1.

Introduction
3Dimensions printing is a method of converting a virtual 3D model into a physical object. 3D printing is a category of rapid prototyping technology. 3D printers typically work by printing successive layers on top of the previous to build up a three dimensional object. The past decade has witnessed the emergence of new manufacturing technologies that build parts on a layer-by-layer basis. Using these technologies, manufacturing time for parts of virtually any comple ity is reduced considerably. !n other words, it is rapid. "apid #rototyping Technologies and "apid $anufacturing offer great potential for producing models and uni%ue parts for manufacturing industry. & few years ago, to get some prototyping work done for a product or design you are working on, you are re%uired to spend a lot of man-hours just to come up with the model. Those hours will be spent creating miniature parts of your design using wood and then gluing all those parts together painstakingly. #rototyping is, at the very least, time-consuming and e tremely tedious. These days, however, you can take the tediousness and the time investment out of your prototyping tasks through rapid prototyping or 3d printing. 3D printing is a revolutionary method for creating 3D models with the use of inkjet technology. $any engineers have even dubbed 3D printing as the process of creating something out of nothing. Thus, the reliability of products can be increased' investment of time and money is less risky. (ot everything that is thinkable today is already workable or available at a reasonable price, but this technology is fast evolving and the better the challenges, the better for this developing process. The term "apid prototyping )"#* refers to a class of technologies that can automatically construct physical models from +omputer-&ided Design )+&D* data. !t is a free form fabrication techni%ue by which a total object of prescribed shape, dimension and finish can be directly generated from the +&D based geometrical model stored in a computer,

with little human intervention. "apid prototyping is an ,additive, process, combining layers of paper, wa , or plastic to create a solid object. !n contrast, most machining processes )milling, drilling, grinding, etc.* are ,subtractive, processes that remove material from a solid block. "#-s additive nature allows it to create objects with complicated internal features that cannot be manufactured by other means. !n addition to prototypes, "# techni%ues can also be used to make tooling )referred to as rapid tooling* and even production-%uality parts )rapid manufacturing*. .or small production runs and complicated objects, rapid prototyping is often the best manufacturing process available. /f course, ,rapid, is a relative term. $ost prototypes re%uire from three to seventy-two hours to build, depending on the si0e and comple ity of the object. This may seem slow, but it is much faster than the weeks or months re%uired to make a prototype by traditional means such as machining. These dramatic time savings allow manufacturers to bring products to market faster and more cheaply. 3D PRINTING: MAKING THE DIGITAL REAL !magine a future in which a device connected to a computer can print a solid object. & future in which we can have tangible goods as well as intangible services delivered to our desktops or highstreet shops over the !nternet. &nd a future in which the everyday ,atomi0ation, of virtual objects into hard reality has turned the mass pre-production and stock-holding of a wide range of goods and spare parts into no more than an historical legacy. 1uch a future may sound like it is being plucked from the worlds of 1tar Trek. 2owever, whilst transporter devices that can instantaneously deliver us to remote locations may remain a fantasy, 3D printers capable of outputting physical objects have been in development for over two decades. 3hat4s more, several 3D printers are already on the market. &vailable from companies including .ortus, 3D 1ystems, 1olid 1cape, 5+orp, and Desktop .actory, these ama0ing devices produce solid, 3D objects from computer data in roughly the same way that 6D printers take our digital images and output hardcopy photos.

The Desktop .actory currently sells a 3D printer for 7899:. This can print models up to a fiveinch cube in si0e with consumables costing around 7; per cubic inch. 2owever, prices for most 3D printers tend to start in the ten-to-twenty thousand pound bracket and spiral upwards. &lthough some desktop models are on the market, most 3D printers are usually fairly bulky and often floor-standing.

