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How To Print 3d Images On Paper – Picozu

October 29, 2022September 29, 2022 by Felicity

Since the early 2010s, 3D printing has become an increasingly popular method for creating physical objects from digital models. 3D printing can be used to create a wide variety of objects, including prototypes, jewelry, and even food. One of the most common questions we get asked is “how do you print 3D images on paper?” The answer is actually quite simple: you need a 3D printer and a file of the object you want to print. If you don’t have a 3D printer, there are a few different ways you can get one. You can either buy a 3D printer, or you can use a 3D printing service. We recommend using a 3D printing service, as they usually have a wider variety of printers and materials to choose from, and they can often print your object for you. Once you have a 3D printer, you’ll need a file of the object you want to print. If you don’t have a file, there are a few different ways you can get one. You can either create a file yourself using a 3D modeling program, or you can download a file from a 3D model repository like Thingiverse. Once you have a file of the object you want to print, you can send it to a 3D printer and have it printed. The process of printing a 3D object is generally the same regardless of the printer you’re using. However, there are a few things you’ll want to keep in mind when printing 3D images on paper. First, you’ll want to make sure that the file you’re printing is in the correct format. Most 3D printers use STL files, so if your file is in a different format, you’ll need to convert it. You can use a free online converter like Convert2STL to convert your file. Next, you’ll need to select the right material for your print. Paper is a great choice for printing 3D images, as it’s inexpensive and easy to find. However, you’ll want to make sure that you select the right type of paper. We recommend using photo paper, as it’s designed for printing high-quality images. Finally, you’ll need to select the right settings for your print. The settings you’ll need to use will depend on the printer you’re using and the type of paper you’re using. However, there are a few general tips you can follow.

3D printing is a great way to create a whole new look for your next project. Do you know how it transforms your picture into something beautiful? If you have a picture of it, you can use it to generate a 3D model. You can find an effective solution for any size picture from 1 to 100 hundred words. Because a picture is a 2D file, it cannot be manipulated in a 3D model with two axes. You can use the extrude tool to create a new geometry from any component by expanding its boundaries. It is possible to create a surprisingly realistic 3D model if you can symmetrically replicate your 2D images.

The lithophane is a 3D print method that allows you to show different shades of grey by using the thickness of the print. You have two options for generating a 3D model: image to lithophane or vicura. An FDM printer is not recommended for use because it may not have a good layer height. It is critical to take good photos in order to obtain the best 3D model. From a photograph, a series of points are collected in space. Using 123D catch, you can easily create a 3D model from your photos. This photogrammetry solution is simple to use and has a simple interface.

It can also be used as an alternative to Agisoft Photoscan Photoscan. Contact Capture is a cutting-edge technology that produces exceptional results. The use of 3D scanning makes it simple to create a 3D model of a piece of art. There are numerous materials available for 3D printing, so 3D print models are a wide range of possibilities. Full color sandstone is typically the best material to use in order to achieve a more vibrant and likely result. It is relatively simple to turn photos into 3D models using 3D printing. You do not need to have a 3D printer or a 3D scanner at home to do it. Additive manufacturing is a viable, efficient, and time-effective method for prototyping, as well as working on industrial designs.

How Do I Print A 3d Image?

Credit: velto.ca

In order to print a 3D image, you will need to have a 3D printer. Once you have a 3D printer, you will need to find a 3D image that you want to print. There are many sites on the internet that offer 3D images that you can download and print. Once you have found an image that you want to print, you will need to open it in a 3D printing software program. This program will allow you to adjust the size and orientation of the image so that it will print correctly on your 3D printer. Once you have the image set up in the software, you will simply need to hit the print button and the 3D printer will do the rest.

It is possible to 3D print a 3D object, but it is not completely possible right now. There are several types of 3D printers that can be created by themselves. A few electronics components cannot be 3D printed in this technology. It’s possible to find the pieces online, but you may need to learn 3D modeling or CAD software. A 3D printer can replicate itself, but it cannot print entirely. A third party must assemble them, and those who cannot be 3D printed, such as electronics and metal parts, must be assembled themselves. Prusa i3 is now one of the most widely used 3D printers in the world, thanks to these advancements.

Researchers at Carleton University in Ottawa are working on self-replicating 3D printers. When one of these machines is sent to the moon, it will recreate itself from lunar material. Then, a satellite manufacturing facility will be built in space, as well as 3D printed lunar bases.

