Additive Manufacturing
What is Additive Manufacturing?
What is 3D printing?
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3D printing, also known as additive manufacturing, is the exact opposite of the traditional way of making objects. Instead of machining or “subtracting” material to form an object – much like how a sculptor cuts away clay – 3D printing adds layer upon layer of material to build an object. Product designers and engineers upload a digital (CAD) file to a 3D printer, which then prints a solid 3D object.
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| Thermoplastics are the most frequently used materials, but the technology also includes photopolymers, epoxy resins, metals, and more. Cutting-edge bioinks, which use a mixture of human cells and gelatin, have also been leveraged to 3D print complex tissue models. Even edible materials such as chocolate are being used in 3D printers. |
So how is it possible to turn an idea into reality?
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Design a CAD model |
CAD software converts the model into an STL or VRML file |
Printer’s software slices the STL or VRML |
Model printed, layer by layer |
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2. The software saves the digital file of the model as an STL (Standard Tessellation Language) file, a format that converts the model’s surface into an array of triangles. |
3. The STL or VRML file is then sliced into thin layers by the printer’s software. |
4. The 3D printer reads each slice (or 2D image) and proceeds to create the object blending each layer together, resulting in one three dimensional object. |
Melting or softening material into a thin thread to produce the layers.
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Converting liquid materials into solid parts, layer by layer, by selectively curing them using a light source.
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