preview

The Development Of 3d Printing

Decent Essays

The development of 3D printing is changing our traditional perception of manufacturing. Three-dimensional printing or additive manufacturing (AM) is not a new concept. It has been used in various industries for many years. The inception of 3D printing began in 1976, when the inkjet printer was invented. Changes and adaptations to the inkjet model of printing in the mid 1980’s allowed the technology to advance from printing with ink to printing with materials. 3D printing uses computer-generated designs to reproduce a digital model through consolidation of materials with an energy source. These objects can be of almost any shape, geometry and most importantly, complexity. By using a laser or an electron beam the micrometer thin layer of material is solidified as the printer scans it. 3D printing is the process where layer upon layer of material is built up to make a three-dimensional object from a digital model. Material used includes metal powders, polymers and ceramics. The introduction of 3D printing is rapidly starting to shift the paradigm of how, when and where a product is made. It has already given consumers the opportunity to access an at-home design and production facility. It offers the flexibility to design and build a customised product that can be tailored to individual’s specific needs. It is proposed by many that 3D printing will reverse the design for manufacture process (DRM) to that of a manufacturing for design process, as software capability

Get Access