3D PRINTING

1. INTRODUCTION TO 3D PRINTING
3D printing is a form of additive manufacturing technology where a three dimensional object is created by laying down successive layers of material. It is also known as rapid prototyping, is a mechanized method whereby 3D objects are quickly made on a reasonably sized machine connected to a computer containing blueprints for the object. The 3D printing concept of custom manufacturing is exciting to nearly everyone. This revolutionary method for creating 3D models with the use of inkjet technology saves time and cost by eliminating the need to design; print and glue together separate model parts. Now, we can create a complete model in a single process using 3D printing. The basic principles include materials cartridges, flexibility of output, and translation of code into a visible pattern.

1.1 Typical 3D Printer 3D Printers are machines that produce physical 3D models from digital data by printing layer by layer. It can make physical models of objects either designed with a CAD program or scanned with a 3D Scanner. It is used in a variety of industries including jewelry, footwear, industrial design, architecture, engineering and construction, automotive, aerospace, dental and medical industries, education and consumer products. A materials printer usually performs 3D printing processes using digital technology. The first working 3D printer was created in 1984 by Chuck Hull of 3D Systems Corp. Since the start of the 21st century there has been a large growth in the sales of these machines, and their price has dropped substantially.

FIGURE I: Worlds First Working 3d Printer

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2. BRIEF HISTORY OF 3D PRINTING

3D printing was developed by Charles Hull, the founder of 3D Systems in 1984. Mr. Hull, born May 12, 1939, was an inventor of over 60 U.S. patents in the fields of ion optics and rapid prototyping. In his patent for the Apparatus for Production of Three-Dimensional Objects by stereo lithography, issued on March 11, 1986, he defined stereo lithography as a method and apparatus for making solid objects by successively printing thin layers of the ultraviolet curable material one on top of the other.

FIGURE II. Charles Hull Originally called Stereolithography, in the early years the technological development of the 3d printer systems by 3D System using the Stereo lithography technique was in parallel development to Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM), invented in 1988 by Scott Crump, the founder of Stratasys. In 1993 Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) added to the development of this field by patenting 3 Dimensional Printing techniques based on modifications of 2D printer technologies, which was then licensed to Z Corporation for development of their 3DP printers. In the year 1996 the world saw the first major release of 3d printers by Z Corp, Stratasys, and 3D Systems. At this time the use of 3d printer nomenclature became more widespread. In the course of further development over the next decade printer technology developed in respect to

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resolution and software capability, culminating in 2005 with the launch of the Spectrum Z510, the first high definition color printer in the market.

FIGURE III. Open-Source Collaboration with 3D Printing The next year, in 2006, a breakthrough open source printing project, named Reprap, was developed in England. The rep-rap was capable of manufacturing various plastic parts, roughly 50% of itself. The first version of the Reprap, the Darwin, was released in 2008. In continued development of Reprap printers the next model developed was the Mendel. The Mendel succeeded the Darwin in efficiency using a variant triangular core structure as opposed to the square frame of the Darwin. Following the Mendel several different research projects took the rep-rap in new directions, one of those directions being the Huxley, another the Prusa (a simpler streamlined rep rap offering), and others including mini-Mendel systems. Concurrent development of extruder technology has allowed for the modification of most Reprap commercial printers, and with the capability of self-replication, these printers are an effective means to generate additional copies and 3d printing capability.

FIGURE IV: First version of the Reprap, the Darwin

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3. BASIC WORKING
3.1. Workflow
The workflow can be easily understood with the help of the flowchart given below. A 3-D prototype of a desired object is created in three basic steps and these steps are: Pre-Process 3-D Printing Post-Process

The steps involved in the workflow are illustrated by the figure given below showing which process has what type of sections involved in it.

FIGURE V: Figure showing what work process involves

There are several types of 3D printers. They may use different materials, but all involve the same basic approach for printing an object: spraying or otherwise transferring a substance in multiple layers onto a building surface, beginning with the bottom layer.

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Before the printing can occur, a person must first create a 3D image of the item they want printed using a computer-assisted design (CAD) software program. That object is then sliced into hundreds or thousands of horizontal layers, which are placed one on top of the other until the completed object emerges.

