TAGS: 3D Printing Part Design & Manufacturing
Additive Manufacturing (AM), also known as 3D printing, is a comparatively new technique compared to the traditional manufacturing techniques of machining, forging, and casting. AM brings a new era in the manufacturing industry where a product can be created directly from its CAD model without any need of tooling.
One of the main benefits of this technology is that it is a very fast and cost-efficient way of creating different kinds of products, bringing flexibility and efficiency to manufacturing processes.
How does 3D printing work?
3D printing is different from the traditional subtractive manufacturing process of cutting away pieces of a solid object.
The process begins with a design created using a CAD software. The software translates the design into instructions to be followed by a 3D printer. The actual
process of 3D printing involves a nozzle moving back and forth, deposing material layer by layer, waiting for it to dry, then continuing with the next step until the final object is built.
Benefits of Additive Manufacturing
Many industries can benefit from adopting AM, especially nowadays where the speed of meeting market demand is of key importance. Below we list the main benefits associated with Additive Manufacturing.
Shorter time-to-market
With AM, the production cycle from product design to product delivery is shortened. The review and approval time of products is reduced thanks to the speed of producing multiple modifications of a design at a time.
Flexible designs
3D printing removes the limitations of traditional manufacturing related to the complexity of designs, allowing the creation of objects with a great degree of detail.
Mass customization
The speed and flexibility of 3D printing allows manufacturers to respond more quickly to the increasing market demands for personalized products, especially for producers of consumer goods.
Reduced waste
As the process of 3D printing only uses as much of the material as needed to create the product, the material waste is reduced, which consequently leads to lower material costs.
Choice of materials
3D printing offers manufacturers to choose among different materials to work with depending on their final need, with the most popular being plastic and metal.
Fused Filament Fabrication: The Most Common 3D Printing Technique
Fused Filament Fabrication (FFF), also known by the name of
Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM), is the most common and widely used technique of 3D printing.
How does Fused Filament Fabrication work?
The process of Fused Filament Fabrication (FFF) is simple: solid filament is melted and extruded through a heated nozzle. The product is 3D printed by horizontal movement of the FFF machine nozzle, depositing a thin layer of material that creates the required 2D profile.
Each consecutive layer of molten material solidifies and efficiently welds on the previous layer. Building plate form is lowered down to an amount equal to the layer thickness of molten bead and the process is repeated several times to develop a complete 3D model of a product.
Benefits of Fused Filament Fabrication
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Its ability to process complex and intricate 3D parts.
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FFF is the simplest of all AM techniques and the only one that uses solid material.
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It is the least expensive technique in terms of equipment and processing.
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In most cases, FFF does not need any post-processing like heat treatment and sintering
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It can process a variety of materials using the same setup.
Choosing the right material for Fused Filament Fabrication
The most common
materials for Fused Filament Fabrication are elastomers and thermoplastics, as they can be easily and cost-efficiently used for product prototyping. Recently, innovations in filament materials have allowed for metal products such as stainless steel parts to be produced with FFF, creating potential for various industries with applications requiring high hardness and mechanical strength.
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