Unit 5 – 18MEE329T – Modern Manufacturing Techniques

• Rapid prototyping technologies are able to produce

physical model in a layer by layer manner directly
from their CAD models without any tools, dies and
fixtures and also with little human intervention.

• RP is capable to fabricate parts quickly with too

complex shape easily as compared to traditional
manufacturing technology.

• RP helps in earlier detection and reduction of

design errors.
 Create a CAD model of the design

 Convert the CAD model to STL format (stereo

lithography)

 Slice the STL file into thin cross-sectional layers

 Construct the model one layer atop another

 Clean and finish the model

 CAD Model Creation:
• First, the object to be built is modeled using a Computer-Aided
Design (CAD) software package or coordinate measuring machine
or laser scanner.
• Solid modelers, such as Pro/ENGINEER, tend to represent 3-
D objects more accurately than wire-frame modelers such as
AutoCAD, and will therefore yield better results.
• This process is identical for all of the RP build techniques.
 Conversion to STL Format:
• To establish consistency, the STL (stereo lithography, the first RP
technique) format has been adopted as the standard of the rapid
prototyping industry and acts as the interface b/w CAD software
and machines.
• The second step, therefore, is to convert the CAD file into STL
format. This format represents a three-dimensional surface as
an assembly of planar triangular facets.
• STL files use planar elements, they cannot represent curved surfaces
exactly. Increasing the number of triangles improves the
approximation. (can be a disadvantage)
 Slice the STL File:
• In the third step, a pre-processing program prepares the
STL file to be built.
• The pre-processing software slices the STL model into
a number of layers from 0.01 mm to 0.7 mm thick,
depending on the build technique.
• The program may also generate an auxiliary structure to
support the model during the build. Supports are useful
for delicate features such as overhangs, internal cavities,
and thin-walled sections.
https://www.hubs.com/knowledge-base/supports-3d-printing-technology-
overview/
https://
www.youtube.com/
watch?
v=_CISyU3D3WE&t=
18s
 Layer by Layer Construction:
• The fourth step is the actual construction of the part.
• RP machines build one layer at a time from polymers, paper, or
powdered metal.
• Most machines are fairly autonomous, needing little human
intervention.

 Clean and Finish:

• The final step is post-processing. This involves removing the
prototype from the machine and detaching any supports.
• Some photosensitive materials need to be fully cured before use
• Prototypes may also require minor cleaning and surface
treatment.
• Sanding, sealing, and/or painting the model will improve its
appearance and durability.
 The Rapid Prototyping Wheel
depicting the 4 major aspects
of RP
• INPUT
• METHOD
• MATERIAL
• APPLICATION
 INPUT
 Input refers to the electronic information required to describe the
physical object with 3D data.

 There are two possible starting points – a computer model or a physical

model.

 The computer model created by a CAD system can be either a surface

model
or a solid model

 On the other hand, 3D data from the physical model is not at all
straightforward.

 It requires data acquisition through a method known as reverse

engineering.

 In reverse engineering, a wide range of equipment digitizer, to capture

data
 METHOD
 While they are currently more than 20 vendors for RP
systems, the method employed by each vendor can
be generally classified into the following categories:
• photo-curing,
• cutting and gluing/joining,
• melting and solidifying/fusing and joining/binding.

 Photo-curing can be further divided into categories

of
• single laser beam,
• double laser beams and
• masked lamp
 MATERIAL
 The initial state of material can come in either
• solid, liquid or powder state.
 In solid state, it can come in various forms such
• a pallets, wire or laminates.
 The current range materials include
• paper, nylon, wax, resins, metals and ceramics.
 APPLICATIONS
 Applications can be grouped into:
• Design
• Engineering, Analysis and Planning
• Tooling and Manufacturing
 A wide range of industries can benefit from RP and these
include, but are not limited to,
• aerospace,
• automotive,
• biomedical, consumer,
• electrical and electronics products.
• Almost any shape or geometric feature can be produced.
• Reduction in time and cost (could range 50 –90%. Wohler)
• Errors and flaws can be detected at an early stage.
• RP/RM can be used in different industries and fields of
life
(medicine, art and architecture, marketing..)
• Discussions with the customer can start at an early stage.
• Assemblies can be made directly in one go.
• Material waste is reduced.
• No tooling is necessary.
• The designers and the machinery can be in separate places.
•
• The price of machinery and materials.
• The surface is usually rougher than machined surfaces.
• Some materials are brittle.
• The strength of RP-parts are weaker in z-direction than in
other.
 ─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────

