What is online 3D printing

3D printing: what it is and how it works 

3D printing allows you to create new objects through an additive process (AM), which adds layers of material one on top of the other, in order to recreate a detail based on a 3D model.

3D printing has been around for about 40 years and over time it has become faster and faster in terms of manufacturing and costs. Its flexibility of use has allowed a great diffusion of this technique, which has become popular and used by different industries. In fact, 3D printing can be used to create complex objects, allowing great precision of construction, mass production and speed of execution.

Starting from a 3D digital model, the software reads the project and sections the object into different "layers", of which each section is read in 2D format.

For example, if we were to print a cylinder, each layer would turn out to be a circle, and each level will be added in a consequential way to the previous one, developing the three-dimensionality of the final product.

The advantages of 3D printing

As anticipated, 3D printing offers the advantage of being able to print very complex objects in a short time and at a limited cost. 

The speed of execution of the piece makes this technique preferable to other modes that would require longer times. 

This aspect has made 3D printing highly competitive over the years compared to other methods, making it one of the most used techniques for prototyping to date.

Another advantage is the ease of use of 3D printing, a feature that has also allowed it to be used in schools for educational purposes, such as architecture or engineering faculties, where students can test their prototypes. 

In addition, 3D printing has also stood out from other techniques due to the possibility of choosing from a very wide range of materials. 

To date, the most common materials are plastic-based, ranging from standard PLA to more complex polymers such as PEEK and PEI. However, it is possible to add carbon fibres and glass to the thermoplastic materials in order to obtain better performance and longer durations than the part made. In addition, some scientists are testing 3D bioprinting, suitable for the culinary sector, since it literally allows you to "print" food and model objects with biological materials. 

Finally, 3D printing can be used by individuals and companies, it allows you to make personal objects such as jewellery or decorations, up to high-engineering pieces for professional or technological purposes. So 3D printing can be used for different purposes, shapes and uses, as it can adapt to an almost infinite range of models.

3D printing for rapid prototyping

The most common use of 3D printing at an industrial level is for rapid prototyping, that is, the creation of a 3D model in the prototype phase and that once defined can be printed in series.

A recent example that can be referred to happened during the pandemic emergency, where respirators and other medical material such as tampons, were designed and then reproduced in series to make up for the lack of material in hospitals and pharmacies. Researchers and doctors have therefore exploited the production speed of 3D printing by making the necessary changes in a timely manner to perfect the medical material, thus being able to respond to the growing demand for these professional tools.

Similarly, 3D printing can be applied to different fields of development such as aerospace, automotive, academic sector, and much more.

In fact, 3D printing can also be used to print high-quality industrial components, such as interior parts or car engines.

Obviously, b, especially in fields such as aerospace, where the lightness of the object and the strength of the material are very important criteria to take into account.

Conclusions

In general, 3D printing proves to have great flexibility of use, speed of execution and limited costs. Aspects that have allowed it to spread across different sectors and applications. 

In addition, the ease of use of the 3D printer also allows individuals to try their hand at creative and personalized objects, allowing 3D printing to become one of the most used creation processes to date.