3D printing is an innovative production technology being classified by specialists as the newest industrial revolution. From prototype to finished product, this technology can be useful in many disciplines such as engineering, architecture, medicine, aeronautics, education, robotics etc.
The ability to print, in just a few hours, a model designed in CAD software saves time and costs associated to conventional manufacturing techniques. After printing we can check volumes, connections and different details giving us the ability to change the 3d model, optimizing it for best results in mass production.
3D printing is divided into 3 common technologies:
FDM: Printing by melting the material – the most common technology. In this category, a plastic thread is fed through a heated print head which draws a thin line on the print surface building the object layer by layer.
Advantages: speed and lower cost compared to other technologies.
SLA: This technology enables us to print 3d objects from a vat of photosensitive resin. The raw material is hardened when a light source hits the contact point between the print bed and resin then repeating this step layer by layer.
Advantaged: high resolution and smoother surfaces.
SLS: Printing by using heat to harden a powder. Different types of material can be mixed with the powder such as plastic, nylon with glass beads, aluminum etc.
Advantaged: high strength and elasticity.
