Seminar Report on 3D Printing Technologies

For 1 Credit Seminar

Bhargava Venkatesh
1PI10EE026
November 20, 2013

Contents
1 Introduction
1.1 The Rise of 3D Printing
1.2 General Principles . . . .
1.2.1 Modeling . . . .
1.2.2 Printing . . . . .
1.2.3 Finishing . . . .

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2 3D Printing Techniques and Materials

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2.1 3D Printing Techniques . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
2.2 3D Printing Materials . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
3 The
3.1
3.2
3.3

Future of 3D Printing
3Doodler . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
3D Printed Organs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
3D Printed Food . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

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Chapter 1
Introduction
The purpose of this document is to provide one with an idea about 3D Printing trends and technologies. Additive manufacturing or 3D printing is
a process of making a three-dimensional solid object of virtually any shape
from a digital model. 3D printing is achieved using an additive process,
where successive layers of material are laid down in different shapes. 3D
printing is also considered distinct from traditional machining techniques,
which mostly rely on the removal of material by methods such as cutting or
drilling (subtractive processes). 3D printers are used for rapid prototyping
which involves sending a Computer Aided Design (CAD) to the printer that
is then sliced by a program and printed using a material layer by layer until
the full shape is formed.
Rapid prototyping does not reproduce models with the same quality and
consistency as conventional prototyping methods. This might not be the
case in the future as more and more industries and sectors are adopting this
technology and more R& D is being performed on various technologies in 3D
printing. Also for industries that are design conscious and have time constraints 3D printing is a better choice.
3D printing uses additive printing technology to print objects in 3D. The
printer prints 3D models by adding materials like metals, plastics or polymers layer by layer over each other until the required 3 dimensional shape is
formed. The printers can print with a precision of 0.1 mm or more, giving
the technology to print precise designs with accuracy.
3D printing has already been adopted by industries like aerospace, healthcare, automobile, defense and Hollywood. There is also a growing consumer
market for home based 3D printers.
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Figure 1.1: InMoov, a full-size humanoid robot made from 3D-printed parts,
designed and built by Gael Langevin of Factices Ateliers in France

1.1

The Rise of 3D Printing

The concept of 3D printing really began to be taken seriously

in the 1980s. The man most often credited with inventing the language of modern 3D printer is
Charles W. Hull, who used the
term stereolithographydefined as
a system for generating threedimensional objects by creating
a cross-sectional pattern of the
object to be formedin a 1984
patent.
Manufacturing can be differentiated into two types:
Additive manufacturing refers to
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Figure 1.2: Charles W. Hull

technologies that create objects through sequential layering.

Subtractive manufacturing refers
to the technologies that create objects through the removal of material
by methods such as cutting and drilling.
The 3D printing technology is
used for both prototyping and distributed manufacturing with applications in architecture, engineering,
construction (AEC), industrial design, automotive, aerospace, military, engineering, civil engineering, dental and medical industries,
biotech (human tissue replacement),
fashion, footwear, jewelry, eyewear,
education, geographic information
Figure 1.3: 3D printed Shoes
systems, food, and many other
fields. It has been speculated that 3D printing may become a mass market item because open source 3D printing can easily offset their capital
costs by enabling consumers to avoid costs associated with purchasing common household objects.

1.2
1.2.1

General Principles
Modeling

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 Figure 1.4: 3D Render of the popular
internet meme: Grumpy Cat
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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.
There are many Softwares you can use for modelling your 3D models that
are 100% free;
- Google SketchUp
- 3DCrafter
- 3Dtin
- Anim8or
- Art of Illusion
- Blender
- BRL-CAD
- Creo Elements/Direct
- DrawPlus Starter Edition
- FreeCAD
- GLC Player
- LeoCAD
- K-3D
- Tinkercad
- Wings 3D

1.2.2

Printing

To perform a print, the machine reads the design from an .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.

Figure 1.5: An example of a home 3D Printer, the Makerbot Replicator 2

1.2.3

Finishing
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 conFigure 1.6: The completely printed structing parts. Some are able to
Grumpy Cat
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.

