presentation about 3d printing

3D Printing .

3d printing: what it is, how it works and examples.

How Does 3D Printing Work?

3D printing uses specialized equipment to create solid, three-dimensional objects from a digital file. The practice has been around since the 1980s, when Charles W. Hull invented the process and created the first 3D-printed part . Since then, the field of 3D printing has grown exponentially and holds countless possibilities.

3D Printing Overview

3D printing is a process that uses computer-aided design, or CAD, to create objects layer by layer. 3D printing is commonly used in manufacturing and automotive industries, where tools and parts are made using 3D printers.

As the capabilities of 3D printing continue to grow, so does its value: By 2029, the 3D printing industry is estimated to reach a value of $84 billion . This growth means we are bound to interact with products — and even homes and buildings — made with 3D printing.

What Is 3D Printing?

3D printing is also shaking up the healthcare industry. In 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic overwhelmed hospitals and increased the need for personal protective equipment. Many healthcare facilities turned to 3D printing to supply their staff with much-needed protective equipment , as well as the parts to fix their ventilators. Large corporations,  startups and even high school students with 3D printers stepped up to the plate and answered the call. 3D printing will not only change how we make PPE and medical equipment, but also streamline prosthetics and implants .

Although 3D printing is not necessarily new, there are some who still wonder what 3D printing is and how it works. Here’s a guide to understanding 3D printing.

Best 3D Printing Companies View the Top 3D Printing Companies

What Are 3D Printers?

In short, 3D printers use CAD to create 3D objects from a variety of materials, like molten plastic or powders. 3D printers can come in a variety of shapes and sizes ranging from equipment that can fit on a desk to large construction models used in the making of 3D-printed houses. There are three main types of 3D printers and each uses a slightly different method.

Types of 3D Printers

• Stereolithographic, or SLA printers, are equipped with a laser that forms liquid resin into plastic.
• Selective laser sintering, or SLS printers, have a laser that sinters particles of polymer powder into an already solid structure.
• Fused deposition modeling, or FDM printers, are the most common. These printers release thermoplastic filaments that are melted through a hot nozzle to form an object layer by layer.

3D printers aren’t like those magical boxes in sci-fi shows. Rather, the printers  — which act somewhat similarly to traditional 2D inkjet printers — use a layering method to create the desired object. They work from the ground up and pile on layer after layer until the object looks exactly like it was envisioned.

Why Are 3D Printers Important to the Future? 

The flexibility, accuracy and speed of 3D printers make them a promising tool for the future of manufacturing. Today, many 3D printers are used for what is called  rapid prototyping .

Companies all over the world now employ 3D printers to create their prototypes in a matter of hours, instead of wasting months of time and potentially millions of dollars in research and development. In fact, some businesses claim that 3D printers make the prototyping process  10 times faster and five times cheaper than the normal R&D processes.

3D printers can fill a role in virtually almost every industry. They’re not just being used for prototyping. Many 3D printers are being tasked with printing finished products. The construction industry is actually using this futuristic printing method to print complete homes. Schools all over the world are using 3D printers to bring hands-on learning to the classroom by  printing off three-dimensional dinosaur bones and robotics pieces. The flexibility and adaptability of 3D printing technology makes it a game-changer for any industry.

What Can You 3D Print?

3D printers have extreme flexibility for what can be printed with them. For instance, they can use plastics to print rigid materials, like sunglasses. They can also create flexible objects, including phone cases or bike handles, using a hybrid rubber and plastic powder. Some 3D printers even have the ability to print with carbon fiber and metallic powders for extremely strong industrial products. Here are a few of the common applications 3D printing is used for.

Rapid Prototyping and Rapid Manufacturing

3D printing provides companies with a low-risk, low-cost and fast method of producing prototypes that allow them to test a new product’s efficiency and ramp up development without the need for expensive models or proprietary tools. Taken a step further, companies across many industries utilize 3D printing for rapid manufacturing, allowing them to save costs when producing small batches or short runs of custom manufacturing.

Functional Parts

3D printing has become more functional and precise over time, making it possible for proprietary or inaccessible parts to be created and acquired so a product can be produced on schedule. Additionally, machines and devices wear down over time and may be in need of swift repair, which 3D printing produces a streamlined solution to.

Like functional parts, tools also wear down over time and may become inaccessible, obsolete or expensive to replace. 3D printing allows tools to be easily produced and replaced for multiple applications with high durability and reusability.

While 3D printing may not be able to replace all forms of manufacturing, it does present an inexpensive solution to producing models for visualizing concepts in 3D. From consumer product visualizations to architectural models, medical models and educational tools. As 3D printing costs fall and continue to become more accessible, 3D printing is opening new doors for modeling applications.

How Do 3D Printers Work?

3D printing is part of the additive manufacturing family and uses similar methods to a traditional inkjet printer — albeit in 3D. Additive manufacturing describes the process of creating something in layers, adding material continuously until the final design is complete. This term most often refers to molding and 3D printing. 

It takes a combination of top-of-the-line software, powder-like materials and precision tools to create a three-dimensional object from scratch. Below are a few of the main steps 3D printers take to bring ideas to life.

How Does a 3D Printer Work?

3d modeling software.

The first step of any 3D printing process is 3D modeling. To maximize precision — and because 3D printers can’t magically guess what you want to print — all objects have to be designed in a 3D modeling software. Some designs are too intricate and detailed for traditional manufacturing methods. That’s where CAD software comes in. 

Modeling allows printers to customize their product down to the tiniest detail. The 3D modeling software’s ability to allow for precision designs is why 3D printing is being hailed as a true game changer in many industries. This modeling software is especially important to an industry, like dentistry, where labs are using 3D software to design teeth aligners that precisely fit to the individual. It’s also vital to the space industry, where they use the software to design some of the  most intricate parts of a rocketship .

Slicing the Model

Once a model is created, it’s time to “slice” it. Since 3D printers cannot conceptualize the concept of three dimensions, like humans, engineers need to slice the model into layers in order for the printer to create the final product. 

Slicing software takes scans of each layer of a model and will tell the printer how to move in order to recreate that layer. Slicers also tell 3D printers where to “fill” a model. This fill gives a 3D printed object internal lattices and columns that help shape and strengthen the object. Once the model is sliced, it’s sent off to the 3D printer for the actual printing process.

The 3D Printing Process

When the modeling and slicing of a 3D object is completed, it’s time for the 3D printer to finally take over. The printer acts generally the same as a traditional inkjet printer in the direct 3D printing process, where a nozzle moves back and forth while dispensing a wax or plastic-like polymer layer-by-layer, waiting for that layer to dry, then adding the next level. It essentially adds hundreds or thousands of 2D prints on top of one another to make a three-dimensional object.

3D Printing Materials

There are a variety of different materials that a printer uses in order to recreate an object to the best of its abilities. Here are some examples:

Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene (ABS)

Plastic material that is easy to shape and tough to break. The same material that LEGOs are made out of.

Carbon Fiber Filaments

Carbon fiber is used to create objects that need to be strong, but also extremely lightweight.

Conductive Filaments

These printable materials are still in the experimental stage and can be used for printing electric circuits without the need for wires. This is a useful material for wearable technology.

Flexible Filaments

Flexible filaments produce prints that are bendable, yet tough. These materials can be used to print anything from wristwatches to phone covers.

Metal Filament

Metal filaments are made of finely ground metals and polymer glue. They can come in steel, brass, bronze and copper in order to get the true look and feel of a metal object.

Wood Filament

These filaments contain finely ground wood powder mixed with polymer glue. These are obviously used to print wooden-looking objects and can look like a lighter or darker wood depending on the temperature of the printer.

The 3D printing process takes anywhere from a few hours for really simple prints, like a box or a ball, to days or weeks for much larger detailed projects, like a full-sized home.

How Much Do 3D Printers Cost?

3d printing processes and techniques.

here are also different types of 3D printers depending on the size, detail and scope of a project. Each different type of printer will vary slightly on how an object gets printed.

Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM)

FDM is probably the most widely used form of 3D printing. It’s incredibly useful for manufacturing prototypes and models with plastic.

Stereolithography (SLA) Technology 

SLA is a fast prototyping printing type that is best suited for printing in intricate detail. The printer uses an ultraviolet laser to craft the objects within hours.

Digital Light Processing (DLP) 

DLP is one of the oldest forms of 3D printing. DLP uses lamps to produce prints at higher speeds than SLA printing because the layers dry in seconds.

Continuous Liquid Interface Production (CLIP) 

CLIP is amongst the faster processes that use Vat Photopolymerisation. The CLIP process utilizes Digital Light Synthesis technology to project a sequence of UV images across a cross-section of a 3D printed part, resulting in a precisely controlled curing process. The part is then baked in a thermal bath or oven, causing several chemical reactions that allow the part to harden.

Material Jetting 

Material Jetting applies droplets of material through a small diameter nozzle layer-by-layer to build a platform, which becomes hardened by UV light.

Binder Jetting 

Binder Jetting utilizes a powder base material layered evenly along with a liquid binder, which is applied through jet nozzles to act as an adhesive for the powder particles.

FDM, also known as Fused Filament Fabrication (FFF), works by unwinding a plastic filament from a spool and flowing through a heated nozzle in horizontal and vertical directions, forming the object immediately as the melted material hardens.