Can You Print A 3d Model From A Picture?

Credit: realitypod.com

Yes, it is possible to print a 3D model from a picture. This can be done by using a 3D scanner to scan the image and create a 3D model from it.

There are numerous online service providers who can assist you in converting multiple images into a 3D model, not just one. A single solution cannot be classified as being the sole one that is suitable for all situations. The results of this experiment will undoubtedly confirm what you already knew: 3D printers can produce some of the best images ever seen. The process of converting JPG and PNG files to STL files is described below. It is critical to remember that the methods described in this article are not complete, detailed 3D models. Based on the method’s goals, we intend to create 3D flat designs in 3D in the physical form, but with a more or less flat surface. The following steps are included in this application to enable 3D printing of photos.

Use Ultimaker’s Cura or Lithophane tools to transform a 2D image into a 3D model. The lithophane converter is the simplest way to use the image and produces more results than the traditional cura method. In a 2D model, an extruder will allow you to generate volume using an algorithm. If you want to create 3D objects from a 3D print, you’ll need to create a detailed model. If you want to transform multiple pictures into a 3D model, you can do so through the use of photogrammetry, which allows you to create a more detailed and accurate model. A photograph is an example of a photogramme, which is a method of collecting various points in space from a variety of photographs. In the following sections, you will need to choose a format from the plethora of available ones, such as 3D, OBJ, C4D, DAE, and STL. Because 3D printing materials are available in a variety of shapes and sizes, there are numerous possibilities for modeling a 3D print model.

3d Print Models

A 3d print model is a file that can be used to create a three-dimensional object using a 3D printer. The file is created using a CAD (Computer Aided Design) program and is usually saved in a format that can be read by the printer.

Professional 3D models are available for printing at home with desktop FDM or industrial SLS 3D printers. You can create fancy sculpture designs based on classical works and historical figures using 3D Printing models. Toys is the category that covers printable 3D alien or monster miniatures, tiny tanks, movie character helmets, hobby paraphernalia, and accessories for boys and girls. 3D-printed models of jewelry are available. There are aliens, famous people, landmarks, animals, monsters, and more. To play table games, it’s a good idea to have utility vehicles on your table or miniatures. This is a list of some of the best 3D designers. E-commerce can be visualized using 3D models. Business models are available in 3D.

Organ printing: how 3D bioprinting technology has advanced and what is hindering its development In research centers and hospitals around the world, advances in 3D printing and bioprinting are providing new opportunities for human treatment and scientific research. In the coming decades, bioprinting could be the next major milestone in healthcare and personalized medicine.

Let's talk about bioprinting technology, the latest advances in the industry and the limitations that professionals face.

How a 3D printer works

Traditional printers, like the one you have at home or office, work in two dimensions. They can print text or images on a flat surface (usually paper) using the x (horizontal) and y (vertical) dimensions. 3D printers add another dimension - depth (z). During the printing process, the printer heads can move up and down, left and right, back and forth, but instead of delivering ink to paper, they distribute various materials - polymers, metal, ceramics and even chocolate - until the "print" of a holistic, voluminous object , layer by layer in a process known as "additive manufacturing".

To create a 3D object, you need a blueprint for it, a digital file created with modeling software. After its creation, the computer-generated model is sent to the printer. Your chosen material is loaded into the machine and ready to be heated to easily flow out of the printer nozzle. As the printer reads the plan, its head moves, depositing successive layers of the selected material to create the final product.

As each layer is printed, it is solidified either by cooling or by mixing two different solutions delivered by the printer head. The new layers precisely lay down on the previous ones to make a stable, cohesive element. In this way, you can create almost any shape, including a moving one.

3D printing allows you to create objects with geometric structures that would be difficult or impossible to make in other ways. A wide range of products are already being created using 3D printers, including jewelry, clothing, toys, and high-end industrial products. Even a 10-year-old Moscow schoolboy has learned how to work with a 3D printer: he prints 3D figures to order and sells them through Instagram.

How a bioprinter works

Bioprinters work in much the same way as 3D printers, with one key difference - they deposit layers of biomaterial, which can include living cells, to create complex structures such as blood vessels or skin tissue.

