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3D printer synonym


3D printing for beginners: A dictionary | 3D Printing Blog

by Aura | July 11, 2019

3D printing is fascinating and intricate at the same time, and understanding every 3D printing concept can be overwhelming when you are just starting out. Learning the different materials and technologies gets even more complicated with the often complex 3D printing terminology.

You might have asked yourself if SLS is the same as SLA, or if PA is similar to PLA.

Don’t worry, we’ve got you covered! We want to make it easier for you to start 3D printing with this 3D printing vocabulary list: it explains the most common acronyms for 3D printing in just one place. Don’t let the 3D printing jargon get in your way to becoming the next 3D expert.

AM – Additive Manufacturing

Additive Manufacturing is frequently used as a synonym of 3D printing. Additive technologies are defined as the process of joining materials to make 3D objects. AM is the opposite to subtractive manufacturing technologies, which remove material to form an object.

ABS – Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene

You don’t have to learn its complicated name by heart to become a 3D printing master. But you do have to know that ABS is a plastic from the thermoplastic polymers family. This material, in the form of a filament, is used on FDM printers that heat it up until it melts to create the desired models.

What is an FDM printer, you ask? Keep reading to know more about this 3D printing technology.

CAD – Computer Aided Design

This term describes all the design software used in the process of creating, modifying, analyzing or optimizing a design. CAD programs are used by engineers and 3D designers to create and modify the models they want to 3D print. You can learn more about CAD software for 3D printing on this article.

CAD Software

DMLS – Direct Metal Laser Sintering

There are different techniques for 3D printing metals. When laser-based 3D printing technologies use powdered metals, we talk about Direct Metal Laser Sintering. The principle here is the same as with SLS: The 3D printing machine distributes a thin layer of metallic powder while a high-powered laser binds the selected parts together. We use DMLS technology to print in aluminum and titanium.

 

A Titanium Rock by DAMN © Laura Schillemans

FDM – Fused Deposition Modeling

This is a very popular 3D printing technology among starters. FDM machines build the 3D models layer by layer by heating and extruding thermoplastic material filaments such as ABS. This technology was created in 1988 and patented the next year by S.Scott and Lisa Crump, the founders of Stratasys Crump. Until 2009, the term FFF or Fused Filament Fabrication was used to avoid the legally constrained term.

Most home 3D printers use this technology, but you can use FDM industrial 3D printers to create high-quality models and finishes. Read more about FDM technology on our blog.

How FDM works

FFF – Fused Filament Fabrication

This term is a synonym of FDM. It was coined by members of the RepRap Project to be used instead of FDM, a concept that was under legal patent restrictions until 2009.

MJF – Multi Jet Fusion (HP)

This HP technology for 3D printing is similar to Selective Laser Sintering, but instead of lasers it jets a fusing agent to melt together very fine grains of powder, resulting in a strong but flexible material. MJF is available on i.materialise and is the best option for sturdy polyamide models with detailed surfaces or thinner walls.

Piguin by i.materialise. 3D printed in Polyamide (MJF)

PA – Polyamide

Polyamide (SLS) is a fine, white granular powder used on SLS 3D printing technologies. The natural finish for Polyamide feels slightly sandy and granular to the touch but the material allows a wide range of finishes and colors, as well as nearly unlimited freedom of design. That’s why this material, also known as nylon plastic, is the favorite of many 3D artists and designers.

Polyamide 3D printing in our factory. Photo by Flanders Investment & Trade (FIT) (c) Arthur Los.

PLA – Polylactic Acid

This 3D printing material, sometimes known as biopolymer, is also used in the form of a filament on FDM 3D printing machines. This thermoplastic is made from renewable raw materials such as plants, e.g. sugarcane, soya, corn or potatoes, and it can have a sweet smell when burned. PLA is a very popular material for home printers because it’s easy to use and cost-efficient, but it’s more brittle than ABS.

SL/SLA – Stereolithography

SL or SLA stands for Stereolithography, a 3D printing process that uses liquid resins. Stereolithography is used on big printers, like our Mammoth machines, which can print models of up to 2.1 meters. This process takes place in large tanks where a layer of liquid polymer is spread over a platform. Some areas are hardened by a UV laser to become the layers which make up the 3D-printed model. One layer of liquid is spread on top of another until the model is complete and the excess liquid flows away. Watch this video to see Stereolithography in action.

