Design Essentials for 3D Printing

Venu:
VNR VIGNANA JYOTHI INSTITUTE OF ENGINEERING & TECHNOLOGY
Dept. of Mechanical Engineering
Date:25th Nov2019
Introduction

● 3D printing signals the beginning of a third industrial revolution.

● Rapid prototyping process fabricates physical objects directly from CAD
data.
● Synonyms of RP are Additive Manufacturing (AM) , Layered Manufacturing,
3D printing and many more.
Science Fiction to Reality

Science fiction continues to become reality with 3D printing .

/əˈdʒɛndə/
1. Additive Vs Subtractive
2. Why to choose Additive Manufacturing
3. 3D Printing Process and Key Considerations.
a. Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM)
b. Stereo Lithography (SLA)
c. Selective Laser Sintering (SLS)
d. Direct Metal Laser Sintering (DMLS)
Additive Vs Subtractive Manufacturing
Traditional Manufacturing Process

• Milling
• Drilling
• Turning
• Flame Cutting
• Bending
• Welding
• Casting
Why to choose Additive Manufacturing

● 3D Printing is a complement to existing and traditional manufacturing

methods.
● When working material is very expensive and precious and if the products
are of limited edition and short run.
● Additive manufacturing as a rule uses only the materials needed for the part,
which dramatically reduces waste during production.
● Complex designs and lattice structures.
● Multiple manufacturing process.
Trending in Additive Manufacturing

● Topology optimization and Lattice Structure optimization for additive

manufacturing of lightweight structures.
● Applications and design of customised implants and medical devices.
Understanding Additive Manufacturing Technology.
FDM Process
General Design Consideration for FDM Process

● Overhangs
● Bridging
● Wall thickness
● Level of detail
● Splitting up your model
● Hole orientation
● Build direction
Overhangs & Orientation

● Overhangs are areas of a model that are either partially

supported by the layer below or not supported at all.
● There is a limit on the angle every printer can produce without
the need of support material.
● For FDM and SLS the threshold angle is 45°
Overhang

WIthout Support Material

Bridging
● Bridging in FDM occurs when the printer is required to print
between two supports or anchor points.
● Because there is no support offered for the initial layer being
printed (there is nothing to build upon) and it is required to
“bridge” a gap, the material will tend to sag.
Wall Thickness
● When designing a part to be 3D printed is wall thickness. Every
3D printing process can produce accurately features that are thin
up to a certain point.
● Walls with thickness greater than 1 mm can be printed
successfully with all processes.
Level of Detail
● When you are creating a 3D model with intricate details, it is
important to keep in mind what is the minimum feature size each
3D printing process can produce.
● The minimum level of detail is connected to the capabilities and
mechanics of each 3D printing process
Splitting up the Model
● Often, splitting up a model can reduce its complexity, saving on
cost and time.
● Overhangs that require a large amount of support may be
removed by simply splitting a complex shape into sections that
are printed individually.
Hole Orientation
● Support for holes is best avoided by changing the print
orientation.
● Removal of support in horizontal axis holes can often be difficult,
but by rotating the build direction 90 degrees, the need for
support is eliminated.
Orientation

● Due to the anisotropic nature of FDM printing, understanding the

application of a component and how it is built are critical to the success
of a design.
● FDM components are inherently weaker in one direction due to layer
orientation.
Orientation
Stereo Lithography ( SLA Process)
Stereo Lithography ( SLA Process)

● A typical desktop SLA machine will contain a UV laser to cure a

specific layer of a component from a tank of photosensitive resin.
● The bottom of the tank is transparent and the UV laser is precisely
controlled to trace a 2D contour of the object.
● The laser hardens (cures) the resin forming a solid layer.
General Design Consideration for SLA Process
● Wall Thickness (Supported and Unsupported Walls)
● Overhangs
● Emboss Details
● Holes
● Connections
● Resolution
Wall Thickness
● Walls that are connected to other structures on at least two sides,these
should be designed at a minimum of 0.4 mm thick.
● Unsupported walls must be at least 0.6 mm thick and should be designed
with filleted base.

Supported Wall UnSupported Wall

Wall Thickness
Overhangs
● The forces involved with a print sticking to the tank are directly
proportional to the 2D cross-sectional area of the print.
Overhangs & Orientation
● The forces involved with a print sticking to the tank are directly
proportional to the 2D cross-sectional area of the print.
● Because of this, the part is printed at an angle to the plate, and reduction
of support is not a primary concern.
● Minimizing the cross-sectional area along the z-axis is the best way to
orient parts for SLA prints.
Holes
● Holes with a diameter less than 0.5mm in the x, y, and z axes may close
off during printing.
Connections
● 0.5mm clearance between moving parts.
● 0.2mm clearance for assembly connections.
● 0.1mm clearance will give a push or snug fit.
 Resolution
● SLA is able to achieve much higher resolutions than FDM because it uses
a laser to solidify the material.
● Resolution in the Z-direction (or vertical resolution) varies from 25 to 200
microns.
Design considerations for FDM/SLA Process

• Dimensional accuracy - quantitative values from machine manufacturers and

material suppliers that state the expected accuracy of parts.

• Warping or shrinkage - the likelihood a part will warp or shrink during the
printing stage. This depends heavily on design however some processes
produce parts that are inherently more at risk of warping or shrinking.

Warping
Limitations

• Limited Materials
• Accuracy
• Manufacturing Limitations
• Size
• Machinery maintenance
• Software
Who gives you an IDEA??

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Thank You

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