Chapter 2
3D Printing Techniques and
Materials
2.1

3D Printing Techniques

Stereolithography(SLA)
The first commercially available 3D printer (not called a 3D printer back
then) used the stereolithography (SLA) method. This was invented in 1986
by Charles Hull, who also at the time founded the company, 3D Systems. A
SLA 3D printer works by concentrating a beam of ultraviolet light focused
onto the surface of a vat filled with liquid photocurable resin. The UV laser
beam draws out the 3D model one thin layer at a time, hardening that slice of
the eventual 3D model as the light hits the resin. Slice after slice is created,
with each one bonded to the other, and next thing you know you have a
full, extremely high-resolution three dimensional model lifted out of the vat.
Unused resin is reusable for the next job.
Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM)
Also invented in the late 1980s, by Scott Crump, was Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM) technology. With patent in hand, he and his wife founded
Stratasys in 1988. With FDM, the object is produced by extruding a stream
of melted thermoplastic material to form layers. Each layer stacks on top of
and fuses with the previous layer as the material hardens almost immediately
after leaving the extrusion nozzle. It is one of the less expensive 3D printing
methods. Most FDM printers print with ABS plastic (think Lego), as well
as PLA (Polylactic acid), a biodegradable polymer, which is produced from
organic material.
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Selective Laser Sintering (SLS)

The 1980s were big for inventing 3D printing technologies. Not only were SLA
and FDM invented and patented then, but so was Selective Laser Sintering
(SLS), by Carl Deckard and colleagues at the University of Texas in Austin.
SLS works similarly to SLA, but instead of liquid photopolymer in a vat,
youll find powdered materials, such as polystyrene, ceramics, glass, nylon,
and metals including steel, titanium, aluminum, and silver. When the laser
hits the powder, the powder is fused at that point (sintered). All unsintered
powder remains as is, and becomes a support structure for the object. The
lack of necessity for any support structure with SLS is an advantage over
FDM/FFF and SLA theres none to remove after the model is complete, and
no extra waste was created. All unused powder can be used for the next
printing.
PolyJet photopolymer
Objet (acquired by Stratasys) developed this technology: much like a traditional inkjet printer deposits ink, a photopolymer liquid is precisely jetted
out and then hardened with a UV light. The layers are stacked successively.
The technology allows for various materials and colors to be incorporated
into single prints, and at high resolutions.
Syringe Extrusion
Almost any material that has a creamy viscosity can be used in 3D printers
equipped with syringe extruders. This includes materials like clay, cement,
silicone, and Play-Doh. Certain foods like chocolate, frosting, and cheese
can also be printed with these systems. The syringe may or may not need to
be heated, depending on the material; chocolate may need to be kept warm
while silicone can be kept at room temperature.
Other Methods
There are other variants of these technologies. For example there is Selective
Laser Melting (SLM), which is like SLS but it fully melts the powder rather
than just fusing the powder granules at a lower temperature. This is similar
to Electron Beam Melting (EBM) which uses an electron beam instead of a
UV laser. And then there is a completely different technology called Laminated Object Manufacturing (LOM), where layers of adhesive-coated paper,
plastic, or metal laminates are successively glued together and cut to shape
with a knife or laser cutter.
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Figure 2.1: Sapeways company logo

2.2

3D Printing Materials

Many different materials can be used for 3D printing, such as ABS plastic,
PLA, polyamide (nylon), glass filled polyamide, stereolithography materials
(epoxy resins), silver, titanium, steel, wax, photopolymers and polycarbonate.
Shapeways is a Dutch founded, New York based 3D printing marketplace
and service, startup company. Users upload design files, and Shapeways
prints the objects for them or others. Users can have objects printed from a
variety of materials, including food-safe ceramics.
They offer to print your model in the following materials:
Strong and Flexible Plastic
Great starter material-easy design rules, feels a bit rough, but available in
polished finish.

Figure 2.2: Strong & Flexible Plastic

Alumide
Brittle Nylon Plastic thats filled with Aluminum dust.

Figure 2.3: Alumide

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Detail Plastic
Acrylic based polymer that can print fine details. Smooth and slightly shiny.

Figure 2.4: Detail Plastic

Frosted Detail Plastic

UV-cured acrylic plastic that prints fine details and walls. Smooth and
translucent.

Figure 2.5: Frosted Detail Plastic

Steel
Great for jewelry and durable pieces. The shiny surface is slightly pitted &
rough.

Figure 2.6: Steel

Sterling Steel
Real Sterling Silver is available in 3 levels of polish from rough Raw Silver
to pristine Premium Silver.

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Figure 2.7: Sterling Silver

Other Materials
Their other materials include Brass, Bronze, Elasto Plastic, Full Colour Sandstone and ceramics.