FIGURE VI: Basic steps involved in 3D printing

3.2 PROCESS:
3.2.1 CAD Preparation (Pre-Process): Computer-aided design (CAD), also known as computer-aided design and drafting (CADD), is used to prepare a 3-D or 2-D model of the desired object. Additive manufacturing takes virtual blueprints from computer aided design (CAD) or animation modeling software and "slices" them into digital cross-sections for the machine to successively use as a guideline for printing. Depending on the machine used, material or a binding material is deposited on the build bed or platform until material/binder layering is complete and the final 3D model has been "printed." A standard data interface between CAD software and the machines is the STL file format. An STL file approximates the shape of a part or assembly using triangular facets. Smaller facets produce a higher quality surface. PLY is a scanner generated input file format, and VRML (or WRL) files are often used as input for 3D printing technologies that are able to print in full color. Some software available for making 3D model .stl file: FREE ONES: Google SketchUp ,Autodesk 123D ,OpenSCAD Blender. PROFESSIONAL: Autodesk Inventor Professional, PTC Creo, Solidworks, CATIA etc

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FIGURE VII: CAD designing and final product

3.2.2 3D Printing: To perform a print, the machine reads the design from a .stl file and lays down successive layers of liquid, powder, paper or sheet material to build the model from a series of cross sections. These layers, which correspond to the virtual cross sections from the CAD model, are joined or automatically fused to create the final shape. The primary advantage of this technique is its ability to create almost any shape or geometric feature. The 3D printer runs automatically, depositing materials at layers ~.003 thick. This is roughly the thickness of a human hair or sheet of paper. The time it takes to print a given object depends primarily on the height of the design, but most designs take a minimum of several hours. Traditional techniques like injection molding can be less expensive for manufacturing polymer products in high quantities, but additive manufacturing can be faster, more flexible and less expensive when producing relatively small quantities of parts. 3D printers give designers and concept development teams the ability to produce parts and concept models using a desktop size printer. Construction of a model with contemporary methods can take anywhere from several hours to several days, depending on the method used and the size and complexity of the model. Additive systems can typically reduce this time to a few hours, although it varies widely depending on the type of machine used and the size and number of models being produced simultaneously.

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FIGURE VIII: Product being printed in 3D printer

3.2.3 Cleaning 3D Printouts (Post-Process):

Though the printer-produced resolution is sufficient for many applications, printing a slightly oversized version of the desired object in standard resolution, and then removing material with a higher-resolution subtractive process can achieve greater precision. Some additive manufacturing techniques are capable of using multiple materials in the course of constructing parts. Some are able to print in multiple colors and color combinations simultaneously. Some also utilize supports when building. Supports are removable or dissolvable upon completion of the print, and are used to support overhanging features during construction. The three main steps used in the cleaning process are: 1. Powder Removal 2. Heating 3. Finishing touch

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FIGURE IX: Extra powder on a 3D printed model Powder Removal: This is the sculpture with most of the support dust removed and it is then dipped in special glue that makes them stronger and more colorful.

FIGURE X: Powder removal after printing

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Heating The models are heated to set the glue. Here the oven being used is a normal oven used at home.

FIGURE XI: Model being heated for setting in a domestic grade oven

Finishing Touches The output of all existing 3D printers is rough. The textures vary from pronounced wood grain to merely sandy, With a little elbow grease we can get stunning results.

FIGURE XII: Final touch up

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4. 3D PRINTING TECHNOLOGIES
Several different 3D printing processes have been invented since the late 1970s. The printers were originally large, expensive, and highly limited in what they could produce. A number of additive processes are now available. They differ in the way layers are deposited to create parts and in the materials that can be used. Each method has its own advantages and drawbacks, and some companies consequently offer a choice between powder and polymer for the material from which the object is built. Some companies use standard, off-the-shelf business paper as the build material to produce a durable prototype. The main considerations in choosing a machine are generally speed, cost of the 3D printer, cost of the printed prototype, and cost and choice of materials and color capabilities. Printers that work directly with metals are expensive. In some cases, however, less expensive printers can be used to make a mould, which is then used to make metal parts. Following are the few methods widely used in printers now-a-days: 1. Selective laser sintering (SLS) 2. Stereolithography 3. Fused deposition modeling (FDM) 4. Laminated object manufacturing (LOM)

