What is 3D printing? What products can be made?

A 3D printer is a device that prints 3D, that is, processes and makes three-dimensional shapes. It is capable of printing virtual three-dimensional shapes created on a PC using 3D CAD and other software. In recent years, there have been models for automatic machining by reading virtual 3D data, but for ordinary machine tools, the machining program must be entered on the premise that the drawings are read manually. Depending on the situation, it may also be necessary to change equipment, change tools, etc. halfway through. But for 3D printers, it doesn't need to be so troublesome. Based on the virtual 3D data, the model can be created by software.

When you print content on paper with a regular printer, the printer sprays a fixed amount of ink on the corresponding numeric coordinates. The same principle applies to 3D printers. In a 3D printer, a virtual 3D shape is first sliced in multiple layers in the Z-axis (height) direction. Each layer then ejects material at the indicated coordinates, illuminates the beam to solidify, and then stacks layer by layer on top to form a 3D shape. For this reason, the modeling of 3D printers is sometimes referred to as "lamination".

There are many types of 3D printers, but there are two main types of materials that can be processed: resin and metal. Although not suitable for industrial use, there are some models that can process gypsum products. The way of styling varies depending on the material. Depending on the type of resin, the resin material can be sprayed with a molten resin, and the resin solution can be cured with ultraviolet light or laser, or the powder can be sintered with a laser. In particular, there are many smaller, cheaper models that emit molten resin. As a result, there are examples of being used in small studios, as well as hobbies at home. Correspondingly, many people think of this type of device when they think of 3D printers. However, in the actual manufacturing industry, the use of ultraviolet and laser curing sintering resin solutions and powders is more widespread than the application of spraying molten materials and molding them in layers. In addition, depending on the model, a 3D printer that molds with a laser and ultraviolet light can achieve a higher molding accuracy than a 3D printer that molds a molten material. For metal materials, most models are molded by laser sintering material powder. There are also models that spray out molten metal and laminate it, but their use is relatively limited. Because the melting point of metal is higher than that of resin, there are some defects, such as the large amount of heat required to melt the material, and the viscosity of the metal in the molten state is lower than that of the resin in the molten state, and it is easy to flow during the lamination process. Therefore, the mainstream of 3D printers that process metal materials is to use laser sintering powder.