SLS – Selective Laser Sintering

Selective Laser Sintering is a 3D printing technology based on powder. The printer is heated up until below the melting point and a fine layer of powder is spread. After that, a laser beam heats up the parts that need to be sintered together above the melting point. The powder particles reached by the laser are fused together while the rest remains loose powder.

The main advantage of this technology is that no supporting structure is needed, so it allows very complex designs and even interlocking and moving parts.

Selective Laser Sintering Machine

.STL

STL is the name of a very common 3D printing file format. The files generated by CAD programs usually have the extension .STL. It’s supported by most 3D design and printing software, and is probably the most common file format used for 3D printing. Where the word comes from remains confusing: while it’s commonly seen as an abbreviation of STereoLithography, sometimes it is also thought to be an acronym for “Standard Triangle Language” or “Standard Tessellation Language”.

TPU – Thermoplastic Polyurethane

Our rubber-like prints are made with a material called TPU 92A-1. The complete technical name comes from the combination of the acronym for Thermoplastic Polyurethane, followed by Shore A 92, a standard measurement that indicates how soft materials are. The final models are strong but highly flexible.

Extravaganza neck piece by Dario Sacpitta. Printed in rubber-like

We hope that this introduction to 3D printing terminology will help you understand how 3D printing technologies and materials work. Learning about 3D printing is like a long-distance race, so don’t expect to understand all the concepts at once and don’t give up when it gets confusing. You can find a lot of inspiration and information about 3D printing on our blog and website.

Luckily, our online 3D printing platform is easier to understand for beginners than the 3D concepts! So, once you know which technology and material are the best for your model, you can easily upload your file to our online 3D printing platform.

Want to know more about getting started with 3D printing? Get your free ‘Beginner’s Guide to 3D Printing‘ and receive exclusive updates about 3D printing trends.

PRINTER Synonyms: 16 Synonyms & Antonyms for PRINTER

See definition of printer on Dictionary. com

  • nountypesetter
  • nouncomputer peripheral device

synonyms for printer

  • compositor
  • publisher
  • typographer
  • pressperson
  • laser printer
  • ball printer
  • character printer
  • color printer
  • daisy-wheel printer
  • dot-matrix printer
  • graphics printer
  • ink-jet printer
  • LCD printer
  • LED printer
  • line printer
  • thermal printer

Roget's 21st Century Thesaurus, Third Edition Copyright © 2013 by the Philip Lief Group.

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How to use printer in a sentence

The company also aims to reinvent building affordable homes with the use of 3D printers, robotics and advanced materials.

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Things to consider when buying an all-in-one printerAll-in-one printers, also known as multifunction printers, or MFPs, are equipped with many special features, connectivity options, and general abilities.

BEST ALL-IN-ONE PRINTER: UPGRADE YOUR HOME OFFICE WITH THESE MULTITASKING MACHINESCARSEN JOENKFEBRUARY 8, 2021POPULAR-SCIENCE

It’s not an inkjet, of course—it’s a 3D printer that can produce bespoke metal components.

THIS HUGE XEROX PRINTER CAN CREATE METAL PARTS FOR THE US NAVYROB VERGERFEBRUARY 4, 2021POPULAR-SCIENCE

At the same time, some older New Yorkers don’t have an email address or a printer, which can slow them down when trying to access vaccine appointment documents.

A BIG HURDLE FOR OLDER AMERICANS TRYING TO GET VACCINATED: USING THE INTERNETREBECCA HEILWEILJANUARY 27, 2021VOX

There’s no other app that would allow them to sell without a printer.

CURTSY, A CLOTHING RESALE APP AIMED AT GEN Z WOMEN, RAISES $11 MILLION SERIES ASARAH PEREZJANUARY 20, 2021TECHCRUNCH

Tech advances have been moving 3-D printers from labs and maker shops into factories.

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Zandvliet walked over to an older-looking printer and said it wasn’t working, Turner recalled.

DOCTOR AT CENTER OF VACCINE SCANDAL ACCUSED OF OVERPRESCRIBING OPIOIDSWILL HUNTSBERRYDECEMBER 16, 2020VOICE OF SAN DIEGO

The results are sent to a 3D printer that, layer by layer, builds a small-scale model that helps the balloon designers better understand how the balloon will be assembled.

THE MACY’S THANKSGIVING DAY PARADE HAS ONE STAR THAT ALWAYS RISES TO THE TOPERIK OLSENNOVEMBER 25, 2020POPULAR-SCIENCE

Like, say, if your desktop computer happens to be right near your modem, along with your internet-connected printer.