4.1 SELECTIVE LASER SINTERING (SLS)

Selective Laser Sintering (SLS) is an additive rapid manufacturing process that builds three dimensional parts by using a laser to selectively sinter (heat and fuse) a powdered material. The printing process begins with a 3D CAD file which is mathematically sliced into 2D crosssections. The SLS prototype or part is built a layer at a time until completed. The process starts by slicing the 3D CAD file data into layers, usually from 20 to 100 micrometers thick, creating a 2D image of each layer; this file format is the industry standard .stl file used on most layer-based 3D printing or stereolithography technologies. This file is then loaded into a file preparation software package that assigns parameters, values and physical supports that allow the file to be interpreted and built by different types of additive manufacturing machines.

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With SLM thin layers of atomized fine metal powder are evenly distributed using a coating mechanism onto a substrate plate, usually metal, that is fastened to an indexing table that moves in the vertical (Z) axis. This takes place inside a chamber containing a tightly controlled atmosphere of inert gas, either argon or nitrogen at oxygen levels below 500 parts per million. Once each layer has been distributed each 2D slice of the part geometry is fused by selectively applying the laser energy to the powder surface, by directing the focused laser beam using two high frequency scanning mirrors in the X and Y axes. The laser energy is intense enough to permit full melting (welding) of the particles to form solid metal. The process is repeated layer after layer until the part is complete.

FIGURE XIII: SLS printer MATERIALS: Most machines operate with a build chamber of 250 mm in X & Y and up to 350 mm Z (although larger machines up to 500 mm X, Y, Z and smaller machines do exist). The types of materials that can be processed include stainless steel, tool steel, cobalt chrome, titanium & aluminum. All must exist in atomized form and exhibit certain flow characteristics in order to be process capable.

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4.2 STEREOLITHOGRAPHY
Stereolithography, also known as 3-D layering or 3-D printing, allows us to create solid, plastic, three-dimensional (3-D) objects from CAD drawings in a matter of hours. The Stereolithography Machine This machine has four important parts: 1. A tank filled with several gallons of liquid photopolymer. The photopolymer is a clear, liquid plastic. 2. A perforated platform immersed in the tank. The platform can move up and down in the tank as the printing process proceeds. 3. An ultraviolet laser. 4. A computer that drives the laser and the platform The photopolymer is sensitive to ultraviolet light, so when the laser touches the photopolymer, the polymer hardens. The laser can be seen binding each layer if we stand near the machine. FIGURE XIV: Stereolithography Machine by 3D systems

The Stereolithography Process

The basic printing process goes like this:

Create a 3-D model of the object in a CAD program. A piece of software chops this CAD model up into thin layers -- typically five to 10 layers/millimetre.

The 3-D printer's laser "paints" one of the layers, exposing the liquid plastic in the tank and hardening it.

The platform drops down into the tank a fraction of a millimetre and the laser paints the next layer.

This process repeats, layer by layer, until the model is complete.

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This is not a particularly quick process. Depending on the size and number of objects being created, the laser might take a minute or two for each layer. A typical run might take six to 12 hours. Runs over several days are possible for large objects (maximum size for the machine shown above is an object 10 inches (25 cm) in three dimensions). The SLA then renders the object automatically (and unattended). When the process is complete, the SLA raises the platform. If the object is small, several pieces of them can be produced at the same time if required. They all sit next to each other on the tray.

FIGURE XV: A tray after building is complete, with several identical objects that were produced Once the run is complete, rinse the objects with a solvent and then "bake" them in an ultraviolet oven that thoroughly cures the plastic.

FIGURE XVI: The ultraviolet "oven" used to cure completed objects

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4.3 FUSED DEPOSITION MODELING (FDM)

Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM) is an additive manufacturing technology commonly used for modeling, prototyping, and production applications. FDM works on an "additive" principle by laying down material in layers. A plastic filament or metal wire is unwound from a coil and supplies material to an extrusion nozzle which can turn the flow on and off. The nozzle is heated to melt the material and can be moved in both horizontal and vertical directions by a numerically controlled mechanism, directly controlled by a computer-aided manufacturing (CAM) software package. The model or part is produced by extruding small beads of thermoplastic material to form layers as the material hardens immediately after extrusion from the nozzle. Stepper motors or servo motors are typically employed to move the extrusion head.

