This document provides an overview of 3D printing technology. It discusses what 3D printing is, how the process works by creating a virtual design and then layering materials, and some common methods and technologies used like selective laser sintering and fused deposition modeling. Applications mentioned include rapid prototyping to save time and costs as well as personal printing. The document also notes the industry is growing and will change manufacturing and commerce, while challenges include costs, limited materials per machine, standard file formats, and printing speed.

1. A PRESENTATION ON “3D
PRINTING
TECHNOLOGY”
BY-
PRACHI AGARWAL
VIII SEM(C.S)

2. Contents
 What is 3D Printing ?
 How it works ?
• 3D Printing versus traditional printing
• Workflow
 Methods & Technologies
 Applications
• 3D Printing solutions
 Industry Growth
 Challenges

3. What is 3D Printing ?
 3D printing or additive manufacturing is a process of
making three dimensional solid objects from a digital file.
 The creation of a 3D printed object is achieved using
additive processes.
 In an additive process an object is created by laying down
successive layers of material until the entire object is
created.

5. How it works ?
 A virtual design of the object is
created.
 CAD (Computer Aided Design)
uses a 3D modeling program or 3D
scanner for virtual design.
 The software slices the final model
into hundreds or thousands of
horizontal layers.
 The printer creates the object layer
by layer, resulting in one three
dimensional object.

7. Methods & Technologies
 Several ways to realize 3D objects –
 Selective laser sintering (SLS) : uses a high power laser to fuse input materials
like plastic, metal, glass, etc. It scans the powdered material layer by layer.
 Fused deposition modelling (FDS) : uses a plastic filament or metal wire as input
material to an extrusion nozzle. The nozzle is heated to melt the material and can be
moved in both horizontal and vertical directions by CAM. The material hardens
immediately after extrusion from the nozzle.
 Stereolithography (SLA) : photopolymerization is used to produce a solid part
from a liquid. This technology employs a vat of liquid ultraviolet curable photopolymer
resin and an ultraviolet laser to build the object’s layers one at a time. UV Laser
solidifying the pattern.

8. Applications
 Rapid prototyping: Prototyping is a cycle that producers or designing teams make
models for end users to test, evaluate, or debug, and get feedbacks then revise or
redesign at the pre-production. Saves time & cost.
 Personal printing: For about a thousand dollars people can to buy the RepRap kit and
put together their own personal 3D printer, complete with any desired customizations.
What really speeds the development is the open source idea. Everybody working on the
RepRap shares their knowledge so other people can use it and improve it again.

11. Industry Growth
 Will change the nature of
commerce, because end users will be
able to do much of their own
manufacturing rather than engaging in
trade to buy products from other people
and corporations.
 3D printing will change the
manufacturing world with effects on
energy use, waste reduction,
customization, product availability,
medicine, art, construction and
sciences.

12. Challenges
 1. Cost: June 2011 – The current cost for a personal printer is $1200. The cheapest
Commercial printer can be commissioned at $30,000
 2. Inability to easily print in multiple materials on the same machine:
Particularly plastic, metal and conductive materials. The colours are a touch dull and
matt finish only.
 3. A decent standard for model designs: The current standard STL files have some
limitations. July 2011 – A new standard has been proposed – the AMF file format, but at
this stage it is not well known or well used.
 4. Speed: Printing is s…l…o…w. It takes a long time to build even the smallest piece.
Most videos you see are sped up or cut so you are not sitting there for an hour while
you build a tap washer. Aug 2011 – The Ultimaker is able to print much faster than
Makerbot now.