BEST WIFI EXTENDERS: FIVE THINGS TO CONSIDERERIC ALTNOVEMBER 25, 2020POPULAR-SCIENCE

The team was only able to create a tiny amount of the material, roughly the same volume as a single droplet from an inkjet printer.

SCIENTISTS JUST ACHIEVED ROOM TEMPERATURE SUPERCONDUCTIVITY FOR THE FIRST TIMEEDD GENTOCTOBER 19, 2020SINGULARITY HUB 

WORDS RELATED TO PRINTER

  • composer
  • composing room
  • pressroom
  • printer
  • printery
  • printing office
  • printing shop
  • typesetter

Roget's 21st Century Thesaurus, Third Edition Copyright © 2013 by the Philip Lief Group.

Terminology/slang in 3D printing in Russian

Hi all. I want to share my experience of my research in terms of 3D printed terminology. I myself am still a beginner in both 3D modeling and 3D printing, and at the beginning of studying the issue, I came across an abundance of terms unknown to me before. In order to ease the thorny path of the pioneers of 3D printing, I decided to create a list of terms / slang with a little interpretation (I took something from this site, something from WIKI, I interpreted something myself). I propose, within the framework of this entry, to limit ourselves to the FDM type of printing and not to interfere with the rest. I hope you throw those 9 in the comments0% of the article that I missed, well, correct me if I made a mistake somewhere.

The 3D Printer is a peripheral that uses a layer-by-layer method to create a physical object from a 3D digital model.

FDM (Fused deposition modeling)

Filament (plastic rod) (from English filament - thread) is a consumable used for printing on a 3D printer. It is a plastic thread with a cross section of 1.75 or 3 mm.

Extruder (from extrude - extrude) - a device that feeds a plastic rod into a heating block, in which a melt occurs under the influence of temperature and is squeezed out through a nozzle. A tube of toothpaste, a glue gun, a silicone sealant syringe work in a similar way. In a broad sense, this is a block consisting of a cold and a hot end.

Hot end (hot-end) — includes in the classical sense a nozzle, a heating block, a thermal barrier and an extruder heat sink. It is inside this block that the filament melts and is molded by welding.

Cold end (cold-end) is a device responsible for feeding the filament to the hot end, in the classical sense it consists of a feed gear, a pressure roller and a stepper motor. Often an intermediate reduction gear is used between the feed gear and the stepper motor to improve the accuracy of material feeding when printing thin layers or when printing at low speed.

Nozzle (nozzle) — metal, ceramic or ruby ​​hairpin with a longitudinal hole, this element is responsible for the shape and size of the extrusion melt at the outlet of the extruder.

Heating block - a block consisting of a heater (heater), thermistor (thermocouple, temperature sensor) and the block itself, which depletes these elements in itself.

Extruder heater (extruder heater) is an element that converts electric current into thermal energy and is responsible for heating the filament melt chamber inside the heating block.

Thermistor (thermocouple, temperature sensor) - takes temperature readings to control the voltage supply to the heating element to hold the temperature within the specified intervals. It is used both in an extruder and in a hot table.

Thermal barrier - a device whose task is to reduce the distance between the two phases of plastic - liquid and solid, in other words, does not allow the plastic to melt above what is needed, usually connects the heating block and the extruder radiator.

The extruder heat sink is a device designed to remove excess heat from the thermal barrier, usually through an air-cooled jacket, but liquid-cooled models are also available.

Worktable (print bed, platform, bed) - a platform on which the material is directly melted from the extruder. The surface of the table can be either perfectly smooth or perforated / corrugated in both cases, it is required to improve adhesion with the print object.

Hot bed (hotbed) - the same as the work table, only with the heating function, which allows to reduce the distortion of the deposited model, due to the gradual decrease in the temperature of the object. It also improves adhesion with the deposited object to the platform.

The stepper motor is a multi-winding synchronous brushless motor in which a current applied to one of the stator windings causes the rotor to lock. Sequential activation of windings of the motor causes discrete angular movements (steps) of the rotor.

Driver - microcircuit, the purpose of which is to convert the commands of the stepper motor controller into pulses applied to the windings of the Stepper motor and amplify them.

Direct Feed Extruder (direct) is a type of extruder where the cold end is located immediately before the hot end. Used for printing flexible plastics, rubber. The main disadvantage of this design is a lot of weight.

