3D printing

3D printing, also known as additive manufacturing, is the process of making three dimensional solid objects from a digital process.

Through additive process an object is created by laying down successive layers of material until the object is created. Each of these layers can be seen as thinly sliced horizontal cross-section of the eventual object.

3d printing is the opposite of subtractive manufacturing.

It enables you to produce complex (functional) shapes using less material than traditional methods.

It is used in automotive, aviation, aerospace, construction, architecture, medical and dental.

I could use it in my projects to do some rapid prototyping, as it is fast and cheap. I could also use it to do rapid manufacturing, which is where you use it to make something to help you make the final product, for instance molds, tools, etc.

How it works

To start you need to make a digital model of the thing you want to create. You can do this through modelling software or 3D scanners. 3D scanners will scan an item that you put inside of it, then it will convert the scan into a digital model. The modelling that is most used is Blender, this is because it is free and open sourced.

Next you have to slice the digital model, this is where you have to divide the model into hundreds of thousands of horizontal layers. This can be done through a software specifically for this, or it can be done through the modelling software or even the printer.

Then you upload this into the printer and start to print off the model.