STEP 2: PRINT PLASTIC ON A 3D PRINTER

FDM printers use different materials to form a product, primarily – thermoplastic … It comes in the form of large spools that unwind during printing and enter the extruder (the part of the print head that is responsible for dispensing plastic).

A heating element melts the plastic to the required temperature, after which the erection takes place – squeezing out the molten material and solidifying it on the platform. The print head is always at the same level and builds the model layer by layer, moving in a horizontal plane. As the layer is applied, the platform on which the product is located moves, dropping lower and lower.

STEP 3: PRODUCT POST-PROCESSING AFTER 3D PRINTING

The 3D printing service includes post-processing of the finished product. For example, using acetone, you can smooth surface irregularities. To remove the supporting structures, it is dipped into a special solution, which leaves only the product itself.

TYPES OF THERMOPLASTICS FOR FDM PRINTING TECHNOLOGY

1. 3D printing with ABS plastic
2. PLA 3D printing
3. 3D printing with HIPS plastic
4. 3D printing with PC-plastic
5. Laywoo-D3 3D Printing
6. Disadvantages of FDM printing
7. Laybrick 3D Printing
8. 3D printing PVA: PVAc and PVAl
9. Nylon

ADVANTAGES OF FDM PRINTING

FDM custom printing has several advantages over other additive printing methods. Among them:

• high accuracy of prototypes;
• high printing speed compared to other 3D printing technologies;
• a wide range of polymers used in printing, which allows you to implement different ideas;
• relatively low cost of 3D printing with plastic.

One of the advantages is also the ability to print with clear plastic on a 3D printer. This opens up the possibility of producing medical products, food containers and even transparent surfaces that imitate glass.

DISADVANTAGES OF FDM PRINTING

When choosing a FDM printing method, you must take into account its disadvantages:

• limited size of the printable area horizontally and vertically;
• in some cases, it will be necessary to post-process the resulting product by chemical or physical methods;
• limitation when creating products with large angles of inclination (this problem can be solved by creating the necessary supporting structures);
• the need to take into account the heat shrinkage of some materials after the product has cooled down.

PRINTING WITH PHOTOPOLYMER – WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE?

3D printing with photopolymer is confidently gaining momentum in Kiev and throughout Ukraine. There are a number of reasons for this, and, first of all, it is much higher accuracy than with FDM printing.

ADVANTAGES AND DISADVANTAGES OF TECHNOLOGY

Benefits of 3D printing with photopolymer:

• high accuracy compared to other printing methods;
• smooth surface of the product;
• the ability to create objects of high complexity.

Disadvantages of 3D printing with photopolymer:

• the need for post-processing of the product (before final hardening);
• limited choice of materials;
• the need to use supports for printing overhanging elements.

3D PRINTING WITH PHOTOPOLYMER: DESCRIPTION OF TECHNOLOGY

3D printing with photopolymer is the creation of a product by layer-by-layer solidification of liquid photopolymer. Depending on the technology used, solidification takes place by means of a laser emitter, LED projectors or UV lamps.

1. SLA printing (laser stereolithography). The most widespread and affordable photopolymer printing technology is SLA. Prors with similar technology use laser emitter , which is point-directed to the desired areas of the material. The photopolymer hardens layer by layer under the influence of radiation. The result is a unified design. The main advantage of the technology is high printing accuracy and the ability to manufacture complex products … However, there are also disadvantages, for example, low speed.
2. DLP printing (projection stereolithography). The technology is similar to SLA, only instead of a laser emitter they use LED projectors. Unlike SLA, the material is illuminated in whole layers, which increases the printing speed. The main feature of such a printer is its cost is lower than the SLA, however, the printing accuracy is not so high either.
3. MJM and PolyJet (multi-jet printing). In this technology, the material is applied using many nozzles and illuminated by ultraviolet lamps … At the time of applying the next layer, the previous one is already quite hard. The main advantage of this technology is the ability to create products with different physical characteristics (use of different materials, colors, etc.)

SLS – ABOUT PRINTING WITH POWDER AND METAL

Selective Laser Powder Sintering (SLS) technology, uses the layer-by-layer principle of creating a 3D object, allows to manufacture complex structured parts and is used for the release of a small batch of products or prototypes.

The main advantage of this method is that it allows the manufacture of products with almost unlimited complexity. At the same time, there is no need to design and manufacture supporting structures, this function is performed by the material itself.

ADVANTAGES OF SLS 3D PRINTING

The advantages of the SLS printing method in comparison with other additive technologies:

• there is no need for supporting structures, this function is performed by the material itself;
• the ability to manufacture a product of any complexity;
• the ability to manufacture several products at the same time;
• faster speed compared to other printing methods.

DISADVANTAGES OF SLS 3D PRINTING

• preparation for work (heating the powder and maintaining the required temperature) takes longer;
• rough, porous structure of the final product, requiring further processing;
• the working chamber needs constant cleaning from powder residues, especially in the case of a change in the composition of the material;
• high cost of consumables and equipment.

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