Bowden extruder ('Bowden extruder', Bowden extruder) is an extruder whose filament supply unit and nozzle are spaced apart: the cold end is rigidly fixed to the frame of the 3D printer, and the hot end is located on the movable print head. The filament, in this case, is fed into the nozzle through a long Teflon tube. Used for printing with rigid/elastic plastics.

End switch - a sensor responsible for finding the carriage in the dimensions of the printer structure, in other words, limiters at the ends of the axles. They are created both on button sensors and on optical or based on the Hall sensor. When this sensor is triggered, the printer control board resets the position of the carriage, and then counts the position from this starting point.

Slicer - software that converts a 3d model (usually from STL format) into gcode with specific print settings and for a specific material and printer.

Gcode ( G-code) - conditional naming of the programming language (markup) of devices with numerical control (CNC).

Retract - reverse filament withdrawal from the hot end, used to prevent plastic melt from flowing out of the nozzle at the moments of idle movement of the extruder over the model to be welded.

Raft (raft, raft) - horizontal filament mesh located under the model. The rafts are designed to increase the level of adhesion, and level out the unevenness of the bed and poor calibration of the extruder relative to the table.

Brim (border) - a skirt around the object of printing associated with the object itself, used to improve adhesion and entrainment of the plane of contact with the bed.

Support - additional printing elements not part of the model, designed to support overhanging elements. The printer simply cannot print through the air, it needs a base where to fuse the material.

Adhesion (from Latin adhaesio - sticking) in physics - adhesion of surfaces of dissimilar solid and / or liquid bodies.

Delamination (stratification) - the term is borrowed from biology, simply splitting the cell into two layers, in 3D printing it means both peeling off the part from the bed and splitting the print object itself into layers due to warpage of the object.

Juice (ABS Juice) - a solution of ABS in acetone with a consistency similar to baked milk, used to improve the adhesion of the printed object to the crib.

Post-processing - model processing after printing, grinding, heat treatment, chemical treatment, painting, gluing, etc.

Acetone (Dichloromethane, Dichloroethane) bath - a method of post-processing of the print object, in which the product is placed in an environment of saturated vapor of one or another chemical compound for a smooth effect on the model, after which the model changes its properties. Acetone bath for ABS makes the part smooth, glossy. The dichloromethane bath for PLA turns it into a kind of flex/rubber.

Hygroscopicity (from other Greek ὑγρός - wet and σκοπέω - observe) - the ability of some substances to absorb water vapor from the air, in our case, the ability of the filament to absorb moisture from the environment.

Drying - drying process of 'raw' plastic, printing with raw plastic is difficult due to water boiling inside the material and foaming as it exits the nozzle. Drying of plastic can be carried out both on the battery and in special heat chambers. In some cases, it is sufficient to store the materials together with silica gel in one package.

Warping - distortion of the product shape due to internal stresses caused by uneven heating or cooling.

I hope it will be useful to someone.

Please write in the comments on the merits, namely the interpretation of the missing terms (with images) and comments regarding my interpretations.

Thank you for your attention.

3D printing for dummies or "what is a 3D printer?"

  • 1 3D printing term
  • 2 3D printing methods
    • 2. 1 Extrusion printing
    • 2.2 Melting, sintering or gluing
    • 2.3 Stereolithography
    • 2.4 Lamination
  • 3 Fused Deposition Printing (FDM)
    • 3.1 Consumables
    • 3.2 Extruder
    • 3.3 Working platform
    • 3.4 Positioning mechanisms
    • 3.5 Control
    • 3.6 Varieties of
      • FDM printers
  • 4 Laser Stereolithography (SLA)
    • 4.1 Lasers and projectors
    • 4.2 Cuvette and resin
    • 4.3 Varieties of
      • Stereolithography Printers

The term 3D printing

The term 3D printing has several synonyms, one of which quite briefly and accurately characterizes the essence of the process - "additive manufacturing", that is, production by adding material. The term was not coined by chance, because this is the main difference between multiple 3D printing technologies and the usual methods of industrial production, which in turn received the name "subtractive technologies", that is, "subtractive". If during milling, grinding, cutting and other similar procedures, excess material is removed from the workpiece, then in the case of additive manufacturing, material is gradually added until a solid model is obtained.