2. Rapid Prototyping T c!ni"u #

"apid prototyping is the fabrication of parts from +&D data sources. 1everal rapid prototyping methods have been created to produce objects of comple geometries in a relatively short amount of time. These systems are beneficial to engineers by allowing them to better understand the products that they are designing and by providing them with a way to create a visual aid to communicate with others. "apid prototyping allows design challenges to be determined earlier in the design process, saving time and money. The technology of rapid prototyping is easy to access and simple to understand. 2.1 $t r o %it!ograp!y #atented in ;9<=, stereolithography started the rapid prototyping revolution. The techni%ue builds three-dimensional models from li%uid photosensitive polymers that solidify when e posed to ultraviolet light. &s shown in the figure below, the model is built upon a platform situated just below the surface in a vat of li%uid epo y or acrylate resin. & low-power highly focused U> laser traces out the first layer, solidifying the model-s cross section while leaving e cess areas li%uid. (e t, an elevator incrementally lowers the platform into the li%uid polymer. & sweeper re-coats the solidified layer with li%uid, and the laser traces the second layer atop the first. This process is repeated until the prototype is complete. &fterwards, the solid part is removed from the vat and rinsed clean of e cess li%uid. 1upports are broken off and the model is then placed in an ultraviolet oven for complete curing. ?ecause it was the first techni%ue, stereolithography is regarded as a benchmark by which other technologies are judged. @arly stereolithography prototypes were fairly brittle and prone to curing-induced warpage and distortion, but recent modifications have largely corrected these problems.

.ig 6.;A1tereo lithography 2.2 La&inat d '() ct Manu*acturing !n this techni%ue, developed by 2elisys of Torrance, +&, layers of adhesive-coated sheet material are bonded together to form a prototype.. &s shown in the figure below.

.ig6.6A 1chematic diagram of laminated object manufacturing. & feederBcollector mechanism advances the sheet over the build platform, where a base has been constructed from paper and double-sided foam tape. (e t, a heated roller applies pressure to bond the paper to the base. & focused laser cuts the outline of the first layer into the

paper and then cross-hatches the e cess area )the negative space in the prototype*. +rosshatching breaks up the e tra material, making it easier to remove during post-processing. During the build, the e cess material provides e cellent support for overhangs and thin-walled sections. &fter the first layer is cut, the platform lowers out of the way and fresh material is advanced. The platform rises to slightly below the previous height, the roller bonds the second layer to the first, and the laser cuts the second layer. This process is repeated as needed to build the part, which will have a wood-like te ture. ?ecause the models are made of paper, they must be sealed and finished with paint or varnish to prevent moisture damage. 2elisys developed several new sheet materials, including plastic, water-repellent paper, and ceramic and metal powder tapes. The powder tapes produce a ,green, part that must be sintered for ma imum strength. &s of 6CC;, 2elisys is no longer in business. 2.3 $ % cti+ La# r $int ring Developed by +arl Deckard for his master-s thesis at the University of Te as, selective laser sintering was patented in ;9<9. The techni%ue, shown in .ig, uses a laser beam to selectively fuse powdered materials, such as nylon, elastomer, and metal, into a solid object. #arts are built upon a platform which sits just below the surface in a bin of the heat-fusable powder. & laser traces the pattern of the first layer, sintering it together. The platform is lowered by the height of the ne t layer and powder is reapplied. This process continues until the part is complete. @ cess powder in each layer helps to support the part during the build. 1D1 machines are produced by DT$ of &ustin, TE.

.ig 6.3A 1chematic diagram of selective laser sintering.

2., -u# d D po#ition Mod %ing !n this techni%ue, filaments of heated thermoplastic are e truded from a tip that moves in the -y plane. Dike a baker decorating a cake, the controlled e trusion head deposits very thin beads of material onto the build platform to form the first layer.

.ig6.8A schematic diagram of fused deposition modeling. The platform is maintained at a lower temperature, so that the thermoplastic %uickly hardens. &fter the platform lowers, the e trusion head deposits a second layer upon the first. 1upports are built along the way, fastened to the part either with a second, weaker material or with a perforated junction.

2.. E% ctron ( a& & %ting )E/M* !t is a type of additive manufacturing for metal parts. !t is often classified as a rapid manufacturing method. The technology manufactures parts by melting metal powder layer per layer with an electron beam in a high vacuum. Unlike some metal sintering techni%ues, the parts are fully dense, void-free, and e tremely strong.