Living cells? Where do they get them? Every tissue in the body is made up of different types of cells. The required cells (kidney, skin, and so on) are taken from the patient and then cultured until there are enough of them to create "bio-ink" that is loaded into the printer. This is not always possible, therefore, for some tissues, stem cells are taken that are capable of becoming any cell in the body (organism), or, for example, porcine collagen protein, seaweed and others.

Often used in bioprinting is chitosan, a polysaccharide obtained from the external skeleton of mollusks (eg shrimp) or by fermenting fungi. This material has high biocompatibility and antibacterial properties. Its disadvantage is the low rate of gelation. Another popular material is a polysaccharide isolated from seaweed called agarose. Its advantages are high stability and the possibility of non-toxic cross-linking during research. However, this biomaterial does not decompose and has poor cell adhesion (the ability of cells to stick together with each other and with other substrates).

Collagen, a primary structural protein found in the skin and other connective tissues, has a high biological significance. It is the most abundant protein in mammals and a major component of connective tissue. Its disadvantages for bioprinting include the property of acid solubility. More information about biomaterials can be found here.

Based on computer designs and models, often scans and MRIs taken directly from the patient, the printer heads place the cells exactly where they are needed and within a few hours an organic object is built from a large number of very thin layers.

Organovo bioprinter creates tissues that mimic the structure and composition of various human organs

Source: Pbs.org

Scaffolding for ear or nose replacement at Wake Forest University in Winston-Salem, North Carolina

Source: CBS News

Computer displays an image of a "scaffold" for the human ear, created in the laboratory of Wake Forest University in Winston-Salem, North Carolina

Source: CBS News

Usually more than just cells are needed, so most bioprinters also supply some kind of organic or synthetic "glue" - a soluble gel or collagen scaffold to which cells can attach and grow. This helps them form and stabilize in the correct shape. Surprisingly, some cells can take the correct position on their own without any "scaffolding". How do they know where to go? How do embryonic cells develop in the uterus, or does adult tissue move to repair damage? Same here.

Universities, researchers and private companies around the world are involved in the development of bioprinting technologies. Let's take a look at some of the amazing things they are working on.

Bioprinting in Russia

3D Bioprinting Solutions is a biotechnology research laboratory founded by medical company INVITRO. The activity of the laboratory is the development and production of bioprinters and materials in the field of three-dimensional bioprinting and scientific research. August 23, 20193D Bioprinting Solutions laboratory sent a new batch of cuvettes to the ISS to continue experiments on bioprinting in space, which began in 2018. This was reported in the press center of the laboratory. This time it is planned to use organic and inorganic components to assemble bone tissue on the world's first space bioprinter Organ.Aut.

Symposium "Biofabrication in Space"

Source: Zdrav.Expert

Organ.Aut magnetic bioprinter

Source: Zdrav.Expert

The astronauts will also grow protein crystals and experiment with printing biofilms of bacteria to study their behavior in zero gravity. Russian scientists expect to receive unique scientific data that can be applied in the development of new drugs.

Scientific director of 3D Bioprinting Solutions and leading researcher of the Institute of Regenerative Medicine, Candidate of Medical Sciences Vladimir Mironov, in his speech at the Department of Anatomy of Sechenov University on September 2, noted: “Living cells, tissues and human organs will be synthesized already in the current century. To do this, morphological sciences, such as microscopic anatomy and histology, must be digitized or digitalized, that is, digitized and made available for computer programs of robotic bioprinters, since without digital models it is impossible to print human tissues and organs. ”

Bioprinting around the world

Every year, millions of people around the world need bone grafting. Modern bone grafts often use cement-based synthetic material in combination with the patient's own bone. However, the use of these materials has a number of limitations - some transplants caused rejection and inflammatory processes in patients. Reproduction of the natural bone-cartilage "interface" has also been problematic.

However, a team at Swansea University in 2014 developed a bioprinting technology that allows the creation of an artificial bone prosthesis in the exact shape of the desired bone, using a biocompatible material that is both durable and regenerative. At the same time, scientists from the University of Nottingham in England were working on similar studies.

It takes about two hours to print a small bone. Therefore, surgeons can do it right in the operating room. This part of the bone is then covered with adult stem cells that can develop into almost any other type of cell. This is combined with bio-ink from the printer, a combination of polylactic acid (which provides mechanical strength to bone) and alginate, a gel-like substance that serves as a shock-absorbing material for cells. The end product is then implanted into the body, where it will completely disappear within about three months and be replaced by new bone.

