Additive Manufacturing : Diversity In 3D Printing

Ananya Kamath Mangalore,India

Bachelor of Computer Applications [email protected]
Canara College
Abstract- 3D (3 Dimensional) printing is a concept that was II. 3D PRINTING TECHNOLOGY
introduced in the 90’s but has gathered a lot of attention over
the past few years. 3D printing enables us to print 3D
objects. We truly have leveled up as it was just a few decades 3D printing is a process of creating three-dimensional
back when printing graphic images was a tough task, now we objects by layering materials on top of each other. The
can print 3D objects. It uses various materials such as High process starts with a 3D model created using computer-
Impact Polystyrene, Polycarbonate and other materials aided design (CAD) software. The 3D model is then sliced
which do not melt easily. It has a better environmental into layers, and the 3D printer prints each layer on top of
impact and saves tooling costs. It is important in industries the other until the final object is created. The processes
where we need to create lightweight but complex parts. It is which make 3D printing possible are Sintering, Melting
affordable, making it a good choice for industries. 3D
Printing is already a hype among our generation and many
and Stereolithography.
youtubers make interesting content using the projects they 1.Sintering is a technology where the material is heated,
design. Recently The CEO of Meta Mark Zuckerberg went but not to the point of melting, to create high resolution
viral for designing 3D printed dresses. It can be a helpful items. Metal powder is used for direct metal laser
utility in our day-to-day lives as it can provide us with the sintering while thermoplastic powders are used for
ability to create things that are not only designed exactly selective laser sintering.
according to our needs but also are very reliable. Although 2.Melting methods of 3D printing include powder bed
currently there are several issues with the technology due to fusion, electron beam melting and direct energy
it being focused only on industries and its recent popularity
deposition. These use lasers, electric arcs, or electron
it wouldn’t be far fetched to say that maybe a few years
down the line 3D printers will be in every other industry and beams to print objects by melting the materials together at
residence. The slow process and the cumbersome procedure high temperatures.
may be an issue now, but with the development in 3.Stereolithography utilizes photopolymerization to create
technologies this could be resolved and would make 3D parts. This technology uses the correct light source to
printing technology more efficient than it currently is. interact with the material in a selective manner to cure and
solidify a cross section of the object in thin layers.
I. INTRODUCTION These are some of the main methods used in 3D printing,
The world is dynamic and does not adapt to suit us. each with its own advantages and limitations depending
We will be left behind if we don’t catch up. One such field on the materials used and the desired outcome.
that has risen to popularity due to its cost-efficiency,
III. APPLICATIONS
flexibility and reliability is 3D Printing. 3D printing or
Additive manufacturing is a process of making three- 3D printing has now become more accessible and
dimensional solid objects from a digital file. The creation affordable due to which a lot of industries at present use
of a 3D printed object is achieved using additive 3D printing in their chain of operations every day. And
processes. This is when an object is created by laying with the passage of time more and more industries,
down successive layers of material. Each of these layers whether small scale or large scale, have started to adopt
can be seen as a thinly sliced horizontal cross-section of this technology.
the eventual object.
3D printing manufacturing equipment was developed A. Present Applications
by Hideo Kodama of the Nagoya Municipal Industrial
Research Institute when he invented two additive methods 1. Manufacturing: 3D printing has revolutionized
for fabricating 3D models. Later Chuck Hull of 3D the manufacturing industry by making it easier
Systems invented the first 3D printer in 1987, which used and more cost-effective to produce custom parts
the stereolithography process. This was followed by and prototypes.
developments such as selective laser sintering and 2. Medical: 3D printing has also found its way into
selective laser melting, among others. Other expensive 3D the medical industry, where it is used to create
printing systems were developed in the 1990s-2000s, but prosthetics, implants, and even human tissue.
it wasn't until the past decade that it became more widely 3. Aerospace: 3D printing has been used in the
accessible and affordable. 3D printing has revolutionized aerospace industry to create complex parts that
the way we approach manufacturing, design, and would be difficult to manufacture using
engineering. traditional methods.
In this paper presentation, we will explore the basics 4. Fashion: 3D printing has also made its way into
of 3D printing, its applications, and its impact on various the fashion industry, where it is used to create
industries. unique and customizable pieces of clothing and
accessories.
5. Architecture: 3D printing has been used in the
architecture industry to create scale models of
buildings and other structures.
 6. Prototyping: 3D printing is commonly used for it in our day to day lives. It will revolutionize the way we
creating prototypes of products, allowing manufacture things and slowly but surely make its
designers and engineers to test and refine their presence in all the industries. It could also be fused with
designs quickly and cost-effectively. current technologies like Artificial intelligence. 3D
7. Education: 3D printing is increasingly being printing will be a part of our lives and given this fast-
used in education, allowing students to create and paced environment, the 2d prints that we currently use
experiment with physical objects in a way that will be a thing of the past.
was previously impossible.
8. Art and design: 3D printing has opened new
possibilities for artists and designers, allowing
them to create complex and intricate sculptures, REFERENCES
jewelry, and other objects.
9. Automotive: 3D printing is being used in the
[1] https://www.twi-global.com/technical-knowledge/faqs/what-is-3d-
automotive industry to create custom parts and
prototypes.
MOST USED AREAS printing
[2] https://www.makerbot.com/stories/design/top-5-3d-printing-
applications/

10.5
MANUFACTURING
CONSTRUCTION 3. 5.1
2
MINING
ELECTICITY,GAS,W
ATER

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IV. DOWNSIDES OF 3D PRINTING

Currently 3D printing faces the following issues:
1. Slow:3D printing can be a slow process, with
larger and more complex objects taking hours or
even days to print.
2. Lower Strength: In 3d printing, some parts are
made up of metal which are more brittle than
those created by traditional manufacturing
techniques, as they are built up layer by layer it
reduces the strength by between 10 % to 15%.
3. Less accurate: The accuracy of a printed part
depends on the type of machine or process used
as it has lower tolerance, therefore the results
may vary.
4. Cumbersome: 3D printed objects often require
post-processing, such as sanding, painting, or
other finishing techniques, which can add to the
overall time and cost of printing.
5. Machine dependent: The size of objects that can
be printed is limited by the size of the printer
itself. Large objects may need to be printed in
multiple parts and then assembled.

V. CONCLUSION
The scope for 3D printing is as bright as the afternoon
sun. With constant development in the technology which
will result in making the device not only faster but more
efficient, this piece of tech will surely be very beneficial
to many parties and industries. It is a sure thing that with
the passage of time the 3D printers will be quite
affordable for use by individuals as well making a way for