyst for the “Third Industrial Revolution.” 

With that in mind, you are probably wondering, “what is 3D printing, and how does a 3D printer work?” You might also be asking, “what can I do with a 3D printer?” In this article, we’ll teach you the 3D printing basics you need to know to start using this incredible technology to your advantage.

How Exactly Does It Work?

The procedure of 3D printing starts by creating a graphic model of the object to be printed and ready. These are usually planned and designed using Computer-Aided Design (CAD) software packages, and this can be the most labor-intensive section of the process. Applications used for this include TinkerCAD, Fusion360, as well as Sketchup. 

For complicated products, these models are often much tested in simulation for any possible errors in the final product. Usually, if the object to be printed is genuinely decorative, this is less necessary. 
One of the essential advantages of 3D-printing is that it allows the speedy prototyping of pretty much anything. The right limitation is your imagination.
Some objects are simply too complex to be created in a more common manufacturing or prototyping processes such as CNC milling or molding. It is also much cheaper than many other conventional manufacturing methods. 

After the design, the next step is digitally slicing the model to get it for printing. This is a crucial phase as a 3D printer can't imagine a 3D model similarly as you or I. The slicing method breaks down the model into several layers. The design for every part is then transferred to the printer head to print, or lay down, in the right order.
The slicing method is usually made using a different slicer program as CraftWare or Astroprint. This slicer software will also check the "fill" of the model by creating a lattice structure inside a reliable model for additional stability if needed.
This also occurs to be an area where 3D printers excel. They can print hard materials with low densities through the vital enhancement of pockets of air inside the concluding result.
The slicer software will also add in provider columns, where obliged. These are necessary because plastic cannot be laid down in thin air, and the columns support the printer to bridge the gaps. These columns are then later removed if required.
Once the slicer program has achieved its magic, the information is then assigned to the printer for the final step.
The 3D printer itself takes over. It will start to print out the model according to the definite instructions of the slicer program using different ways, depending on the kind of printer used. For instance, direct 3D printing applies technology similar to inkjet technology, in which nozzles move back and forth, and up and down, dispensing thick waxes or plastic polymers, which solidify to make each new cross-section of the 3D object. Multi-jet modeling uses lots of jets working concurrently, for extra rapid modeling.
In binder 3D printing, the inkjet nozzles utilize a fine dry powder and liquid adhesive or binder that come simultaneously to produce each printed layer. Binder printers make two passes to make every layer. The first pass places a thin coating of the powder, whereas the second pass utilizes the nozzles.
In photopolymerization, drops of a liquid plastic are presented to a laser beam of ultraviolet light, which turns the liquid into a solid.
Sintering is another 3D printing technology that involves melting and fusing particles to print every continuous layer. The connected particular laser sintering depends on a laser to melt a flame-retardant plastic powder, which then hardens to form the printed sheet. Sintering can be used to build metal objects, too.
The process of 3D can take hours or even days, depending on the volume and complexity of the project.
"There are some powerful technologies making splashes in the industry, such as the Carbon M1, that uses lasers shot in a bed of liquid and removes the print out of it, hurrying the process considerably. But these varieties of printers are many times more complicated, valuable, and only work with plastic so far."
No matter which type of 3D printer is used, the overall printing process is usually the same. 

Step 1: Design a 3D model using CAD software.


Step 2: The CAD drawing is switched to the standard tessellation language (STL) format. Most 3D printers utilize STL files in addition to other file types like ZPR and also ObjDF.

Step 3: The STL file is transferred to the computer that manages the 3D printer. There, the user designates the size and adjustment for printing.

Step 4: The 3D printer itself is set up. Every machine has its requirements for setup, like refilling the polymers, binders, and other consumables the printer will use.

Step 5: Start the machine and wait for the build to finish. The device must be checked repeatedly during this time to make sure there is nothing wrong.

Step 6: The printed object is deleted from the machine. 

Step 7: The last step is post-processing. Several 3D printers need some kind of post-processing, like brushing off any remaining powder or cleaning the printed object to remove water-soluble supports.