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3D printing, also known as additive manufacturing, is a manufacturing process where a 3D printer creates three-dimensional objects by depositing materials layer by layer in accordance to the object’s 3D digital model.

3D printing process follows the same basic steps. It starts with creating a 3D blueprint using computer-aided design (commonly called CAD) software. Once the 3D blueprint is created, refilling the raw materials (such as plastics, metal powders or binding solutions) and preparing the build platform. Once you hit print, the machine takes over, automatically building the desired object. Using information from the digital file printer knows exactly where to put material. The polymer solidifies quickly. After the printing is finished, every object requires a bit of post-processing.

They are used in FDM 3D printers, which is the most common type of 3D printing. Because they are so usually used, the cost of these materials is one of the lowest available. The average cost for thermoplastic model filament will range from $3.50 to $7.50 per cubic inch.

3D printing is useful to architects for creating mockups and to mechanics for creating tools. 3D printing is an innovation which fuels more innovation. 3D printing is inexpensive prosthetics, creating spare parts, rapid prototyping, creating personalized items and manufacturing with minimum waste.

Blender is a free but professional 3D modeling tool for creating sophisticated 3D models. It is one of the most powerful 3D printing software tools available, for design and mesh editing alike.

3D printing, it is possible to print complex geometric shapes and interlocking parts that require no assembly. It is also possible to produce single objects, in small quantities, at low cost and fast delivery. This technology also helps in the reduction of production-related material loss.

Most 3D-printed objects could theoretically be recycled, but you probably cannot recycle them curbside. The two most commonly used materials 3D printing are Polylactic Acid (PLA) and Acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS). PLA is a biodegradable thermoplastic made from renewable resources like cornstarch or sugar cane

The best ways to fix a broken 3D printed part is to:
Prepare a flat, stable surface for you to work on, then gather the broken 3D printed parts, along with an adhesive such as superglue or epoxy, sand down or remove rough pieces that may get in the way of bonding the main pieces together. You should now be able to place the object down and let it cure over a short period of time.

Photopolymer model material will run $0.32 to $0.36 per gram, and support material may be between $0.11 and $0.21 per gram. This cost is based on the fact that photopolymer resins are made for these specific 3D printing processes and are not as mostly used as thermoplastics.

They’re more affordable than stick-built houses. By some professionals’ estimates, construction costs for a 3D-printed house could be half that of those for a stick-built house (the term for a home constructed with wooden frames). A 3D-printed house could potentially even get into the four-digit range.

3D-printed objects are as durable as their traditionally manufactured counterparts. 3D printed thermoplastics are generally between 50% and 80% as strong as the same polymer when injection molded and no more vulnerable to light, heat, or chemicals than the injection molded version.

3D printer can print any shapes no matter how complex because it’s done in extremely fine layers and builds up an object from the bottom, up from the printing surface. The usual layer height use is 0.2mm but they can go as low as 0.05mm per layer, but this would take an very long time to print

According to The Verge, which earlier reported on ICON’s concept, the 3D-printed house would be made of cement and take up to one day to be printed by large 3D robots. Best of all, the homes would cost just $10,000. And ICON hopes that eventually, it can bring the cost of homes down to$4,000.

Five Industries Utilizing 3D Printing
Aerospace: The aerospace industry has some of the highest standards in part performance.
Automotive: The automotive industry has been charging ahead with additive manufacturing, with high-profile companies such as Audi using 3D printers.
Manufacturing , Robotics , Education

Many different materials can be used for 3D printing, such as ABS plastic, PLA, polyamide (nylon), glass filled polyamide, stereolithography materials (epoxy resins), silver, titanium, steel, wax, photopolymers and polycarbonate.

For Metal:
Powder bed process: SLM/SLS, DML, LMF and EBM
Additive procedures: LMD, DED, DMD, Laser Cladding and MPA

Metal 3D Printing is a laser-based technology that uses powdered metals. Similar to Laser Sintering, a high-powered laser selectively binds together particles on the powder bed while the machine distributes even layers of metallic powder.

In recent years, a few companies introduced complete desktop and studio metal printing systems for around $100,000 – $150,000, which include a 3D printer, a debinding station, and a sintering station. Part costs have also significantly sidecreased.

Metal 3D printers are expensive. Generally speaking, prices for professional machines range from $50,000 to $1 million, with the final amount being highly dependent on a printer’s size and performance.

A thin layer of metal powder is spread over the build platform and a high power laser scans the cross-section of the component, melting (or fusing) the metal particles together and creating the next layer. The entire area of the model is scanned, so the part is built fully solid.

Metal 3D printing is a type of additive manufacturing technology, not subtractive which means that material is gradually added to get the finished result rather than being taken away (such as in turning or milling). No contact tools (such as a chisel, hammer or drill) are required, the process is entirely contactless and managed remotely via the power of a laser beam.

Tests showed that under certain conditions the final 3D printed stainless steels were up to three times stronger than steels made by conventional techniques and yet still ductile, the scientists report today in Nature Materials .