What is 3D printing

What 3D printing is

3D printing or additive manufacturing is a process of making three dimensional solid objects from a digital file. The creation of a 3D printed object is achieved using additive processes. In an additive process an object is created by laying down successive layers of material until the entire object is created. Each of these layers can be seen as a thinly sliced horizontal cross-section of the eventual object.

How does 3D Printing work?

It all starts with making a virtual design of the object you want to create. This virtual design is made in a CAD (Computer Aided Design) file using a 3D modeling program (for the creation of a totally new object) ór with the use of a 3D scanner (to copy an existing object). This scanner makes a 3D digital copy of an object and puts it into a 3D modeling program.

To prepare the digital file created in a 3D modeling program for printing, the software slices the final model into hundreds or thousands of horizontal layers. When this prepared file is uploaded in the 3D printer, the printer creates the object layer by layer. The 3D printer reads every slice (or 2D image) and proceeds to create the object blending each layer together with no sign of the layering visible, resulting in one three dimensional object.

Methods and technologies of 3D Printing

Not all 3D printers use the same technology to realize their objects. There are several ways to do it and all those available as of 2012 were additive, differing mainly in the way layers are build to create the final object. Some methods use melting or softening material to produce the layers. Selective laser sintering (SLS) and fused deposition modeling (FDM) are the most common technologies using this way of printing. Another method of printing is to lay liquid materials that are cured with different technologies. The most common technology using this method is called stereolithography (SLA).

Selective laser sintering (SLS)

This technology uses a high power laser to fuse small particles of plastic, metal, ceramic or glass powders into a mass that has the desired three dimensional shape. The laser selectively fuses the powdered material by scanning the cross-sections (or layers) generated by the 3D modeling program on the surface of a powder bed. After each cross-section is scanned, the powder bed is lowered by one layer thickness. Then a new layer of material is applied on top and the process is repeated until the object is completed.

All untouched powder remains as it is and becomes a support structure for the object. Therefore there is no need for any support structure which is an advantage over SLS and SLA. All unused powder can be used for the next printing. SLS was developed and patented by Dr. Carl Deckard at the University of Texas in the mid-
1980s, under sponsorship of DARPA.   R

Reference: http://3dprinting.com/what-is-3d-printing/

Edward

Inno58h 3D printer workshop

Work done on the last workshop about the 3D printers:


3D Printer -> Consumer ->Service HUBs
                                       -> Sales reps./Agents
                                       -> Universities
                                       -> Diy/Fairs/Shows
                                       ->Publicity chandels -> Internet
                                                                        ->Print
                                       -> Elderly people/young
                 -> Business   -> Demos in companies
                                      -> Diversification of production
                                      -> Road shows/ Trade fairs
                                      -> Advertising/Industrial publications


Advantages: Cost effective



Amaia Gonalez.

Workshop on 3D Printing on the 14th of November

Finally, we met our Spanish colleagues for the first time on Friday on the 14th of November. The working day started with the presentation of 3D Tech Oy's CEO Tomi Kalpio. Then, we were divided into groups to work with the help of innovation tools that we had been looked up for the class. First tool we used was some kind of word association tool. Working with that tool was pretty easy: we chose the first word that someone suggested and everyone said out loud words that were associated with this word and those words were written down. Our word was "food" and we came up with a long list of words. However, this list of words didn't lead to any practical innovations and we ran out of time. We realized that some other working method could work better than this random word association method.

For the next exercise, we decided to combine our efforts and work together with the other two groups. I presented the next tool which was Lotus Blossom Technique. We chose 3D printing as the focus and then all groups gave 8 industries which 3D Printing could be related to. Then the industries were divided between the goups. We took clothes and playgrounds. The plan was to invent 8 ideas for each 8 industries.

Some circles were left empty so the groups decided to help each other to fill in the blanks with new ideas. I think that the Lotus Blossom Technique was a very good method for working on this case because we were able to come up with so many ideas on how 3D printing could be used in different industries.

After the exercises, we decided to continue working together with other groups to brainstorm on the challenge of creating a 3D printing trend.

 Basically, what we suggested was different ways of increasing the awareness on 3D printing in order to enhance its attractiveness among both businesses and consumers. For the business market segment, the main emphasis ws on sales representatives going to companies to present the benefits of 3D printing for industries and organizing seminars for companies. Similarly, consumers could be targeted with different awareness raising campaigns, such as presentation in fairs where consumers can try out 3D printing for free. For the consumer market, the main emphasis would be on offering 3D printing as a service instead of selling the printers to households.

Elina 

Basics of 3D Printing

Information on 3D printing

Our task was to find information on 3D printing before the next class. I have to say that the concept of 3D printing was not very familiar to me so searched Wikipedia and the following site to see what it is all about:


http://3dprinting.com/what-is-3d-printing/

Elina