 LIQUID-BASED
• Liquid-based RP systems have the initial form of its material in
liquid state.
• Through a process commonly known as curing, the liquid is
converted into the solid state.
 SOLID-BASED
• Except for powder, solid-based RP systems are meant to
encompass
all forms of material in the solid state.
• In this context, the solid form can include the shape in the form of
a wire, a roll, laminates and pallets.
 POWDER-BASED
• In a strict sense, powder is by-and-large in the solid state.
• However, it is intentionally created as a category outside the solid-
based RP systems to mean powder in grain-like form.
• Stereo lithography is the most widely used RP-technology.
It can produce highly
• Accurate and detailed polymer parts. SLA was the first
RP-process, introduced in 1988 by 3D Systems Inc.
Principle
SLA uses a low-power, highly focused UV laser to
produce a three dimensional object in a vat of liquid
photosensitive polymer.
Process
• This is based on selective polymerization of a photosensitive resin
using ultraviolet light.
• In this system, an ultraviolet laser beam is focused on the top
layer
of photo sensitive resin contained in a vat.
• The beam is positions and moved in horizontal X and Y directions to
polymerize the resin within the boundary a particular cross-
• The cured layer of polymer is lowered by a platform attached to it, so
section.
a fresh layer of liquid resin covers the cured layer.
that
Working
 A vat containing a mechanism whereby a platform can be lowered and
raised is filled with a photocurable liquid-acrylate polymer.
 The liquid is a mixture of acrylic monomers, oligomers (polymer
intermediates), and a photoinitiator ( a compound that undergoes a
reaction upon absorbing light).
 At its highest position (depth a), a shallow layer of liquid exists above
the platform.
 A laser generating an ultraviolet (UV) beam is focused upon a selected
surface area of the photopolymer and then moved around in the x-y
plane.
 The beam cures that portion of the photopolymer and thereby
produces a solid body.
 The platform is then lowered sufficiently to cover the cured polymer
with another layer of liquid polymer, and the sequence is repeated.
 The process is repeated until level b is reached. Thus far, we have
generated a cylindrical part with a constant wall thickness. Note that
the platform is now lowered by a vertical distance ab.
 At level b, the x-y movements of the beam define a wider geometry,
so we now have a flange-shaped portion that is being produced over
the previously formed part.
 After the proper thickness of the liquid has been cured, the process
is repeated, producing another cylindrical section between levels b
and c.
 Note that the surrounding liquid polymer is still fluid (because it has
not been exposed to the ultraviolet beam) and that the part has
been produced from the bottom up in individual ‘slices’. The
unused portion of the liquid polymer can be used again to make
another part or another prototype.
Abbreviation: SLA

Material type: Liquid(Photopolymer)

Materials: Thermoplastics(Elastomers)
Min layer thickness: 0.02 mm
Surface finish: Smooth
Build speed: Average
Applications: Form/fit testing, Functional
testing, Very detailed parts,
Presentation models, Snap fits..
 ADVANTAGES
 Achieving accuracy in
industries
 Capable of high detail and
thin walls
 Good surface finish
 High part complexity
DISADVANTAGES
 Requires post-curing.
 Some warpage, shrinkage
and curl due to phase
change.
 Limited materials (Photo
polymers).
 Support structures always
needed. Removal of support
structures can be difficult.
 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=raSAhXb2ea4

• (FDM) is a solid-based rapid prototyping method

that extrudes material, layer-by-layer, to build a
model.
• It was developed by Stratasys
Principle
A plastic or wax material is extruded through
a nozzle that traces the part´s cross sectional geometry
layer by layer
Process
• The FDM technique relies on melting and selectively depositing a thin
filament of thermoplastic polymer in a cross-hatching fashion to
form each layer of the part.
• The material is in the form of a wire supplied in sealed spools which is
mounted on the machine and the wire is threaded through the FDM
head.
• The head is moved in the horizontal X and Y directions for producing
each layer through zigzag movements.
• The supporting table moves in the vertical direction and is lowered after
the completion of each layer.

