CONTENTS

1] ABSTRACT…………………………………………………………………………..1

2] INTRODUCTION……………………………………………………………………………..2

3] PROBLEM STATEMENT……………………………………………………….3-4
●  Current state

●  Desired state

●  Constraints

4] METHPDOLOGY………………………………………………………………….5-8

=> block diagram

=> working principle
● Printer Platform

● Nozzle / Printer Head

● Raw Material

● FDM 3D Printing Process

5] ADVANTAGES……………………………………………………………………..

1. SPEED

2. COST

3. FLEXIBILITY

6] DISADVANTAGES…………………………………………………………………

● Struggles with small details

● Limited build size

 ● Support Material

● Complex Workflow

● Hard to scale

7] APPLICATION………………………………………………………………………….

1. Medical

2. Artificial Limbs

3. Fashion

4.Prototypes and Test Models

5.Personal Use

8] FUTURE SCOPE…………………………………………………………………….
● Fashion

● Medical applications

9] REFERENCES………………………………………………………………………….
ABSTRACT
3D Printing or Additive manufacturing is a novel method of manufacturing
parts directly from digital model by using layer by layer material build-up
approach .This tool-less manufacturing method can produce fully dense
metallic parts in short time, with high precision. Features of additive
manufacturing like freedom of part design, part complexity, light weighting,
part consolidation and design for function are garnering particular interests in
metal additive manufacturing for aerospace oil and gas marine and automobile
applications. Powder bed fusion, in which each powder bed layer is selectively
fused by using energy source like laser, is the most promising additive
manufacturing technology that can be used for manufacturing small, low
volume, complex metallic parts. This review presents overview of 3D Printing
technologies, materials applications, advantages, disadvantages, challenges,
economics and applications of 3D metal printing technology.

3D printing also known as Additive manufacturing technology has been dubbed

the next big thing and be as equally wide spread as cellular telephone industry.
3D printers print objects from a digital template to a physical 3-dimensional
physical object. The printing is done layer by layer (Additive manufacturing)
using plastic, metal, nylon, and over a hundred other materials. 3D printing has
been found to be useful in sectors such as manufacturing, industrial design,
jewellery, footwear, architecture, engineering and construction, automotive,
aerospace, dental and medical industries, education, geographic information
systems, civil engineering, and many others. It has been found to be a fast and
cost effective solution in whichever field of use. The applications of 3D printing
are ever increasing and it’s proving to be a very exciting technology to look out
for. In this paper we seek to explore how it works and the current and future
applications of 3D printing.

INTRODUCTION
Think of an object, no matter how complex. Almost anything you can model on
a computer you can print in three dimensions, as simple as that. 3D printers
fuse plastic to build 3 dimensional objects layer by layer: complex objects;
practical objects; amazing objects. 3D printing is creating a revolution in
manufacturing. It offers designers, engineers, scientists and innovators the
chance to turn ideas into reality: to go from sketch to object in a matter of
hours, not weeks or months.

3D printing now is used in a wide variety of fields - engineering, obviously. It’s

been used in medicine; it’s been used to make artificial implants for people
who have joint damage. But architects also use it because it will create models
of buildings, something which architects need all the time. It will create models
of fittings from buildings. The same technology that you use to make a model
of an entire house you can use to print out a door handle that’s going in the
house.

And the future of the technology is even more exciting. 3D printing is about
where computing was in 1984: it’s very easy to print complicated objects and
that includes objects such as channels and mechanical valves which will allow
either gases or liquids to flow through them in a controlled way. But when we
can have 3D printing machines that work simultaneously with a very wide
range of materials, the number of objects we can create will be multiplied
extraordinarily compared to what we can do now.

