Printers of days past were only able to render 2D images and it was almost unfathomable to make a 3D object. Since 3D printers were introduced at consumer level, the possibility of rendering any 3D object is very real; though these types of printers are quite expensive, at least in comparison to a normal printer, they can be used for a variety of purposes. Stereolithography isn’t really new, and it was around since the 1980s, though it is now available for a number of people and not only limited to large corporations.
Whether there are plans to open up a gift shop and sell objects manufactured with a 3D printer, or there is the need of rendering objects which are to be used for scientific purposes (i.e. DNA-chain models and similar), 3D printing is useful in a variety of fields.
Not many understand how exactly these printers are able to render 3D objects originally designed with a computer, however. If you are in the dark about how these printers exactly function, keep reading for more clarity and information on the subject. All will be unveiled and soon you may even be able to purchase a printer yourself and unravel the magic behind printing a 3D object, instead of its traditional two dimensional counterpart.
The Design
Like 2D printing, there must be something which is first designed on your computer in order for it to be printed. In this case, the design is undertaken and completed with a program specifically suited to 3D, an application which is able to render your 3D idea in a series of simple steps; eventually this will result in a complete 3D object, perhaps made up of a series of polygons, spheres or similar geometric shapes.
Programs which are able to work with 3D objects are called CADs, which stands for Computer Aided design. These programs include Maya, 3D max or other similar programs. There is also the possibility of ordering ready made 3D designs from a number of sites, which of course results in less control and customisation but can result in quite a profitable venture (in terms of eventual sales etc.) These sites include Sculpteo, Thingiverse, Shapeways and more.
Once the design is completed it is then send to the 3D printer, much like text or an image would be sent to a 2D printer. Files which are ready to be printed by a 3D printer have an “stl” file extension, which stands for Standard Tessellation Language.
The Process
The printing itself is undertaken by the overlapping of a number of layers, usually made up of material which is biological in nature, which may be rubber, paper, string-like material or more. Each particular printer differs in terms of the material which it uses, but the layering process always remains the same; the cost of the printer and process can also vary depending on the material used, logically, which can result in a more expensive or less expensive manufacturing process.
Once the design is sent to the printer, the machine pulls a filament of material through a small tube, and it then sends this into something called an extruder. This extruder heats the material up so it is more malleable, and it then sends it to a small hole and eventually onto the plate itself. This gradual layering of the material eventually results into the 3D object which can be used for a variety of purposes, as indicated above.
The thickness of the material deposited varies, from 0.1mm to larger designs. The average thickness is about 100 microns. All this determines how long it takes for the object to be printed.
3D printers are used in a variety of fields, and they will likely revolutionise a number of industries, from the field of medicine to the arts.