Three Dimensional Printing (3DP) is the rapid and flexible production of prototype parts, end-user parts, and tools directly from a Computer Aided Design (CAD) model.This innovation has unprecedented flexibility, reason being that it can create parts of any geometry, and out of any material, including ceramics, metals, polymers and composites.
In addition, it can exercise local control over the material composition, microstructure, and surface texture. This functions by building parts in layers, from a computer (CAD) model of the part desired, an algorithm (slicing algorithm) draws detailed information for every layer.
Each of these layers begins with a thin distribution of powder spread over the surface of a powder bed. Using a technology similar to ink-jet printing, a binder material selectively joins particles where the object is to be formed.
A piston that supports the powder bed and the part-in-progress lowers so that the next powder layer can be spread and selectively joined. The layer-by-layer process repeats until the part being built is completed.
There remains unbound powders after this process, which can be removed by passing it through heat to get the fabricated part. Initially 3DP was in the infancy stage and prototyping, where it was used to creat some ceremic products, metals and less advanced stuffs.
That was some years ago, fast forward to the present day and you would be amazed at what 3DP is used to creat in this age.
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| 3D Printed material |
3D-Printed parts and producers are qickly making serious headway into end products, from the prodction of Printed car to athletic shoes to a printed NASA rocket engines.
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| A lunar rover Wheel |
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| Advanced material Carousal with 3DP |
The future of this great innovation is still scary as it has not got close to its peak. Many manufacturers though are expressing some concerns, that the growth of 3DP will disrupt supply chains and threaten intellectual property.
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