Working
• In FDM process, a gantry robot-controlled extruder head
moves in two principal directions over a table, which can be
raised and lowered as needed.
• A thermoplastic filament is extruded through the small orifice of
a heated die.
• The initial layer is placed on a foam foundation by extruding the
filament at a constant rate while the extruder head follows a
predetermined path.
• When the first layer is completed, the table is lowered so that
subsequent layers can be superimposed.
• In some parts, the filament is required to support the slice
where no
material exists beneath to support it.
• The solution is to extrude a support material separately from the
modelling material. The use of such support structures allows all of
the layers to be supported by the material directly beneath them.
• The support material is produced with a less dense filament spacing
on a layer, so it is weaker than the model material and can be broken
off easily after the part is completed.

• The layers in an FDM model are determined by the extrusion-

die diameter, which typically ranges from 0.050 to 0.12mm. This
thickness represents the best achievable in the vertical direction.
• In the x-y plane, dimensional accuracy can be as fine as 0.025mm
Abbreviation: FDM

Material type: Solid(Filaments)

Materials: ABS, Polycarbonate, Poly
phenyl sulfonite ;Elastomers
Min layer thickness: 0.15mm
Surface finish: Rough
Build speed: Slow
Applications: Form/fit testing, Functional
testing, Small detailed parts,
Presentation models.
 ADVANTAGES
 Durable parts can be made
 Minimal wastage
 Easy handling, material
changeover and support
removal.
 No post curing.
 Office environment
friendly.
 Low end, economical
machines.
 Easy material changeover and
support removal.
 Variety of materials
DISADVANTAGES
 Longer to build
 Low accuracy compared to SLA
 Not good for small features,
details and thin walls.
 Surface finish is rough.
 Support design / integration /
removal is difficult.
 Weak Z-axis.
 Slow on large / dense parts.
 Supports required on some
materials / geometries.
• As the name implies the process laminates thin
sheets of film (paper or plastic) .
• The laser has only to cut/scan the periphery of each
layer
Principle
The build material is placed on a platform and
a heated roller bonds it to the previous layer and the
sheet is cut to required profile by laser and glued to
previous sheet.
Process
• The main components of the system are a feed mechanism that advances a
sheet over a build platform, a heater roller to apply pressure to bond to
the layer below, and a laser to cut the outline of the part in each sheet
layer.
• After each cut is completed, the platform lowers by a depth equal to the
sheet thickness (0.05 –0.5
• The
mm).laser cuts the outline and the process is repeated until the part is
completed.
• After a layer is cut, the extra material remains in place to support the part.

Working
 Lamination implies a laying down of layers that are bonded
adhesively to one another.
 The simples and least expensive versions of LOM involve using
control software and vinyl cutters to produce the prototype.
 Vinyl cutters are simple CNC machines that cut shapes from vinyl or
paper sheets.
 Each sheet then has a number of layers and registration holes, which
allow proper alignment and placement onto a build fixture.
 LOM systems are highly economical and are popular in schools and
universities because of the hands-on demonstration of additive
manufacturing and production of parts by layers.
 LOM systems can be elaborate; the more advanced systems use
layers of paper or plastic with a heat-activated glue on one side to
produce parts.
 The desired shapes are burned into the sheet with a laser, and the
parts
are built layer by layer.
 On some systems, the excess material must be removed manually
once the part is completed. Removal is simplified by programming
the laser to burn perforations in crisscrossed patterns.
 The resulting grid lines make the part appear as if it had been
constructed from gridded paper (with squares printed on it, similar
to graph paper).
Abbreviation: LOM

Material type: Solid(Sheets)

Materials: Thermoplasticssuchas PVC;
Paper;
Composites(Ferrousmetals;
Non-ferrousmetals; Ceramics)
Min layer thickness: 0.05mm
Surface finish: Rough
Build speed: Fast
Applications: Form/fit testing,
Less detailed parts, Rapid
tooling patterns…
 ADVANTAGES DISADVANTAGES

 Wide range of materials  Requires post-curing.