FIGURE XVII: Fused deposition modelling: 1 - nozzle ejecting molten plastic, 2 - deposited material (modelled part), 3 - controlled movable table

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Fused deposition modelling Process

In this process, a plastic or wax material is extruded through a nozzle that traces the parts cross sectional geometry layer by layer. The build material is usually supplied in filament form, but some setups utilize plastic pellets fed from a hopper instead. The nozzle contains resistive heaters that keep the plastic at a temperature just above its melting point so that it flows easily through the nozzle and forms the layer. The plastic hardens immediately after flowing from the nozzle and bonds to the layer below.

FIGURE XVIII: Components used and process in FDM Once a layer is built, the platform lowers, and the extrusion nozzle deposits another layer. The layer thickness and vertical dimensional accuracy is determined by the extruder die diameter, which ranges from 0.013 to 0.005 inches. In the X-Y plane, 0.001 inch resolution is achievable. A range of materials are available including ABS, polyamide, polycarbonate, polyethylene, polypropylene, and investment casting wax.

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4.4 LAMINATED OBJECT MANUFACTURING (LOM)

Laminated Object Manufacture (LOM) cuts the component slices from thin layers of material using a CO2 laser mounted on a 2D plotter. The system most commonly uses sheets of paper stacked on top of another automatically and bonded together using an adhesive. The parts of the sheet outside the model provide support. These unwanted areas are marked with intersecting lines, which forms cubes that can be broken away from the model once complete.

FIGURE XIX: LOM Modeling Laminated Object Manufacturing process: The process is performed as follows: 1. Sheet is adhered to a substrate with a heated roller. 2. Laser traces desired dimensions of prototype. 3. Laser cross hatches non-part area to facilitate waste removal. 4. Platform with completed layer moves down out of the way. 5. Fresh sheet of material is rolled into position. 6. Platform moves up into position to receive next layer. 7. The process is repeated.

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FIGURE XX: Laminated object manufacturing: 1 Foil supply. 2 Heated rollers. 3 Laser beam. 4. Scanning prism. 5 Laser unit. 6 Layers. 7 Moving platform. 8 Waste.

Process Advantages:
Accuracy--Since materials used in the LOM process are in sheet form and the process does not subject them to neither physical nor chemical phase changes, the finished LOM parts do not experience shrinkage, warpage, internal stress, and other deformations. A precise X-Y positioning table is used to guide the laser beam resulting in production of accurate parts. Accuracy of 0.010" is easily achieved regardless of the size of the part. Speed--The LOM process does not convert liquid polymers to solid plastics nor does it convert plastic powders into sintered objects, but instead it uses existing solid sheet materials which are glued using a hot roller and cut with a laser beam. Unlike competitive technologies such as Stereolithography and Selective Laser Sintering, the laser in the LOM process does not have to scan the entire surface area of each cross-section,

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rather it only has to outline its periphery. Therefore, parts with thick walls are produced just as fast as those with thin walls.

FIGURE XXI: Special advantage of split pattern being used in LOM

The LOM process is especially advantageous for production of large and bulky parts which are often encountered in the aerospace and automotive industries. The reason for this unique advantage is the fact that the core manufacturing material does not need to be formed since the laser merely determines the geometrical shape by removing excess material. Variety of Materials--Paper, plastics, composites, and ceramics can be used in the LOM systems. Commercial availability of various sheet materials allow the users to vary the type and thickness of the manufacturing material for their specific applications. Paper is the simplest and least expensive material, and it produces rigid and durable parts which have properties similar to plywood. Plastic films are more expensive and they result in parts which are more flexible. Special adhesive pre-impregnated composite materials are currently under development targeted to producing high strength functional prototypes and small batches of working components. Simplicity--The simplicity of the LOM process and systems allow them to be practical extensions to many manufacturing and design environments. LOM machines can be thought of as peripheral devices to a CAD workstation, allowing any designer to output any design directly to an LOM system. The need to create additional support structures is completely eliminated with the process; something which is essential for competitive stereolithography systems.

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