The next major component of 3D printing is the printing material. Your printer must accommodate the material you plan to work with and offer an appropriate size and speed for your application. Specialized printers also exist to work with materials like concrete and biological matter. The platform moves down a layer, and another layer of powder gets deposited. A laser scans the surface in the selected pattern, sintering and solidifying the powder. 5 They heat the powder to just below its melting point, then deposit a thin layer of the material onto the build platform. Selective laser sintering (SLS): SLS printers use powdered materials.Digital light printing (DLP): Many users opt for DLP printing to create larger parts or larger volumes of parts because this technology can flash an entire layer at one time rather than a small area.The nozzle then deposits the heated filament in layers that join together. A filament wrapped around a spool gets fed through a nozzle, 3 which heats and softens the filament. Fused deposition modeling (FDM): FDM printers range from consumer-grade printers to industrial-grade.They can use particularly strong lasers suitable for engineering-grade resins. They build up the product in individual layers. These printers aim one or two lasers over a vat of resin, 2 curing a small part of it. Stereolithography (SLA): SLA is one of the largest 3D printing technologies and is available to both hobbyists and professionals.You can find many different types of 3D printers on the market, 1 but some of the most popular styles for commercial users include:

Of course, 3D printing starts with a printer. Between storage, ventilation, handling materials and equipment configurations, your 3D printing budget must accommodate additional items, especially if you plan to utilize a 3D printer’s exceptional versatility.īefore you explore the world of 3D printing, you’ll need a thorough understanding of the process and all the 3D printing supplies you might need. 3D printing is a flexible, efficient and profitable approach to production, but it requires more than a printer and filament.

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