Unit 5
Rapid Prototyping
and Additive Manufacturing
Additive Manufacturing
➢ The term ‘additive manufacturing’ was given by the ASTM
F42 committee.
➢ Additive Manufacturing (AM) is the process of making 3D
objects from computer model data by joining materials layer by
layer under computer control using a 3D printer.
General Principle
Steps involved in Additive Manufacturing :
1) Modeling
2) Printing
3) Finishing
1.) Modeling
a.) Creation of CAD model using:
➢ CAD package ( eg. CATIA, SOLID-EDGE), 3D scanner,
camera & photographic software
b.) conversion to .STL format:
➢ 3D models are converted printing software readable format.
2.) Printing
a.) Processing .STL file in slicer
➢ SLICING model into series of thin layers (depending upon
resolution up to 16µm).
➢ Produces G-Code file.
b.) Layer by layer construction
3.) Finishing
a.) Removing manufactured part from machine
b.) Removal of extra material such as supports.
c.) Minor cleaning, surface treatment, painting if required.
Classification
Comparative Overview of
Additive Manufacturing
1. Design flexibility.
2. Cost of geometric complexity.
[Link] accuracy.
[Link] need of assemblage.
5. Time and cost efficiency in production run.
Design Flexibility
➢ Almost any shape can be manufactured.
➢ No constraints such as fixtures, cutter reachability, diverse
tooling etc. like in traditional machining.
➢ Easy to make changes in model by just editing the CAD model.
➢ Capable of producing variety of products without making setup
changes.
Cost of Geometric
Complexity
➢ Very less influence on cost of product due to complexity
of the product.
➢ Easy to create complex shapes and product parts by just
using the CAD software packages
Dimensional Accuracy
➢ The dimensional accuracy determines the deviation of the
finished model when compared to the original digital
model.
➢ Very less or negligible tolerances are provided in AM.
➢ Parts to Nanoscale accuracy can be manufacture with
precise 3D printers.
No Need of Assemblage
➢ Capable of producing single-part assemblies.
➢ The parts and joints are printed in place and are suspended
by support material that must be removed in post-
processing.
➢ When compared with traditional machining, it reduces the
cost of assembling the parts .
Time & Cost Efficiency in Production Run
➢ Unlike most of the traditional machining processes, AM is
suitable for low volume production.
➢ On demand and on site production in AM reduces the
inventory cost and time required.
➢ Very less material wastage as compared to other
manufacturing processes(ie maximum yield).
Building Capabilities of AM
Rhinos
Pulmonary
series
Lithium Ion Battery
Locomotive
mechanism
Printed Prosthetic Limb
Printed Turbine part Printed PCB Artificial Ear
World’s First 3D Printed Jet Engine
Building Capabilities of AM
➢ Multi-material printing.
➢ Printed assemblies.
➢ Embedding foreign components.
➢ Printing circuits, sensors and batteries.
APPLICATIONS
1. Rapid Prototyping
➢ Models and parts for research purposes can be easily manufacture
whenever required. Easy to make changes in the models as per the
research proceedings.
2. Food
➢ Cornell Creative Machines Lab is making food items such as
chocolates, candy, pasta, pizza using 3D printing technique since
2012.
3. Apparel
➢ Products such as customize shoes, clothes and eye wears are being
manufactured.
➢ Nike is using 3D printing to manufacture the “Vapor Laser Talon”
football shoe for players of American football
4. Vehicle
➢ In 2010 Urbee became the first car whose whole body was 3D printed
(by US engineering group Kor Ecologic and the company Stratasys ).
➢ In early 2014, Swedish supercar manufacturer, Koenigsegg,
manufactured a supercar having many 3D printed mechanical parts in it.
5. Firearms
➢ Defense arms such as guns, rifles and safety equipment has
also been manufacture by AM.
➢ In 2012 US based group “Defense Distributed”, designed a
working plastic gun that could be downloaded and reproduced
by anybody with a 3D printer.
➢ In 2013, ‘Solid Concepts’, based in Austin, Texas, USA
succeeded in manufacturing first working metal gun.
6. Medical
➢ Nowadays medical devices, specific implants, hearing aids, dental products
and pills are being manufacture by AM.
