Digital

Manufacturing :
3D Printing &
Drones
Unit 4
 What is 3D Printing

• 3D printing or additive manufacturing is a process of making three

dimensional solid objects from a digital file.

• The creation of a 3D printed object is achieved using additive processes. In an

additive process an object is created by laying down successive layers of
material until the object is created.

• 3D printing is the opposite of subtractive manufacturing which is cutting out /

hollowing out a piece of metal or plastic with for instance a milling machine.

• 3D printing enables you to produce complex shapes using less material than
traditional manufacturing methods.
 Examples of 3D Printing

A few examples:
• – consumer products (eyewear, footwear, design, furniture)
• – industrial products (manufacturing tools, prototypes, functional end-use parts)
• – dental products
• – prosthetics
• – architectural scale models & maquettes
• – reconstructing fossils
• – replicating ancient artefacts
• – reconstructing evidence in forensic pathology
• – movie props
Reference: https://formlabs.com/blog/25-unexpected-3d-printing-use-cases/
Rapid Prototyping & Rapid Manufacturing
• Companies have used 3D printers in their design process to create
prototypes since the late seventies. Using 3D printers for these purposes is
called rapid prototyping.

Why use 3D Printers for Rapid Prototyping?

• In short: it’s fast and relatively cheap. From idea, to 3D model to holding a
prototype in your hands is a matter of days instead of weeks. Iterations are
easier and cheaper to make and you don’t need expensive molds or tools.
• Besides rapid prototyping, 3D printing is also used for rapid manufacturing.
Rapid manufacturing is a new method of manufacturing where businesses
use 3D printers for short run / small batch custom manufacturing.
Footwear
• Adidas’ 4D range has a fully 3D printed midsole and is being printed in large
volumes. In 2018 they’ve printed 100,000 midsoles and expect to print even
more in 2019.

Eyewear
• The market of 3D printed eyewear is forecasted to reach $3.4 billion by 2028.
A rapidly increasing section is that of end-use frames. 3D printing is a
particularly suitable production method for eyewear frames because the
measurements of an individual are easy to process in the end product.
 The History of 3D Printing and its Development
• The earliest record of 3D printing through the additive process was the Japanese inventor Hideo Kodama in 1981. He
created a product that used ultraviolet lights to harden polymers and create solid objects. This is a stepping stone to
stereolithography (SLA).

• Charles Hull invented stereolithography, a process similar to 3D printing that uses technology to create smaller versions of
objects so they can be tested before spending time and money on creating the actual product. The object is printed layer by
layer, rinsed with a solvent, and hardened with an ultraviolet light. The process uses computer-aided designs (CAD) to create
the 3D models.

• Selective Laser Sintering (SLS) is another, more advanced, form of 3D printing. It uses additive manufacturing and a powder
polymer—typically nylon—to create objects. SLS uses a laser to fuse the powder together, layer by layer, into more complex
shapes than SLA is capable of creating.

• Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM), developed by Scott Crump, is the most common form of 3D printing today. It is known
as the “desktop 3D printers” because it is the most commonly used form of the technology. To form an object, the printer
heats a cable of thermoplastic into liquid form and extrudes it layer by layer.
Overall 3D printing has changed and improved over the past thirty years. SLA, SLS, and FDM show the history of 3D printing,
and thus how it became a vital tool for manufacturing. It allows you to make virtually anything simply by creating a computer
file.
(reference: https://www.sculpteo.com/en/3d-learning-hub/basics-of-3d-printing/the-history-of-3d-printing/)
 5 IMPORTANT PRINCIPLES OF 3D PRINTING

1. Principle one: reduction of costs associated with 3d printing

In traditional manufacturing, the more complicated an object’s shape is, the more it costs to make. To
produce an object of equal complexity, 3D printing can remove the overhead costs associated with
retraining human machinists or retooling factory machines.
2. Principle two: no assembly is required
3D printing can also print objects with its interlocked parts in one go. Mass manufacturing is built on the
backbone of the assembly line. In modern factories, machines make identical objects that are later
assembled by robots or human workers, sometimes continents away. The more parts a product contains,
the longer it takes to assemble and the more expensive it becomes to make. By making objects in layers, a
3D printer could print a door with its attached interlocking hinges at the same time, with no assembly
required.
3. PRINCIPLE THREE: ABILITY TO PRINT ON-DEMAND
A 3D printer can print on-demand when an object is required. The capacity for on-the-spot manufacturing
reduces the need for companies to stockpile physical inventory. New types of business services become
possible as 3D printers enable businesses to make specialty or customized objects on-demand in response
to customers’ orders. This could also minimize the costs of long-distance shipping since the object required
can be printed as long as a 3D printer is present.
4. Principle four: portable manufacturing
• Since 3D printers are generally lighter in weight and smaller in scale compared to traditional
machines, users can freely move them around anywhere to print 3D objects.