Soon 3D printing will even be tested on the International Space Station

Strictly speaking, many traditional methods could be classified as "additive" in the broad sense of the word - for example, casting or riveting. However, it should be borne in mind that in these cases, either the consumption of materials is required for the manufacture of specific tools used in the production of specific parts (as in the case of casting), or the whole process is reduced to joining ready-made parts (welding, riveting, etc. ). In order for the technology to be classified as “3D printing”, the final product must be built from raw materials, not blanks, and the formation of objects must be arbitrary - that is, without the use of forms. The latter means that additive manufacturing requires a software component. Roughly speaking, additive manufacturing requires computer control so that the shape of final products can be determined by building digital models. It was this factor that delayed the widespread adoption of 3D printing until the moment when numerical control and 3D design became widely available and highly productive.

3D printing techniques

3D printing technologies are numerous, and there are even more names for them due to patent restrictions. However, you can try to divide technologies into main areas:

Extrusion printing

This includes methods such as deposition fusion (FDM) and multi-jet printing (MJM). This method is based on the extrusion (extrusion) of consumables with the sequential formation of the finished product. As a rule, consumables consist of thermoplastics or composite materials based on them.

Melting, sintering or bonding

This approach is based on bonding powdered material together. Formation is done in different ways. The simplest is gluing, as is the case with 3D inkjet printing (3DP). Such printers deposit thin layers of powder onto the build platform, which are then selectively bonded with a binder. Powders can be made up of just about any material that can be ground to powder—plastic, wood, metal.

This model of James Bond's Aston Martin was successfully printed on a Voxeljet SLS printer and blown up just as successfully during the filming of Skyfall instead of the expensive original

sintering (SLS and DMLS) and smelting (SLM), which allow you to create all-metal parts. As with 3D inkjet printing, these devices apply thin layers of powder, but the material is not glued together, but sintered or melted using a laser. Laser sintering (SLS) is used to work with both plastic and metal powders, although metal pellets usually have a more fusible shell, and after printing they are additionally sintered in special ovens. DMLS is a variant of SLS installations with more powerful lasers that allow sintering metal powders directly without additives. SLM printers provide not just sintering of particles, but their complete melting, which allows you to create monolithic models that do not suffer from the relative fragility caused by the porosity of the structure. As a rule, printers for working with metal powders are equipped with vacuum working chambers, or they replace air with inert gases. Such a complication of the design is caused by the need to work with metals and alloys subject to oxidation - for example, with titanium.

Stereolithography

How an SLA printer works

Stereolithography printers use special liquid materials called "photopolymer resins". The term "photopolymerization" refers to the ability of a material to harden when exposed to light. As a rule, such materials react to ultraviolet irradiation.

Resin is poured into a special container with a movable platform, which is installed in a position near the surface of the liquid. The layer of resin covering the platform corresponds to one layer of the digital model. Then a thin layer of resin is processed by a laser beam, hardening at the points of contact. At the end of illumination, the platform together with the finished layer is immersed to the thickness of the next layer, and illumination is performed again.

Lamination

Laminating (LOM) 3D printers workflow

Some 3D printers build models using sheet materials - paper, foil, plastic film.

Layers of material are glued on top of each other and cut along the contours of the digital model using a laser or a blade.

These machines are well suited for prototyping and can use very cheap consumables, including regular office paper. However, the complexity and noise of these printers, coupled with the limitations of the models they produce, limit their popularity.

Fused deposition modeling (FDM) and laser stereolithography (SLA) have become the most popular 3D printing methods used in the home and office.

Let's take a closer look at these technologies.

Fused Deposition Printing (FDM)

FDM is perhaps the simplest and most affordable 3D construction method, which is the reason for its high popularity.
High demand for FDM printers is driving device and consumable prices down rapidly, along with technology advances towards ease of use and improved reliability.

Consumables

ABS filament spool and finished model

FDM printers are designed to print with thermoplastics, which are usually supplied as thin filaments wound on spools. The range of "clean" plastics is very wide. One of the most popular materials is polylactide or "PLA plastic". This material is made from corn or sugar cane, which makes it non-toxic and environmentally friendly, but makes it relatively short-lived. ABS plastic, on the other hand, is very durable and wear-resistant, although it is susceptible to direct sunlight and can release small amounts of harmful fumes when heated. Many plastic items that we use on a daily basis are made from this material: housings for household appliances, plumbing fixtures, plastic cards, toys, etc.