Already 3D printing is reliable and affordable. RS Components is committed to

providing a complete range of 3D printing products. Our portfolio covers
everything you need, from low cost 3D printing kits to large format tri-colour
print

PROBLEM STATEMENT
●  Current state:

=> 3D printer heads use plastic filament, which has variable diameter and
is quite expensive

=> If the diameter varies too much, the feed mechanism fails

=>  Operation at temperatures up to 280°C

=> 3D printer head that uses ordinary plastic injection molding pellets as
its feedstock
●  Desired state:

=>Operation at temperatures up to 380°C

●  Constraints:

=> Cost < $500, preferably $200

=> Must be compatible with a majority of hobby grade 3D printers and 3D

scanners.

METHODOLOGY
=>BLOCK DIAGRAM
3D printer is a computer-aided manufacturing (CAM) device that creates three-
dimensional objects. Like a traditional printer, a 3D printer receives digital data
from a computer as input. However, instead of printing the output on paper, a
3D printer builds a three-dimensional model out of a custom material.

3D printers use a process called additive manufacturing to form (or "print")

physical objects layer by layer until the model is complete. This is different
than subtractive manufacturing, in which a machine reshapes or removes
material from an existing mold. Since 3D printers create models from scratch,
they are more efficient and produce less waste than subtractive manufacturing
devices.

WORKING PRINCIPLE
Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM) is a 3D printing technique pioneered in the
1990s by Stratasys. In fact, the term ‘FDM’ is the trademark of Stratasys. The
company continues to be a leader in manufacturing 3D printers all over the
world, including India.

Alternatively, the 3D printers that are based on this technology are also called
as Fused Filament Fabrication (FFF), Plastic Jet Printing (PJP) or material
extruding printers, which is the generic name for these 3D printers.
The 3D printers that work on FDM technology consist of the printer platform, a
nozzle (also called as printer head) and the raw material in the form of a
filament.

Printer Platform

The printer platform or the bed is typically made of some metal, ceramic or
hard plastic, and each successive layer is deposited on this platform.

Nozzle / Printer Head

The nozzle of FDM printers is attached to a mechanical chassis which uses belt
and / or lead screw systems to move it. The entire extrusion assembly is
allowed to move in X, Y and Z dimensions by a motorized system. A fourth
motor called as the stepper motor is used to advance the thermoplastic
material into the nozzle. All the movements of the head and the raw material
are controlled by a computer.

Raw Material

The raw material is typically production grade thermoplastics, though

sometimes metal is used as well. The thermoplastic material is capable of
being repeatedly melted when exposed to heat and re-solidified when the heat
is withdrawn. The thermoplastic filament or metal wire is wound as a coil on a
mounted spool. It is then fed through the printer nozzle. The better class of 3D
FDM printers allows the temperature of the nozzle to be maintained just close
to the glass transition temperature of the material being extruded. This allows
the material to be extruded in a semi-liquid state, but return to solid state
immediately. This results in a better dimensional accuracy.

In principle, any thermoplastic can be used as raw material for FDM printers.
Commercially, a few of the popular choices of raw material include nylon,
Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene (ABS) and its variations, polycarbonates, ply-
lactic acid, polystyrene and thermoplastic urethane. MED610, a raw material
that Stratasys provides is bio-compatible. Their ULTEM material too is certified
by the aerospace industry.

FDM 3D Printing Process

When the FDM printer begins printing, the raw material is extruded as a thin
filament through the heated nozzle. It is deposited at the bottom of the printer
platform, where it solidifies. The next layer that is extruded fuses with the
layer below, building the object from the bottom up layer by layer.

Most FDM printers first print the outer edges, the interior edges next and lastly
the interior of the layer as either a solid layer or as a fill in matrix.

In some objects / models, there are fragile ‘overhangs’ that will droop unless
they are given some support. FDM printers incorporate a mechanism whereby
these support structures (called struts) are printed along with the object. They
are later removed once the build is complete. These struts are usually of the
same material as the object. Some printers have a second extruder to
specifically deposit soluble thermoplastic struts when there is a need to
prevent the overhangs from drooping. These struts may be of a different
composition than the thermoplastic used for the 3D model. They are later
dissolved by an appropriate solvent

ADVANTAGES
Are you aware of the many advantages of 3D printing technology? Follow
along as we break down our top ten here.

