Where Can I Use a 3D Printer?

Evolution in the 3D printing field is changing the world by bringing in innovations. Companies having massive budgets were the only ones to use printers earlier. Still, now, with new technology, the 3D printers even come at budget-friendly prices, easy to use features, as well as consumer-grade models in the market. 

What do you mean by 3D printing?

Additive manufacturing or 3D printing refers to the creation of three dimensional solid objects from any digital file. With the use of additive processes, the 3D object is made. An object is easily created in 3D when different layers are laid down until the purpose comes out. You will be able to see these layers as horizontal cross-section with thin slices of an eventual object. 3D printing is the total opposite of subtractive manufacturing and enables the industries to produce complex figures. The use makes these figures for very less material. Earlier, more material was used in all the other traditional manufacturing patterns. Subtractive manufacturing refers to the cutting out of a piece of plastic or metal with a milling machine, maybe. 

Where Can You Use a 3D Printer?

3D printing has been involved in different technologies as it is being used in different industries. There are different uses of 3D printers which are listed below:

Rapid Prototyping and Rapid Manufacturing process: 
Several companies have used a 3D printer in their designing process. They did this to create prototypes in the late 70s. When you make use of a 3D printer to build prototypes, this refers to Rapid Prototyping. 3D printers are used for rapid prototyping as the printers are fast and cheap now than the previous times. From possessing an idea to making a 3D model and then holding the prototype on your fingers is now a matter of days only and not for weeks. Now you can make iterations in a cheaper and more accessible manner, and there is no use of costly tools or molds. Not only does a 3D printer is used for rapid prototyping, but also, it has its usage in fast manufacturing processes. When different business types use 3D printers for small batch custom manufacturing, this process is known as the rapid manufacturing process. 

Automotive: 
Car manufacturers are using 3D printers for a long time. Different automotive companies print spare parts, jigs, fixtures, and tools but also make end-use parts. The 3D printing process also allowed the on-demand manufacturing process that led to lower stock levels. Also, it helped in shortening designs and the production cycle frame. To restore old cars, automative enthusiasts are using 3D printed parts all over the world. 

Aviation: 
3D printers are also used in aviation industries in several different ways. If you want to get functional parts manufactured with the right geometries and the defined aerodynamic properties, then 3D printing will save you. The evolution of increasingly complex designs, technical integration, and the other parts come as the key drivers in the aerospace field. The additive manufacturing process is used by the leading aerospace companies to plan the production strategies for the future. 

Construction: 
Do you think of printing a building? If you do, then you should know that 3D printing allows printing buildings. Many companies firmly believe in the future of construction of buildings with 3D printing. It is now easy to print doors, floors, walls, and even complete houses with the use of 3D printing methods. 

Contour Crafting: 
Contour crafting is a method in which the crafting process makes use of the robotic device to automate the construction of large buildings. The robotic device quickly prints walls in a layer by layer process by extruding the concrete finely. As soon as the walls build, the walls are then smoothed. 

Consumer Products: 
Earlier, 3D printers were used less because of less technology, but now with the evolution of technology, they have become more efficient. Of late, many end-use customer products contain 3D printed parts in them. 

• Footwear: The 4D range of Adidas, a shoe brand, has a fully 3D printed midsole. These midsoles are printed in bulk quantity. In the early years, they have printed around 1,00,000 soles, and in the coming years, the manufacturing industries are expecting to print more. 
  
  
• Eyewear: the 3D printed eyewear are quite famous. Its market is forecasted to reach around $3.4 billion by 2028 easily. There is a hike in the sales of end-use frames. 3D printing is an appropriate and effective production process for several types of eyewear frames. This is because an individual’s measurements are quite easy to process in the end product. Also, the 3D printing field has advanced much that it provides high-quality, ophthalmic lenses. The Luxucel visionengine 3D printer is used in making lenses. This printer makes use of UV- curable acrylate monomer that helps in printing two pairs of lenses in an hour. These hourly printed lenses require zero polishing or any post-processing methods. Also, the printers allow customizing the focal areas to provide better clarity in some regions of the lens. 
  
  
• Jewelry: 3D printing offers two ways of creating jewelry. Either it can be done by direct printing an object via Metal Powder Bed Fusion, or it can be done by printing a tool in order to create end product through casting. 
  
  

Food: 3d printing, also known as additive manufacturing, has helped the food industry a long time ago. Different restaurants like Melisse and Food Ink use 3D printing to make more sales across the world by attracting new customers. 

Education: students, as well as teachers, have been using 3D printers in the classroom for a long time. These printing processes allow students to materialize their ideas in a fast manner of being affordable.

Thus, if you have been thinking of where can I use a 3d printer, then your answer is solved in the best way. 

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Created on May 5th 2020 15:25. Viewed 279 times.

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