This solid freeform fabrication method produces fully dense metal parts directly from metal powder with characteristics of the target material. The @?$ machine reads data from a 3D +&D model and lays down successive layers of powdered material. These layers are melted together utili0ing a computer controlled electron beam. !n this way it builds up the parts. The process takes place under vacuum, which makes it suited to manufacture parts in reactive materials with a high affinity for o ygen.

.ig6.8A @lectron beam melting The melted material is from a pure alloy in powder form of the final material to be fabricated )no filler*. .or that reason the electron beam technology doesn4t re%uire additional thermal treatment to obtain the full mechanical properties of the parts. That aspect allows classification of @?$ with D1$ where competing technologies like 1D1 and D$D1 re%uire thermal treatment after fabrication. +omparatively to 1D1 and D$D1, @?$ has a generally superior build rate because of its higher energy density and scanning method. $inimum layer thicknessA C.C: mm. Tolerance capabilityA FB- C.8 mm. 2.0 3D Printing !nk-Get #rinting refers to an entire class of machines that employ ink-jet technology. The first was 3D #rinting )3D#*, developed at $!T and licensed to 1oligen +orporation, @ trude

2one, and others. The 5+orp 3D printer, produced by 5 +orporation of ?urlington, $& is an e ample of this technology. &s shown in .igure =a, parts are built upon a platform situated in a bin full of powder material. &n ink-jet printing head selectively deposits or ,prints, a binder fluid to fuse the powder together in the desired areas. Unbound powder remains to support the part. The platform is lowered, more powder added and leveled, and the process repeated. 3hen finished, the part is then removed from the unbound powder, and e cess unbound powder is blown off. .inished parts can be infiltrated with wa , +& glue, or other sealants to improve durability and surface finish. Typical layer thicknesses are on the order of C.; mm. This process is very fast, and produces parts with a slightly grainy surface. 5+orp uses two different materials, a starch based powder )not as strong, but can be burned out, for investment casting applications* and a ceramic powder. $achines with 8 color printing capability are available. 3D 1ystems- version of the ink-jet based system is called the Thermo-Get or $ulti-Get #rinter. !t uses a linear array of print heads to rapidly produce thermoplastic models ).igure =d*. !f the part is narrow enough, the print head can deposit an entire layer in one pass. /therwise, the head makes several passes.

.ig 6.=A 3D #rinting

3. T! /a#ic Proc ## o* 3D Printing

&lthough several rapid prototyping techni%ues e ist, all employ the same basic five-step process. The steps areA ;. +reate a +&D model of the design 6. +onvert the +&D model to 1TD format 3. 1lice the 1TD file into thin cross-sectional layers 8. +onstruct the model one layer atop another :. +lean and finish the model 1AD Mod % 1r ation: .irst, the object to be built is modeled using a +omputer-&ided Design )+&D* software package. 1olid modelers, such as #roB@(H!(@@", tend to represent 3-D objects more accurately than wire-frame modelers such as &uto+&D, and will therefore yield better results. The designer can use a pre-e isting +&D file or may wish to create one e pressly for prototyping purposes. This process is identical for all of the "# build techni%ues. 1on+ r#ion to $TL -or&at: The various +&D packages use a number of different algorithms to represent solid objects. To establish consistency, the 1TD )stereolithography, the first "# techni%ue* format has been adopted as the standard of the rapid prototyping industry. The second step, therefore, is to convert the +&D file into 1TD format. This format represents a three-dimensional surface as an assembly of planar triangles, ,like the facets of a cut jewel., = The file contains the coordinates of the vertices and the direction of the outward normal of each triangle. ?ecause 1TD files use planar elements, they cannot represent curved surfaces e actly. !ncreasing the number of triangles improves the appro imation, but at the cost of bigger file si0e. Darge, complicated files re%uire more time to pre-process and build, so the designer must balance accuracy with manageability to produce a useful 1TD file. 1ince the 1TD format is universal, this process is identical for all of the "# build techni%ues.

