What does 3D printing have?

2023-12-13 11:54:07

What is a 3D printer?

A 3D printer is a device that prints 3D or three-dimensional shapes. It is a device that can actually print the three-dimensional shape of the 3D CAD model.

In recent years, machine tools have also appeared to read virtual 3D data and automatically processed models, but in the case of general machine tools, people must read the drawings while manually inputting the processing program. Sometimes it is necessary to change the operation and instruction of equipment or tools in the middle. But with a 3D printer, you don't have to bother like this. It can read virtual 3D shapes and form them directly through software.

The principle of 3D printer

When printing on materials such as paper using a normal printer, the printer ejects a specified amount of ink to the coordinates specified by the numbers. The principle is the same for 3D printers. The 3D printer first cuts the virtual 3D shape into multiple layers along the Z axis (height). Then, for each layer, a material is ejected at a designated coordinate, and a shape is formed while being irradiated with light, and a 3D shape is made by stacking them together. Therefore, forming using a 3D printer is sometimes called "stacking".

Types of 3D printers

There are many kinds of 3D printers, and the materials that can be output are mainly resin and metal. There are also models for processing gypsum, but they are rarely used in industrial areas.

The molding method will vary depending on the material.

Depending on the kind of the resin, the resin material may be stacked while discharging the molten resin, or cured with light or laser, or sintered powder with laser. There are also many small and inexpensive models of 3D printers that spit out molten resin. Therefore, people will also place it in a small studio or at home as a hobby. This is why many people think of this type when they think of 3D printers. However, in the field of actual manufacturing, a type in which a resin solution and a powder are solidified and sintered by light or laser is more widely used than a type in which a molten material is stacked. In addition, there are some models, the use of laser or light for molding 3D printer than the melting material molding 3D printer accuracy is higher.

In the case of metal materials, most models are formed by laser sintering raw material powder. There are also models that can drain molten metal and stack it up, but their use is currently limited. This is because the melting point of the metal is higher than that of the resin, so a large amount of heat is required to melt the material, and the viscosity of the molten metal is lower than that of the molten resin, so it is easy to flow during the stacking process. Therefore, 3D printers that process metal materials mainly use laser sintering powder.

Summary

3D printers are widely used in trial production and small-scale production. In recent years, they have also been used in the manufacture of final products. They are the 1 kind of equipment that has attracted much attention. 3D printers with new features are also constantly being introduced, so if you are interested, you can follow to find the latest information.