There are 3 main methods used for product development, that is, taking a
design from idea to a physical, 3-dimensional prototype of the product.

Subtractive manufacturing is a product development process that continuously

cuts away material from a solid block, such as metal. This can be done
manually or using CNC (Computer Numeric Controlled) machinery.

Injection molding is a manufacturing process used for producing products in

large volumes. As the name suggests, parts are produced by injecting heated
material into a mold.
So, what is 3D printing? Additive manufacturing, aka 3D printing, is the process
of producing 3-dimensional objects from a computer file, where the part is
built by adding material layer-by-layer.

Today, more companies in a variety of industries are embracing the 3D printing

process as it presents many significant advantages over the more traditional
manufacturing methods of subtractive manufacturing and injection molding.

1. SPEED

One of the biggest advantages of 3D printing technology is Rapid Prototyping.

Rapid prototyping is the ability to design, manufacture, and test a customized
part in as little time as possible. Also, if needed, the design can be modified
without adversely affecting the speed of the manufacturing process.

Before 3D printing industry came to flourish, a prototype would take weeks to

manufacture. Every time a change was made, another few weeks of time were
added to the process. With shipping times figured in, fully developing a
product from start to finish could easily take a year.

With 3D printing techniques, a business can design a part, manufacture it in-

house on a professional 3D printer, and test it, all within a few days (and
sometimes even less).

For small businesses or even individuals, this difference is significant. The

freedom and creativity enabled by 3D printing means that almost anything can
be created without the need for warehouses full of expensive machinery.
There are no long lead times typically associated with having to outsource
complex manufacturing projects. It means freedom from the constraints of
minimum orders, that parts and products can be created and customized with
ease.

For small production runs and prototyping, 3D printing is the best option as far
as speed is concerned.

2. COST

For small production runs and applications, 3D printing is the most cost-
effective manufacturing process. Traditional prototyping methods like CNC
machining and injection molding require a large number of expensive
machines plus they have much higher labor costs as they require experienced
machine operators and technicians to run them.

This contrasts with 3D printing process, where only 1 or 2 machines and fewer
operators are needed (depending on the system) to manufacture a part. There
is far less waste material because the part is built from the ground up, not
carved out of a solid block as it is in subtractive manufacturing and usually
does not require additional tooling.

3. FLEXIBILITY

Another big advantage of 3D printing is that any given printer can create
almost anything that fits within its build volume.

With traditional manufacturing processes, each new part or change in part

design, requires a new tool, mold, die, or jig to be manufactured to create the
new part.

In 3D printing, the design is fed into slicer software, needed supports added,
and then printed with little or no change at all in the physical machinery or
equipment.

3D printing allows the creation and manufacture of geometries impossible for

traditional methods to produce, either as a single part, or at all. Such
geometries include hollow cavities within solid parts and parts within parts.

3D printing, in contrast to traditional methods, allows the inclusion of multiple

materials into a single object, enabling an array of colors, textures, and
mechanical properties to be mixed and matched.

DISADVANTAGES
1]Struggles with small details

2]Limited build size

3]Support Material

4]Complex Workflow

5]Hard to scale
The first advantage, and the one that embodies 3D printing the most, is the
fact that your printer would not just be a one-trick pony. It can print a
theoretically endless variety of items, all based on what you design. There are
not many limitations on what shape the object is, like there are in many other
forms of production. You have the power to create anything, let your
imagination run wild. You just have to ask yourself, what will you make first?

The second big advantage is short turnarounds. Like I mentioned above, you
can have an idea at 9am, and have the prototype at 5pm. 3D printing started
out as a way to rapidly make prototypes for the design phase of products
(hence the reasons it is commonly referred to as rapid prototyping or rapid
manufacturing in an industrial environment). You can make dozens of
iterations of an item, and not have to worry about shipping, lead times,
production limitations, etc. Even if you use a 3D printing service like 3DHubs or
Shapeways, you may only be dealing with lead times of a day or two. This also
means that if you are a hobbyist working on a cool project like an RC car or
robot, you don’t have to worry about breaking parts or messing things up. A
replacement is always a few hours away!