$%ic t! $TL -i% : !n the third step, a pre-processing program prepares the 1TD file to be built. 1everal programs are available, and most allow the user to adjust the si0e, location and orientation of the model. ?uild orientation is important for several reasons. .irst, properties of rapid prototypes vary from one coordinate direction to another. .or e ample, prototypes are usually weaker and less accurate in the 0 )vertical* direction than in the -y plane. !n addition, part orientation partially determines the amount of time re%uired to build the model. #lacing the shortest dimension in the 0 direction reduces the number of layers, thereby shortening build time. The pre-processing software slices the 1TD model into a number of layers from C.C; mm to C.I mm thick, depending on the build techni%ue. The program may also generate an au iliary structure to support the model during the build. 1upports are useful for delicate features such as overhangs, internal cavities, and thin-walled sections. @ach "# machine manufacturer supplies their own proprietary pre-processing software.

.ig 3.;A- 1lice the 1TD .ile

Lay r (y Lay r 1on#truction: The fourth step is the actual construction of the part. Using one of several techni%ues )described in the ne t section* "# machines build one layer at a time from polymers, paper, or powdered metal. $ost machines are fairly autonomous, needing little human intervention.

.ig 3.6 Dayer by Dayer +onstruction 1% an and -ini#!: The final step is post-processing. This involves removing the prototype from the machine and detaching any supports. 1ome photosensitive materials need to be fully cured before use. #rototypes may also re%uire minor cleaning and surface treatment. 1anding, sealing, andBor painting the model will improve its appearance and durability.

3D printing >s con+ ntiona% t c!no%ogi #

3D# does notJand will notJreplace completely conventional technologies such (+ and high-speed milling, or even hand-made parts. "ather, one should regard 3D# as one more option in the toolkit for manufacturing parts. .igure depicts a rough comparison between 3D# and milling regarding the costs and time of manufacturing one part as a function of part comple ity;C. !t is assumed, evidently, that the part can be manufactured by either technology such that the material and tolerance re%uirements are met.

.ig:.;A 3D# vs. conventional machining

App%ication o* 3D print r#
The concept of custom manufacturing is e citing to nearly everyone, but it always seems to be something that will happen in the KfutureL. Hibson was right and the following list of applications for 3D printers show the truth in the saying KThe future is here. !t-s just not evenly distributed yet.L The following items are all available for purchase or are being used in industry now. 3e are still a long way from "eplicators like the ones from 1tar TrekA The (e t Heneration, but we probably won-t have to wait till the 68th century either. 1. Art

3D printing allows artists to create objects that would be incredibly difficult, costly, or time intensive using traditional processes. These sculptures by ?athsheba Hrossman are e %uisitely comple and manufactured using a laser sintering process.

2. Action -igur # ?lood @lves and band mates can both be brought to life using 3D printers. These two were created using 5corp. machines which apply glue ink and powder in fine layers slowly creating a replica of one of your characters. .igure #rints allows you to create characters from 3arcraft, "ock band and 1pore printing services are coming soon. & number of other sites allow you to pull data from 1econd Dife and your own 3D programs. 3. 2 3 %ry Gewelry makers were some of the first to use 3D printing in their manufacturing process, however they do not use metal printers, but rather ones that use wa . !n a process called Kinvestment castingL a piece of jewelry is sculpted or printed out of wa . #laster is then poured on either side. $olten metal is poured onto the wa which melts out leaving a metal version of your wa sculpt in its place in the plaster. This piece is then finished and polished by a jeweler. $any independent jewelers have been using high tech printers in their businesses and an innovative company called #aragon Dake has combined this process with web based design tools to offer an infinite inventory to the masses of jewelry stores.

,. Prototyp #

#rototyping in product development is currently the biggest use of 3D printing technology. These machines allow designers and engineers to test out ideas for dimensional products cheaply before committing to e pensive tooling and manufacturing processes. .. Mod %#

1ales folks lives get much easier when you can have models like this of your product printed up for show and tell. 0. M dicin

3D 3orld of 3arcraft characters are cool, but these tools have the power to help save lives. 1urgeons are using 3d printers to print body parts for reference before complicated surgeries. /ther 3D printers are used to create bone grafts for patients who have suffered traumatic injuries. Dooking further in the future scientist are working on #"!(T!(H replacement organs. #ersonal .abrication indeedM

4. 1ri& $c n R con#truction 3D printing can save lives, bring /rcs to life, and solve crimes. 3D printingBscanning is used in forensics in real life and as a prop for dramatic effect in this clip from +1!.

