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IT (9626) Theory Notes  

3DPrinting 

3Dprintingisanadditivemanufacturingprocessthatcreatesaphysicalobjectfromadigital design.Therearedifferent3Dprintingtechnologiesandmaterialsyoucanprintwith,butallare basedonthesameprinciple:adigitalmodelisturnedintoasolidthree‐dimensionalphysical objectbyaddingmateriallayerbylayer. 

Howdoes3Dprintingwork? 

Every3Dprintstartsasadigital3Ddesignfile–likeablueprint–foraphysicalobject.Tryingto printwithoutadesignfileisliketryingtoprintadocumentonasheetofpaperwithoutatext file.Thisdesignfileisslicedintothinlayerswhichisthensenttothe3Dprinter.  Fromhereontheprintingprocessvariesbytechnology,startingfromdesktopprintersthatmelt aplasticmaterialandlayitdownontoaprintplatformtolargeindustrialmachinesthatusea lasertoselectivelymeltmetalpowderathightemperatures.Theprintingcantakehoursto completedependingonthesize,andtheprintedobjectsareoftenpost‐processedtoreachthe desiredfinish.  Availablematerialsalsovarybyprintertype,rangingfromplasticstorubber,sandstone,metals andalloys‐withmoreandmorematerialsappearingonthemarketeveryyear. 

Theprosandconsof3Dprinting 

It’scrucialtounderstandthat3Dprintingisarapidlydevelopingtechnology,whichcomeswith itssetofinherentbenefits,butalsolagsbehindtraditionalmanufacturingprocessesinsome aspects. 

Pros 

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Createcomplexdesigns Customizeeachandeveryproduct Noneedfortoolsandmolds,lowerfixedcosts Speedandeaseofprototyping Lesswaste

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Cons 

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Highercostforlargeproductionruns Lessmaterialchoices,colours,finishes Limitedstrengthandendurance Lowerprecision

IT (9626) Theory Notes 

 Usesof3Dprinting 

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