 Fast Build time  Overheated roller may
 High accuracy damage sheet
 durability  Limited materials
 High part complexity (Photo
polymers).
 Support structures always
needed.
• SLS is a process based on the sintering of non
metallic or (less commonly) metallic powders
selectively into an individual object.
• SLS was patented in 1989.
Principle
It uses a moving laser beam to trace and
selectively sinter powdered polymer and/or metal
composite materials.
Proces
s• In this process a high power laser beam selectively melts and fuses powdered
material spread on a layer.
• The powder is metered in precise amounts and is spread by a counter-rotating
roller on the table.
• A laser beam is used to fuse the powder within the section boundary
through a cross-hatching motion.
• The table is lowered through a distance corresponding to the layer
thickness (usually 0.01 mm) before the roller spreads the next layer
of powder on the previously built layer.
• The unsintered powder serves as the support for overhanging portions, if
any in the subsequent layers.
Working
 First, a thin layer of powder is deposited in the part-build cylinder
 Then, a laser beam guided by a process-control computer using
instructions generated by the 3D CAD program of the desired part is
focused on that layer, tracing and sintering a particular cross-section
into a solid mass.
 The powder in other areas remains loose, yet it supports the
sintering
portion.
 Another layer of powder is then deposited; this cycle is repeated again
and again until the entire 3D part has been produced.
 The loose particles are shaken off, and the part is recovered.
 The part does not require further curing-unless it is a ceramic,
which has to be fired to develop strength.
 A variety of materials can be used in this process, including polymers
(such as ABS; PVC, nylon, polyester, polystyrene, and epoxy), wax,
metals, and ceramics with appropriate binders.
 It is most common to use polymers because of the smaller and less
expensive, and less complicated lasers are required for sintering.
 With ceramics and metals, it is common to sinter only a polymer
binder
that has been blended with the ceramic or metal powders.
 The resultant part can be carefully sintered is a furnace and infiltrated
with another metal if desired.
Abbreviation: SLS

Material type: Powder(Polymer)

Materials: Thermoplastics: Nylon,

Polyamide and Polystyrene;
Elastomers; Composites
Min layer thickness: 0.10mm
Surface finish: Average
Build speed: Fast
Applications: Form/fit testing, Functional
testing, Less detailed parts,
Parts with snap-fits& living
hinges, High heat applications..
 ADVANTAGES
 No need of support structures
 No post curing required
 Variety and Flexibility of
materials
 The main advantage is that the
fabricated prototypes are
porous (typically 60% of the
density of moulded parts), thus
impairing their strength and
surface finish.
 Fast build times.
DISADVANTAGES
 Rough surface finish.
 Additional powder may get
hardened while solidification
along border line
 Mechanical properties below
those achieved in injection
mouldings process for same
material.
 Many build variables, complex
operation.
 Material changeover difficult
compared to FDM & SLA.
• Three Dimensional Printing (3DP) technology was
developed at the MIT and licensed to several
corporations.
• It was Produced by Z Corporation, USA.
Principle
An ink-jet printing head deposits
a liquid adhesive that binds the starch
powder material.
Process
• Spread a layer of powder
• Print the cross section of the part
• Spread another layer of powder
• Parts are printed with no supports to
remove
• Post processed by cleaning the excess powder, air blow , gluing and
sanding.
• Paint coated by sprayers or brushers to get finished product

Working
 In 3D printing (3DP) process, a print head deposits an
inorganic
binder material onto a layer of polymer, ceramic, or metallic
powder.
 A piston supporting the powder bed is lowered incrementally, and
with each step, a layer is deposited and then fused by the binder.
 3DP allows considerable flexibility in the materials and binders
used.
 Furthermore, since multiple binders print heads can be incorporated
into a machine, it is possible to produce full-color prototypes by
having different-color binders.
 The effect is a 3D analog to printing photographs using three ink
colors on an ink-jet printer.
 The effect is a 3D analog to printing photographs using three
ink
 A common part produced by 3DP from ceramic powder is a ceramic-
casting shell, in which an aluminium-oxide or aluminium silica
powder is fused with a silica binder.
 The moulds have to be post processed in two steps:
(1) Curing at around 150ºC and
(2) Firing at 1000º to 1500ºC.
 The parts produced through the 3DP process are somewhat porous
and therefore may lack strength.
 3DP of metal powders can also be combined with sintering and
metal
filtration to produce fully dense parts, using the sequence.
 The part is produced as before directing the binder onto powders.
However, the build sequence is then followed by sintering to burn off
the binder and partially fuse the metal powders, just as in powder
injection moulding.
 Common metals used in 3DP are stainless steels, aluminium, and
titanium.
 Infiltrating materials typically are copper and bronze, which provide
good heat-transfer capabilities as well as wear resistance
Abbreviation: 3DP

