65 Impressive Facts About 3D Printing You Probably Don't Know

3D printing is the process of making three-dimensional solid objects from a digital file; an additional method, components, and equipment, which includes printer ink.

These are all used to create a 3D printed object, whereby an element gets generated by putting consecutive material in layers. An additive method that accumulates components of different pieces to produce an item for various applications may be used to accomplish 3D printing.

3D printers are essentially machines that take a digital file and create a physical object based on that design. There are three different types of 3D printing technologies.

Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM) is the first type, where a plastic filament is melted and then extruded out of a nozzle. The second is called Selective Laser Sintering (SLS), which uses a laser to sinter powdered material (metal and plastic powders are common).

The third type is called stereolithography (SLA), which employs a focused laser to trace the cross-sections of a design onto a bath of liquid photopolymer resin, solidifying the traced cross-sections and adding layers one at a time.

The cons of using 3D printing technology in the production of the not-so-distant future include the high initial cost of buying a 3D printer.

Consumer 3D printers are of low resolution, making them suitable for prototypes or models but not helpful in creating parts used in a set of working machines. There is a lack of suitable software for making very complex 3D shapes, making it ideal for making certain types of models but not others.

Meaning Of 3D Printing

3D printing is the process of making a three-dimensional object from a two-dimensional digital file. Many commercially available 3D printing printers are now accessible to consumers, with prices ranging from below $500 to hundreds of thousands of dollars.

Once limited mainly to rapid prototyping, many household items can be printed with 3D printers.

To create an object using additive manufacturing, usually the most affordable way is to use an STL (Stereo Lithography) format file sent to the printer by computer software.

A technician then sets up the machine according to the desired specifications before starting the print job.

The 3D printing printer heats its extrusion tool head, or printing nozzle, and begins laying down successive layers of molten material until the desired shape is achieved.

The layer-by-layer process is repeated to add more detail and print the object.

Already, 3D printers can print small plastic items such as mobile holders and figurines. Still, new developments in the technology allow larger and more complex things like furniture, car parts, and even houses to be printed after production.

Several houses have been constructed using 3D printing technology.

Some companies are also working on different projects to create a 3D printer that prints food such as chocolates or pizzas according to customer orders, which will be available soon on the market.

Selective laser sintering (SLS) is an additive manufacturing technique of making 3D objects from a powdered material selectively fused with a laser beam.

The technique offers interfaces similar to those of conventional selective laser melting. Still, the method of printing powder layers consecutively does not rely on the liquefaction of previously printed powder areas.

This allows for more complex prints than technologies that print one layer at a time.

A similar process without using lasers was developed by MIT researchers in 1989 called Selective Laser Melting, or SLM.

Both of these technologies are used to manufacture jet engine parts for Dassault, an aerospace company under contract with Airbus.

Fused Deposition Modeling is a related process that uses a continuous filament to create objects.

The 3D printing printer heats an extruder and repeatedly pushes outflows of material that instantly hardens, thus creating layers of printed material like icing on a cake in which 3D printing would include a method using ink that would be eatable.

3D printing has already helped people worldwide by improving medical care for many life-threatening conditions.

3D technology improved surgical planning by providing surgeons with computer-generated simulations with innovative ideas and materials before performing actual surgeries.

The production costs are high mainly because of the method employed, which uses different tools and ink for production models.

Human hair is one such example whose treatment costs a lot.

A wide range of 3D printing applications exists and is expected to expand in the coming years.

The future of medicine can be made possible through 3D printing technology, which might completely change how we treat and diagnose patients in the near future.

New models of cars that help improve fuel efficiency may also come into fruition as we advance with this technology.

The Invention History Of 3D Printing

3D printing is a relatively new technology in which objects are printed by adding layer upon layer of material. This technology was invented over 20 years ago and has developed rapidly ever since.

The first patent was filed on March 26th, 1986; it took several years before the first working prototype was made in 1992.

Most people know this as additive manufacturing and often refer to 3D printing as just that: 'printing' in three dimensions.

There's also a technique called 'subtractive manufacturing' where you start with a solid block of material and cut away everything you don't need; this is essentially how traditional machining works, such as shaping metal.

Subtractive manufacturing can be applied to a whole range of materials, such as wood, ink, and plastics, in production.

The first machine that could be called a 3D printing printer was the stereolithography apparatus (SLA).

It was invented by Chuck Hull in 1984 and patented in 1986.

The core idea behind SLA is to cure light-sensitive resin or polymer by exposing it to an intense light source; this way, you can form solid objects within the resin, thus creating three-dimensional objects from a digital file in different projects.

One of the key advantages of this technique is that you only need to add layers when each layer has cured (hardened) enough, which allows for much faster 3D printing than other techniques like regular injection molding.

This technique gained quick popularity among enthusiasts, but some technical issues made it difficult for general use.

So the development of 3D printing went in a different direction, primarily toward extrusion-based printers that worked with metal and plastic filament.

These machines were much cheaper to make and easier to maintain.

Today there's a large variety of additive manufacturing machines available, from homemade ones to industrial machines costing hundreds of thousands to even millions of dollars.

The underlying technology is pretty much the same for these machines, though; you take some raw material (plastic, metal wire), heat it enough so that it becomes liquid, then put it down in layers with one on top of another until your object is entirely printed.

