3D printers have gained favor over traditional prototyping methods due to the ability of cutting the necessary production time by a considerable percentage. This technology has prototypes available for inspection and design testing the same day. The technology used in 3D printers also eliminates the need for extensive post production tooling and the technology also makes it easy to implement custom features. 3D printers are capable of producing prototypes with even the most complex design specifications. The rapid prototype technology used in 3D printers has brought prototyping capability to a completely different level of efficiency. 3D printers also have the capability of reproducing prototypes in metal, giving owners many design options never before available with rapid prototyping techniques. As 3D printers continue to advance capabilities continue to expand.
Production Process of 3D Printers
3D printers reduce the time needed to create prototypes by a considerable amount and can implement design changes in a shorter amount of time. The technology used to operate 3D printers can support post production finishing and is able to accommodate a wide variety of finishing materials. Techniques used with 3D printers are easy to use, cost effective and a time saving method for producing rapid prototypes for a number of applications. The computer assisted design program used in 3D printers builds prototypes layer by layer until a complete reproduction or prototype has been created. The process is automated during most of the production process and depending on the prototype will require little set and finishing.
The installation of 3D printers brings many advantages for the production of prototypes to the companies utilizing them. From design, testing and final production stages the technology of 3D printers has improved the speed, cost, and ease of reproducing models and prototypes. 3D printers using rapid prototype technology streamlines and coordinates the design process necessary to produce 3 dimensional models. Because 3D printers can produce actual models that can be tested by designers and engineers it helps to streamline prototype enhancements. Compared to the technology used by 3D printers, traditional techniques are time consuming, costly and have to be repeated for each step of the design process.
Fabrication Materials for 3D Printers
Advancements in 3D printers allow the production of prototypes in many other types of materials besides plastics. Using polyurethane, polyester or epoxy 3D printers can produce a number of products with a diverse menu of materials. Comparing the production 3D printers and traditional tooling rapid prototype technology is the most cost effective method. With this technology comes the additional advantage of being able to control the number of prototypes produced. With traditional manufacturing, small product orders are more expensive and prices decrease as the number of prototypes increase. But with 3D printers the cost remains low throughout the prototyping process regardless of the number of models produced.
With 3D printers and polyjet technology a number of new materials have been developed in recent years including metals. 3D printers can produce fine quality prototypes which are functional and created in accordance with specific design requirements. 3D printers can manufacture small items in gold, silver and zinc which have applications as replacement parts, jewelry or in new products. The materials being developed for 3D printers continues to expand and with the capability of computer assisted software the application, fabrication and production of prototypes using 3D printers and rapid prototyping technology continues to grow as well. Traditional time consuming and costly prototyping techniques are being replaced by 3D printers and advanced technology because of the capability, convenience and cost efficiency of production.
3D printers are continuing to force their way into medical applications and the latest beneficiary is an 83-year old woman. She’s the first patient to receive a titanium jaw crafted by those not-so dimensionally-challenged printers. The method was developed by the BIOMED Research Institute at Hasselt University in Belgium and creates the replacement from layer-upon-layer of titanium dust. A computer-controlled laser ensures that the correct molecules are fused together. The technique, the first to replace the entire jaw, takes mere hours to make the substitute choppers, with other options taking several days. While the final product weighs a bit more than its natural predecessor, but that didn’t stop the patient returning close to “normal speaking and swallowing” the day after the operation.
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