Ideas from artists flow through their hands to create art.
Ideas from designers not able to build from a sketch are drawn on paper or CAD programs and sent out to manufacturers or makers.
CAD design files have different views or perspectives. 3D CAD designs could be visualized in horizontal cross-sections to see internal features. Layered slices of CAD designs gave way to making models of 2D layer views and then 3D Models.
Makers wanted to imitate materials to make models more realistic. New machines had to be designed to automatically dispense existing materials for 3D models.
These 3D machine processes were labeled Additive Manufacturing Processes.
Some hand-held machine tools already existed for adding materials. (1) Hot-melt glue guns,
(2) inkjets or paint sprayers, (4)clothing and sheet laminators, (5) welding tools, etc.)
AM Processes chose materials based on tools for building 2D layers. The basic AM processes are computer automated (1) contact deposition with melted materials, (2)inkjet non-contact deposition with liquid materials, (3) Powder Bed, (4) Sheet lamination, (5)Welding or wire feed deposition and (6) Bath photopolymerization.
Patents have appeared with combinations of these processes. Powder "Binder Jetting", Laser Powder welding, Electron Beam powder welding, Liquid metal Jetting, Powder sintering in ovens, and others.
This discussion is about the basic AM Process of producing a solid single 3D layer vs producing a full finished 3D Model with "one" process. All of the above processes result in a solid 3D layer completion with one defined operation except Powder "Binder Jetting". The binder fluid is only water and a finished solid layer does not exist until the finished Binder Powder model is put into an oven and sintered. Binder Jetting is not a trademark but it is an AM Process and I believe it is identified incorrectly. It may never get changed but I need some input about this AM Process name.
3D Printing means producing a 3D object or any portion of the object as the process is performed. A partial layer is still a 3D model.
Think about it. Can I deposit "unsolidified" materials in small layered steps into a tray and put it into an oven, bake it, to be a finished pie and call it a 3D Printed Model?
Dear James K. McMahon Please do recommend my answer if found useful.
Additive Manufacturing (AM), also known as 3D printing, refers to a set of technologies that build three-dimensional objects by adding material layer by layer. This approach stands in contrast to traditional subtractive manufacturing methods, where material is removed to create a final product. There are several additive manufacturing processes, each with its unique characteristics. Here's a discussion of some prominent additive manufacturing processes:
1. **Stereolithography (SLA):**
- SLA is one of the earliest 3D printing techniques. It uses a liquid photopolymer resin cured by ultraviolet (UV) light to build layers. A UV laser scans the resin surface, solidifying it layer by layer. SLA is known for producing high-resolution and detailed prints, making it suitable for prototyping and creating intricate models.
2. **Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM):**
- FDM is a widely used 3D printing method that employs a thermoplastic filament. The filament is heated and extruded through a nozzle, forming layers that solidify as they cool. FDM is popular for its accessibility, cost-effectiveness, and applicability to a wide range of materials. It's commonly used for rapid prototyping and producing functional parts.
3. **Selective Laser Sintering (SLS):**
- SLS utilizes a powdered material (typically nylon, polyamide, or metal) that is selectively fused together by a laser. The build platform lowers, and a new layer of powder is spread before the laser sinters the next cross-section. SLS is known for its ability to produce strong, functional parts, and it supports a variety of materials.
4. **Selective Laser Melting (SLM):**
- SLM is a metal additive manufacturing process where a high-powered laser selectively melts and fuses metallic powder particles layer by layer. This process is particularly well-suited for producing complex metal parts with high strength and precision. It finds applications in aerospace, healthcare, and automotive industries.
5. **Electron Beam Melting (EBM):**
- EBM is similar to SLM but uses an electron beam instead of a laser to melt and fuse metal powder. The high energy of the electron beam allows for the processing of refractory metals like titanium. EBM is known for producing fully dense metal parts with good mechanical properties.
6. **Digital Light Processing (DLP):**
- DLP is a 3D printing technique that uses a digital light projector to cure a liquid resin layer by layer. It shares similarities with SLA but cures entire layers simultaneously. DLP is known for its speed in comparison to some other resin-based methods.
7. **Binder Jetting:**
- In binder jetting, a liquid binder is selectively deposited onto a powder bed, bonding the powder particles together to form each layer. The process is repeated until the entire object is created. Binder jetting is used for both metal and sand casting applications.
These additive manufacturing processes have revolutionized the manufacturing industry by enabling rapid prototyping, customization, and the production of complex geometries that might be challenging or impossible with traditional manufacturing methods. Each process has its advantages and limitations, and the choice depends on factors such as material requirements, part complexity, and intended application.
Hi Tobias:
Thank you your reply.
Binder jetting is only a water-based powder binding process to hold the powder together until the powder is sintered. The Binder does not sinter by itself. This is the poorest AM process because the rough powder surface must be smoothed off later.
You have overlooked Material Jetting. The first Material Jetting process was introduced around the same time as Binder Jetting. The first Material Jetting process has never improved since it began in 1993 at Sanders Prototype. Material Jetting uses Hotmelt plastics that become liquid for jetting. Fused deposition was patented about the same time as Material Jetting and it uses soften plastic to spread on surfaces to make layers. FDM model quality is very poor. Inkjet hotmelt plastic was the highest quality for models. Jewelers chose liquid plastic materials before any of the AM processes. Hotmelt Jetted fluids are the most innovative in the industry and this process has never been copied by any other company. Read about inkjet Printing in Wikipedia.org.
The jets shoot drops at 16,000 drops per second on Demand and no material is wasted. The inkjets use sound to shoot drops and a close inspection of this jet will show you it uses Phonons to excite molecules at the jet orifice to shoot the drops. Amazing technology and it will expand to other materials as time goes on.
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