Eps 1366: the evolution of 3d printing
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Byron Dunn
Podcast Content
Unlike traditional manufacturing, where parts are cut from large blocks of material for example, additive manufacturing creates a product layer by layer by printing only the relevant parts, which means that less material is wasted and less energy is wasted to produce the raw materials required. With the evolution of 3D printing technology used in the manufacture of tooling processes and everything from 3D-printed cars, it has proven useful on several levels. Additive manufacturing for printing electronics makes it possible to produce prototypes and custom designs in a fraction of the time that traditional subtractive manufacturing requires.
From 2005 onwards, as 3D printing equipment lowered its costs and became a viable production method for applications such as prototyping, design and testing, the small-series industry made great strides in applying the technology. In manufacturing, companies began to use the technology in a variety of ways to address stock shortages without affecting people's workings. Coinciding with the development of 3D printing technology for consumer use, companies took advantage of the technology for construction, architectural design, manufacturing and other industries.
Industry such as manufacturing, architecture and product design are benefiting from the benefits of 3D printing, with the largest forecast growth in the electronics, aerospace and medical industries. Todd Spurgeon, an additive manufacturing project engineer at America Made, says that the electronics industry will see things like custom heat sinks and high-end products, while the aerospace industry will also see a large availability of 3D printed components that will find their way into high-end military and general aviation applications. In the 2020s, 3D printing will evolve in terms of speed, precision and dimension which will allow the technology to be integrated at a global scale into the production processes of many companies.
A new breakthrough additive manufacturing technology, 3D printing for electronics designers and manufacturers uses multiple materials to produce functional parts in just a few hours such as printed circuit boards, sensors and antennas. The convergence of electronics and additive manufacturing offers stunning potential for the electronics industry, from rapid prototyping of elements such as antennas and sensors to professional printed circuit boards and mid-mold interconnect devices. 3D printing technology accelerated in the 20th century, when stereolithography was introduced to the manufacturing world.
High-performance thermoplastic carbon reinforced composites such as Ultem, Peek and Pekk enable manufacturers to 3D print functional prototypes and end-use components for a variety of industrial applications. Additive manufacturing is a production method that transforms virtual 3D models into reality at comparable costs and print volumes, enabling new approaches to design and manufacturing. Carbon Digital Light Synthesis is a technology developed in 2013 by the newly founded Carbon company. It uses digital light projection by oxygen-permeable optics in carbon-programmable liquid resins, and enables printing up to 100 times faster than other additive manufacturing processes.
With this technology, designers can develop prototypes and test designs without having to invest in manufacturing. In the early days of 3D printing, it was expensive to print, and its use was limited to producing complex objects such as aircraft parts and parts for Formula 1 racing cars. The French General Electric Company , manufacturer of laser optical technology, did not recognise the use of this type of printing of material layers to produce 3D products, and the company abandoned its discovery.
However, Hideo Kodama of Nagoya Municipal Industrial Research Institute could not get his patent approved for a method to print layers of material to produce a 3D product. When the inventor Charles Hull came up with the idea of using UV light in a new way to transform parts created using computer-aided design software into 3D objects, he was given permission to use a company that manufactured UV lamps so that layers of plastic could be applied to any surface that could be used in a household or used at night or during weekends as a laboratory.
The term "3D printing" refers to the polymer technology that most people have in mind, but the generic term "additive manufacturing" is more commonly used for metalworking and finishing in the context of polymer, inkjet and stereolithography enthusiasts. In 3D printing, there are no sacrifices for making viable prototypes, fidelity to materials, design speed, or the cost of making prototypes.
Designers and manufacturers are keen to experiment with 3D printing technology. Reducing costs, increasing efficiency and promoting innovation: many people are excited about the impact of 3D printing on the future of manufacturing.
In March 2020, many manufacturers and engineers stepped up their fight against the COVID-19 pandemic with a call from the 3D printing community to supply the necessary materials for products that industry experts had predicted. It is inspiring to see the development of 3D printing and to see manufacturers working together across the industry to shape the industry and economy.
Agile tools use modular tool designs to manufacture additive manufacturing, and 3D printing processes enable rapid prototyping in response to tooling and equipment requirements. Possible classifications after final use of printed objects range from visualization models to high-quality technical parts, with printers used for different purposes but these subdivisions do not clarify the different classes and layers of manufacturing technologies and their behavior.