Ad+antag # o* 3D Printing
The most successful companies have adopted 3D printing as a critical part of the iterative design process toA 1. Incr a# Inno+ation #rint prototypes in hours, obtain feedback, refine designs and repeat the cycle until designs are perfect. 2. I&pro+ 1o&&unication 2old a full color, realistic 3D model in your hands to impart infinitely more information than a computer image.

+reate physical 3D models %uickly, easily and affordably for a wide variety of applications.

3. $p d Ti& to Mar5 t +ompress design cycles by 3D printing multiple prototypes on demand, right in your office. ,. R duc D + %op& nt 1o#t# +ut traditional prototyping and tooling costs.

!dentify design errors earlier.

"educe travel to production facilities.

Di#ad+antag # o* 3D Printing
&lthough three-dimensional printing has many advantages, it also has a few disadvantages that come with itA +urrent 3D printing materials for investment casting tend to yield sporadically rough surfaces. 1ometimes encourages informal design methods which may cause more problems to fi .

!t may not be suitable for large si0ed applications.

The user may have very high e pectations about the prototype-s performance and it might fail in the e act replication of the real product or systems.

3-D printers are still e pensive.

&lthough 3-D printers have the potential of creating many jobs and opportunities, they might also put certain jobs at risk )for e ample, you can make your toys at home so toy stores and toy makers might go out of business*.

3D# parts have a ribbed and little rough appearance due to layering beads of plastic.

1ould be a slow process for large build volume parts.

T! -utur o* 3D Printing
.irstly lets clarify what is meant by 3D printing, well in a nut shell it is a way of fabricating objects designed on computer , for e ample if you designed a mug using computer aided design , within a few hours you could have the real thing sitting in front of you. !t is possible to watch your very creations come to life in true 1tar Trek fashion, before your very eyes. To go into more detail, currently printers are fairly slow, limited and not tremendously precise. & home 3D printer will typically set up back about ten thousand pounds, but this is cheap considering the first commercially available printers cost at least ten times that amount. 3D printers presently are capable of fabricating objects using silicon and certain types of metal, other substances that have been tested are plaster, play-doh and even chocolateM

& home 3D printer is about the si0e of a $icrowave and connects directly to a desktop computer running software that controls its operation. !t then creates objects layer-by-layer by s%uee0ing material from a mechanically-controlled syringe. Unfortunately printers are somewhat limited in the sense they still produce a fairly rough end product and the time scale it takes to print an object is considerable. Despite all the technical implications, there are huge possibilities for the future of 3D printing. &ll ground breaking technology starts somewhere, for e ample in the case of the #+, mainframes had e isted for years, but personal computing only took off in the late seventies. & cheap selfassembly computer called the &ltair <<CC, launched in ;9I:, sparked the rapid development of personal computing. !n similar circumstances self assembly 3D printers hope to spark the same rapid development in rapid prototyping.

There are a number of different 3D printers available on the market today, all with slightly different advantages, disadvantages, %uirks and features. 1ome interesting projects include an open source 3D printer which has successfully been used to fabricate better parts to replace e isting parts on the printer itself. The ultimate goal of 3d printers is to perfectly replicate themselves, allowing much more cost effective manufacturing.

The future for 3D printing seems very promising, it is the fastest growing part of the rapidprototyping industry with revenues this year e pected to be appro imately a billion U1 dollars. $any industries are showing huge amounts of interest and are seem great potential in different applications where they could utili0e three dimensional printing. The U1 army have e perimented using rapid prototyping to create parts for broken tanks, guns and other hardware in combat situations. ?usinesses believe a rapid prototyping machine could prove invaluable in showing factories how to assemble parts remotely, for e ample in +hina. @ven (&1& has re%uested a high resolution machine to manufacture crucial parts in space.

!n conclusion what is stopping you being part of a truly revolutionary technology, which could become one of the major breakthroughs of the twenty first centuryN 3D printing has merely been science fiction until recently, where it is now most certainly science fact. 3hat can we e pect to see in the not so far away futureN 3ell one ultimate goal is printable organic parts, for e ample replacement organs, identical skin grafts and even limbs, to combat victims of illness, disease and war.