3D Printing: News

3D printing is an additive manufacturing process. Unlike conventional manufacturing where the material is removed to create the finished product, 3D printing processes usually add material layer by layer to create the finished product. The term 3D printing broadly refers to a variety of processes in which the material is composited together to create objects. Some of these processes use raw materials in the form of powders, resin, pellets, and filament. The most popular method of 3D printing is called Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM) where a filament of thermoplastic material is extruded through a nozzle to create prints. 3D printing is great for generating prototypes and manufacturing complicated geometries that would be impossible to construct by hand, especially those with internal features and internal truss structures that reduce weight. However, FDM has its disadvantages. The process is time-consuming and the surface finish of the final product has to be improved by postprocessing in some cases. The technology caught on in 2019 although it has existed since the 80s. Now, 3D printers are becoming more affordable for the masses. Large-scale commercial printers are also capable of printing using concrete, metal alloys, wooden filaments, and carbon fiber.