3D Printing or Additive Manufacturing are umbrella terms for a variety of different printing technologies, which build objects layer by layer, based on CAD (Computer-Aided Design) data. By layering material in three dimensions an object is formed. The term ‘printing’ can be misleading at first since the process of 3d printing is very much different from traditional printing. Therefore the term Additive Manufacturing is preferred by industry professionals.

The History of 3D-Printing

To fully understand the topic of 3D printing we want to give you a brief introduction to its history, which is a fairly recent one, with its beginnings in the early 1980s. US-American Chuck Hull is generally considered the inventor of 3D Printing, who described his first design as stereolithography (SL or SLA), which cures a light-sensitive liquid using a UV laser, building an object layer by layer. In 1986 he registered a patent for his invention and founded the company 3D-Systems. However, the underlying technology was originally discovered by Hideo Kodama of the Nagoya Municipal Industrial Research Institute. Kodama, having failed to apply for the patent in time due to a formal error, was beaten by Chuck Hull.

Just a few years later, alternative additive manufacturing technologies, such as Selective Laser Sintering (SLS) and Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM) were introduced to the market. Carl Deckard registered a patent for his SLS process in 1988, which uses a laser to sinter powdered plastic material into a solid object based on a 3D model. At almost the same time Scott Crump developed the FDM 3D printing method and registered the patent in 1989. This process works similar to a hot glue gun, which forces a thread-like plastic material through a hot nozzle, which is melted and then applied layer by layer to build a solid structure.

Within 10 years, three of today’s most prevalent 3d printing technologies have been developed and made available for the industry. 3D printers nowadays have become, faster, more accurate, and offer a wide range of materials to meet the needs of industry professionals and makers around the world alike.

The continuous development of technologies, such as Selective Laser Sintering has made it possible to print with new and alternative materials. In 1992 the Start-Up DTM introduced the world’s first SLS 3D Printer that was able to create solid structures out of plastic power when predecessors were only able to function with liquid materials. In the following years, more 3D printing players with new or further developed processes entered the market. The Z Corp. company, acquired by 3D-Systems, laid the foundation for the development of the Binder-Jetting process. It developed the Z402 3D printer, which is based on the inkjet printing principle and produces models from plaster powder in combination with a water-based binder, that are alternately layered on top of each other. The progress of the decade made it possible at the end of the 1990s to process not only plastics but also 3D print metal materials for industrial use.

The early 2000s were characterized in particular by advancements in the medical field. The decade was an innovative highlight in the history of 3D printing: For the first time, a 3D-printed organ was implanted in a human being, a synthetic 3D printed support structure for a human bladder. A functioning miniature kidney was produced, leg prostheses were printed based on complex component structures and blood vessels were created using bio-3D-printing technology. The expiry of the patent for the FDM process in 2009 triggered a new wave of innovation. The prices of 3D printers for the workplace and home use dropped dramatically, making 3D printing technology accessible to the masses.

Understanding the Different Technologies used in 3D-Printing

The printing technologies distinguish themselves in the way how an object is built, and what material is used during the building process. A 3D Printer is made up of different components, which vary among different printer types, depending on the printing technology. It is essential to get familiar with the most important parts of a 3D printer to get a better understanding of this technology. The most significant differences in the architecture of a 3D printer can be made among the most common additive manufacturing technologies:

• 3D Printing with thermoplastic material
• 3D Printing with liquid resin
• 3D Printing with powder

Fused Filament Fabrication (FFF) / Fused Deposition Manufacturing (FDM)

The most popular form of 3D printing for hobbyist and home use is based on the Fused Filament Fabrication (FFF) technology, utilizing thermoplastic materials. The advantages of these 3D printers are the straightforward build-up, variety of different materials for different applications, and relative ease of use. The line of da Vinci 3D printers offers desktop-sized variations with a focus on user-friendliness. This is accomplished by features like auto-calibration, auto-bed leveling, and automatic settings for specific materials, so that beginners and veterans can achieve constantly great print results, without the need to tinker with comparable machines like DIY-3D Printer kits.

The most important parts of 3D Printers based on this technology are the print-bed, on which the object is printed layer by layer, and the hot-end with its nozzle, which heats up the filaments and extrudes the molten plastic. Different thermoplastic materials have different properties and can be used for various applications. You can read the guide to the wide selection of filaments.

Resin 3D Printing SL (Stereolithography) and DLP (Digital Light Processing)

In machines based on SL (Stereolithography), a 3D print object is created from a liquid (photopolymer) resin by curing this resin layer by layer with a laser. The laser beam is directed to the designated spot by means of movable mirrors, so-called galvanometers, which harden the resin with high accuracy.

SL 3D printers produce high-precision parts with smooth surfaces and are often used for highly detailed sculptures, jewelry molds, and prototypes:

• Prototypes for simple functional tests
• Wax models for the manufacturing of metal objects by casting
• Small series production of consumer goods with complex structures
• Models that require a high level of detail
• Tools for injection molding
• Medicine: Dental templates for implants and more
• Visual prototypes for photo shootings and marketing tests

Another 3D printing technology that uses liquid resins to create solid objects is called DLP (Digital Light Processing). These 3D printers consist of a partially translucent tank, a height-adjustable platform, and an illumination unit. The nature of this technology requires a comparatively compact design, therefore DLP has become established primarily as a 3d printing desktop solution. Applications are typically found in the jewelry industry or in prototype design. The process is equally suitable for the production of art – for example small sculptures or for tabletop gaming where small miniatures with high details are a must.

The final category of 3D printing technologies is producing 3D objects out of various powder materials. The two main methods used are SLA and Binder Jetting. These 3D printers are mainly used for industrial applications, and due to their large size and high cost are not suitable for home use yet.

Selective Laser Sintering (SLS)

This 3D printing technology uses a heat source that heats the interior of the printer, including the material and installation space. A laser then melts the plastic powder layer by layer, turning the previously digital 3D model into a real 3D object. Each new layer is merged with the layer below and the 3D object is created step by step.

Binder Jetting

Binder Jetting uses a powdered starting material. This is sprayed and layered with an adhesive – also known as a binder – which causes it to harden at that point. 3D objects are as with all 3d printers built-in an additive manufacturing method, layer by layer. Binder Jetting also allows

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