3D printing is one of the most important and most industries that process different materials and make models professionally, starting from the smallest sizes to the largest, as it enables you to print any shape or model with high quality because it is designed using computer programs. We will learn together about the types of 3D printers through the Rakeen store.
About 3D Printing Industry
It is part of the additive manufacturing process, where parts are manufactured and 3D designs are divided into small parts using computer programs, and then manufactured using 3D printers through several layers, one layer after the other until the final shape is reached.
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Best 3D Printers
There are several types of 3D printing technologies used around the world, which help retailers make decisions when improving and increasing production efficiency. Let's get to know them through the following:
1- Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM)
In this type of FDM process, the 3D CAD data is first divided into layers and then transferred to a machine that builds the part layer by layer, using thin, thread-like spools of thermoplastic that undergo many cycles of melting and freezing without changing chemically like a hot glue gun.
RAW FDM parts have visible layer lines that can be used for a variety of applications including cosmetic painting, assembly, hand sanding, or when creating even-surfaced parts.
Although FDM parts are made from thermoplastics such as Ultem and polycarbonate, they are practical and durable, making them one of the best types of 3D printers.
2- Stereolithography (SLA)
First a resin-based platform is lowered as it leaves only a thin layer of liquid between the two construction areas and the bottom of the tank.
Here, a laser is used to process the liquid resin and convert it into a reinforced plastic.
At the bottom of the resin tank is a clear glass that directs the UV laser beams to draw a cross-section of the 3D model and selectively harden the material.
The printing thickness is less than 3 microns in successive layers one after the other.
Until recently, SLA was limited to large industrial machines, but in the 1980s it was developed and desktop lithography became high-resolution 3D printing at affordable prices that fit into the user's workspace.
3- Digital Light Processing (DLP)
Digital light processing is similar to the SLA 3D printing process but with one exception, SLA printing uses a laser to create an exact 3D copy of the original source of the object on the surface of the tank, creating one layer on top of the other.
When processing DLP, a light source, known as an arc lamp, is used instead of a laser, by shining light on the desired shape on the surface of the liquid polymer, and then the polymer hardens easily and smoothly, which makes it superior to the laser in speed and accuracy in forming the shape.
This type of 3D printer is multi-purpose because it uses different materials such as thermoplastics, nylon, and ABS, so it manufactures different shapes by printing them from the bottom up while maintaining their accuracy.
4- Selective Laser Sintering (SLS)
This printing relies on laser powder, usually neon, instead of resin and filament.
This process begins by filling it with thermoplastic powder and lowering the powder tank.
One of the most important factors that contribute to the success of the SLS printing process is that the particles that make up the powder are in the form of a circle with a diameter of less than 100 microns and are soft to the touch, which helps them spread in a thin and dense layer.
If there is a defect or flaw in the powder, this defect will be transferred directly to the part, and printing failure is likely to occur due to poor mechanical properties.
5- Selective Laser Melting (SLM)
This type of 3D printer is typically used when creating high-density objects using powdered metal materials, so that selective laser melting builds the object layer by layer, using a laser to melt the metal powder and cause it to solidify and cool.
The laser fuses the old and new layers together to form a homogeneous prototype, and each component is then welded to a work platform via a separate bracket after the component is removed.
The importance of laser melting appears when producing precise and complex components as quickly as possible, and it also allows you to produce products with integrated functional elements such as conformal cooling, which is why it is called one of the best types of 3D printers.
6- Laminated Object Manufacturing (LOM)
The process of manufacturing laminated objects involves gluing and fusing together laminated layers of metal, plastic or paper and cutting them, so it is called a prototyping process.
Before starting processing, the printer is fed an image of an STL file taken from CAD, and the cutting functions are controlled by the LOM system software, but the object orientation and lamination process occurs manually.
In the construction process the system creates a cross section of the 3D model with the exact height of the model as the horizontal plane is cut accordingly.
7- Electron Beam Melting (EBM)
It is a high-energy process that uses an electron beam, which begins by forming a layer of molten metal powder layer by layer to build the solid metal part.
At high temperatures under vacuum, electron beam melting occurs. The user spreads a layer of metal powder across the build area and before that this powder is heated, then the electron beam distributes it by melting the places necessary to build the body.
It is characterized by reducing distortion due to its occurrence at temperatures higher than the laser fusion of the powder layer.
It is most commonly used in the manufacture of medical implants, but is also used in automotive and aerospace engineering.
After we have learned about the different types of 3D printers and what they are also used for through the Rakin store, choosing the appropriate type of technology varies according to the user’s needs with other factors such as the material, practical application, and providing the appropriate environment.