Material type: Powder

Materials: Ferrousmetalssuchas
Stainlesssteel; Non-
ferrousmetalssuchas Bronze;
Elastomers; Composites;
Ceramics
Min layer thickness: 0,05mm
Surface finish: Rough
Build speed: VeryFast
Applications: Concept models, Limited
functional testing, Architectural&
landscape models, Consumer
goods& packaging
 ADVANTAGES
 High speed
 Versatile - used for
automotive, aerospace,
footwear, packaging , etc
 Simple to operate -
straightforward
 Can recycle
 Enable complex colour
scheme
 No wastage of
material
DISADVANTAGES
 Requires post-curing.
 Limited functional parts
 models are weak
 Limited materials -starch &
plaster-based only.
 poor surface finish
 need post-processing
Solid Ground Curing (SGC)
 Similar to stereolithography in that both use ultraviolet light to
selectively harden photosensitive polymers. Unlike SLA, SGC cures an
entire layer at a time.
 First, photosensitive resin is sprayed on the build platform.
 The machine develops a photo mask (like a stencil) of the layer to be
built. This photo mask is printed on a glass plate above the build
platform using an electrostatic process.
 The mask is then exposed to UV light, which only passes through the
transparent portions of the mask to selectively harden the shape of the
current layer.
 After the layer is cured, the machine vacuums up the excess liquid resin.
 The top surface is milled flat, and then the process repeats to build the
next layer.
 When the part is complete, it must be de-waxed by immersing it in a
solvent bath.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0h_lsJ9R9g&ab_channel=mshlickmshlick
3D INKJET PRINTING
The 3D inkjet printing process is similar to other 3D printing
processes in that it proceeds through layer-by-layer
deposition. Printing instructions in each layer are generated
from a 3D mechanical model for your product, just as is done
with popular fused deposition modeling (FDM) systems.
However, this established additive manufacturing process is
unique in that it is adaptable to a wide range of liquid
materials or solid suspensions, providing conductive or
insulating structures with high printing resolution. Compared
to processes that involve the fusion of metal or plastic
materials, inkjet printing requires no post-processing—the
finished printing product will be fully functional as soon as it
leaves the printing system.
HOW THE 3D INKJET PRINTING PROCESS WORKS
3D inkjet printing is a low-temperature, low-pressure process
that involves the deposition of liquid materials or solid
suspensions. Polymers, dielectric nanoparticles, and
conductive nanoparticles can be deposited with this process,
making it adaptable to a broad range of materials. In this
process, the printing material is extruded through a small
nozzle within a print head. As the print head raster scans over
a surface, multiple layers are built up in a layer-by-layer
process.
Each deposited layer must be cured in between successive
depositions, and the curing process will vary depending on
the materials used to print your product.
Inkjet 3D printing systems include equipment for curing
each layer within the system. While the need to cure each
deposited layer in between depositions may sound time
consuming, the deposited layers are very thin and can be
cured quickly, ideal at low temperature or with an optical
process (such as exposure to infrared or ultraviolet light).
Similar to other 3D printing processes, inkjet printing is
complexity agnostic, meaning the printing time is nearly
independent of product complexity. The time required to
print a fully functional product depends solely on the time
required to deposit the necessary amount of material and
the curing time.