Researchers hope that in the future, bioprinted bones can be created with sufficient reliability to support complex spinal reconstruction, and that the bone material will be further improved to increase its compatibility with cartilage cells.

Source: ETH Zurich

Successful 3D printing of human cartilage may soon completely replace artificial implants for people in need of reconstructive surgery. Back in 2015, scientists in Zurich developed technology that would allow hospitals to print a full-size human nose implant in less than 20 minutes. They believe that any cartilage implant can be made using their technique.

Researcher Matti Kesti described the technology as follows:

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“A serious car accident can cause the driver or passenger to suffer complex nose injuries. The nose can be restored by creating a 3D model on a computer. At the same time, a biopsy of the patient is performed and cartilage cells are removed from the victim's body, such as from a knee, a finger, an ear, or fragments of a broken nose. The cells are spawned in the laboratory and mixed with the biopolymer. From this suspension, a model of nasal cartilage is created using a bioprinter, which is implanted into the patient during surgery. In the process, the biopolymer is used simply as a mold. It is subsequently broken down by the body's own cartilage cells. And in a couple of months it will be impossible to distinguish between the graft and the person’s own nasal cartilage.”

Matti Kesti

Since the implant was grown from the body's own cells, the risk of rejection will be much lower than for an implant made of, say, silicone. An additional advantage is that the bioimplant grows with the patient, which is especially important for children and young adults.

If a person is severely burned, healthy skin can be taken from another part of the body and used to cover the affected area. Sometimes intact skin is missing.

Researchers at Wake Forest School of Medicine have successfully designed, built and tested a printer that can print skin cells directly onto a burn wound. The scanner very accurately determines the size and depth of damage. This information is sent to a printer and skin is printed to cover the wound. Unlike traditional skin grafts, it only takes a patch of skin one-tenth the size of a burn to grow enough cells to print. While this technology is still in the experimental stage, the researchers hope that it will be widely available within the next five years.

As already mentioned, 3D printers print products in layers, and since the skin is a multi-layered organ with different types of cells, it is well suited for this type of technology. However, researchers still have a lot of problems to solve, in particular, how to prevent damage to cells from the heat generated by the printer. And of course, like most parts of the human body, the skin is more complex than it first appears—there are nerve endings, blood vessels, and a host of other aspects to consider.

Blood vessels

Biomechanical engineer Monica Moya holding a petri dish with printed alginate-based biotubes. Biotubes can act as temporary blood vessels similar to blood vessels that help create a patch of living tissue.

Source: embodi3D

With tens of thousands of miles of veins, arteries and capillaries in the human body, researchers are working to replace them if they ever wear out. The creation of viable blood vessels is also essential for the proper functioning of all other potential bioprinted body parts.

Biomechanical Engineer Monica Moya of Livermore National Laboratory. Lawrence uses bioprinting to create blood vessels. The materials created by her bioprinters are engineered to allow small blood vessels to develop on their own.

This development takes time, so vials of cells and other biomaterials are printed to help deliver vital nutrients to the printed environment. After a while, self-assembled capillaries connect with bioprinted tubes and begin to deliver nutrients to cells on their own, mimicking the work of these structures in the human body.

Internal organs

Many researchers hope that in 20 years the lists of patients waiting for organ transplants will become a thing of the past. They envision a world where any organ can be printed and transplanted in just a few hours, without rejection or complications, because these organs will be created from body cells according to the individual characteristics of each patient. Currently, bioprinting of fully functional complex internal organs is not possible, but research is ongoing (and not without success).

Bladder

For example, the bladder is already printed. In 2013, at Wake Forest University in the US, researchers successfully took cells from a patient's original, poorly functioning bladder, cultured them, and added additional nutrients. The 3D shape of the patient's bladder was then printed and the cultured cells soaked through it. The form was placed in an incubator and, when it reached the desired condition, it was transplanted into the patient's body. The mold will eventually collapse, leaving only the organic material. The same team successfully created viable urethras.

Physicians and scientists at the Wake Forest Institute for Regenerative Medicine (WFIRM) were the first in the world to create laboratory-grown organs and tissues that were successfully transplanted into humans. Right now they are working on growing tissues and organs for more than 30 different areas of the body, from the kidneys and trachea to cartilage and lungs. They also aim to accelerate the availability of these treatments to patients.