➢ During October 2014, a five year old girl born without fully formed fingers
on her left hand became the first child in the UK to have a prosthetic hand
made with 3D printing . Till now more than 400 hands have been
transplanted by E-NABLE.
➢ In august 2015, US FDA( Food and Drug administration) approved 3D
printed pills which allows very porous pills to be produced, which enables
high drug doses in a single pill which dissolves quickly and can be ingested
easily.
7. Bioprinting
➢ Bioprinting refers to manufacturing artificial biological organs and
body parts capable of working like original ones.
➢ In this process, layers of living cells are deposited onto a gel medium
or sugar matrix and slowly built up to form three dimensional
structures including vascular systems.
➢ The first production system for 3D tissue printing was delivered in
2009, based on NovoGen bio-printing technology.
➢ In 2013, Chinese scientists began printing ears, livers and kidneys,
with living tissue.
➢ In 2014, researchers at the University of Hasselt, in Belgium had
successfully printed a new jawbone for an 83 year old woman.
8. Space
➢ In September 2014, “SpaceX” delivered the first zero gravity
3D printer to the International Space Station (ISS).
➢ In December 2014, NASA emailed CAD drawings for a socket
wrench to astronauts aboard the ISS, who then printed the tool
using its 3D printer.
➢ The European Space Agency plans to deliver its new advance
Portable OnBoard 3D Printer to the International Space Station
by the end of 2015.
9. Education and Research
➢ Scientific instruments, replicas of historical items, internal
organs of human body, 3D models of molecules and
chemical compounds can be printed in classroom
laboratories to study them.
Current Barriers and Challenges
• a.) Personal fabrication vs. mass manufacturing :
➢ When compared with traditional manufacturing processes,
AM is economical when parts to be manufactured in low
volume.
➢ When it comes to customized product manufacturing, AM is
best suited.
b.) Building scalability vs. layer resolution :
➢ Increasing layer resolution decreases the layer thickness to
be laid / printed.
➢ Decrease in layer thickness increases the surface finish as
well as number of layers.
➢ Large number of layers increases the total build time.
c.) Material heterogeneity and structural reliability :
➢ While consumer goods are comprised of a wide variety of
materials that render different behaviors and functionalities, the
material selection of AM systems is quite limited.
➢ Products from AM systems suffer from anisotropic mechanical
properties due to interlayer bonding deficiencies
➢ Most of the simple 3D printers are capable of printing single
material at a time. Multi material printing systems is limited
due to uncertain behavior at the material interfaces .
Introduction
▪ Rapid Prototyping Technology is a group
of manufacturing processes that enable
the direct physical realization of 3D
computer models.
▪ This technology converts the 3D
computer data provided by a dedicated
file format directly to a physical
model, layer by layer with a high degree
of accuracy.
▪ The presentation gives an overview on
existing major RP techniques and their
applications in engineering fields
Fig 1: Flying sculpture called “the little shining man”
created using rapid prototyping technique.
▪ RPT and Rapid Manufacturing (RM)
offers great potential for producing
models and parts.
▪ By this reliability of product can be
increased, investment of time and money
is less risky.
▪ RPT can automatically construct
physical models from CAD data.
▪ Rapid prototyping is an "additive"
process, combining layers of
paper, wax, or plastic to create a solid
object.
▪ In contrast, most machining processes Fig 2: Rotors made using rapid prototyping techniques
are "subtractive" processes that remove
material from a solid block.
▪ Most prototypes require from one to
seventy-two hours.
Definition
Rapid Prototyping technology employs various
engineering e.g. computer control and software
techniques including laser, optical scanning,
photosensitive polymers, material extrusion and
deposition, powder metallurgy etc. to directly produce
a physical model layer by layer (Layer Manufacturing)
in accordance with the geometrical data delivered from
a 3D C A D model.
Figure 2.1: The Rapid Prototyping Wheel depicting
the 4 major aspects of RP
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 points of the physical
model and “reconstruct” it in CAD system.
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 glueing/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
◦ 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.
Most of the RP parts are finished or
touched up before they are used for
their intended 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.
Differences Between Conventional Machining and
Rapid prototyping
W H Y Rapid Prototyping?