In addition to PLA and ABS, printing is possible with nylon, polycarbonate, polyethylene and many other thermoplastics that are widely used in modern industry. More exotic materials are also possible, such as polyvinyl alcohol, known as "PVA plastic". This material dissolves in water, which makes it very useful for printing complex geometric patterns. But more on that below.

Model made from Laywoo-D3. Changing the extrusion temperature allows you to achieve different shades and simulate annual rings

It is not necessary to print with homogeneous plastics. It is also possible to use composite materials imitating wood, metals, stone. Such materials use all the same thermoplastics, but with impurities of non-plastic materials.

So, Laywoo-D3 consists partly of natural wood dust, which allows you to print "wooden" products, including furniture.

The material called BronzeFill is filled with real bronze, and models made from it can be ground and polished, achieving a high similarity to products made from pure bronze.

One has only to remember that thermoplastics serve as a connecting element in composite materials - they determine the thresholds of strength, thermal stability and other physical and chemical properties of finished models.

Extruder

Extruder - FDM print head. Strictly speaking, this is not entirely true, because the head consists of several parts, of which only the feed mechanism is directly "extruder". However, by tradition, the term "extruder" is commonly used as a synonym for the entire print assembly.

FDM extruder general design

The extruder is designed for melting and applying thermoplastic thread. The first component is the thread feed mechanism, which consists of rollers and gears driven by an electric motor. The mechanism feeds the thread into a special heated metal tube with a small diameter nozzle, called a "hot end" or simply a "nozzle". The same mechanism is used to remove the thread if a change of material is needed.

The hot end is used to heat and melt the thread fed by the puller. As a rule, nozzles are made from brass or aluminum, although more heat-resistant, but also more expensive materials can be used. For printing with the most popular plastics, a brass nozzle is quite enough. The “nozzle” itself is attached to the end of the tube with a threaded connection and can be replaced with a new one in case of wear or if a change in diameter is necessary. The nozzle diameter determines the thickness of the molten filament and, as a result, affects the print resolution. The heating of the hot end is controlled by a thermistor. Temperature control is very important, because when the material is overheated, pyrolysis can occur, that is, the decomposition of plastic, which contributes both to the loss of the properties of the material itself and to clogging of the nozzle.

PrintBox3D One FDM Printer Extruder

In order to prevent the filament from melting too early, the top of the hot end is cooled by heatsinks and fans. This point is of great importance, since thermoplastics that pass the glass transition temperature significantly expand in volume and increase the friction of the material with the walls of the hot end. If the length of such a section is too long, the pulling mechanism may not have enough strength to push the thread.

The number of extruders may vary depending on the purpose of the 3D printer. The simplest options use a single print head. The dual extruder greatly expands the capabilities of the device, allowing you to print one model in two different colors, as well as using different materials. The last point is important when building complex models with overhanging structural elements: FDM printers cannot print “over the air”, since the applied layers require support. In the case of hinged elements, temporary support structures have to be printed, which are removed after printing is completed. The removal process is fraught with damage to the model itself and requires accuracy. In addition, if the model has a complex structure with internal cavities that are difficult to access, building conventional supports may not be practical due to the difficulty in removing excess material.

Finished model with PVA supports (white) before and after washing

In such cases, the same water-soluble polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) comes in handy. Using a dual extruder, you can build a model from waterproof thermoplastic using PVA to create supports.

After printing, PVA can be simply dissolved in water and a complex product of perfect quality can be obtained.

Some FDM printers can use three or even four extruders.

Work platform

Heated platform covered with removable glass work table

Models are built on a special platform, often equipped with heating elements. Preheating is required for a wide range of plastics, including the popular ABS, which are subject to a high degree of shrinkage when cooled. The rapid loss of volume by cold coats compared to freshly applied material can lead to model distortion or delamination. The heating of the platform makes it possible to significantly equalize the temperature gradient between the upper and lower layers.

Heating is not recommended for some materials. A typical example is PLA plastic, which requires a fairly long time to harden. Heating PLA can lead to deformation of the lower layers under the weight of the upper ones. When working with PLA, measures are usually taken not to heat up, but to cool the model. Such printers have characteristic open cases and additional fans blowing fresh layers of the model.

Calibration screw for work platform covered with blue masking tape

The platform needs to be calibrated before printing to ensure that the nozzle does not hit the applied layers and move too far causing air-to-air printing resulting in plastic vermicelli. The calibration process can be either manual or automatic. In manual mode, calibration is performed by positioning the nozzle at different points on the platform and adjusting the platform inclination using the support screws to achieve the optimal distance between the surface and the nozzle.