If you do go for your own 3D printer, the ability to have everything managed
internally is a huge deal. You don’t have to work with anyone else anymore to
get stuff made. That means that it gets done when you want it.

Affordability is a big one, for businesses and personal users alike. Quick
prototypes and usable parts from basic thermoplastics like ABS, PLA, or PETG
can be made at an astonishingly low rate compared to other one-off
manufacturing techniques, like CNC milling or foam cutting. Even the printers
themselves are extremely affordable. You can get a Monoprice Maker Mini for
only $200 now!
Even though I’ve only mentioned “boring” materials so far, don’t let that
discourage you! There are hundreds of different materials that you can 3D
print with, ranging in color and mechanical properties. You can have flexibles,
rubber-likes, carbon-fiber reinforced, coffee-flavored, magnetic, electrically
conductive, color changing, and even more!! Even though most of these are
novelties,many of them can really help to make your project unique, with
features such as print-in-place hinges and moving parts, circuits, or parts that’ll
dissolve in certain situations.

Compared to other forms of small-scale production, 3D printing also offers the

advantage that you can make nearly any geometry you need. Unlike injection
molding or reductive manufacturing, where only certain shapes and certain
sizes of these respective shapes can be made, 3D printing can make just about
anything you throw at it. Tiny, hidden gaps? Internal air pockets? Embedded
electronics? All of these are about 100 times easier to accomplish on 3D
printing than any other system out there.

A really good example model of a 3D printed jet engine.

All that sounds great, but like I said above, there are disadvantages to 3D
printing as well. For starts, the most common form of 3D printing, Fused
Deposition Modeling (shortened to FDM or FFF, depending on who you talk to)
struggles when it comes to fine detail. Small, intricate parts with features less
than 1 millimeter across will usually just end up looking like a pile of
overcooked spaghetti. There are some forms of printing that can deal with
small details better, like SLS (Selective Laser Sintering) or DLP (Dynamic Light
Projection), however they are very expensive compared to FDM, and have
much more limited maximum print sizes and material options.
APPLICATION
1. Medical
According to CNN, 3D printers are already being used by researchers to print
tiny strips of organ tissue (bio printing), as well as facial appendages (ears and
noses). Printed organs such as a kidney or liver – the next stage in the
evolution of the technology – could be used initially for drug and vaccine
testing and ultimately produce much-needed organs for transplants.

Basiliere states, “3D bioprinting facilities with the ability to print human organs
and tissue will advance far faster than general understanding and acceptance
of the ramifications of this technology.” In response, Mike Titsch, editor-in-
chief of 3D Printer World claims, “Many major medical breakthroughs have
suffered moral resistance, from organ transplants to stem cells. Will only the
rich be able to afford it?

2. Artificial Limbs
Washington University students developed a prosthetic arm for a 13-year-old
girl who had lost her limb in a boating accident. While not as advanced as
other prosthetics, the cost of $200 for materials was substantially below the
$6,000 cost of similar devices, a factor that precludes widespread application
in many companies.

Kylie Wicker of Rockland, Illinois, born without fingers on her left hand,
received an operating set of plastic 3D printed fingers for a cost of $5 and
designed by a high school engineering class. A Canadian professor is working
on a 3D printing process to make prosthetic limbs to be sent to Uganda for
victims of their persistent civil wars.

3. Fashion
Fashion has utilized 3D printing to create visually stunning dresses and
accessories presented on the runways of New York Fashion Week 2013, aswell
as a unique “smoke” dress unveiled at the 2013 Frankfurt International Motor
Show. The smoke dress automatically creates a veil of smoke whenever
someone steps in the personal space of the wearer.