Selective Laser Sintering (SLS) 

A form of Powder Bed Fusion, SLS fuses small particles of powder together by use of a high-power laser to create a three-dimensional shape. The laser scans each layer on a powder bed and selectively fuses them, then lowering the powder bed by one thickness and repeating the process through completion.

Multi-Jet Fusion (MJF) 

Another form of Powder Bed Fusion, MJF uses a sweeping arm to deposit powder and an inkjet-equipped arm to apply binder selectively on top. Next, a detailing agent is applied around the detailing agent for precision. Finally, thermal energy is applied to cause a chemical reaction. Direct Metal Laser Sintering (DMLS) also utilizes this same process but with metal powder specifically.

Sheet Lamination

Sheet Lamination binds material in sheets through external force and welds them together through layered ultrasonic welding. The sheets are then milled in a CNC machine to form the object’s shape.

Directed Energy Deposition

Directed Energy Deposition is common in the metal industry and operates by a 3D printing apparatus attached to a multi-axis robotic arm with a nozzle for applying metal powder. The powder is applied to a surface and energy source, which then melts the material to form a solid object.

3D Printing Examples

3D printing has permeated almost every single sector and has offered some innovative solutions to challenges all over the world. Here are a few cool examples of how 3D printing is changing the future.

3D Printing Uses

• Construction
• Medical Equipment

3D Printed Food

3D printed food seems like something out of the Jetsons or too good to be true. In fact, if it can be pureed, it can be safely printed. Like something out of a sci-fi show, 3D printers layer on real pureed ingredients, like chicken and carrots, in order to recreate the foods we know and love. 

3D printed food is entirely safe to eat as long as the printer is completely cleaned and working properly. You might want to order your meal ahead though. 3D food printers are still relatively slow. For example, a detailed piece of chocolate takes about 15 to 20 minutes to print. Even so, we’ve seen printers craft everything from burgers to pizza and even gingerbread houses using this mind-blowing technology.

3D Printed Houses

Nonprofits and cities all over the world are turning to 3D printing to solve the global homeless crisis.  New Story , a nonprofit dedicated to creating better living conditions, built the first 3D-printed community in Mexico. Using a 33-foot long printer, New Story is able to churn out a  500 square-foot home , complete with walls, windows and two bedrooms in just 24 hours. So far, New Story has created mini 3D-printed home neighborhoods in Mexico, Haiti, El Salvador and Bolivia, with more than 2,000 homes being 100 percent 3D printed.

3D Printed Organs and Prosthetic Limbs

In the near future, we’ll see 3D printers create working organs for those waiting for transplants. Instead of the traditional organ donation process, doctors and engineers are teaming up to develop the next wave of medical technology that can create hearts, kidneys and livers from scratch. 

In this process, organs are first 3D modeled using the exact specifications of the recipient’s body, then a combination of living cells and polymer gel (better known as  bioink ) are printed off layer-by-layer to create a living human organ. This breakthrough technology has the ability to change the medical industry as we know it and reduce the drastically high number of patients on the organ donation waitlist in the United States.

3D printing offers several additional revolutionary means of improving quality-of-life for patients while making solutions more accessible to healthcare providers From components for surgical machines to N95 masks and ventilators. Perhaps most impressively, 3D printing technology has even fast-tracked production and durability of prosthetics while reducing costs, like how GE Additive produced  over 10,000 hip replacements through 3D printing from 2007 through 2018.

3D Printed Aerospace Technology

Will the future of space travel rely on 3D-printed rockets? Companies, like  Relativity Space , think so. The company claims that it can 3D print a working rocket in just a few days and with one hundred times fewer parts than a normal shuttle. The company’s first conceptualized rockets, the Terran 1 and Terran R, will only take 60 days from the start of printing to the launch into space. The rocket will be custom-printed using a proprietary alloy metal that maximizes payload capacity and minimizes assembly time. 

Not only are 3D printed materials easier to manufacture quickly and at lower costs but 3D printing also provides a way to reduce the total number of parts that need to be welded together while also significantly reducing weight and increasing strength. Another famous example is GE Aviation’s LEAP engine, which uses 3D printed Cobalt-chrome fuel nozzles that weigh 25 percent less and are five times as strong as traditionally manufactured nozzles.  

3D Printed Cars

3D printing has been utilized in the automotive industry for many years, allowing companies to shorten design and production cycles while lowering the amount of stock needed to have on hand. Spare parts, tools, jigs and fixtures can all be produced on an as-needed basis while providing flexibility that would have been unimaginable to previous generations.

Additionally, 3D printing provides a way for automotive enthusiasts to customize their vehicles or restore old cars with parts that are no longer in production. Automotive repair shops can even utilize 3D printing when faced with unusual repair requests.

3D Printed Consumer Products

Consumer products, without a digital or electronic build quality, such as clothing , eyewear, jewelry and more, can all be mass-produced through 3D printing. While various other products can have their body or frame manufactured through 3D printing, any item that can be produced within a mold can also be produced through 3D printing.

Advantages and Disadvantages of 3D Printing

Advantages of 3d printing, 3d printers are affordable.

3D printing is capable of making the manufacturing process of complex parts more streamlined thanks to software programming. This often means it is a more affordable option in some industries. 

Other factors that contribute to the affordability of 3D printing are the materials used. 3D printing can utilize low-cost plastics and concrete that are easily accessible. Also, because there is no need for a mold in 3D printing, that’s another cost taken off the table.

3D Printers Are Fast 

3D printing is ideal for quick prototyping of products because it can be done in house in small runs. This allows manufacturers to work out bugs and make changes to products faster than a typical production process. Alterations to products can easily be made through CAD while the manufacturing cost stays the same.

3D Printers Can Work With Speciality Materials 

Despite plastics and metals being commonly used in the 3D printing industry, there are a host of other options to choose from. The advantage means speciality parts and products can be made with specific materials like water-absorbing plastic, nitinol, gold and carbon fiber. Speciality materials like this allow for properties such as high heat resistance, water repellency and strength.

Disadvantages of 3D Printing

3d printers may not provide enough strength.

A downside to building an object up layer by layer, is that this can affect the durability and strength of the object. Of course, the strength of 3D printing relies heavily on what materials are used; metals and concrete will always be some of the strongest materials used in 3D printing. 

3D Printers May Have Accuracy Issues

Although CAD is often an accessible and accurate way to design, there can be errors. Accuracy with 3D printing is dependent on the techniques and printers use. For example, some smaller 3D printers, like desktop models, can wear out easily. This means that as the production of a design goes on, the products made later on may vary from the first batch.

3D Printers May Require Post-Processing 

Another pitfall of 3D printing is the work required to finish up a product. This might include sanding or smoothing out an object, heat treatment or removing support struts. Post-processing of 3D printed products can sometimes lead to additional costs.

The Future of 3D Printing

Hardly the realm of hobbyists, 3D printing is poised to upend manufacturing and revolutionize aerospace.

3D Printing Metal: How Does It Work?

Top 4 use cases for 3d printing in product development.

7 Types of 3D Printers to Know

Stereolithography (SLA): What It Is, How It Works

3D-Printed Cars: 11 Current Examples

3D-Printed Organs: Are We Close?

What is bioprinting.

What Are 3D Printed Rockets?

What Is Additive Manufacturing?

What Is 3D-Printed Food? How Does It Work?

What Is 3D-Printed Meat?

What is 4d printing.

10 Examples of 3D-Printed Houses

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A PRESENTATION ON “3D PRINTING TECHNOLOGY”. What is 3D Printing ?  3D printing or additive manufacturing is a process of making three dimensional solid.

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How to Use a 3D Printer: A Beginner’s Guide to 3D Printing

3D printing is an additive manufacturing process that uses thin layers of filament (in most cases, plastic) to create a physical object from a three-dimensional model. A digital file creates the model which eventually transfers to the printer. The 3D printer creates thin layers, one on top of another, until a 3D printed object is formed.  3D printing  also allows the production of models of more complex shapes with less material than traditional manufacturing techniques.

Research shows that 3D printing history starts in the ’70s. It was not until 1980 that early additive manufacturing equipment and materials were developed. Hideo Kodama initiated a patent for this technology but, unfortunately, never commercialized it. In the ’90s 3D printing began to attract attention from technologies around the world. These years also saw the invention of fully functional human organs for transplants in young patients using 3D printed methods covered with particles and cells from their very own body. It was a major success for the medical industry.

Despite these advancements, 3D printing had limited functional productions until the 2000s, when additive manufacturing gained popularity. Additive Manufacturing is the process of adding materials together to produce an item. The procedure of additive manufacturing is in stark contrast to the concept of subtractive manufacturing. Subtractive manufacturing is the process of removing material by carving out a surface to create an object. This process also produces a great deal of material waste. In this regard, the term 3D printing still refers more to technologies that use polymer materials and, additive manufacturing   refers more to metalworking. But by the early 2010s, the terms of these two processes were used in popular language across the market, media, companies, and manufacturers.

Around 2008 the first self-replicating 3d printer model was created. That means a 3D printer was able to recreate itself by printing its parts and components. This enabled users to produce more printers for others. Studies show that later the same year, a person successfully walked with a 3D printed prosthetic leg fully printed in one piece. Then in the 2010’s the additive processes matured, and 3D printing work began to create objects layer by layer. In 2012, with the addition of plastic and other various materials for 3D printing, several authors began to think that 3D printing could be important for a developing world.