As a rule, platforms are equipped with an additional element - a removable table. This design simplifies the cleaning of the working surface and facilitates the removal of the finished model. Stages are made from various materials, including aluminum, acrylic, glass, etc. The choice of material for the manufacture of the stage depends on the presence of heating and consumables for which the printer is optimized.

For a better adhesion of the first layer of the model to the surface of the table, additional tools are often used, including polyimide film, glue and even hairspray! But the most popular tool is inexpensive, but effective masking tape. Some manufacturers make perforated tables that hold the model well but are difficult to clean. In general, the expediency of applying additional funds to the table depends on the consumable material and the material of the table itself.

Positioning mechanisms

Scheme of operation of positioning mechanisms

Of course, the print head must move relative to the working platform, and unlike conventional office printers, positioning must be carried out not in two, but in three planes, including height adjustment.

Positioning pattern may vary. The simplest and most common option involves mounting the print head on perpendicular guides driven by stepper motors and providing positioning along the X and Y axes.

Vertical positioning is carried out by moving the working platform.

On the other hand, it is possible to move the extruder in one plane and the platforms in two.

SeemeCNC ORION Delta Printer

One option that is gaining popularity is the delta coordinate system.

Such devices are called "delta robots" in the industry.

In delta printers, the print head is suspended on three manipulators, each of which moves along a vertical rail.

The synchronous symmetrical movement of the manipulators allows you to change the height of the extruder above the platform, and the asymmetric movement causes the head to move in the horizontal plane.

A variant of this system is the reverse delta design, where the extruder is fixed to the ceiling of the working chamber, and the platform moves on three support arms.

Delta printers have a cylindrical build area, and their design makes it easy to increase the height of the working area with minimal design changes by extending the rails.

In the end, everything depends on the decision of the designers, but the fundamental principle does not change.

Control

Typical Arduino-based controller with add-on modules

FDM printer operation, including nozzle and platform temperature, filament feed rate, and stepper motors for positioning the extruder, is controlled by fairly simple electronic controllers. Most controllers are based on the Arduino platform, which has an open architecture.

The programming language used by printers is called G-code (G-Code) and consists of a list of commands executed in turn by the 3D printer systems. G-code is compiled by programs called "slicers" - standard 3D printer software that combines some of the features of graphics editors with the ability to set print options through a graphical interface. The choice of slicer depends on the printer model. RepRap printers use open source slicers such as Skeinforge, Replicator G and Repetier-Host. Some companies make printers that require proprietary software.

Program code for printing is generated using slicers

As an example, we can mention Cube printers from 3D Systems. There are companies that offer proprietary software but allow third-party software, as is the case with the latest generation of MakerBot 3D printers.

Slicers are not intended for 3D design per se. This task is done with CAD editors and requires some 3D design skills. Although beginners should not despair: digital models of a wide variety of designs are offered on many sites, often even for free. Finally, some companies and individuals offer 3D design services for custom printing.

Finally, 3D printers can be used in conjunction with 3D scanners to automate the process of digitizing objects. Many of these devices are designed specifically to work with 3D printers. Notable examples include the 3D Systems Sense handheld scanner and the MakerBot Digitizer handheld desktop scanner.

MakerBot Replicator 5th Generation FDM Printer with built-in control module on the top of the frame

The user interface of a 3D printer can consist of a simple USB port for connecting to a personal computer. In such cases, the device is actually controlled by the slicer.

The disadvantage of this simplification is a rather high probability of printing failure when the computer freezes or slows down.

A more advanced option includes an internal memory or memory card interface to make the process standalone.

These models are equipped with control modules that allow you to adjust many print parameters (such as print speed or extrusion temperature). The module may include a small LCD display or even a mini-tablet.

Varieties of FDM printers

Professional Stratasys Fortus 360mc FDM printer that allows printing with nylon

FDM printers are very, very diverse, ranging from the simplest homemade RepRap printers to industrial installations capable of printing large-sized objects.

Stratasys, founded by Scott Crump, the inventor of FDM technology, is a leader in the production of industrial installations.

You can build the simplest FDM printers yourself. Such devices are called RepRap, where "Rep" indicates the possibility of "replication", that is, self-reproduction.

RepRap printers can be used to print custom built plastic parts.

Controller, rails, belts, motors and other components can be easily purchased separately.