Lady Gaga wore the world’s first flying dress, Volantis, another 3D printed
dress, at the 2013 ArtRave. Continuum offers the world’s first ready-to-wear,
completely 3D printed bikini, the N12, named for the material from which its
made: Nylon 12.

4. Prototypes and Test Models

Oxfam International, an international confederation of 17 organizations
working to find practical, innovative ways for people to lift themselves out of
poverty, teamed with MyMiniFactory.com to develop innovative designs to
solve the problems of water hygiene in Third World countries. Designs can be
quickly printed, tested, and modified before moving them into mass
production. While it is still early in the process, sponsors believe the rapid
testing of new devices and subsequent modifications possible with 3D printing
will prove successful in such humanitarian projects as hand sanitation devices
for the current 2.4 million Syrian refugees living in crowded, unsanitary
conditions.

Italian inventor Enrico Dini has developed a 3D printer, known as the D-Shape,
which binds sand particles together to create sedimentary stone. The printer is
said to allow the construction of a building four times faster than conventional
means for half of the cost. The Urbee, a hybrid automobile designed by Kor
Ecologic, is a two-seater that gets up to 200 miles per gallon with an estimated
cost around $20,000, and is entirely manufactured by 3D printing.

5. Personal Use
People will be able to print custom jewelry, household goods, toys, and tools
to whatever size, shape, or color they want, as well as be able to print
replacement parts at home, rather than ordering them and waiting for them to
be delivered. According to research firm Strategy Analytics, home 3D printing
could evolve into a $70 billion industry per year by 2030.3D printers for food
may even finally solve the problem of getting children to eat their vegetables,
as parents will have.
FUTURES OF SCOPE
There is more in the future as this field advances at a staggering rate and
futurists are calling it the revolution of 3D printing like never before. Some of
the fields where 3D printing application has highest scope in future are:

Developing Complex Engine Parts

Some engines, let’s say Jet engines have quite a few complex designs to
manufacture. Fuel Nozzle of jet engines for example, can be developed at a
much faster pace using 3D printing with more accuracy and enhanced design.
Now that the American designers are working on 3-D printed cars they will find
it easier to improvise the design for the advancement in performance.

Fashion

3D printing is conquering the fashion world. Although the pioneering new

technology still has limitations, more designers are today experimenting with it
and creating entirely new looks with more distinguished and more qualitative
output.

Medical applications

One of the most impact-full area of growth will be in the medical field. Where
creation of artificial bones and limbs has made way from experimental to
practical life and on the other hand there are investigations on the possibility
of printing organic materials to replace defective human body parts. There are
few cases of successful facial transplants and prosthetic jaw transplant, and 3D
printing-based medical techniques have already saved countless lives and
opened new doors in medicines which were not imagined before.

Space Explorations

When something goes wrong with the machine parts in space, it is normal
procedure to send replacements from earth , which is no easy job and costs
millions of dollars. But with a 3D printer in space the required parts can directly
printed in space saving up on vital time, cost and reduces potential risks.Every
idea is a revolution when it becomes pragmatically accessible from once being
a theoretical dream. Advances in 3D technology has blended the unimaginable
into every possible field.

The future of manufacturing is bound to change, with more goods being

produced and much closer to point of purchase or consumption. Goods and
products will be modified at the consumer’s end because altering them won’t
require re-tooling. With end users controlling the manufacturing themselves
rather than engaging in trade with other people, it would revolutionize nature
of commerce.

REFERENCES
"Ceramic 3D Printing: A Design Case Study" - Peter Walters, UWE

"Integrated 3D-Printed Reaction ware for Chemical Synthesis and Analysis" -

M.D Symes et al Nature Chemistry 2012. DOi: 10.1038/nchem.1313

"3D Printing in Colour: Technical Evaluation and Creative Applications" -

P.Walters et al, Impact 6 International Printmaking Conference, 2009.

"Could 3D Printing Change the World?" - Atlantic Council Strategic Foresight

Report

"7 Things You Should Know About 3D Printing"