12 Types of 3D Printing Technologies - Aurum3D

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12 Types of 3D Printing Technologies
Enterprises from various sectors leverage 3D
printing as an additive manufacturing process to
print consumer and industrial products from
digital models. The 3D printers print
three-dimensional objects and structures from
three-dimensional digital models by depositing
thin and successive layers of applications. The
manufacturers use a variety of 3D printers to
print consumer and industrial products. The 3D
printers differ from each other in several
aspects including the underlying technology. Each
3D printer uses a specific 3D printing
technology. Hence, manufacturers can choose the
right 3D printer by understanding and researching
about the 11 different Types of 3D printing
technologies.
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Brief Overview of 12 Commonly Used 3D Printing
Technologies
Stereolithography (SLA)
SLA 3D printing is older than other 3D printing
technologies. It creates objects, structures and
prototypes in a manner similar to SLA printers.
Unlike SLA printers, SLA creates
three-dimensional objects by exposing
photosensitive liquid resin to a UV-laser beam.
The printing service providers have to use a
digital projector to create the object by curing
and hardening the resin. However, SLA is a simple
3D printing technology which deposits one layer
of material at a time. SLa technology is
generally slower than the advanced 3D printing
technologies like DLP.
Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM)
The consumer 3D printers use FDM 3D printing as a
form of desktop 3D printing technology. The 3D
printers using FDM technology have a control
system and a platform extrusion nozzle. The
platform extrusion nozzle is used for loading the
spool of filament to the 3D printer. The printing
service providers heat the nozzle to the desired
temperature level and feed the filament through
the heated nozzle using a motor. The heat makes
the filament melt and 3D printer prints the
three-dimensional object by laying the melted
filament down in layers onto the build platform.
The 3D printer adds the next layer of filament
once the first layers become solid.
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Digital Light Processing (DLP)
This 3D printing technology produces
three-dimensional products just like SLA. But
DLP, unlike SLA, cures and hardens the liquid
resin using a digital light projector. As a
digital screen, the projector composes images of
each layer by integrating square pixels. Hence,
the projector creates voxels layers of small
rectangular blocks. The technology hardens the
liquid resin by delivering light through a UV
light source or LED screens. A Digital
Micromirror Device a set of micro-mirrors
redirects the light to the build surface and
controls the light projection.
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Selective Laser Sintering (SLS)
SLS 3D printing produces three-dimensional
objects from nylon, polyamide, and similar sinter
powdered material using lasers as the primary
source of power. The laser creates a solid object
by binding materials together based on the
digital 3D model. The powder not utilized during
the process provides support to the
three-dimensional structure after the printing
process. Hence, SLS, unlike certain 3D printing
technologies, does require the object external
support. SLS is used widely for creating
functional parts with complex functionalities.
Selective Laser Melting (SLM)
SLM creates prototypes and industrial products
from metallic powders using high power-density
lasers. The high power-density laser creates
three-dimensional structure by melting and fusing
the metallic powder. However, the 3D printers
using SLM fuse one layer of the metallic material
at a time. Hence, SLM functions in a manner
similar to SLS. But SLM, unlike SLS, is effective
in fusing and melting metallic powders. In
addition to melting the metallic powder fully, it
forms homogeneous parts from a single material.
Also, the melted metallic powder does not make
any structural support necessary for the
three-dimensional object.
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Laminated Object Manufacturing (LOM) Laminated
object manufacturing is a conventional 3D
printing technology which facilitates rapid
prototyping. It creates three-dimensional objects
by adding layers of build material successively.
While creating three-dimensional structures, LOM
fuses or laminates layers of paper and plastic by
combining heat and pressure. The 3D printer uses
a computer-controlled laser or blade to cut the
laminated base materials into predefined shapes.
At present, LOM does not find extentsive use by
manufacturers. But many enterprises still opt for
LOM as a fast and low-cost 3D printing technology
to create prototypes rapidly. Electron Beam
Melting (EBM) Like SLM, EBM creates
three-dimensional structures by melting metal
powder. But EBM, unlike SLM, melts the metallic
powder using high energy beams or electors. In
addition to melting the metallic powder, the
electrons fuse particles of the metal powder
seamlessly. The high energy density of electrons
makes EBM faster than several 3D printing
technologies. But the object printed using EBM
needs fabrication using vacuum. Also, the
manufacturers can use EBM to create
three-dimensional objects using only conductive
materials.
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Material Jetting (MJ) MJ is considered to be
faster and more accurate than other 3D printing
technologies. At present, MJ is used widely by
manufacturers to create realistic prototypes.
This 3D printing technology functions in a manner
similar to 2D printing. It created solid objects
and structures using photopolymer resin and UV
light. The printing service providers spray the
photopolymer resin in droplets and use UV light
to harden and solidify the droplets. However, MJ
keeps depositing layer upon layer of photopolymer
till the 3D printing process is over. Metal
Binder Jetting (MBJ) MBJ finds extensive usage by
manufacturers as a low cost metal 3D printing
technology. It fabricates three-dimensional metal
objects from metal powder using a polymer binding
agent. MBJ applies the polymer binding agent on
each layer of the metal powder according to the
digital 3D model. The metal powder is cured or
solidified after each layer. Finally, the
three-dimensional object is removed from the
printer and cured by placing it into an oven.
Unlike conventional manufacturing techniques, MBJ
enables manufacturers to print complex geometric
patterns. Sand Binder Jetting (SBJ) The low cost
3D printing technology produces three-dimensional
objects and structures from gypsum, sandstone and
similar sands. Many manufacturers opt for SBJ to
fabricate parts from plaster-based powder.
However, SBJ, like MBJ, uses a polymer binding
agent. The 3D printers use multiple printheads
simultaneously to produce full color models. The
primary printhead jets the polymer binding agent,
while the secondary printhead applies the color
inks. Hence, the 3D printer produces
three-dimensional models in color.
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Drop-on-Demand (DOD) The 3D metal printing
technology produces three-dimensional models
using droplets of material like wax droplets or
photopolymer. It deposits the droplet of
materials selectively. The droplets are cured on
a build plate. The droplets of material can be
easily cured by exposing to light. Hence, the 3D
printer deposits a single layer at a time. The 3D
printers produce three-dimensional models using a
pair of inkjets. The primary inkjet deposits the
droplets of material, while the second inkjet
dissolves the support material. Direct Metal
Laser Sintering (DMLS) The 3D printing
technology creates three-dimensional objects or
structures directly from metal. The 3D printers
using DMLS produce solid models using metal
powder as the base material. It further uses high
power laser beams to melt and fuse multiple
layers of metal powder. The 3D printers print the
support structure on the base plate before
printing the three-dimensional parts. During the
printing process, the laser beams are delivered
onto the bed of metallic powder while being
controlled from a computer. Many manufacturers
opt for DMLS to print complex structure or
geometry without using wrought iron. On the
whole, each 3D printer use a specific 3D printing
technology. Manufacturers or printing service
providers cannot differentiate between 3D
printers without understanding different types of
3D printing technologies. They must choose the
right 3D printing technology to produce a
three-dimensional object or structure using the
right 3D printer.
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About aurum3d.com Aurum3D is a 3D printing
company founded in September 2018 for bringing a
difference in education, technology, and start-up
space, by promoting and leveraging 3D printing
technology in India. Aurum3D strongly believes
that 3D printing technology will disrupt the
entire manufacturing industry and consumer
experience perspective. We provide custom 3D
printing, 3D designing and scanning solutions to
our prestigious clients across the country. We
also have our own 3D printers manufacturing setup
producing different variants to cater to the
needs of industry and individuals.
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