Of course, assembling such a device on your own requires serious technical and even engineering skills.

Some manufacturers make it easy by selling DIY kits, but these kits still require a good understanding of the technology. RepRap Printers

And, despite their "homemade nature", RepRap printers are quite capable of producing models with the quality of expensive branded counterparts.

Ordinary users who do not want to delve into the intricacies of the process, but require only a convenient device for household use, can purchase a ready-made FDM printer.

Many companies are focusing on the development of the consumer market segment, offering 3D printers for sale that are ready to print “right out of the box” and do not require serious computer skills.

3D Systems Cube consumer 3D printer

The most famous example of a consumer 3D printer is the 3D Systems Cube.

While it doesn't boast a huge build area, ultra-fast print speeds, or superb build quality, it's easy to use, affordable, and safe: This printer has received the necessary certification to be used even by children.

Mankati FDM printer demonstration: http://youtu.be/51rypJIK4y0

Laser Stereolithography (SLA)

Stereolithographic 3D printers are widely used in dental prosthetics

Stereolithographic printers are the second most popular and widespread after FDM printers.

These units deliver exceptional print quality.

The resolution of some SLA printers is measured in a matter of microns - it is not surprising that these devices quickly won the love of jewelers and dentists.

The software side of laser stereolithography is almost identical to FDM printing, so we will not repeat ourselves and will only touch on the distinctive features of the technology.

Lasers and projectors

Projector illumination of a photopolymer model using the Kudo3D Titan DLP printer as an example

The cost of stereolithography printers is rapidly declining, due to growing competition due to high demand and the use of new technologies that reduce the cost of construction.

Although the technology is generically referred to as "laser" stereolithography, most recent developments use UV LED projectors for the most part.

Projectors are cheaper and more reliable than lasers, do not require the use of delicate mirrors to deflect the laser beam, and have higher performance. The latter is explained by the fact that the contour of the whole layer is illuminated as a whole, and not sequentially, point by point, as is the case with laser options. This variant of the technology is called projection stereolithography, "DLP-SLA" or simply "DLP". However, both options are currently common - both laser and projector versions.

Cuvette and resin

Photopolymer resin is poured into a cuvette

A photopolymer resin that looks like epoxy is used as consumables for stereolithographic printers. Resins can have a variety of characteristics, but they all share one key feature for 3D printing applications: these materials harden when exposed to ultraviolet light. Hence, in fact, the name "photopolymer".

When polymerized, resins can have a wide variety of physical characteristics. Some resins are like rubber, others are hard plastics like ABS. You can choose different colors and degrees of transparency. The main disadvantage of resins and SLA printing in general is the cost of consumables, which significantly exceeds the cost of thermoplastics.

On the other hand, stereolithographic printers are mainly used by jewelers and dentists who do not need to build large parts but appreciate the savings from fast and accurate prototyping. Thus, SLA printers and consumables pay for themselves very quickly.

An example of a model printed on a laser stereolithographic 3D printer. In this case, the printer uses a leveling device to flatten the thin layer of resin covering the platform just prior to irradiation. As the model is being made, the platform, together with the finished layers, is “embedded” in the resin. Upon completion of printing, the model is removed from the cuvette, treated with a special solution to remove liquid resin residues and placed in an ultraviolet oven, where the final illumination of the model is performed.

Some SLA and DLP printers work in an "inverted" scheme: the model is not immersed in the consumable, but "pulled" out of it, while the laser or projector is placed under the cuvette, and not above it. This approach eliminates the need to level the surface after each exposure, but requires the use of a cuvette made of a material transparent to ultraviolet light, such as quartz glass.

The accuracy of stereolithographic printers is extremely high. For comparison, the standard for vertical resolution for FDM printers is considered to be 100 microns, and some variants of SLA printers allow you to apply layers as thin as 15 microns. But this is not the limit. The problem, rather, is not so much in the accuracy of lasers, but in the speed of the process: the higher the resolution, the lower the print speed. The use of digital projectors allows you to significantly speed up the process, because each layer is illuminated entirely. As a result, some DLP printer manufacturers claim to be able to print with a vertical resolution of one micron!

Video from CES 2013 showing Formlabs Form1 stereolithography 3D printer in action: http://youtu.be/IjaUasw64VE

Stereolithography Printer Options

Formlabs Form1 Desktop Stereolithography Printer

As with FDM printers, SLA printers come in a wide range in terms of size, features and cost.

Learn more