5. PRINCIPLE FIVE: PRECISE PHYSICAL REPLICATION

• A digital music file can be copied endlessly without losing its audio quality. In the future, 3D
printing will extend this digital precision to the world of physical objects. Scanning
technology and 3D printing will work together to introduce high-resolution shape shifting
between the physical and digital worlds. We will scan, edit, and duplicate physical objects to
create exact replicas or even improve upon the originals.
 10 Predictions on the Future of 3D Printing

1. 3D printing will become a mainstream technology for serial production

2. Design software for additive will become more integrated and easier to use
3. Focusing on education will enable more 3D printing applications and adoption
4. Dental will adopt 3D printing as a dominant production technology
5. 3D printing will become smarter
6. The 3D printing service bureau market will continue to expand
7. Metal 3D printing will continue to mature
8. Composite 3D printing will offer a huge market opportunity
9. Automation will become a key focus for the industry
10. The additive manufacturing landscape will become more competitive
 3D Modeling Software

Ultimaker Cura
Despite its name, Cura can be used with almost any 3D printer because it is an open-source slicer.
The program is ideal for beginners because it is intuitive and fast. Most of all, it’s easy to use.
More advanced users can access a further 200 settings to refine their prints.

Tinkercad
• Price: Free
• Solid modeling: Yes
• Intended for: Beginners
• What makes it special: It’s designed to allow anyone to create 3D printable models and serves
as an introduction to solid modeling.

• Tools: reference: https://3drific.com/every-3d-printing-tool-you-will-ever-need-from-beginner-to-

pro/
 Introduction of Drones

• Drones are more formally known as unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) or

unmanned aircraft systems (UASes).
• Essentially, a drone is a flying robot that can be remotely controlled or fly
autonomously through software-controlled flight plans in their embedded
systems, working in conjunction with onboard sensors and GPS.
• Civilian UAVs have become more and more popular. Some recreational drone
activities include photography, and racing.
• UAVs have also been used to smuggle drugs and other types of illegal imports.
Many companies are now pushing for drone delivery services.
• Drone use rotor for propulsion and control. You can think of rotor as a fan,
because they work pretty much the same.
There are 4 major types of drones which have different
characteristics to use in different needs:

1) Multi Rotor Drones

Multi rotor drones are most commonly used for photography and
videography. The can be further classified by the number of rotors:
tricopters have three rotors, quadcopters, have four and hexacopter and
octocopter have 6 and 8 rotors respectively. Multi rotor drones typically
have a limited flying time of only 20 to 30 minutes because most of the
drone’s energy is used to power each rotor to help it stay balanced. Thus,
energy efficiency increases as the
number of rotors decrease.
• Fixed Wing Drones

Fixed wing drones have wings instead of rotors to provide lift. Because of this,
they only need energy to drive them forward and are more energy efficient
than multi rotor drones. Gas engines can be used to power fixed wing drones
which can allow them to fly for longer periods of time. Despite these pros,
fixed wing drones are not equipped to carry cameras so they can not be used
for photography; they also require more skill to successfully launch and land. 
3) Single Rotor Helicopter

-Despite its name, single rotor helicopters actually have 2 rotors. There is one
large rotor at the top of the helicopter for lift
and one small rotor at the back for controlling
direction.

-Since single rotor drones have fewer rotors

than multi rotor drones, they are also more
efficient. Special training is required for users
because the top rotor’s large blades create a
risk for fatal injuries.
4) Fixed Wing Hybrid VTOL
• UAVs that have any combination of characteristics from different UAV types
are considered fixed wing hybrid VTOL drones. Fixed wing hybrid VTOL
drones are not widely available because there hasn’t been a focus to develop
any particular type of hybrid VTOL drone; however, they are slowly gaining in
popularity. Some noteworthy types of hybrid VTOL drones include the tail
sitter drone, which looks like fixed wing drone with its nose facing upwards
and rotors on its sides in order to lift
itself.
• UAVs have more applications than just
leisure.
Multirotor Drone Engineering Course (Course fee: ₹
28910.0 (incl. GST)) in Noida Sec. 71
Curriculum designed such that you make the most of it by IID (Indian Institute of Drones)
•  DAY 01Introduction to Multirotor Drones
•  DAY 02Assembling, Using a Ground Control Station
•  DAY 03Use of Artificial Intelligence in Drones

Why Should You Do This Course?

• Learn to assemble Multirotor Drones
• Get trained from expert instructors
• Perfect Course for people who want to gain in-depth knowledge about working of a
Multirotor drone
• Get hands-on experience of assembly and troubleshooting
• Learn Emergency Procedures
• Explore the opportunities in Drone market
 How to become drone pilot

Lastly, a drone operator must be at least 18 years old, should have passed at
least the 10th standard and
must have undergone drone piloting training at a DGCA-approved
Flying Training Organisation (FTO).

Person should pass an aeronautical knowledge test at an FAA-approved testing

center; alternatively, they should hold a current Part 61 private pilot certificate or
higher and complete an sUAS online training course provided by the FAA.

Based on the data, a Drone Pilot with less than a year of experience can
charge $20.70 per hour but can earn more than $26.49 per hour if they have more
than five years of experience.
The curriculum of your course must include theory subjects surrounding these
–
1) Basic Radio Telephony
2) Flight planning and ATC procedures
3) Regulations specific to the area of operations
4) Flight and aerodynamics knowledge
5) Airspace structure and airspace restrictions
6) Basic Aviation Meteorology.