During the following years, more applications for 3D printing have emerged, including the world’s first aircraft. Makers using 3D printers agree that this method is faster and cheaper compared to traditional methods and are ideal for those who need rapid prototyping (RP). Terms such as desktop manufacturing, rapid manufacturing, and rapid prototyping have since become synonymous with 3D printing.

The market offers a wide variety of 3D printers. Sophisticated machines are expensive, but there are also more affordable models available with high-quality printing and features. 3D printing also offers easy-to-use desktop printers, which are increasingly popular among schools and engineers.

How Does 3D Printing Work?

In a shell, 3D printing works by blending layers of material to build an object. In this process, the 3D printer machine works with the direction of a computer 3D modeling software that regulates the process with high precision and exactness.

The 3D printing manufacturing includes several types of manufacturing technologies, all these work in the same way by creating models’ layer by layer essentially. Each one of these types of 3D printing manufacturing processes may utilize a different type of material, finish, and cost.

Some of the most common and utilized types of technologies are FDM, SLS, SLM, SLA, and DLP. Below read on a summary of each one of these technologies.

Let us start with the most common of these, the  FDM or Fused Deposition Modelling , this is a trading name given by Stratasys. Even though this concept has been around since the ’90s, a lot of 3D printers since 2009 starting to utilize this process. This technology is also known as FFF (Fuse Filament Fabrication). In this type of process, several layers are aligned together until a shape is formed, by melting plastic that is deposited via a heated extruder. The most common materials used or filaments of this type of process are ABS and PLA.

Another SLS or Selective Laser Sintering uses a laser to sinter powdered plastic material and turn this into a solid model. Normally, this type of technology is a popular choice due to the rapid ability to create prototypes and small-batch manufacturing.

SLM or Selective Laser Melting  uses a high-power density laser to melt and fuse metallic types of powder. With his type of technology, the metal material can be fully melted into a solid 3D model. This process also allows for the shape to be created layer by layer and create parts that cannot be easily cast with other conventional methods. The file is sliced into layers on a CAD computer software, normally and .STL file, and then it is loaded onto a file preparation software, then the material is melted using a high- power laser beam until a part is complete.

Continuing  SLA or Stereolithography  creates parts with high levels of detail, smooth surfaces, flawless finishes, and quality. This type of technology is widely used for applications on the mechanical industry and models.

Finally,  DLP or Digital Light Processing  is a technique similar to SLA that cures the resin materials by using light through a light projector screen. Because of the light usage, an entire layer can be built at once making this process relatively faster but recommendable for low-volume production runs of mostly plastic parts.

1. Create a CAD (Computer-Aided Design) file

The first step to creating a 3D printed object is creating a virtual design with computer software or a 3D scanner. On this, the exact dimensions of the object to build are simulated to see how this will look like when finishing the 3D printing. When designing a 3D object utilizing CAD, fewer errors may result while printing, and fortunately, these can be corrected before the process. There is also another way of creating an object manually, like sculpting where a 3D scanner is needed to collect the data, shape, and appearance of the desired object.

2. Convert the CAD file

Once the design is being created, the next thing is to convert the file into a format that can be read by the 3D printer. One of the most common files used is STL (standard tessellation language). STL files may sometimes create a larger file due to the number of surfaces. There is also another option of a file format used named AMF, Additive Manufacturing File format that stores information more conveniently.

3. Manipulate the STL file

Once the STL file is created, and ready to be sent to the 3D printer, the orientation and size for the object to be printed must be set. STL files also allow us to repair any inconsistencies in the original.

4. Prepare the 3D printer 

Once the digital file is ready to be printed, all materials need to be ready as well to start the printing process. Once the STL file is ready, then it must be processed by a slicing software that aids in the 3D printing process by converting the object into layers and provides the instructions that later will be received by the 3D printer.

5. Build the object 

Once all the mentioned parameters are ready, the printing process can begin. Some printers may take some time to create the final product as this depends on how complex is the object to print. Many printers have high-end capabilities and print faster. When the process begins, the layers start to build the object with an incomparable resolution using a special measure of micrometers. For instance, the thickness of a typical layer is about 100 micrometers.

6. Process the final piece 

Once the object is ready, this must be handled very cautiously. For instance, putting gloves to handle the printed item is recommendable, finally, brush off any residual powder to clean up the piece. One of the advantages of 3D printing is that a piece can be made within hours, compared to traditional processes of manufacturing, this is very convenient and shows faster results.

How does an FFF 3D Printer Work?  

Fused Filament Fabrication (FFF) 3D Printing , is also known under the trademarked term Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM). This technology was invented after SLA (Stereolithography) and SLS (Selective Laser Sintering) techniques were present. The term FFF was initially used as an unconstrained alternative given the fact that FDM is a trademarked term.

To begin with, an extrusion heated nozzle moves over a built platform, at the same time releases molten plastic, then this begins to deposit the thermoplastic material in thin layers, one on top of another onto a print bed, which is where eventually the 3D printed object is formed. The nozzle and the printed bed move while at the same time the plastic is being extruded. In this process, the slicing software is crucial due to this being the one that separates the design into different layers for 3D printing optimization.

3D printing uses a wide range of different variations of materials such as pastes, raw materials, and thermoplastics or filaments, being these the most used and come in different colors, thickness, and sizes to fit the purpose of the 3D printing model. Filament materials used for extrusion include thermoplastics, ABS, PLA, HIPS, TPU, ASA, PETG, PLA, etc.

What can be 3D Printed?

3D printing has revolutionized the way models and prototypes are being created for the industry. The idea of rapid prototyping (RP) allows the creation of products usually within hours of days rather than weeks when traditional methods are used. With 3D printing, almost every object you can think of can be printed.

According to  Statista , the worldwide market for 3D printing products and services is anticipated to exceed 40 billion U.S. dollars by 2024. This source states that this industry is expected to expand to an annual growth rate of 26.4 percent between 2020 and 2024.

3D printing can create a wide range of applications. Every day, new materials and applications are being discovered and therefore, more companies are relying on this method for quicker prototyping and production of items, including the fact that they already have their printers.

3D printing is actively involved across many important industrial organizations with a significant impact on product development, research, education, and more, and is promising to transform almost every industry as we currently know it.

3D Printing in the Consumer Goods Industry

Many companies and retailers are recurring to the usage of 3D printing due to its significant value on the commercial chain. They can customize and design their products in a quicker manner and keep up with the ever-changing consumer market. By producing pieces faster, they are also able to put their products rapidly in the market.

Some companies have used 3D printing to produce eyewear, footwear, lighting design, furniture, and more. Among the brands that have already produced athletic shoes are Nike and Adidas. In an article published by Nike at  news.nike.com , they mention how Nike Flyprint is the first 3D printed textile upper-performance footwear. Nike Flyprint uppers are produced through SDM (solid deposit modeling).

Another application is 3D printing in jewelry. According to SmarTech the industry value of precious metals for additive manufacturing is expected to reach $1.8 billion worldwide by 2028. A famous Australian company Boltenstern , has launched a 3D printed jewelry line recently.

3D Printing in the Medical Industry

In the medical field, 3D printing has a lot to contribute. While donors are difficult to find, in  this video  published by  Marketwatch , the Rochester Institute of Technology’s engineering department is researching new 3D printing techniques for health-care applications such as the capability to generate organs that can be acceptable to the recipient. Allied Market Research shows that the 3D printing market for healthcare is expected to grow at $2.3 billion by 2020.

With the rapid advancement of flexible manufacturing and innovations, 3D printing is now widely implemented for medical purposes, such as implant designs, surgical planning and training, and prosthetics. See here some articles of  3D printing for medical applications,  including a most recent case study of  how people are using 3D printing to produce masks to fight COVID-19.

With the rapid advancement of flexible manufacturing and innovations in Biomedical fields, 3D printing is now widely implemented for medical purposes, such as implant designs, surgical planning and training, and prosthetics. You can 3D print with thermoplastics like Polycarbonate, semi-flexible plastics, ABS, which is strong and weather resistant or PLA (Polylactic Acid), which will biodegrade over time, even inside a human body.  In this case , 3D printing is used in the field of radiotherapy is used to create custom devices for beam range modulation, 3D Conformal Radiation Therapy (3D CRT), or Brachytherapy application.

In this case , spinal surgeries see Increased success rate with 3D printed guides. The Bengbu Hospital is the top-grade hospital in the Anhui Province. Since the end of 2013, Director Niu launched 3D printing application research for vertebrae in the clinical field.

Here is another case , where 3D printing has reduced costs and help the creation of prosthetic hands. Founder Mike Li worked in the IT industry up until 3 years ago when he was inspired by a video that highlighted a unique use of 3D printing for children’s prosthetics. Motivated to apply medical 3D printing for prosthetics to help others, he and other local makers volunteered their time to create and customize prosthetics for patients.