Prototyping can improve the quality of requirements and
specifications provided to developers.
Reduced time and costs:
Users are actively involved in the development.
Quicker user feedback is available leading to better
solutions.
Errors can be detected much earlier.
Missing functionality can be identified easily.
Limitations of Rapid Prototyping
High precision RP machines are still expensive.
RP systems are difficult to build parts with accuracy
under +/- 0.02mm and wall thickness under 0.5mm.
The physical properties of the RP parts are normally
inferior to those samples that made in proper materials
and by the traditional tooling.
The RP parts are not comparable to (CNC) prototype
parts in the surface finishing, strength, elasticity,
reflective index and other material physical properties.
Workflow of RP Processes
All RP techniques employ the basic five-steps
processes:
1. Create a C A D model of the design.
2. Convert the C A D model to STL format.
3. Slice the STL file into thin cross-sectional layers.
4. Construct the model one layer atop another.
5. Clean and finish the model.
The Basic Process
▪ Create a CAD model of the design
# Object to be built is modelled using CAD software.
# Solid modellers like ProE yield better results.
# Existing CAD file may also be used
▪ Convert the CAD model to STL (Standard Tessellation Language)
format
# STL format is the standard of rapid prototyping industry.
# This format represent 3D surface as an assembly of planar triangles and
describes only surface geometry. (without any representation of
colour, texture etc.)
▪ Slice the STL file into thin cross-sectional layers
# Several programmes are available for this.
# STL models are sliced into a number of layers (.01mm to .7mm).
# Orientation size and location are adjusted using the software.
▪ Construct the model one layer a top of another
# RP machine builds one layer at a time from polymers, paper, or powdered
metal.
# Fairly autonomous needing little human intervention.
▪ Clean and finish the model
# Post processing step.
# Prototype may require minor cleaning and surface treatment.
Workflow of RP Processes
C A D model Pre process RP process Post process
Surface/Solid Generate STL Build Remove
model file prototype supports
Build supports Clean the
if needed surface
Slicing Post cure
Part
completed
1. C A D Model Creation
First, the object to be built is modeled using a
Computer-Aided Design (CAD) software package.
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.
2. Conversion to STL Format
To establish consistency, the STL format has been adopted
as the standard of the rapid prototyping industry.
The second step, therefore, is to convert the C A D file into
STL format. This format represents a three-dimensional
surface as an assembly of planar triangles
STL files use planar elements, they cannot represent
curved surfaces exactly. Increasing the number of
triangles improves the approximation
Example of STL model
This figure shows a typical
example of STL model
which is composed of
triangles and each triangle is
described by a unit normal
vector direction and three
points representing the
vertices of the triangle.
3. 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.
Desired part or Without supports,
model geometry overhanging areas of part
may peel away and damage
the whole model
4. 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.
5. 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.
Rapid Prototyping Techniques
Most commercially available rapid prototyping
machines use one of the five techniques
❖ Stereolithography (SL or SLA)
❖ Laminated object manufacturing
❖ Selective Laser Sintering
❖ Fused deposition modeling
❖ Solid Ground Curing
❖ 3D ink jet printing
1. Stereolithography (SLA)
Patented in 1986, Stereolithography started the
rapid prototyping revolution. The technique builds
three-dimensional models from liquid
photosensitive polymers that solidify when
exposed to ultraviolet light.
[Link]
History:
◦ Worldwide first RP-technology at all
◦ Patented 1984
◦ Commercialized 1988 by 3D-Systems Inc.
The generative approach:
◦ Production of parts by addition of material instead of removal
(like for example by cutting,etc)
◦ Layer-by-layer build up >>bottom-to-top<<
◦ Easy manufacture of undercuts, complex structures, internal
holes
Stereolithography (SL or SLA)
▪ Builds 3D model from liquid photo sensitive polymers when exposed to UV rays.
▪ Model is built upon a platform situated just below the surface of liquid epoxy or
acrylate resin.
▪ A low power highly focused UV laser traces out the first layer, solidifying model
cross section.
▪ An elevator incrementally lowers the platform into the liquid polymer.
▪ Process is repeated until prototype is complete.
▪ Model is the placed in an UV oven for complete curing.