As a result, the cost structure only depends on the weight of

the material being deposited and the energy consumed
during deposition—costs in both of these areas are fixed.
When printing complex multilayer and non-planar PCBs, all
interconnects, mounting holes, and vias can be printed
directly without additional machining steps. This reduces the
total manufacturing time from weeks to hours with a highly
predictable cost structure.
▶ High speed – layer printed in seconds
▶ Versatile - used for automotive, aerospace,

footwear, packaging, etc

▶ simple to operate - straightforward

▶ No wastage of material – can recycle

▶ colour – enable complex colour scheme

▶ Part size: 200x250x200 mm
▶ Resolution 600 dpi in x-y-direction

▶ Facility costs: 49 000 – 67 500 US$

▶Limited functional parts – models are weak

▶ limited materials – starch & plaster-based only

▶ poor surface finish – need post-processing

 3D printing applications

 While initially 3D printing was primarily a

technology for prototyping, this is quickly changing.
Now numerous manufacturers are producing end-use
components and entire products via additive
manufacturing. From the aerospace industry, to medical
modeling and implantation, to prototyping of all kinds,
3D printing is being used by virtually every major
industry on the planet in one way or another.
 Medical Additionally, there is
research underway by
 3D printed models of human
companies like Organ logy
organs have been a frequent tool to 3D print partial human
for surgeons over the last two to organs such as the liver
and kidney.
three years, as they provide a
more intricate view of the issues
at hand. Instead of relying on 2D
and 3D images on a computer
screen or a printout, surgeons
can actually touch and feel
physical replicas of the patient’s
organs, bone structures, or
whatever else they are about to
work on.
Injured skull
 Medical: 3D Bio-Printers
 3D bio printing, is a powerful fabrication
technology, used to create three-dimensional
cellular constructs which bio mimics complex
biological functionalities found in native tissues and
organs.

 The bio printing manufacturing technology

combined with smart biomaterials, stem cells,
growth and differentiation factors, and biomimetic
environments have created unique opportunities to
fabricate tissues in the laboratory from combinations
of engineered extracellular matrices (scaffolds), cells,
and biologically active molecules.
Before After
3D printing face operation
 3D printed drugs
 Actually, 3D printed drugs have a lot of advantages to
regularly manufactured ones. It’s much easier to control
density of a 3D printed drug, and design how porous it
should be, which means that how quickly it dissolves is
much for flexible, and therefore, designers can print a
pill that can be dissolved with one sip of water.
Additionally, they can add more of the active
ingredient, all while making the actual pill much
smaller.
 Automotive
 Another general early adopter of Rapid Prototyping
technologies, the earliest incarnation of 3D printing, was the
automotive sector. Many automotive companies particularly
at the cutting edge of motor sport and F1 have followed a
similar trajectory to the aerospace companies. First (and still)
using the technologies for prototyping applications, but
developing and adapting their manufacturing processes to
incorporate the benefits of improved materials and end
results for automotive parts.

 Many automotive companies are now also looking at the

potential of 3D printing to fulfill after sales functions in
terms of production of spare/replacement parts, on
demand, rather than holding huge inventories.
3D printed car
3D printed babies
3D printed art kids
3D printed eagle
beak
3D printed
guns
3D Printed jet engine
 Architecture

 Architectural models have long been a staple application

of 3D printing processes, for producing accurate
demonstration models of an architect’s vision. 3D
printing offers a relatively fast, easy and economically
viable method of producing detailed models directly
from 3D C A D, BIM or other digital data that architects
use. Many successful architectural firms, now
commonly use 3D printing (in house or as a service) as
a critical part of their workflow for increased innovation
and improved communication.
Architecture: 3D printed concrete
houses
 Related technology development began in the 1960s, with pumped
concrete and isocyanine foams.

Building printing refers to various technology that use 3D printing as a

way to construct buildings. Potential advantages of this process
include quicker construction, lower labor costs, and less waste
produced. 3D printing at a large scale may be well suited for
construction of extraterrestrial structures on the Moon or other planets
where environmental conditions are less conducive to human labor-
intensive building practices.
Developments in additive manufacturing technologies have included
attempts to make 3D printers capable of producing structural
buildings.
Related technology development began in the 1960s, with pumped
concrete and isocyanine foams.
Dubai Future Foundation printed office building
8 m footbridge in Amsterdam with complex 3D
geometries