3D Printing in the Automotive Industry  

3D printing is also transforming the automotive industry, evolving from printing relatively simple prototypes of low production parts to 3D printing entire cars. In-car auto designs, auto parts can also be created using 3D printing. Sometimes, a scale small model is printed to gauge scale before the assembly process. This technique also helps the industry by producing rapid prototypes and reducing money and time for production. Some other automotive companies are dedicated to creating customized auto parts for special model cars. Read here more case studies about  3D printing in the automotive industry.

3D Printing in Aerospace

In the aerospace industry, 3D printing has remarkable uses as well. To name a few, Airbus is utilizing 3D printing technology to create plastic parts on commercial A310 and A350 XWB test aircraft . In this video , metal parts for wing slats, a section of the tail wing and door hinges are claimed to be produced by this company. The development and manufacturing of potential parts using 3D printing can be conceived as lighter, stronger, and with 70% less time to make it and 80% less expensive compared to others. Aside from this, Airbus also mentions how 3D printing contributes to the environment as it has reduced up to 95% of its metal waste.

3D Printing in Dental Applications

Research shows that the market for 3D printing dental applications is expected to grow significantly. Dental 3D printing applications include the creation of crowns, aligners, bridge models, retainers, and even orthodontic models. Read here about  Dental 3D printing in Orthodontic models .

3D Printing for Prosthetics

The impact of 3D printing on the medical field has made positive advancements such as fast processing times, low costs, and the ability to create efficient prototypes and parts that require customization, such as 3D printed implants and prosthetics. 3D printing is producing hands, feet, legs, and more.

Albert Fung, a talented biology illustrator from Canada, first designed a CAD template for the initial prosthetic. Using this as a base, he and his team were able to optimize the model for each patient’s situation.

An organization named e-NABLE is currently doing work in this area. Albert Fung and Dr. Choi created five versions of the initial prosthetic design and optimized the design to accommodate individuals in Sierra Leone within one year.

3D Printing in Architecture

In this field, 3D printing allows us to quickly create an architectural model, and this is ideal because a physical model is much favored than a computer presented a model on the screen. Any architectural application can rapidly create scale models in a faster and cheaper way now. There are also other astonishing applications of 3D printing in the architectural industry, to name a few it is possible to create entire buildings and urban structures. In Madrid, Spain the  first 3D pedestrian bridge was printed . This structure crosses a stream in Castilla-La Mancha Park in Alcobendas, Madrid. The structure is printed using micro-reinforced concrete and measures 12 meters in length and 1.75 wide.

3D Printing in Archeology

3D printing for museums and archeology is helping with the reproduction of exact copies of artifacts that can travel the world to help researches in their developments. Archeological pieces can also be scanned and created for students to do research. This technology is widely used by museums because ancient pieces are at a high risk of being broken or damaged when transported and by the usage of scanning and 3D printing, restoration is possible. This including fossil reconstruction.

3D Printing in Art Restoration

Although restoration is a field dedicated to preserving the past, some sculptors are turning to 3D printing to help facilitate their restoration work. A great example of this is the Scuola di Alta Formazione (SAF) of the Instituto Superiore per la Conservazione ed il Restauro (ISCR). This institute is the leader of the restoration of masterpieces of the Italian heritage. Teachers at the institute decided to use 3D scanning and 3D printing with excellent results for their restoration projects. Read here  3D printing in the restoration of Italian classical art.

Another example of this great use is a project called “Elastic Minds” by the MOMA, the Museum of Modern Art in New York, the artists were using 3D printing in a project to create art and furniture such as chairs at a complete scale.  In this video  about the exhibition, pieces of furniture were created by sketches in the air with laser technology and then a camera scans this to capture the movement and captures this as a drawing that then is sent into a 3D printer machine.

3D Printing in Forensics

In forensics, the usage of 3D printing is creating a breakthrough in solving cold case files, by printing skulls, shoe prints instantly, and more.  Daryl Ricketts  is a forensic anthropologist and a professor of anthropology at Indiana University that uses 3D printing for education and research purposes. He uses the resources of 3D printing to create forensic pieces for his students. By using CT scans, fetal specimens, fetal skeletons to do virtual autopsies. He also uses facial 3D printing for facial reconstruction from different hominids.

Furthermore, at the University of South Florida, forensic artists have sculpted 3D printed skulls with clay to reconstruct the faces of more than 900 missing and unidentified homicide victims.  In this video  published by CNN, artists from around the world work along with the Forensic Anthropology Laboratory to reconstruct faces to identify these victims.

3D Printing in the Film Industry

In the film industry, movie labs and companies now are using more widely the technology of 3D printing for makeup preps and special effects to create characters. As an example, artists Steve Yang and Eddie Wang from Alliance Studio are using 3D printing for a new era of special effects and sculpture creation.  In this video , they shared their story of how they started to work with 3D printing when everything was using traditional methods and how this technology changed their way of creating things in a way that was not seen before.

Also  in this article,  Rick Baker the Star Wars famous makeup artist uses 3D printers for the creation of monsters and props. Rick Baker has been able to create parts and scaled copies of his movie characters by using the technology of 3D printing. This technology along with the digital design has helped to decrease the overall time spent for the creation of the movie models.

Many companies around the world are using 3D printing to create exceptional high-precision models for prototyping and industrial manufacturing. 3D offers a less expensive and a very affordable process due to most models being produced using plastic and other variety of materials. Moreover, this innovative method utilizes less material for manufacturing and prototyping compared to traditional techniques.

3D Printing in Education

In the fields of education, there are countless applications of 3D printing technology with such interesting applications. The past decade has seen explosive growth in STEM education in progressive schools, as theoretical textbook knowledge is being replaced by experiential, project-based learning. When students shaped by this innovative learning ecosystem join the workforce, they are scaling new heights to help transform our manufacturing processes as well. Where appropriate, additive manufacturing technologies like 3D printing are now replacing traditional methods to bring more flexibility, design innovation, and cost savings to production processes.

For instance, Lift 3.0 is using 3D printers in Russia to teach kids the value of additive manufacturing with remarkable results.

Traveling to California, here is the case of John Gardner is a student at Foothill High School in Tustin, CA, who has a great passion for engineering and technology. Once introduced to 3D printers he began to develop his prototypes for an electric skateboard, custom-fit prosthetic limbs, and more. If you are interested in more cases of 3D printing in education , visit here.

To learn more about, why companies are using 3D printing, click here

How to Print with a 3D Printer?

3D printing is changing the way that objects are being produced. To start in the process of 3D printing, you will need to take some steps and considerations. Read on a few below to have an idea of what you need to set up your creation!  

Step 1: Choosing the Right 3D Printer

The first step is to contemplate your 3D printer options and choose the one that better fits the purpose of your needs. There are a lot of alternatives and manufacturers, you can always compare models, but make sure to choose a printer that has the right features for your projects and plans.

For instance, there are 3D printers that are affordable and rightly designed for education, engineering, and small-batch manufacturing. Make sure your printer has dual extruders that can print simultaneously for a better production capability. This way you can reduce printing time for rapid prototyping. There are particularly good printers that also come with high-resolution cameras, video-assisted calibration systems, and important safety features.

Some other 3D printers are made to build larger industrial originals. These printers are more advanced and have fully enclosed capabilities. Industrial grade 3D printers permit the printing of complex parts and support a variety of filaments and improve even more printing speed. If you need to choose a printer like this, make sure it offers characteristics such as motion controllers, remote user interface, and interchangeable nozzles. If you are looking for a more comprehensive guide on how to choose a 3D printer, visit our 2020 printer buying guide.

Step 2: Choosing a 3D Slicing Software

To create a 3D printed object modeling software is needed. There are a lot of websites and providers that offer free downloadable software programs to design and model, and others that offer a variety of 3D models or mockups that other people have used to create their replicas. Research and look for a slicing software that is intuitive, user-friendly, and has customized advanced features. One important point too is to make sure that the software that you prefer also supports a multi-lingual interface in case you need it.

Step 3: Set the Design for Printing

The next step is to set the design ready for the printer. When the printer receives the data from the software it sends the signal to the printer to start building the item using a filament that is like a cord that passes to the plates of the printer. The most commonly used file format for 3D printing designs is STL, (Standard Triangle Language). The original design when being printed is translated into several triangles in a 3D printing space, which sets up for the printers and related hardware to construct the resulting object. The resolution of a file is recommended to be in an optimal size so the machines and software can work smoothly to create your final product.

Step 4: Building the Object

In this last process, the object is created through layering. One layer by another is added until the shape and final object is formed. The process of repeatedly printing over the same area is called Fused Depositional Model (FDM). The most common material for 3D printing is plastic, but there are a lot of other materials that can be used and adopted by 3D printers such as PLA, ABS, HIPS, carbon fiber enforced, flexibles, and much more.

Where to Find 3D Printing Files?

If you are looking to obtaining files for 3D printing, there are a lot of websites that offer these files, some of them for free. A variety of STL files, 3D printed models, 3D printed files and 3D printing designs in other file formats can be found if you surface the website. Shown below, here is a brief list of some sites that provide files and resources for 3D printing.

• ALL3DP visit site .
• Pinshape visit site .
• MyMiniFactory visit site.

As time progresses, there are more and more uses for 3D printing that shows light of phenomenal events thanks to the usage of 3D printers. Many people believe 3D printing will announce a revolution in the manufacturing industry and the world economy. Although 3D printing has certain limitations, this advanced technology is now universally adopted by big corporations as a crucial mainstay of the manufacturing industry.

