3D Printing Trends In 2021

 

3D printing has gained more equity as a sustainable solution to immediate and custom manufacturing needs during the COVID crisis. Innovations like Block chain, IOT, hi-speed 3d printers and metal 3D printing are some of the key drivers of growth in the 3D printing field. These along with integrated software and automation of standardized processes have paved the way for new trends to emerge in the 3D printing arena. In this blog we will try and outline a few major trends that are expected in the 3D printing industry in 2021.

Growth incentivized by application driven approach

An estimated 20% of global consumer goods are expected to use 3D printing for custom made products. This projection is based on the amazing transformative power of 3D printing that can be harnessed by applications and software tailor made to specific 3D printing needs.

Reduced Operator Intervention

Advances in 3D printing help manufacturers to focus on processes in the post and pre-production phases. As the models to be printed can be designed virtually, simulation and automation software in tandem with 3D printing will enable better designs with minimal human intervention, while speeding up the manufacturing process.

Assimilation of 3D printing in Supply Chains

3D printing has great potential to handle resource-intensive tasks. With shorter lead times and fewer equipment needs it has already revolutionized the manufacturing supply chain. In 2021 3D printing is predicted to smoothen the operation of manufacturing supply chains, by harnessing IOT and Industry 4.0 to build a digital supply chain from the ground up.

Higher customization

With the ability to create custom parts, models and design, 3D printing is expected to help consumers and goods providers alike. Virtual designs are easier to customize and can be tailor made to various requirements. The ability of 3D printers to print complex 3D designs will make it possible to realize the production of offerings that cater to unique demands of various industries.

Metal 3D printing

Advances in metal 3D printing are already revolutionizing the Aerospace and Aviation industry. It is estimated that by the end of 2021, 75% of aircrafts will use components that are 3D printed. 3D printing in metals can deliver more complex parts with ease, helping designers to innovate and solve unique problems.

3D Printing in Scientific Research

3D printing uses computer models to print objects layer by layer. Laboratories around the world are deploying this technology to speed up traditional research methods and make them more productive.

One way 3D printing helps researchers is by reducing the cost of equipment involved in research. 3D printing plastic parts and components is cheaper and faster than waiting for them to be made and delivered by an outside vendor. Hence they can be used as consumable items, that are put to use once and discarded without the need for clean ups.

3D printing and printers are becoming a standard tool for scientific research, helping scientists to fabricate parts custom made for an experiment. They also help in replacing damaged parts of a certain apparatus in a clean, cheap manner. 3D printers also make it easy to make life size models of molecules and atoms, helping researchers to better understand the materials involved in their experiments.

3D printing also helps researchers in medicine to print life like models of a body part or organs to study and practice complex surgical procedures. 3D scans of a patient’s body parts help in creating 3D models of a certain organ. Once printed they can be studied to design novel techniques of treatment and surgery.

3D printing is revolutionizing research in the oil industry by helping researchers to map and build 3D models of rocks. Printed 3D models of rocks provide researchers access to minute details of the various physical properties of a rock. This helps them understand how various mechanical, physical and natural forces affect rocks, paving the way for new drilling and oil extraction methods.

Three Major Types Of 3D Printing Technologies

 

3D printing is on course to change manufacturing forever, among other sectors like healthcare, defense, education and construction to name a few. Better detail, more efficient use of materials resulting in less waste, effortless modelling are just some of the advantages that make 3D printing a fitting alternative to current manufacturing practices.

Adoption of 3D printing on a wide scale across the industrial and domestic spectrum however, has been fueled largely by three major technologies. Fused deposition modelling, Stereolithography and Selective Laser Sintering, respectively, are the most widely used 3D printing technologies today.

Fused Deposition Modelling OR FDM as it’s also known, is a process where parts are built by extruding heated filament on the build tray. This done layer by layer until the model acquires the desired shape, following which the layers are fused together. FDM’s biggest advantage is the wide variety of filament or 3D printing materials it supports. A wide range of plastics, metals and composites can be used to print objects using FDM, making it the most widely adopted 3D printing technology today.

Stereolithography was one of the first 3D printing technologies to be used. Invented in the 1980s, Stereolithograhy (SLA) produces parts with high resolution, smooth surface finish and accuracy. SLA uses a technique known as ‘photo-polymerization’ to print 3D models. The process uses lasers to cure liquid resin into hardened plastics. Due to the high resolution output provided by this method, it is frequently used for industrial applications in manufacturing, jewelry and healthcare industries.

Selective Laser Sintering (SLS), is a 3D printing technology frequently used in addictive manufacturing. SLS uses lasers to fuse together small particles of polymer powder using high powered lasers. SLS is uniquely suited to 3D printing ‘strong’ parts or models that have a complex geometry. SLS parts however have a rough surface finish. Moreover, the limited number of materials available for printing using SLS present a big barrier to wider adoption of this technology.

In conclusion, the type of 3D printing technology to be used, depends on the industry and type of 3d models that need to be printed. With new innovations being devised in the construction and healthcare industry, novel 3D printing technologies are on the horizon. It is predicted that doctors will soon be able to 3D print organs suited to patient and procedural requirements. Experiments in 3D printing houses and structures are already being conducted, paving the way to a less labor intensive future.

What Is FDM 3D Printing Technology ?

 Additive manufacturing or 3D printing as it is known these days, uses one of three technologies to print 3D models:

1. Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM)

2. Stereolithography (SLA)

3. Selective Laser Sintering (SLS)

Fused Deposition Modelling (FDM) is the focus of this particular blog.

3D printing using FDM essentially implies that the object being printed is fused together by printing layer after layer in a certain pattern.

Objects are created by extruding layer upon layer of the heated material on the build tray or printing bed of the 3D printer. FDM 3D printers use a filament of certain material, usually plastic, which is passed through a hot end, to melt. The melted filament material is used to make layers which are then fused together to give the object its final shape. A wide variety of materials can be used for FDM 3D printing like plastics, pastes and some metals as well.

FDM 3D printers can be fitted with a wide variety of extrusion systems or extruders like filament extruders, pellet extruders, chocolate extruders and paste extruders depending on the required model to be printed. Scalability is the biggest advantage of using the FDM technique for 3D printing. None of the other available 3D printing techniques like SLS and SLA, can be scaled like FDM, without major issues propping up. This means FDM 3D printers are continually being made less expensive and bigger, owing to low cost of parts and the simple designs used.

Another advantage of FDM 3D printing is the wide variety of materials that can be used for this technique. FDM printers support many thermoplastics and changing the filament material requires few upgrades and modifications, which can be an issue when using SLS or SLA 3D printing techniques.

FDM’s notable disadvantage is the lack of detail and low quality of the printed models. This can be attributed to the fact that material is extruded in layers. Moreover, the thickness of layer is predefined by the type of extrusion nozzle being used, again limiting the detail that can be produced for a given model. As models are printed layer by layer, they are also prone to developing weak points where the layers are joined, making them unsuitable for certain applications.

Despite the above disadvantages FDM remains by far the most popular 3D printing technique that is used to print 3D models.