What is a 3-D printer?

The 3-D printer, sometimes called a rapid prototyping machine, creates items out of liquid or powdered plastic and operates much like a traditional printer. Equipped with halogen lamps that melt nylon powder, as well as technology that allows consumers to download designs, it can create many household items from toothbrushes to sandals. The printed models are made from layers of film made from mostly ABC plastic, with aluminum and glass mixed in, and once heated, the ingredients can turn hard.

3D printers and rapid prototyping equipment: what's the difference?

For those within the field of offshore engineering and technology, there can be some confusion between the terms "3D printer" and "rapid prototyping machine." This conundrum is to be expected, as there are engineers who don't even know who these machines exist.

However, both of these machines are used for manufacturing large-scale engineering, automation, machine manufacturing and use patterns. In recent years, however, the use of these machines has gone beyond engineering to medicine, education, and even the arts. But what makes these machines different?

What is a rapid prototyping machine?

The term "rapid prototyping machine" actually refers to a machine that uses many different techniques to create multiple models on a scale. These techniques, such as stereolithography, in which a photosensitive resin is shaped and hardened with a laser beam; solid-base treatments, in which the resin is cured with ultraviolet light; or fused deposition molding, in which a polymer melt is layered around a support structure.

However, the techniques used in these machines are nearly identical to those used in the modeling process. A model is modeled using computer-aided design software, and then converted one by one into a file with an STL extension. The rapid prototyping process is then done by slicing the STL file one layer at a time. These layers are then fabricated with resin to create a platform that is finished and cured once the modeling is complete.

3D Rapid Prototyping Printers

As far as 3D printers go, they are actually a subclass of rapid prototyping machines. What makes them different from other rapid prototyping machines is that they are faster. The word "fast" in rapid prototyping machines can be misleading because the models built with them still take days or even weeks. With a 3-D printer, you can have your model up in an hour, or even minutes.

Most of the 3D printers utilize inkjet printing technology, which is why they are called "printer in the first place" sorting machines. This does not mean that exclusively 3D inkjet printers utilize the technology. There are indications that such machines also utilize fused deposition modeling process derivatives or UV curing processes. In 3D printers that use inkjet technology, the resin is sprayed on a platform of inkjet nozzles for printing.

Another feature of 3D printers is that the base materials they use are usually non-toxic and do not require treatment or finishing. This is a great contrast to the creation of three-dimensional 3D models, for example. In the case of light-curing resins, operators can become toxic if working with left uncured.

In addition, 3-D printers are a lot less expensive. Streamlined 3-D printing machines can cost $15,000. While this figure cannot be considered cheap, it is relatively inexpensive compared to high-end rapid prototyping machines that can cost hundreds of thousands of dollars. There are also stereo printing machines that you can make on your own using starter kits and open source software.