Connect with Raise3D:

Have you had a great experience with Raise3D that you would like to share? Please contact us at [email protected] . We look forward to hearing from you.

For more information about Raise3D printers and services, browse our website, or  schedule a demo  with one of our 3D printing experts.

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What is 3D Printing?

3D printing or additive manufacturing is a process of making three dimensional objects from a digital file.

The creation of a 3D printed object is achieved using additive processes. In an additive process an object is created by laying down successive layers of material until the object is created. Each of these layers can be seen as a thinly sliced cross-section of the object.

There is one exception though, and it’s called volumetric 3D printing. With volumetric printing entire structures can be formed at once without the need for layer-by-layer fabrication. It’s worth noting, however, that as of now, volumetric technology is primarily in the research phase.

3D printing is the opposite of subtractive manufacturing which is cutting out / hollowing out a block of material with for instance a milling machine.

3D printing enables you to produce complex shapes using less material than traditional manufacturing methods.

How Does 3D Printing Work?

3d printing industry, examples of 3d printing.

• 3D Printing Technologies & Processes
• Rapid Prototyping & Manufacturing

Construction

Consumer products.

• All Technologies & Processes

Vat Photopolymerisation

Material jetting, binder jetting, material extrusion, powder bed fusion, directed energy deposition.

It all starts with a 3D model. You can opt to create one from the ground up or download it from a 3D library.

3D Software

There are many different software tools available. We’ve created an overview on our 3D software page.

We often recommend beginners to start with Tinkercad . Tinkercad is free and works in your browser, you don’t have to install it on your computer. Tinkercad offers beginner lessons and has a built-in feature to export your model as a printable file e.g .STL or .OBJ.

Now that you have a printable file, the next step is to prepare it for your 3D printer. This is called slicing.

Slicing: From file to 3D Printer

Slicing basically means slicing up a 3D model into hundreds or thousands of layers and is done with slicing software .

When your file is sliced, it’s ready for your 3D printer. Feeding the file to your printer can be done via USB, SD or Wi-Fi. Your sliced file is now ready to be 3D printed layer by layer .

Adoption of 3D printing has reached critical mass as those who have yet to integrate additive manufacturing somewhere in their supply chain are now part of an ever-shrinking minority. Where 3D printing was only suitable for prototyping and one-off manufacturing in the early stages, it is now rapidly transforming into a production technology .

Most of the current demand for 3D printing is industrial in nature. Acumen Research and Consulting forecasts the global 3D printing market to reach $41 billion by 2026 .

As it evolves, 3D printing technology is destined to transform almost every major industry.

3D printing encompasses many forms of technologies and materials as 3D printing is being used in almost all industries you could think of. It’s important to see it as a cluster of diverse industries with a myriad of different applications .

A few examples:

• – consumer products (eyewear, footwear, design, furniture)
• – industrial products (manufacturing tools, prototypes, functional end-use parts)
• – dental products
• – prosthetics
• – architectural scale models & maquettes
• – reconstructing fossils
• – replicating ancient artefacts
• – reconstructing evidence in forensic pathology
• – movie props

Rapid Prototyping & Rapid Manufacturing

Companies have used 3D printers in their design process to create prototypes since the late seventies. Using 3D printers for these purposes is called rapid prototyping .

Why use 3D Printers for Rapid Prototyping? In short: it’s fast and relatively cheap. From idea, to 3D model to holding a prototype in your hands is a matter of days instead of weeks. Iterations are easier and cheaper to make and you don’t need expensive molds or tools.

Besides rapid prototyping, 3D printing is also used for rapid manufacturing . Rapid manufacturing is a new method of manufacturing where businesses use 3D printers for short run / small batch custom manufacturing.

3D Printing as a Production Technology

Car manufacturers have been utilizing 3D printing for a long time. Automotive companies are printing spare parts, tools, jigs and fixtures but also end-use parts. 3D printing has enabled on-demand manufacturing which has lead to lower stock levels and has shortened design and production cycles.

Automotive enthusiasts all over the world are using 3D printed parts to restore old cars. One such example is when Australian engineers printed parts to bring a Delage Type-C back to life . In doing so, they had to print parts that were out of production for decades.

Recap: Automotive Additive Manufacturing in 2022

Aviation loves additive manufacturing, largely due to the promise of lightweight and stronger structures offered by 3D printing. We’ve seen a whole bunch of innovations in the domain of aviation lately, with the appearance of more critical parts being printed.

Turbine Center Frame

One such large component printed this year was the turbine center frame which was printed by GE as part of the EU Clean Sky 2 initiative.

The Advanced Additive Integrated Turbine Centre Frame (TCF) is a 1 meter diameter part printed in nickel alloy 718 by GE and a consortium from Hamburg University of Technology (TUHH), TU Dresden (TUD) and Autodesk. It is one of the largest single metal parts printed for aviation.

Typically components like this are manufactured using casting, and consist of multiple parts. In the case of the 3D printed version, it was reduced from an assembly of 150 parts down to just 1 single piece. The printed version also benefits from a reduction of both cost and mass by 30%, and a reduction in lead time from 9 months to just 10 weeks.

Norsk Titanium’s 3D Printers Qualified for Airbus Production

Metal Parts Certified by EASA

Back in June 2022 it was reported that Lufthansa Technik and Premium AEROTEC had created the first load-bearing metal part that had been approved for use in aviation.

The new A-link was produced using LPBF and had demonstrated higher tensile strength compared to the traditionally-forged version.

The part was made at Premium AEROTEC’s facility in Varel, Germany, and a large number of test parts were printed and tested to ensure quality and repeatability for certification.

Printing the part represented a cost saving for the component and set the stage for using this manufacturing method for creating structurally important metal parts in the future. It was also used to test the process and to demonstrate the certification process of load-bearing AM parts.

Load-bearing Metal Parts Certified by EASA

Hypersonic Fuel Injector

This next printed item was never destined to be fitted to an aircraft, but rather it was designed to be installed in a facility for testing flow conditions at hypersonic speeds.

When flying in the hypersonic flight regime above (Mach 5), the air passing around the vehicle becomes incredibly hot, and the pressure increases significantly. These conditions can cause the air itself to become chemically reactive, which causes issues for fuel burning vehicles.

Simulating flow conditions with computational flow diagnostics (CFD) is computationally expensive (if not impossible), and so to replicate the flow conditions, researchers at Purdue fabricated a giant burner to recreate the hot, fast, high pressure experienced in hypersonic flight. In short, they basically built a rocket nozzle and they placed the test components in the exhaust plume to see how they performed.

The injectors that they printed feed fuel and air into the combustion chamber to create specific turbulent flow fields and a stable flame.

The injectors were printed with Hastelloy X, which is a superalloy with superior temperature resistance. The team printed multiple different injectors in rapid time, and tested them all in the burner to see which performed the best.

Now they are able to replicate the hypersonic conditions for flight on Earth at a fraction of the cost (and risk) associated with doing it miles above the Earth’s surface. This can benefit fast aircraft such as scramjet powered vehicles as well as space vehicles.

Purdue’s 3D Printed Fuel Injectors Undergo Hypersonic Testing

Relativity Space

US-based rocket printing company Relativity Space has a super large metal printer, dubbed the “Stargate”. The 4th gen Stargate 3D printer is capable of printing objects measuring 120ft long and 24ft in diameter.

This AI-assisted robotic printer has been able to achieve fast print speeds thanks to its innovative multi-wire print head. This print head allows for multiple metal feedstock wires to be fed into it at the same time, resulting in higher deposition rates.

The company has made their first LEO test flight of the printed Terran-1 rocket in 2023, so we just thought we would give them an honorable mention in this article as a reminder.

You can see the Terran-1 undergoing a hot fire test in the video below.

Is it possible to print walls? – yes it is. 3D printed houses are already commercially available. Some companies print parts prefab and others do it on-site.

Hydrogen Powered 3D Printed Data Centers Coming Soon

Most of the concrete printing stories we look at on this website are focused on large scale concrete printing systems with fairly large nozzles for a large flow rate. It’s great for laying down concrete layers in a fairly quick and repeatable manner. But for truly intricate concrete work that makes full use of the capabilities of 3D printing requires something a little more nimble, and with a finer touch.

Concrete Additive Manufacturing Gets Intricate

When we first started blogging about 3D printing back in 2011, 3D printing wasn’t ready to be used as a production method for large volumes. Nowadays there are numerous examples of end-use 3D printed consumer products.

Adidas’ 4D range has a fully 3D printed midsole and is being printed in large volumes. We did an article back then , explaining how Adidas were initially releasing just 5,000 pairs of the shoes to the public, and had aimed to sell 100,000 pairs of the AM-infused designs by 2018.

With their latest iterations of the shoe, it seems that they have surpassed that goal, or are on their way to surpassing it. The shoes are available all around the world from local Adidas stores and also from various 3rd party online outlets.

BOTTER and Reebok Reveal Mollusc-Inspired Printed Sneakers

The market of 3D printed eyewear is forecasted to reach $3.4 billion by 2028. A rapidly increasing section is that of end-use frames. 3D printing is a particularly suitable production method for eyewear frames because the measurements of an individual are easy to process in the end product.