Some people are still making hybrid devices where one part of the printer is a traditional machining device, and the other part is an additive manufacturing machine.

This allows for much greater design freedom because you can quickly prototype something on the 'traditional' side, then easily print out a copy of it.

The first thing that comes to mind when considering 3D printing is probably a home printer that 'prints' plastic cups or maybe even toys.

The fact that 3D printers have existed for decades makes us forget how revolutionary this technology truly is; it enables us to create an object using digital files as input data.

You can make anything from your imagination without worrying about tooling costs, minimum order quantities, or other things related to traditional manufacturing techniques.

In the beginning, 3D printing was primarily used by enthusiasts looking for a more democratic approach to manufacturing.

As time went on, the technology had matured. It became much easier to design something that could be printed; we're now at the point where we can print complex, functional objects or even parts made of different materials (metal powder and plastic).

Workings Of 3D Printing

3D printing is a manufacturing technology that captures the essence of turning digital data into physical objects. A 3D printer, or additive manufacturing machine, prints layers upon layers of material, one on top of the other until an object is formed.

The formation of 3D printing new material can be done with plastics such as acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS), polylactic acid (PLA), and more; metals like steel and aluminum; glass; and even food products like chocolate.

Typically these 3D printing machines work by first heating up a filament (like the ABS plastic, for example) and then extruding the molten material out through its nozzle, which automatically creates thin layers on top of each other until an object is completed.

The object is then allowed to cool and harden into its desired shape before being removed from the printing surface.

3D printing printers are very versatile, and they can print objects of any size and many different shapes and colors.

Everyday items 3D printing printed with a 3D printer include toys and games, jewelry, musical instruments, computer parts & peripherals, automotive components or parts, medical industry or devices, iPhone cases, hearing aids, prosthetics, ceramics design, and simple household decorations.  

Items produced using 3D printing technology: Bionic ears and eyes for those in need of them; human tissue; clothing or fabric; food products like chocolate and pizza; space-rocket parts.

Heathrow Airport in London has been reported as being among the first airports in the world to have 3D printing technology available through a permanent printing station established by a firm called 'Labs2Go'. 

They hope that this new service will help reduce queues at security points and give passengers something fun and interesting to do while waiting for their flights.

Uses Of 3D Printing

3D printing is a procedure by which a three-dimensional object can be created from a digital file. These objects are created using an additive process, in which the printer will lay down multiple layers of material until it has created the final product.

3D printing is similar to another well-known manufacturing technique, 2D printing, but instead of producing sheets, 3D printing printers produce objects.

This gives them different properties and capabilities than traditional manufacturing techniques.

For this reason, 3D printers have been used for applications that traditionally would not have been feasible or economical with other technologies.

In addition, one of the many great things about 3D printers is their versatility: they can make nearly anything as long as you provide them with a CAD (computer-aided design) file.

One of the most significant advantages of 3D printing over traditional manufacturing techniques has to do with its weight.

In general, 3D printers are much lighter than the parts they would produce, making them a significant boon for space flight.

On Earth, heavy machinery is required to launch objects into space. Still, when you can turn your raw materials into solid structures that weigh less than air itself, it becomes far easier to send satellites and other tools necessary for exploring our solar system.

The limited infrastructure on the moon also makes it much harder for large objects to get from point A to B.

Rockets are notoriously difficult to land back on Earth, let alone somewhere else in space where they need to hit very specific areas at precise times.

This is why 3D printing comes into play. Once the required digital file has been sent to the printer, it can start manufacturing complex components without requiring heavy machinery or delivery vehicles.

We may soon see lunar bases that rely entirely on 3D printers for construction and other tasks necessary for long-term exploration.

Another great thing about 3D printers is how affordable they've become over time.

For example, these machines were initially reserved for large corporations, but now you can find them used in schools and small businesses.

Furthermore, 3D printers are getting cheaper every year, allowing people who wouldn't otherwise be able to afford complex, high-tech medical equipment to enjoy some of the same benefits.

Of course, not all technologies become more affordable when using 3D printing.

Some 3D printing machines are becoming more expensive, and others can be dangerous if they're not operated properly.

Take firearms as an example; a new 3D printed gun was just unveiled by a Texas company called Solid Concepts, and its price tag would make even millionaires think twice before buying it.

That being said, the sheer amount of time required to produce a fully functional firearm from this new printer is something that will prevent criminals from manufacturing weapons in their basements.

In fact, according to information provided by Solid Concepts, it takes between 40-50 hours for their machine to print an entire pistol, so your average American probably won't have one of these on hand any time soon.

However, this same 3D printing technology could make gun manufacturing much easier for law enforcement agencies stuck using older equipment models.

One of the latest innovations in 3D printing involves something you usually find at your local grocery store: food.

We may soon be able to print custom meals tailored to meet specific dietary requirements or act as substitutes for people who need (or want) to avoid certain types of food.

Similarly, 3D printers can also print healthy snacks like granola bars and provide them to schools, so kids will have access to tasty treats even if their parents don't buy them.

While 3D printers continue to improve our lives daily, they also have a significant impact on people with disabilities who have severely limited access to medical equipment.

This 3D printing technology has been used to create artificial limbs, bionic eyes, and even fully functional robot arms, all of which are cheaper than ever before, thanks to the growing popularity of 3D printing.