Fig 4: Stereolithography
Schematic diagram of Stereolithography process
M irrors
Laser – concentrative U V beam to transom liquid
into solid state.
Elevator – control the movement of platform
upward and downward
Platform – a steel plate with plenty of holes as
the basement for part building
Resin vat – contain raw material to form SLA
model
Mirrors – control the path of movement of the
sensor laser beam at X and Y axis
Sensor – locate the coordinate and instant power
of the laser beam and feedback to the control unit
for fine adjustment
Basic components of SLA system
Process chain of SLA
Process chain of SLA (Cont..)
Only photopolymer of different qualities
available
◦ temp.-proof,
◦ flexible,
◦ transparent etc..
High part complexity
High accuracy
Support structure required
Part size: 250x250x250 mm3 to 1000x800x500
mm3
Accuracy: 0.05 mm
Facility costs: 50 000 – 605 000 US$
2. Selective Laser Sintering
▪ Uses laser beam to selectively fuse powdered materials
such as nylon, elastomer or metal into a solid object.
▪ Parts are built on a platform which sits below the surface in a
bin of heat fusible powder.
▪ Laser traces the pattern of first layer, sintering it together.
▪ Then platform is lowered, powder is reapplied and process is
repeated.
Fig 6: Selective Laser Sintering
[Link]
Local melting/sintering of a powder by a laser
Direct: the powder particles melt together
Indirect: the powder particles are coated with a
thermoplastic binder which melts up
Characteristics
◦ High part complexity
◦ Many materials available
◦ Burning out of the binder and infiltration
might be required
◦ Relatively high porosity and surface roughness
◦ Usually no supports needed
Wax
Thermoplastics
Metal
Casting sand
Ceramics
➢ Advantages
◦Flexibility of materials used
• PVC, Nylon, Sand for building sand casting cores, metal and
investment casting wax.
◦No need to create a structure to support the part
◦Parts do not require any post curing except when ceramic is used.
➢ Disadvantages
◦During solidification, additional powder may be hardened at the
border line.
◦The roughness is most visible when parts contain sloping (stepped)
surfaces.
➢ Application Range
◦Visual Representation models
◦Functional and tough prototypes
◦Cast metal parts
3. Laminated Object Manufacture (LOM)
▪ Layer of adhesive coated sheet materials are bonded to form a prototype.
▪ Paper laminated with heat activated glue is rolled up on spools.
▪ Heated roller applies pressure to bond the paper to the base.
▪ Feeder/collector mechanism advances paper.
▪ Laser cuts the outline of first layer.
▪ Platform is lowered and fresh material is advanced.
▪ Process is repeated and a roller bonds the layers.
The process
➢ The build material (paper with
a thermo-setting resin glue on
its under side) is stretched from
a supply roller across an anvil
or platform to a take- up roller
on the other side.
➢ A heated roller passes over the
paper bonding it to the
platform or previous layer.
➢ A laser, focused to penetrate
through one thickness of paper
cuts the profile of that layer. The
excess paper around and inside
the model is etched into small
squares to facilitate its removal.
The process continued:
➢ The process of gluing and cutting continuous
layer by layer until the model is complete.
➢ To reduce the build time, double or even triple
layers are cut at one time which increases the
size of the steps on curved surfaces and the post
processing necessary to smooth those surfaces.
➢ Advantages
o Wide range of materials
o Fast Build time
o High accuracy
o L O M objects are durable, multilayered structures which can be
machined, sanded, polished, coated and painted
➢ Application Range
o Used as precise patterns for secondary tooling processes such as
rubber molding, sand casting and direct investment casting.
o Medical sector for making instruments.
4. Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM)
FDM 2000 Specifications Prodigy Specifications
Build Volume: 10" x 10" x 10" Build Volume: 8" x 8" x 10"
Materials: ABS, Casting Wax Materials: ABS, Casting Wax
Build Step Size: 0.005" to Build Step Size: 0.007", 0.010", 0.013"
0.030" Up to 4x faster than the FDM 2000
(FDM) is a solid-based rapid prototyping method that
extrudes material, layer-by-layer, to build a model.
A thread of plastic is fed into an extrusion head, where it
is heated into a semi-liquid state and extruded through a
very small hole onto the previous layer of material.