Fitz Frames 3D Print Children’s Glasses Using App

But did you know it’s also possible to 3D print lenses? Traditional glass lenses don’t start out thin and light; they’re cut from a much larger block of material called a blank, about 80% of which goes to waste. When we consider how many people wear glasses and how often they need to get a new pair, 80% of those numbers is a lot of waste. On top of that, labs have to keep huge inventories of blanks to meet the custom vision needs of their clients. Finally, however, 3D printing technology has advanced enough to provide high-quality, custom ophthalmic lenses, doing away with the waste and inventory costs of the past. The Luxexcel VisionEngine 3D printer uses a UV-curable acrylate monomer to print two pairs of lenses per hour that require no polishing or post-processing of any kind. The focal areas can also be completely customized so that a certain area of the lens can provide better clarity at a distance while a different area of the lens provides better vision up close.

3D Printed Lenses for Smart Glasses

There are two ways of producing jewelry with a 3D printer. You can either use a direct or indirect production process. Direct refers to the creation of an object straight from the 3D design while indirect manufacturing means that the object (pattern) that is 3D printed eventually is used to create a mold for investment casting.

Why I 3D Print My Metal Jewelry

It’s not uncommon these days to see headlines about 3D printed implants. Often, those cases are experimental, which can make it seem like 3D printing is still a fringe technology in the medical and healthcare sectors, but that’s not the case anymore. Over the last decade , more than 100,000 hip replacements have been 3D printed by GE Additive.

The Delta-TT Cup designed by Dr. Guido Grappiolo and LimaCorporate is made of Trabecular Titanium, which is characterized by a regular, three-dimensional, hexagonal cell structure that imitates trabecular bone morphology. The trabecular structure increases the biocompatibility of the titanium by encouraging bone growth into the implant. Some of the first Delta-TT implants are still running strong over a decade later.

Another 3D printed healthcare component that does a good job of being undetectable is the hearing aid. It is estimated that 99% of hearing aids manufactured are made with the use of additive manufacturing, and it’s clear to see why.

Printing Rigid and Rubber Materials for Hearing Aids

In the dental industry , we see molds for clear aligners being possibly the most 3D printed objects in the world. Currently, the molds are 3D printed with both resin and powder based 3D printing processes , but also via material jetting. Crowns and dentures are already directly 3D printed, along with surgical guides.

Study finds 3D Printing is Superior for Dental Crowns

Bio-printing

As of the early two-thousands 3D printing technology has been studied by biotech firms and academia for possible use in tissue engineering applications where organs and body parts are built using inkjet techniques. Layers of living cells are deposited onto a gel medium and slowly built up to form three dimensional structures. We refer to this field of research with the term: bio-printing .

Using AI and AM for Organoid Production

Additive manufacturing invaded the food industry long time ago. Restaurants like Food Ink and Melisse use this as a unique selling point to attract customers from across the world.

Educators and students have long been using 3D printers in the classroom. 3D printing enables students to materialize their ideas in a fast and affordable way.

While additive manufacturing-specific degrees are fairly new, universities have long been using 3D printers in other disciplines. There are many educational courses one can take to engage with 3D printing. Universities offer courses on things that are adjacent to 3D printing like CAD and 3D design, which can be applied to 3D printing at a certain stage.

In terms of prototyping, many university programs are turning to printers. There are specializations in additive manufacturing one can attain through architecture or industrial design degrees. Printed prototypes are also very common in the arts, animation and fashion studies as well.

3D Printing in Education

Types of 3d printing technologies and processes.

Below we discuss six types of 3D printing. These are:

Stereolithography (SLA)

Digital Light Processing (DLP)

Continuous Liquid Interface Production (CLIP)

Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM)

Fused Filament Fabrication (FFF)

Multi Jet Fusion (MJF)

Selective Laser Sintering (SLS)

Direct Metal Laser Sintering (DMLS)

A 3D printer based on the Vat Photopolymerisation method has a container filled with photopolymer resin. The resin is hardened with a UV light source.

SLA was invented in 1986 by Charles Hull, who also at the time founded the company, 3D Systems. Stereolithography employs a vat of liquid curable photopolymer resin and an ultraviolet laser to build the object’s layers one at a time. For each layer, the laser beam traces a cross-section of the part pattern on the surface of the liquid resin. Exposure to the ultraviolet laser light cures and solidifies the pattern traced on the resin and fuses it to the layer below.

After the pattern has been traced, the SLA’s elevator platform descends by a distance equal to the thickness of a single layer, typically 0.05 mm to 0.15 mm (0.002″ to 0.006″). Then, a resin-filled blade sweeps across the cross section of the part, re-coating it with fresh material. On this new liquid surface, the subsequent layer pattern is traced, joining the previous layer. Depending on the object & print orientation, SLA often requires the use of support structures.

DLP or Digital Light Processing refers to a method of printing that makes use of light and photosensitive polymers. While it is very similar to SLA, the key difference is the light source. DLP utilizes other light sources like arc lamps. DLP is relatively quick compared to other 3D printing technologies.

CLIP is a proprietary 3D printing technology developed by Carbon. CLIP uses an oxygen-permeable window which creates a “dead zone” (a thin liquid interface) of uncured resin between the window and the object. This prevents the part from adhering to the bottom of the print basin. This technology allows for a continuous printing process, which significantly speeds up production.

In this process, material is applied in droplets through a small diameter nozzle, similar to the way a common inkjet paper printer works, but it is applied layer-by-layer to a build platform and then hardened by UV light.

With Binder Jetting two materials are used: powder base material and a liquid binder. In the build chamber, powder is spread in equal layers and binder is applied through jet nozzles that “glue” the powder particles in the required shape. After the print is finished, the remaining powder is cleaned off which often can be re-used printing the next object. This technology was first developed at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 1993.

FDM works using a plastic filament which is unwound from a spool and is supplied to an extrusion nozzle which can turn the flow on and off. The nozzle is heated to melt the material and can be moved in both horizontal and vertical directions by a numerically controlled mechanism. The object is produced by extruding melted material to form layers as the material hardens immediately after extrusion from the nozzle.

FDM was invented by Scott Crump in the late 80’s. After patenting this technology he started the company Stratasys in 1988.

The exactly equivalent term, Fused Filament Fabrication (FFF), was coined by the members of the RepRap project to give a phrase that would be legally unconstrained in its use.

SLS uses a high power laser to fuse small particles of powder into a mass that has the desired three dimensional shape. The laser selectively fuses powder by first scanning the cross-sections (or layers) on the surface of a powder bed. After each cross-section is scanned, the powder bed is lowered by one layer thickness. Then a new layer of material is applied on top and the process is repeated until the object is completed.

Multi Jet Fusion technology was developed by Hewlett Packard and works with a sweeping arm which deposits a layer of powder and then another arm equipped with inkjets which selectively applies a binder agent over the material. The inkjets also deposit a detailing agent around the binder to ensure precise dimensionality and smooth surfaces. Finally, the layer is exposed to a burst of thermal energy that causes the agents to react.

DMLS is basically the same as SLS, but uses metal powder instead. All unused powder remains as it is and becomes a support structure for the object. Unused powder can be re-used for the next print.

Due to of increased laser power, DMLS has evolved into a laser melting process. Read more about that and other metal technologies on our metal technologies overview page.

Metal 3D Printing: An Overview of the Most Common Types

This process is mostly used in the metal industry and in rapid manufacturing applications. The 3D printing apparatus is usually attached to a multi-axis robotic arm and consists of a nozzle that deposits metal powder or wire on a surface and an energy source (laser, electron beam or plasma arc) that melts it, forming a solid object.

Multiple materials can be used in additive manufacturing: plastics, metals, concrete, ceramics, paper and certain edibles (e.g. chocolate). Materials are often produced in wire feedstock a.k.a. filament, powder form or liquid resin. Learn more about materials on our materials category.

Looking to implement 3D printing in your production process? Get a quote for a custom part or order samples on our 3D print service page.

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3D Printing

Jun 10, 2022

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3d-printing is a revolutionary technology that allows for rapid prototyping, low cost manufacture, and flexibility in material choice. 3d-printing is used for creative purposes and for the production of plastic products such as toys, cell phone cases, packaging materials and promotional products. To learn more you can visit our website. https://www.sourcepro.co.uk/3d-printing

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www.sourcepro.co.uk 075 8534 1556 Norwich NR14 8RL, United Kingdom

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3D Printing.

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3D Printing. By Juanita Day. 3D Printing - Introduction. Introduction to 3D Printing How 3D Printers Work Advantages & Disadvantages Current Uses Future Uses. 3D Printing – How 3D Printers Work. CAD Software Design 3D Scanning Printing. 3D Printing Advantages. Makes Prototyping Faster

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3D – PRINTING

3D – PRINTING . ( a new emerging technology ). Gagan Kumar C.S.E 8 th Sem 3710103. Topics. What is 3D printing? History General Principle Additive Process 3D Printers Applications  Resources. The Audi RSQ was made with rapid prototyping industrial KUKA robots. What is 3D printing?.

