3 D printing or Rapid Prototyping or Additive Manufacturing, it is known by many names. This presentation touches down on why it has gained enormous significance in today's manufacturing industry, How 3-D printing is done, and explains briefly some of the many popular procedures. Next we look at the various materials used in this technology and their applicability, pros and cons. We also take a look at the history of 3 D printing, specifications of a 3 D printer, its newer and more innovative uses beyond prototyping. In conclusion, we observe that this technology ushers a new age of digital manufacturing, though not as a replacement for conventional manufacturing techniques.

1. RAPID PROTOTYPING
3-D
Printing
Additive
Manufacturing
Generative
Manufacturing
Process
Material
Deposition
Manufacturing
Layer-by-Layer
Manufacturing
Direct CAD
Manufacturin
g
Solid
Freeform
Fabrication

2. WHAT and WHY ?
 RAPID PROTOTYPING is a process of manufacturing
 directly from the CAD data
 by adding material layer-by-layer
 without human intervention

3. Benefits of RAPID PROTOTYPING
Improved
Product
Quality and
Design
Improved
Confidentialit
y
Better
Communication
Reduced
Development
Costs
Shortened
Product
Development
Cycle

4. Steps
Pre
Processing
• Input
• Slicing
Processing
• Photo Curing
• Cutting & Glueing/Joining
• Melting and Solidifying
• Sealing
• Polishing
• Painting
Post
Processing

5. CLASSIFICATION
Laminated Object
Manufacturing (LOM)
Fused Deposition
Modelling (FDM)
Multi-Jet Modelling
(MJM)
Solid Creation
System (SCS)
Solid
Based
Selective Laser
Sintering (SLS)
3 Dimensional
Printing (3DP)
Electron Beam
Melting (EBM)
Powder
Based
Stereolithography
Apparatus (SLA)
Solid Ground Curing
(SGC)
Liquid
Based

6. Laminated Object Manufacturing (LOM)
• Developed by the California-based
Helisys Inc. (now Cubic
Technologies)
• Uses the cutting and glueing method

7. FUSED DEPOSITION MODELLING (FDM)
• Developed by Stratasys
• Uses the fusing and solidifying
method
• Durable, Cost-effective products
with accuracies similar to
stereolithography
• Longer building time

8. SELECTIVE LASER SINTERING (SLS)
• Uses the fusing and solidifying
method
• More material options, like
thermoplastic, metal powder,
ceramics, etc.
• Comparatively inaccurate, rough
surface and lesser detail

9. STEREOLITHOGRAPHY APPARATUS (SLA)
• Uses photo-curing method to
solidify liquid resins using UV light.
• Limited material options and colors
• Very accurate, smooth parts are
produced

10. MATERIALS
Factors :
• Application
• Function
• Geometry
• Post-processing

11. PHOTOPOLYMERS
 Liquid resins which are cured and
hardened with ultraviolet (UV) energy.
 Photo-curable materials range in
colours, opacities and rigidities.
 Manufacturing processes:
Stereolithography (SL) and PolyJet

12. POWDERED PLASTICS
 Powdered nylons are “sintered”, layer by
layer via a laser to form dense plastic
designs
 Properties : heat deflection, high
strength and excellent elongation
properties
 Capable of more complex designs, since
they don’t require any support

13. METALS
 The powdered metals are heated and
fused by a powerful Yb-fibre laser,
whose energy essentially welds designs
layer by layer
 Requires highly trained build engineers
and post-processing team
 Complex, dense parts that consolidate
old designs into one fluid build

14. THERMOPLASTICS
 High performance, engineering-grade
materials which exhibit many of the
same properties of injection molded
plastics
 Examples: Polycarbonate (PC),
acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS),
acrylonitrile styrene acrylate (ASA), etc.
 Manufacturing Process:
Fused Deposition Modelling (FDM)

15. RAPID PROTOTYPING
THEN & NOW

16. 1984
1st 3D Printer developed by Charles
Hull,
Named “Stereolithography Apparatus”
1996
‘Genisys’ from Stratasys
‘Actua 2100’ from 3D Systems
‘Z402’ from Z Corporation
2008
Connex500 by Objet Geometries
Could print in multiple materials
simultaneously

17. SPECIFICATIONS
 Build Area
 Extruders
 Filament Width
 Print Speed
 Horizontal (XY) Resolution
 Vertical (Z) Resolution

18. APPLICATIONS
BEYOND PROTOTYPING

20. CONCLUSION
3D printing has been behind the scenes for decades, providing functional prototype
and production parts in hundreds of industries. It will continue to benefit as
methods and materials improve.
We must remember that additive manufacturing technology is not a replacement for
conventional processes, rather an aid.
With growing popularity of 3-D printing, there is a concern over the legalities and
ethical ramifications.
 Little or no laws governing the field
 Digital files run a risk of being stolen/hacked