Scientists in Australia are doing similar research as well. They used human stem cells to grow a kidney organ that contains all the necessary cell types for a kidney. Such cells can serve as a valuable initial source for bioprinting more complex kidney structures.

MD, Professor of Urology, Professor of the Institute of Regenerative Medicine Anthony Atala shows a kidney created by a bioprinter. A modified desktop inkjet printer sprays cells instead of ink. The cells were cultured from the patient and the structural template for the kidney was obtained from the MRI (so it is the correct size and shape).

Using this technology, back in 2001, Atala printed and successfully transplanted a bladder into a young man, Jake.

Source: TedEd

Heart

Heart cells, laboratory-grown organelles. Source

Surprisingly, it is the human heart that can become one of the easiest organs to print, since, in fact, it is a pump with tubes. Of course, everything is not so simple, but many researchers believe that humanity will learn to print hearts before kidneys or liver.

Researchers at the Wake Forest Institute for Regenerative Medicine in April 2015 created "organoids" - 3D printed fully functional, beating heart cells.

In April 2019, Israeli scientists printed the world's first 3D heart. It is still very small, the size of a cherry, but it is able to perform its functions. The 3D heart with blood vessels uses personalized "ink" of collagen, a protein that supports cell structures, and other biological molecules.

A Tel Aviv University researcher holds the world's first 3D printed heart on April 15, 2019.
Source: Haaretz

“This is the first time anyone anywhere has successfully designed and printed a whole heart with cells, blood vessels, ventricles and chambers,” said Tel Aviv University scientist Professor Tal Dvir.

So far, scientists have been able to print tissue from cartilage and the aortic valve, for example, but the challenge has been to create tissue with vascularity—the blood vessels, including capillaries, without which organs cannot survive, let alone function.

The Tel Aviv scientists started with human adipose tissue and separated the cellular and non-cellular components. They then reprogrammed the cells to become undifferentiated stem cells, which could then become cardiac or endothelial. Endothelium - a single layer of flat cells lining the inner surface of the heart cavities, blood and lymphatic vessels. Endothelial cells perform many functions of the vascular system, such as controlling blood pressure, regulating the components of blood clotting, and the formation of new blood vessels.

Non-cellular materials, including a large amount of proteins, were processed into a "personalized hydrogel" that served as "printing ink".

It will be years before this technology can create organs for efficient transplantation. However, the achievements of scientists in Tel Aviv are a huge milestone along the way.

Medical research and pharmacology

One of the key potential uses for bioprinted living materials is in the field of medical and drug research. Bioprinted tissues have several cell types with different densities and key architectural features. This allows researchers to study the impact of various diseases on the body, the stages of disease progression and possible treatments in the natural microenvironment.

One of the most impressive developments in recent years is the development of a desktop brain at the ARC Center of Excellence in 2016. The researchers were able to use a 3D printer to create a 3D printed six-layer structure that includes nerve cells that mimic the structure of brain tissue.

This opens up huge potential benefits for researchers, pharmaceuticals and private companies, because it will allow them to test new products and drugs on tissue that accurately reflects the responses of human brain tissue, as opposed to animal samples, which may cause a completely different response. The desktop brain can also be used to further investigate diseases such as schizophrenia or Alzheimer's.

We are far from printing the brain, but the ability to arrange cells to form neural networks is a significant step forward. By allowing researchers to work with human tissue in real time, testing processes can be greatly accelerated and results can be more realistic and accurate. It will also reduce the need to use laboratory animals for medical tests and potentially dangerous human testing.

Medical simulators and data registries

Source: Simbionix

About 3,000 medical simulators are currently in use around the world to help doctors practice complex procedures. Virtual blood vessels, 3D printed organs... and no animal suffers!

The American company 3D Systems created an industry segment called VSP (Virtual Surgical Planning). This approach to personalized surgery combines expertise in medical imaging, surgical simulation and 3D printing. Surgeons using the Simbionix medical simulator for the first time often report feeling physical pain while empathizing with their virtual patient - the experience is so realistic. Organs and tissues look completely real. When stitching an organ, the surgeon sees on the screen a needle that enters the tissue, and pulls the thread. If the doctor does something wrong, the virtual blood vessels break and the organ begins to bleed. These simulators were developed by the Israeli company Symbionix, which was acquired by 3D Systems in 2014.