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3D Printing. The Future of the World. By: Andrew Gruszka. History. 3D Printing began after the invention of Inkjet printers The technology has rapidly evolved Used to cost 100k+, now everyone can afford them. Basic Design. All 3D printers begin with a Computer-Aided Design

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3D Printing. By Michael Plouffe. What is it?. P rocess of making  3D solid objects from a digital file Ordinarily a CAD file Achieved through an additive manufacturing Layer by layer material is printed until final shape is created

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3D Printing. Last updated: Oct 10, 2013. Use Cases. Materials. Design or Download. Dynamism: Sourcing. http://www.dynamism.com/about-us.shtml. MakerBot Replicator 2 Desktop 3D Printer & Accessories. CubeX. UP mini. Printbrt Series. MakerBot Replicator. i.materialise.

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3D Printing. Jamir Dirksen Kyle Strink COP 4910. What is 3D Printing? Materials Used Where is 3D printing used ? Future applications 3D printing vs. machining Benefits of 3D printing 3D printing technologies. Outline. Creates three-dimensional physical objects out of digital data

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3D Printing. An introduction to 3D Printing in schools and its benefits. What is 3D Printing?. 3D Printing is a form of Additive Manufacturing or Rapid Prototyping.

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3D Printing. Sean Downey. How It Works. A 3D object is modeled and uploaded to a computer A material is selected to mold the object The printer builds the object with small layers of material The material is molded The tray is lowered by a fraction of a millimeter

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3D Printing. At Stetson University. Introduction. What is 3D printing Additive Manufacturing Opposed to subtractive process Patented in 1986 ~$20,000 Today $500-$1000. Meet the MakerBot !. Cost $2,500 100 micron layer resolution Printing materials

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3D Printing. Valerie Thorngren ITMG 100 Section 6 November 13, 2012. What is 3D Printing ( Additive Manufacturing)?. Imagine…. How does it work?. Layers !. Current Applications. Rapid prototypes of designs Specialized manufacturing Prosthetics Artificial Blood Vessels.

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3D Printing. Presented By: Aashish Bachlash 001 Aditya Batabyal 003 Jaspreet Singh 042 Pawan K Singh 056. 3D Printing. 3D + Printing = 3D Printing.

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3D Printing. http://wiki.makerbot.com. http://replicat.org. http://www.thingiverse.com. http://sketchup.google.com. Other Design Software. http://www.artofillusion.org/ Old School, but solid. http://www.blender.org/ Animators. http://www.alibre.com/ Budget. http://www.solidworks.com/

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3D Printing . Think about it: Amazing and revolutionary now (2013). Everywhere and pretty standard in the future (2023). So how will it affect our lives in the future?. As you go through this PowerPoint, answer the following in a document:. What is it?

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3D printing

3D printing. Vår 3D-skriver. Ultimaker 2 Vis bilder. 3D-skriver. Maskin som bygger opp et objekt ved å tilføye lag for lag et material (plast, metall, keramikk, sjokolade, osv ). Se videre Vis en video. Trinn 1: 3D-Tegning. Du tegner i 3D

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3D Printing . Food for thought: Amazing and revolutionary now (2013). Everywhere and pretty standard in the future (2023). As you go through this PowerPoint, think about the following:. What is it? Description, why was it created/history

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3D Printing. presented by SAjina. What is 3D printing?. It’s one rapid prototyping technologies It creates physical models from CAD and other digital data—layer by layer It’s widely used, especially in product designing It reduces a lot of time and cost It’s a developing technology.

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3d printing

3D printing or additive manufacturing is a process of making three dimensional solid objects from a digital file.

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3D Quick Printing | 3D Printing

3D Printing has become an essential tool for all engineers, product designers and entrepreneurs. The 3D Quick Printing team are simply trying to demonstrate, educate, and inspire our growing customer list. We hope that you, the professional designer, begin to use our service in every aspect of the design stage. We’ll endeavour to keep up to date with the latest materials and 3D Printing technologies just as long as you keep sending us your files to bring your fascinating products to market with our excellent service. For more info: https://www.3dquickprinting.com/

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3D Printing. Fascination, Fast moving technology Additive Manufacturing process Takes Complex Engineering Design geometries from the “can’t be done” and “too expensive” to a world of anything is possible and very quickly. Enables both Rapid Prototyping and Manufacturing

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The fundamental point of our task is utilizing shrewd blocks in development field with the assistance of 3D printing. The benefit of utilizing this technique is to manufacture excessively mammoth structures with inventive plans. At the end of the day, we can say that a robot fit for building confused structures from brilliant holds by all itself. The results are exceptionally modern in nature. Whats more, this could change the development component. In simple future, numerous nations and organizations will utilize these 3D printing systems to build inventive structures. The reasons why we would love to utilize 3D printing is that it is particularly less expensive than the customary strategy. Not just the expense of development it likewise incorporates the expense of materials utilized, cost of works and so forth. At the point when contrasted with customary strategy it requires less exertion, time utilization is likewise less. The strategy will likewise cut expenses and natural harm by decreasing the measure of broken blocks that is utilized. The thought is that the base of the robot is fixed with the arm sufficiently long to achieve any piece of the structure being manufactured. Exact situating is accomplished by a fixed marker in an alternate position from the robot. The entire procedure is robotized. The developments will be in xyz arranges. Stepper engines are utilized for developments. Timing belts are utilized for straight movements. DC engines will be utilized for gripper system. The structure never should be contacted by human hands. Regardless of whether they are compact printers utilized nearby or are housed in a stockroom, 3D printers can possibly totally reform the constructed condition. With such huge numbers of potential advantages of Smart Construction, theres nothing unexpected that this technique is advancing through an assorted number of ventures and rapidly turning into a most loved device of dynamic advertisers. Looking at the various points of interest, applications and future extension, we can reason that the Smart blocks and its innovation can make next mechanical unrest in Field of Construction. Shwetha Shanmugam | Sandhiya Bharathidasan | S. Abinayaa "3D Printing" Published in International Journal of Trend in Scientific Research and Development (ijtsrd), ISSN: 2456-6470, Volume-3 | Issue-3 , April 2019, URL: https://www.ijtsrd.com/papers/ijtsrd23284.pdf Paper URL: https://www.ijtsrd.com/engineering/computer-engineering/23284/3d-printing/shwetha-shanmugam

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3D printing

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• Academia - 3D Printing - The Past, Present and Its Future
• Museum of Arts and Design - 3D Printed Timeline
• Livescience - 3D Printing: What a 3D Printer Is and How It Works

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3D printing , in manufacturing , any of several processes for fabricating three-dimensional objects by layering two-dimensional cross sections sequentially, one on top of another. The process is analogous to the fusing of ink or toner onto paper in a printer (hence the term printing ) but is actually the solidifying or binding of a liquid or powder at each spot in the horizontal cross section where solid material is desired. In the case of 3D printing , the layering is repeated hundreds or thousands of times until the entire object has been finished throughout its vertical dimension. Frequently, 3D printing is employed in quickly turning out plastic or metal prototypes during the design of new parts, though it also can be put to use in making final products for sale to customers. Objects made in 3D printing range from plastic figurines and mold patterns to steel machine parts and titanium surgical implants. An entire 3D printing apparatus can be enclosed in a cabinet roughly the size of a large kitchen stove or refrigerator.

The term 3D printing originally designated a specific process patented as 3DP by scientists at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) in 1993 and licensed to several manufacturers. Today the term is used as a generic label for a number of related processes. Central to all of them is computer-aided design, or CAD. Using CAD programs, engineers develop a three-dimensional computer model of the object to be built up. This model is translated into a series of two-dimensional “slices” of the object and then into instructions that tell the printer exactly where to solidify the starting material on each successive slice.

In most processes the starting material is a fine plastic or metal powder. Typically, the powder is stored in cartridges or beds from which it is dispensed in small amounts and spread by a roller or blade in an extremely thin layer (commonly only the thickness of the powder grains, which can be as small as 20 micrometres, or 0.0008 inch) over the bed where the part is being built up. In MIT’s 3DP process this layer is passed over by a device similar to the head of an ink-jet printer. An array of nozzles sprays a binding agent in a pattern determined by the computer program , then a fresh layer of powder is spread over the entire build-up area, and the process is repeated. At each repetition the build-up bed is lowered by precisely the thickness of the new layer of powder. When the process is complete, the built-up part, embedded in unconsolidated powder, is pulled out, cleaned, and sometimes put through some post-processing finishing steps.

The original 3DP process made mainly rough mock-ups out of plastic, ceramic, and even plaster , but later variations employed metal powder as well and produced more-precise and more-durable parts. A related process is called selective laser sintering (SLS); here the nozzle head and liquid binder are replaced by precisely guided lasers that heat the powder so that it sinters , or partially melts and fuses, in the desired areas. Typically, SLS works with either plastic powder or a combined metal-binder powder; in the latter case the built-up object may have to be heated in a furnace for further solidification and then machined and polished. These post-processing steps can be minimized in direct metal laser sintering (DMLS), in which a high-power laser fuses a fine metal powder into a more-solid and finished part without the use of binder material. Yet another variation is electron beam melting ( EBM); here the laser apparatus is replaced by an electron gun , which focuses a powerful electrically charged beam onto the powder under vacuum conditions. The most-advanced DMLS and EBM processes can make final products of advanced steel, titanium, and cobalt - chromium alloys.

