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Thursday, October 17, 2013

3d printer - the future of printing technology

3D printer: Future of Printing!


Technology is moving faster than ever and yet there is still more to be done.  Leaders of tech companies as well as independent researchers are waking up every day, realizing that they have to keep innovating their products in order to stay in business .If they don't some else will, this frustration is what drove and kept some great companies alive. Remember one thing, to stay competitive you have to step up your game by attacking new frontiers.

3D printing is here,companies are presenting some of their latest inventions! These inventions are being constantly improved. Thus, while others are trying to understand 3D printing, some are even thinking deeper in the printing world! I am talking about 4D printing! Yep 4D printing..
Well, before going further we need to get some questions answered!

What is 3D(dimensions) space?
How does 3D printing started?
What is 3D printing? 
How does 3D printing work? 
How much it cost? 
How will it impact the future?

Q:What is 3D(dimensions) space?
AIn mathematics, Three-dimensional space is refer  in (X,Y,Z) coordinates. Note that the world we live in, the physical universe is constituted of 4 dimensional space including the parameter t refering to time. What we see everyday is in 4D...

Q: How does 3D printing started?
A:The idea of 3D printing started in 1990s , a manufacturer used RP (rapid prototyping) to build a prototype for testing that was used to produce the final product. As a result the product was created faster and easier.During 1990s, MIT (Massachusetts Institute of Technology) and a company 3D Systems were the earliest developers of 3D printing technologies. In addition to MIT and 3D Systems, some other companies such as Stratasys, Hewlett-Packard company, Autodesk, Dassault Systems SA, Exa corporation etc... have dominated the market with their 3D printing products.

Q: What is 3D printing?
A: 3D printing is the process of creating three-dimensional solid object from a digital model . The process used in making a three-dimensional solid object is additive process.
Basically, it is a machine that can make a copy of anything in 3D, very cool.
Printing in 3D is done by building layer by layer of an digital object.

Q:How does 3D printing work?
A:  3D printing system can be a complex mechanism. Done with a computer aided design or with an animation modeling software, starting with a computer  model to be printed . Once the model is done, it is send to a 3D printer using a specific language called: STL (Standard Tessellation Language or stereolithography). STL or Stereolithography  is an additive manufacturing 3D printing technology used for producing advance models, patterns, prototypes and parts. The technology was developed by 3D systems corp.

 Note that all 3D printing process are similar, these are the fundamental steps in which it takes to build physical object from the digital model:

1- First, CAD (computer aided design) or animation modeling software is used to build or to create a 3D model. 3D model is then analyzed before it gets send to the printer. After analysis is done, the CAD model gets converted  into the STL format.

2- The transfer to AM (additive manufacturing) and STL File Manipulation, allows users to create
copies of the STL file to the computer that controls the 3D printer.

3- When the STL file is ready, the designer sends the file to the printer that will use a specific material such as rubber, plastics, laser, to build the object.

4-Now, the printer is active and doing its job. This job is done automatically. Depending
on size of the project, the printing process can take few hours up to days to be completed.
The printer builds the physical object  layer by layer as close as 1/10 of mm.
Once the final object is done, it is removed from the printer and gets cleaned for inspections.

5-Excellent job! printer.
Printing in 3D can be more complicated than you think! Its all depends on your machine
and how user friendly it can be.

Q:How much it cost?
A: The prize of 3D printers can vary tremendously. 
The expensive ones can cost up to $500,000.which are used in large companies for heavy duties.
However, average ones can varies from  $1,000 to $100,000. The ones costing in range of $1,000 are mostly used to build small items such toys ,other small gadgets such as earrings, shoes, rules, sandals, glass etc..
Here are the list of some 3D printers and their prices:


- Printrbot  from $399 - $699 - $999

- Buccaneer 3D  Printer  $347


-Solidoodle 3D printer $499 - $799
-Bukobot 8 v2 kit X3  $1,299

-Tantillus 3D printer $925 - $1,500




-RepRapPro $1,189 

      
and more...

Q:How 3D priting impact the present and the future?
A:
In health Industry:
3D printing is and will be used by doctors to build specific organs of need such as bionic ear, jaw bone, skins. Example: Last year, A Belgian woman received the first 3D printed jaw bone ,which was a revolution.
In Aerospace:
3D printing has been use in aerospace to create aircraft parts such as plane wings etc..

In foods Industry:
 Some foods companies are making foods by printing chocolate, candies etc..

In Fashion/ Furniture:
Some designers used the 3D technology to build cool 3D toys, such  small electric cars, cup of tea, glass, folds, shoes, earings,etc..


In conclusion, 3D printer is the future and I believe that every home will have one.
3D printer might be expensive for average consumer but sooner or later the cost will drop making it affordable for an average home! Majority of homes will have one and will be  able to print anything they want , I mean anything that will not go against the law.. hahaha.. example building a gun.
To be continued...