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Chapter 3
The Future of 3D Printing
Several projects and companies are
making efforts to develop affordable 3D printers for home desktop use. Much of this work has
been driven by and targeted at
DIY/enthusiast/early adopter communities, with additional ties to
the academic and hacker communities.
RepRap is one of the longest
running projects in the desktop catFigure 3.1: The RepRap 3D Printer egory. The RepRap project aims to
produce a free and open source
software (FOSS) 3D printer, whose full specifications are released under
the GNU General Public License, and which is capable of replicating itself by
printing many of its own (plastic) parts to create more machines. Research
is under way to enable the device to print circuit boards and metal parts.
Because of the FOSS aims of RepRap, many related projects have used
their design for inspiration, creating an ecosystem of related or derivative
3D printers, most of which are also open source designs. The availability
of these open source designs means that variants of 3D printers are easy to
invent. The quality and complexity of printer designs, however, as well as
the quality of kit or finished products, varies greatly from project to project.
This rapid development of open source 3D printers is gaining interest in
many spheres as it enables hyper-customization and the use of public do13

main designs to fabricate open source appropriate technology through conduits such as Thingiverse and Cubify. This technology can also assist
initiatives in sustainable development since technologies are easily and economically made from resources available to local communities.
The cost of 3D printers has decreased dramatically since about
2010, with machines that used to
cost $20,000 costing less than $1,000.
For instance, as of 2013, several companies and individuals are selling
parts to build various RepRap designs, with prices starting at about
400 / US$500. The open source
Fab@Home project has developed
printers for general use with anything that can be squirted through
a nozzle, from chocolate to silicone sealant and chemical reactants.
Printers following the projects designs have been available from sup- Figure 3.2: The MakerBot Cupcake
pliers in kits or in pre-assembled CNC.
form since 2012 at prices in the
US$2000 range. The Kickstarter funded Peachy Printer is designed to
cost $100 and several other new 3D printers are aimed at the small, inexpensive market including the mUVe3D and Lumifold.
As the costs of 3D printers have come down they are becoming more
appealing financially to use for self-manufacturing of personal products. In
addition, 3D printing products at home may reduce the environmental impacts of manufacturing by reducing material use and distribution impacts.

3.1

3Doodler

The 3Doodler is a 3D printing pen developed by Peter Dilworth and

Maxwell Bogue of WobbleWorks LLC. 3Doodler began funding in February 2013 on the crowd funding platform Kickstarter.

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Figure 3.3: 3Doodler Pen

It utilizes plastic thread made of either acrylonitrile butadiene styrene
(ABS) or polylactic acid (PLA) that is melted and then cooled
through a patented process while moving through the pen, which can then
be used to make 3D objects by hand. The 3Doodler has been described as
a glue gun for 3D printing because of how the plastic is extruded from the
tip, with one foot of the plastic thread equaling about 11 feet of moldable
material.

Figure 3.4: A 3Doodler Pen being used

3.2

3D Printed Organs

The dream of one day completely doing away with frustratingly long transplant lists in favor of made to order, 3D-printed organs is closer to becoming
a reality. Scientists at Organovo in San Diego have, for the very first time,
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been able to 3D print tiny replicas of human livers.

Figure 3.5: A scientist printing out the liver

At just half a millimeter deep and four millimeters across, the mini livers
can perform most of the same functions as the larger version hanging out over
your gallbladder. Which means that these presumably adorable bile-makers
stand to serve a variety of purposes, the most immediate of which would be
using them to observe how our livers react to certain drugs and diseases.
From here, Organovo plans to move on to the normal-sized organs that
could be transplanted into real, live human bodies. Of course, theyd first
have to solve the problem of how to print larger branches of blood vessel
networks capable of nourishing an entire organ. But if these itty bitty livers
are any indication, the real deal is well on its way.

3.3

3D Printed Food

In a fantastic development, the application of additive manufacturing technologies that other 3D printing enthusiasts and myself have long been promoting, NASA has recently awarded a $125,000 grant to further explore and
develop the application of 3D printing food for astronauts. Initially aimed
at efficient food storage for long-haul space flights, the creator of this project
Anjan Contractor, a Senior Mechanical Engineer at Systems and Materials
Research Corporation (SMRC) in Austin, Texas, USA hopes this technology
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could ultimately help the continually exponentially increasing population on

Earth.

Figure 3.6: The schematic for a hypothetical 3D food printer.

In the plan, a NASA-modified RepRap printer will be fitted with several culinary building blocks, from oil to protein powder, then mixed and
deposited. As 3D printing typically utilises a layer on layer based methodology, layer-based foods like pizza are first on the menu.
Accordingly, Contractor envisions: customized, nutritionally-appropriate
meals synthesized one layer at a time, from cartridges of powder and oils.
So for the pizza, the 3D printer would mix the appropriate ingredients to
deposit a layer of dough, which would be cooked prior to laying down the
next of tomato sauce (from a mixture of powder, water and oil. Additional
layers of protein can then be added.

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Bibliography
Wikipeda, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/3D_printing
Shapeways, www.shapeways.com
3D Printing Industry, 3dprintingindustry.com
Gizmodo www.gizmodo.com
Wired www.wired.com

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