3D PRINTER

3D PRINTER

A 3D printer 'is a machine capable of "impressions" 3D designs, creating pieces or volumetric from a design made by computer models. Arise with the idea of converting files in real 2D or 3D prototypes. It's commonly used in tooling or prefabricated parts or components, in areas such as architecture and industrial design. Today is spreading its use in the manufacture of medical prostheses as 3D printing allows tailor each piece made to the exact characteristics of each patient.

3D printers typically use various polymers as media, but there are also special classes such as Foodini printers, printer creates food, or some that can even print houses cement depositing layers but most business models are currently two types:

• De compaction, with a mass of powder is compacted in layers.

• In addition, injection or polymers, where the material itself is added in layers.

According to the method used for powder compaction, can be classified into:

• Ink Printers 3D: use a binder to compact the powder ink. Use of an ink allows printing in different colors

• 3D Laser Printers: a laser transfers energy to dust causing it to polymerize. After immersed in a liquid which makes the polymerized areas solidify.

Once printed all layers just have to take the part. Using a vacuum the excess powder, which is reused in future printings removed.

The operation is based on an injector head and moving 3-dimensional XYZ, the software uses a 3D model until sectioned into layers of 0.1 mm thick, so that printing is performed layer by layer, after the head end injecting the material for a layer, this moves in the Z axis and moves to a second process for making the same. Because the process is layer by layer, the printing time usually takes hours, and the more complex the model longer delay

To make the design of the pieces you want to perform with 3D printing you need some design software, which we can choose any of the following:

• Tinkercad

• OpenSCAD

• SolidWorks

• Catia

• Blender

Among others. Many of these programs are very simple to use, because the interfaces are very nice for the user, plus some of these special tools present us to know whether our design meets the expected characteristics both in form and performance.

For inkjet printers, the compositional powder used may be based plaster or cellulose (the most common is the plaster). The result is quite fragile, so you should submit the piece to an infiltration based on cyanoacrylate or epoxy to give the necessary hardness. Parts made with cellulose powder can infiltrate with an elastomer to achieve flexible parts.

• The advantage is that it is a faster and cheaper method, although parts are more fragile.

For laser printers, finishing the printing process, one time to allow the material polymerized finished.

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