Many other processes work on the building-up principle of 3DP, SLS, DMLS, and EBM. Some use nozzle arrangements to direct the starting material (either powder or liquid) only to the designated build-up areas, so that the object is not immersed in a bed of the material. On the other hand, in a process known as stereolithography (SLA), a thin layer of polymer liquid rather than powder is spread over the build area, and the designated part areas are consolidated by an ultraviolet laser beam. The built-up plastic part is retrieved and put through post-processing steps.

All 3D printing processes are so-called additive manufacturing, or additive fabrication, processes—ones that build up objects sequentially, as opposed to casting or molding them in a single step (a consolidation process) or cutting and machining them out of a solid block (a subtractive process). As such, they are considered to have several advantages over traditional fabrication, chief among them being an absence of the expensive tooling used in foundry and milling processes; the ability to produce complicated, customized parts on short notice; and the generating of less waste. On the other hand, they also have several disadvantages; these include low production rates, less precision and surface polish than machined parts, a relatively limited range of materials that can be processed, and severe limitations on the size of parts that can be made inexpensively and without distortion. For this reason, the principal market of 3D printing is in so-called rapid prototyping—that is, the quick production of parts that eventually will be mass-produced in traditional manufacturing processes. Nevertheless, commercial 3D printers continue to improve their processes and make inroads into markets for final products, and researchers continue to experiment with 3D printing, producing objects as disparate as automobile bodies, concrete blocks, and edible food products.

The term 3D bioprinting is used to describe the application of 3D printing concepts to the production of biological entities, such as tissues and organs. Bioprinting is based largely on existing printing technologies, such as ink-jet or laser printing, but makes use of “bioink” (suspensions of living cells and cell growth medium ), which may be prepared in micropipettes or similar tools that serve as printer cartridges. Printing is then controlled via computer, with cells being deposited in specific patterns onto culture plates or similar sterile surfaces. Valve-based printing, which enables fine control over cell deposition and improved preservation of cell viability, has been used to print human embryonic stem cells in preprogrammed patterns that facilitate the cells’ aggregation into spheroid structures. Such human tissue models generated through 3D bioprinting are of particular use in the field of regenerative medicine .

Daily News Lesson

July 25, 2024, 8:17 a.m.

The basics of 3D printing

Doug Scott teaches engineering and robotics at Hopkinton High School in Hopkinton, Mass. In an interview this week at the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office's (USPTO) National Teachers Summer Institute (NSTI) , Scott explains the basics of how a 3D printer works, what it can make — and how students can create their own designs.

Tweet by Doug Scott: “I don’t mind correcting notebooks on a Friday night… when they are as excellent as these by Engineers @HopkintonHS.” Photo courtesy of Doug Scott

When he is not in the classroom or in his basement 3D printing , Scott mentors teachers from all over the country on how they can help their students become inventors, including at NSTI and PBS NewsHour Classroom's Invention Education program.

Scott is clear about one thing: Anyone can be an inventor.

In fact, on Dec. 6, 2016, the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office issued Scott alongside 23 of his students Patent 9,511,833 B2 for inventing a robot for underwater search and rescue operations, and particularly suited for searches under ice.

Directions: Watch the video and then answer the questions below.

News alternative : Check out recent segments from the NewsHour, and choose the story you’re most interested in watching. You can make a Google doc copy of discussion questions that work for any of the stories here.

WARM-UP QUESTIONS

• Who is Doug Scott?
• What example does he show of a finished 3D-printed object?
• How does the 3D printer use a computer design to create a physical object?
• How many light bulb variations were printed before the final product?
• What are the steps to making a 3D-printed design?

FOCUS QUESTIONS

How do you think that 3D printing and invention could be connected? How can a 3D printer be used to create prototypes or final products of a new invention?

Media literacy : What are some objects you'd like to 3D print? What are some other ways that 3D printing could be used?

Alternative : See, Think, Wonder : What did you notice? What did the story make you think? What would you want to learn more about?

What students can do:

WATCH this video to see how 3D printing could be used in the future for bigger projects such as building houses.

Interested in learning more about the USPTO's National Teachers Summer Institute? Check out this video:

PBS NewsHour Classroom works with the USPTO on explaining the importance of intellectual property (IP) and why ideas need to be protected.

See Classroom's free invention ed lesson collection here .

This post was written by Raegan Lusk, a senior at the University of Southern California, and an intern with PBS NewsHour Classroom, and edited by NewsHour's Vic Pasquantonio.

Fill out  this form  to share your thoughts on Classroom’s resources. Sign up for NewsHour Classroom’s ready-to-go  Daily News Lessons delivered to your inbox each week.

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Understanding the 3D ice-printing process to create micro-scale structures

by Emily Liu

Researchers at Carnegie Mellon University develop numerical models that enable precise control of the 3D ice printing process for biomedical and manufacturing applications.

Advances in 3D printing have enabled many applications across a variety of disciplines, including medicine, manufacturing, and energy. A range of different materials can be used to print both simple foundations and fine details, allowing for the creation of structures with tailored geometries. 

However, creating structures with micro-scale, precise internal voids and channels still poses challenges. Scaffolds used in tissue engineering, for example, must contain a three-dimensional complex network of conduits that mimic the human vasculature. With traditional additive manufacturing, where the material is deposited layer by layer, it’s difficult to print such intricate internal features without sacrificing time, accuracy, and resources. 

To address this issue, Philip LeDuc and Burak Ozdoganlar , professors in mechanical engineering at Carnegie Mellon University, are spearheading the development of the freeform 3D ice printing (3D-ICE) process. This technique uses a drop-on-demand 3D printing approach with water as a substitute for conventional printing inks. A piezoelectric inkjet nozzle ejects tiny water droplets onto a build platform maintained below the freezing point. This causes the droplets to freeze shortly after contact.

Some examples of structures created by 3D printing ice, including layered, smooth, straight, and overhanging geometries.

Uniquely, the process can be controlled to deposit one or more droplets before the previous droplet is frozen. As such, a water cap remains atop the printed structure, and the freezing progresses from the bottom. This enables the creation of structures with smooth walls, transitions, and branches. Features as small as human hair can be fabricated. As more droplets are deposited, an ice structure takes shape on the build platform. The diameter, height, and relative smoothness of the pillar’s geometry can be adjusted by controlling the rate of droplet deposition, and the temperatures of the printing surface, droplet, and workspace. If the build platform is shifted such that the incoming droplet hits at an angle, the freeze front will rotate accordingly, making it possible to produce branching, curved, and overhanging structures that would be challenging or impossible to print with alternative 3D printing techniques without extra support materials. 

3D ice could be used to create precisely-shaped channels inside of fabricated parts. That would be useful in a lot of areas, from creating new tissues to soft robotics. Phil LeDuc , Professor , Mechanical Engineering

“3D ice could be used as a sacrificial material, which means we could use it to create precisely-shaped channels inside of fabricated parts,” said LeDuc. “That would be useful in a lot of areas, from creating new tissues to soft robotics.”

Since the outset of their project, funded in part by the Dowd Fellowship from the College of Engineering at Carnegie Mellon University, LeDuc and Ozdoganlar’s research team has investigated ways to ensure that the 3D ice process is predictable and reproducible. In their recent article published in the Proceedings of National Academies (PNAS, Garg et al., 2024), they describe 2D and 3D numerical models to elucidate the physics behind 3D ice, including heat transfer, fluid dynamics, and the rapid phase change from liquid to solid during the printing process.

The printed ice structure can be submerged in a pre-chilled curable resin. Upon curing the resin, the ice can be melted into water and sublimated out, leaving behind a porous shape in the resin.

Their 2D models map the construction of straight pillars, including the respective effects of layered and smooth deposition. “The frequency of droplet deposition affects the height and width of the structure,” said Ozdoganlar. “If you deposit quickly, the water cap grows, producing wider structures. If you deposit slowly, then the structure becomes narrower and taller. There are also effects from the substrate temperature. For the same droplet deposition rate, a lower substrate temperature produces taller structures.”

Their 3D models map the construction of oblique structures by predicting the rotation of the freeze front. “You have all types of heat transfer, including conduction to the bottom and convection to the surrounding area,” said Ozdoganlar. “All those things are working simultaneously when you deposit each droplet. If you deposit obliquely, part of the droplet spills over on the side of the pillar before it freezes. And as you keep depositing at that angle, the freeze front slowly changes shape, and the structure grows in that direction.”

The 2D and 3D models accurately estimate the geometry of ice structures resulting from various parameters.

In addition to further refining their mathematical models, LeDuc and Ozdoganlar’s labs are now looking to scale up 3D-ICE and explore its efficacy across a range of applications. For instance, current strategies in tissue engineering often involve designing generalized tissues. 3D-ICE could soon make it possible to print personalized tissues that match the unique structure of each patient’s vasculature, meeting the specific needs of the patient’s body. Moreover, 3D-ICE will enable the creation of functional tissue constructs for use in understanding different diseases or developing new therapeutics.

“When I first started my lab, I would never have imagined that we would be 3D printing ice, and using it to create tissues to help people,” said LeDuc. “But our research has evolved. It has brought people like Burak and myself together, and everyone brings all sorts of different perspectives and capabilities to the table. It’s a wonderful thing to do this work together where the sum of the parts is definitely greater than the individual parts in this transdisciplinary science and engineering.”