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3D printing technology has been in use for close to 3 decades. At its initial stages, 3D Printing was a preserve of a few established high-tech companies and major movie studios. But over the last decade, the technology has been adopted widely and is now available to the average consumer.
At the core of 3D Printing are the printers and the software that they use. In this article, you will learn more about how 3D printing software works. But first, let's take some time to understand 3D Printing and 3D printers.
What is 3D Printing?
3D Printing is the process or action of creating a three-dimensional object or digital model, often by putting layers of a material on a surface in succession. Also known as additive manufacturing, 3D Printing entails the use of computer-aided design technology to put down successive layers of materials such as plastics, biomaterials, or composites to create objects of different shapes, sizes, colors, and rigidity.
The 3D printing process is additive in nature since it involves laying down successive layers of material on a surface until the desired solid object is created. The opposite of additive manufacturing is subtractive manufacturing, which involves cutting out or hollowing out a piece of material, as is the case with the use of tools such as a milling machine. In subtractive manufacturing, a block of material or a cast is used to create objects.
3D Printing stands out because it makes it possible to create complex objects and shapes using less material compared to the traditional manufacturing methods. It is also fast and is associated with low fixed setup expenses compared to conventional manufacturing methods.
Printers and What They Do
3D printers are devices that you can use to create three-dimensional objects. They function by turning whole objects into small slices and then printing them layer after layer. The tiny layers then stick together to create a solid object. Each of the layers can be very intricate, which means that 3D printers can be used to create moving components such as wheels and hinges as part of the same object.
3D Printing Technologies
If you would like to buy a 3D printer, you need to know the types of printing technologies that different types of printers use. These technologies have a notable impact on 3D printer prices and can also influence the quality of work that will be done by different types of printers. Here are some of the technologies that different models of 3D printers use:
1. FDM (Fused Deposition Modeling)An FDM printer makes use of a heated extrusion nozzle that melts the material that is used for printing as it is forced out. The nozzle moves vertically and horizontally using computer-aided control mechanisms. As the material is extruded from the nozzle, it quickly hardens.
2. SLA (Stereolithography)Stereolithography is the first 3D printing technology to have been developed. The technology creates objects by putting down layers of a particular photopolymer. The material starts as a liquid and solidifies when subjected to a concentrated beam of UV light.
3. DLP (Digital Light Processing)Digital Light Processing is similar to SLA in that it makes use of light to solidify and harden a liquid. However, in DLP, the object begins as a vat that is full of liquid.
A small amount of the liquid is exposed to light and hardens. This is followed by lowering a small amount of the build plate, and another beam of light causes more of the liquid to harden. The process is repeated, and any liquid that is left over is drained. The final product is the required sold model.
4. SLS (Selective Laser Sintering)Selective Laser Sintering involves the use of a high-power laser to combine or blend different types of material particles into a mass that has the desired 3D shape. The materials may include ceramic, glass, plastic, and metal, among others.
5. EBM (Electron Beam Melting)
Electron Beam Melting is a 3D printing technology that is applied when it comes to making metal parts. The process occurs in a vacuum and starts by setting up a layer of metal powder such as titanium. The powder is then melted using an electric beam to create a layer of the desired object.
6. MJM Multi-Jet (Modeling)
MJM functions in much the same way as present-day inkjet printers. The technology involves spreading a coat of resin powder followed by a colored binding element that causes the powder to harden into one layer. MJM is fast and makes it possible to print colored 3D objects.
How 3D Printing Software Works
3D Printing involves combining 3D software and precision tools to create 3D objects from scratch. The process involves 3D Modeling, slicing, and Printing. This is the process that you need to follow if you would like to create an object such as a 3D printed stundenglass or any other.
3D Modeling
At the heart of 3D Printing is the 3D printing software, which models the objects to be created and guides the printing process. All objects that need to be printed in 3D have been designed using a 3D modeling software referred to as computer-aided design (CAD) software. Prices of CAD applications vary and have a notable impact on 3D printer price.
The use of CAD software is important because some designs may be too complicated and detailed for the conventional manufacturing methods. Modeling using the CAD software enables users to customize the objects that they would like to print to the smallest detail.
3D Slicing
Through a process referred to as 3D printing slicing, the 3D printing software controls all aspects of the 3D printing process. In general terms, slicing means using a slicing application to cut up a 3D model into several hundred or thousand layers. The slicing software decodes 3D models into instructions that a 3D printer understands so that it can print all the required parts of an object.
Ready for the Printer
Once a file that needs to be printed has been sliced, it is ready to be sent to the 3D Printer. You can feed the file into your Printer using an SD card, USB, or a network connection such as Wi-Fi. At this point, the sliced file is regarded to be ready for Printing, layer by layer, using the 3D Printer.
Now you can make a 3D printed stundenglass or any other three-dimensional object using your 3D Printer.