Support material is also laid down in a similar manner.
Fused Deposition Modelling
▪ Filaments of heated thermoplastics are extruded from a tip that moves in the
platform to form the first layer.
▪ The platform is maintained at a lower temperature, so that the thermoplastic
quickly hardens.
▪ After the platform lowers, the extrusion head deposits a second layer upon
the first.
Fig 7: Fused Deposition Modelling
Thermoplastics
◦ ABS (Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene),
◦ Nylon,
◦ Wax etc
➢ Advantages
o Easy fabrication
o Minimal wastage
o Ease of removal
o Easy handling
➢ Application Range
o Designing
o Engineering analysis and planning
o Tooling and manufacturing
Restricted accuracy – filament diameter 1.27mm
Slow process
Unpredictable shrinkage
Part size: 600x500x600 mm3
Accuracy: +/- 0.1 mm
Facility costs: 66 500 – 290 000 US$
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.
Fig 8: Solid Ground Curing
❖ How Rapid Prototyping Technologies Compare?
5. Three Dimensional Printing
(3DP)
What is 3DP?
3DP is the process of creating an object using a
machine that puts down material layer by layer in
three dimensions until the desired object is formed.
A 3D printer extrudes melted plastic filament or
other material, building objects based on
specifications that come from modeling software or
from a scan of an existing object.
How does 3D printing work?
To create something with a 3D printer, a user begins either by
scanning an existing object with a 3D scanner to obtain the needed
specifications or by generating the specs in a 3D modeling
application.
The specifications are then sent to an extrusion printer, where plastic
filament or other material is used to create the three-dimensional
model one layer at a time.
As the material is extruded from the nozzle of the printer, the software
controlling the machine moves either the platform or the nozzle itself
such that the material is deposited in a succession of layers to create the
object. Often, the completed object is a single color, but printers are now
available with two nozzles for dual-color prints. Printing can take a few
minutes for a small object the size of a keychain or several hours for
larger, more complicated objects.
Why 3D printing?
3D Printed technology is being used by some of the most modern
manufacturers to develop prototypes and products going through
testing phase. This has increased the efficiency of product
development. These 3D printing innovations are saving; time,
money and resulting in higher profit margins.
3D printing technology is gaining in popularity, becoming more
competitive, and increasingly affordable. A lot of businesses and
industries are benefiting. Those employing the new technology
include manufacturers, print advertisers, and commercial marketing
firms who are reaching out to clients with new brilliant ideas.
➢ Some of the most exciting global businesses are already expanding
possibilities by using 3D printers. Coca-Cola created miniature statues of
consumers to promote smaller Coke bottles. Some of the other
companies experimenting with the technology are Nokia, Volkswagen,
and eBay. In retail, say Selfridges and Harvey Nichols in UK, Le Bon
Marché in France, to name a few.
➢ Biscuits and chocolates can now be 3D printed. It will be very interesting
for food-related businesses to see what their marketers and printers are
actually capable of with no holds barred. Now companies can produce
any design of biscuit with extreme detailing. Since the technology is still
very new and modern, many will be attracted by the amazing designs and
logo printing. This makes these giveaways useful free samples at trade
shows.
3-D Ink Jet Printing
▪ Parts are built upon a platform situated in a bin
full of powder material.
▪ An ink-jet printing head selectively deposits or
"prints" a binder fluid to fuse the powder
together in the desired areas.
▪ Unbound powder remains to support the part.
The platform is lowered, more powder
added and levelled, and the process is repeated
• Finished parts can be infiltrated with
wax, glue, or other sealants to improve
durability and surface finish.
▪ Typical layer thicknesses are on the order of
0.1 mm.
Fig 9: 3-D Ink Jet Printing
▪ This process is very fast, and produces parts with a
slightly grainy surface.
▪ There are also other different types of 3D printing
available in the market which gives very good
accuracy.
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
3D printed models of human organs
have been a frequent tool for surgeons
over the last two to 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.
Additionally, there is research
underway by companies like Organ
logy to 3D print partial human organs
Injured skull
such as the liver and kidney.
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 art kids
3D printed eagle beak
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.
Thank You