3d printing is the last two years began to popularize a rapid prototyping technology, it is based on a digital model file, through the way of layer by layer printing to construct objects, 3d printer working principle is based on a digital model file, the use of powdered metals or plastics and other bondable materials, through the way of layer by layer printing to construct the object of the technology.
3d is the meaning of three-dimensional, meaning that the print out is a three-dimensional object, this is different from the traditional printing only print text images, 3d printer technology is a class of manufacturing technology, can easily computer in the composition of the picture into reality.
3D printing requires a physical model, which is virtualized modeling, sliced by professional software, and then printed by the printer layer by layer, through a layer of printing superimposed to complete.
The core principles of 3D printing: additive manufacturing, rapid prototyping, personalization.
I. Introduction to 3D Printing Technology
3D printing technology appeared in the mid-1990s, is actually the latest rapid prototyping device using technologies such as light curing and paper layering.3D printing, a kind of rapid prototyping technology, is a kind of digital model file as the basis, the use of powdered metal or plastics and other bondable materials, through the layer-by-layer printing way to construct the object by printing layer by layer.
In the past, it was often used to make models in the fields of mold making and industrial design, but now it is gradually being used for the direct manufacturing of some products. In particular, some high-value applications (such as hip joints or teeth, or some aircraft parts) have already been printed using this technology, meaning that "3D printing" of this technology is popularized.
Two, 3D printing technology principle analysis
1. 3D design
3D printing design process is: first through the computer-aided design (CAD) or computer animation modeling software modeling, and then built the three-dimensional model "split" into layer by layer of the cross-section, so as to guide the printer Layer-by-layer printing.
The standard file format for collaboration between design software and printers is the STL file format. An STL file uses triangles to roughly model the surface of an object. The smaller the triangles, the higher the resolution of the resulting surface.PLY is a scanner that produces 3D files by scanning, and the resulting VRML or WRL files are often used as input files for full-color printing.
2. Printing process
The printer reads the cross-section information in the file, prints the cross-section layer by layer in liquid, powder or sheet material, and then bonds the layers together in various ways to create a solid. This technology is characterized by its ability to create objects of almost any shape.
The thickness of the cross-section produced by the printer (i.e., the Z-direction) and the resolution in the planar direction (i.e., the X-Y direction) are measured in dpi (pixels per inch) or microns. The typical thickness is 100 microns, or 0.1 millimeters, and some printers such as the ObjetConnex series and 3DSystems' ProJet series can print a layer as thin as 16 microns. The planar direction can be printed with a resolution similar to that of laser printers. The diameter of the printed "ink droplets" is typically 50 to 100 microns. The production of a model using traditional methods usually takes from a few hours to a few days, depending on the size and complexity of the model. With 3D printing, the time can be reduced to a few hours, depending on the performance of the printer and the size and complexity of the model.
3D printed firearms
Traditional manufacturing techniques such as injection molding can produce large quantities of polymers at low cost, while 3D printing can produce relatively small quantities faster, more resiliently and at lower cost. A desktop-sized 3D printer can fulfill the needs of a designer or concept development team to make a model.
3. Finish
The resolution of current 3D printers is sufficient for most applications (where curved surfaces can be rough, like jagged edges on an image), and higher-resolution items can be obtained by first punching out a slightly larger object with a current 3D printer, then sanding down the surface a bit to get a smooth surface. The "high-resolution" items can be obtained by first using the current 3D printer to create a slightly larger object, and then sanding the surface a bit to get a smooth surface.