On September 3, 2019, the Radiology Society of North America (RSNA) and the American College of Radiology (ACR) announced the launch of a new 3D Medical Printing Clinical Data Registry to collect data on treatment outcomes using 3D printing at the point of care. This information will be a powerful tool to assess and improve patient care in real time, drive ongoing research and development, and inform patients and healthcare professionals about the best course of care.

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“The creation of a joint RSNA-ACR 3D printing registry is essential to the advancement of clinical 3D printing. The registry will collect data to support the appropriate use of this technology and its implications for clinical decision making. ”

William Widock, Professor of Radiology at the University of Michigan and Chairman of the RSNA 3D Printing Special Interest Group (SIG)

According to RSNA, the information in the registry will allow for the necessary analysis to demonstrate the clinical value of 3D printing. Due to the wide variety of clinical indications, different technologies for creating physical models from medical images, and the complexity of the models, it is problematic to choose the optimal treatment method. The registry will help solve this problem.

Bioprinting software

Bioprinter and bioprinting software manufacturer Allevi introduced Allevi Bioprint Pro software on September 5, 2019. Built-in model generation and integrated slicing will allow you to focus more on experimenting, rather than setting up the printer. The program runs entirely in the cloud, which means you can create your biostructures, define materials, and track prints right from a web browser on any computer.

According to the development team, the new bioprinter with the above software is powerful and easy to use and represents another piece of the puzzle on the way to 3D printed organs.

At the same time, CELLINK, the first bio-ink company, announced the launch of a new product to become the most flexible bio-printing platform on the market. The BIO X6 bioprinter, which has no analogues at the moment, has the ability to combine more bioprinting materials, cells and tools.

Why is this taking so long?

Complex body structure

The human body and its various components are much more complex than a plastic toy. The human organ has a complex network of cells, tissues, nerves, and structures that must be arranged in specific ways to function properly. From placing thousands of tiny capillaries in the liver to actually getting a printed heart that "beats" and contracts in the human body, there is still a lot of research and testing.

Legal regulation

In addition, bioprinting technologies, like all new medical treatments, must pass safety tests and due process of regulation before they become available.

Special software and hardware

It also takes time to develop special software and hardware. These programs can be written only with the appropriate data (medical, clinical, statistical, mathematical, and so on), which someone must first collect, analyze, systematize and digitize.

Working through all of these steps requires the integration of technologies from various fields, including engineering, biomaterials science, cell biology, physics, mathematics, and medicine. So we need to be a little more patient.

The main thing is to know that those who work in the field, doctors and engineers, programmers and scientists are making progress every day both in bioprinting technology itself and in understanding how it can be used and improved. Although we are not quite there yet, there is no doubt that medicine will be very different in 10-20 years, thanks also to bioprinting.

In brief

Bioprinting is an extension of traditional 3D printing.

Bioprinting can produce living tissue, bones, blood vessels, and possibly entire organs for use in medical procedures, medical training, and testing.

The cellular complexity of a living organism has made 3D bioprinting slower to develop than conventional 3D printing.

Bioprinting technology could enable the generation of patient-specific tissues to develop precise, targeted and fully personalized treatments.

We still have a long way to go before we can create fully functioning and viable organs for human transplantation.

Related materials: Russia was the first in the world to print living tissues in space using a bioprinter

5 most amazing things created using 3D printing

will go into orbit in 2021 "Exhibits touching is allowed”: how 3D printing is transforming museums

© Rusbase, 2019
Author: Nadezhda Aleinik

Cover photo: etonastenka, Depositphotos

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 Work platform
• 3.4 Positioners
• 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 Types of stereolithographic 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

There are a lot of 3D printing technologies, and 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 virtually any material that can be ground to a 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 makes it very popular.
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 binding 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 very 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 simply be 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 lengthening 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 designed 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 FDM inventor Scott Crump, is a leader in industrial plant manufacturing.

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 quality at the level 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 “straight 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 speed, or superb model 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 Kudo3D Titan DLP printer as an example

The cost of stereolithographic 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 collectively 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 the cuvette

A photopolymer resin that looks like epoxy is used as consumables for stereolithography 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

Resin is poured into a cuvette, which can be equipped with a lowering platform. 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.

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