Overview: 3D Printing and Its Impact

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In today’s world of mechanical engineering the applications of 3D printing are very useful for research and development of various components ranging from simple structures used in everyday life to complicated components in aerospace applications. 3D printing provides many advantages few are simplicity, reliability and precision etc.

Generally in Fused Deposition Modeling the component is manufactured using the concept of rapid prototyping and layer by layer deposition of the material which is done by sending the data into the software of the machine using a stereolithography (.STL) file format made by using modeling software (CAD).

Moreover, 3D printing technology showed many industrial benefits over conventional technologies in designing, modelling and fabricating forms.

  1. 3D Printing Development

3D Printing Is Revolutionizing Medical Surgery:

Though 3D printing technology has fascinated many of its innovations across various sectors like construction and aviation, health care is one of the main areas where it’s making a big impact.
Take bone cancer for example. It’s a terrifying disease that could either be fatal or leave you without your limbs. But with the help of 3d printing, we can develop implants that could completely transform the medical field. The ultimate goal is to provide bone cancer patients with custom-made implants that can be used immediately. This means that in one surgery it will be possible to remove the cancerous portion of the bone and fix the limb – amputation will be avoided in more of the cases.
Not only limited to bones, 3D printing can be used for various other organs and part of our body. Hospitals around the world are printing 3D models of patients’ organs, using data from ultrasounds to re-create, say, a heart or a lung so that it can be studied in all its unique complexity prior to surgery, allowing doctors to plan how to fix it before even picking up a scalpel.

3D Printing PODS:

Homed is yet another example of achieving the unthinkable! Made of steel and oxidized aluminum, each pod will be equivalent to a compact room with suitable interiors. PMMA smart glass on the front face of the modules will offer great views out to the city and when they are clustered together it will form a screen for art installations or adverts.
The 3D printed interior, covered in wood laminate, can be constructed to incorporate things like furniture and lighting, so that very little is needed to be brought in from outside. The pods will have furniture, equipment, and cabinets alongside the wooden interior for a soft and friendly atmosphere that is efficient and clean; wellness modules in the structure include sanitary provisions between the occupants.

Creating 3D Printers form E-Waste:

Since the electronic waste in Ghana makes it one of the world’s largest digital dumps, the initiative taken by WoeLab has not only made a mark in the field of 3D printing but a mark worldwide. It shows us how action taken at even the smallest community-driven level has enough potential to make a big impact.
WoeLab locally sources their e-waste from all across Togo’s capital, particularly from one of their partnering groups, the Action Sociale pour Le Developpement Integral (ASDI) recycling center.
With about 50 people working in the space, and a second lab opened in Lomé earlier this year, WoeLab is gradually growing. There are 10 startups based in WoeLab pursuing projects ranging from building robots to tackling waste.
In a country where about almost half of the inhabitants live in poverty, offering access to emerging and self-sustainable technologies will help improve their livelihood and standard of living.

2. 3D Printing Models

GAME OF THRONES 3D Printed Models:

We cannot deny the fact that GAME OF THRONES is the most loved series of this generation. And everyone is a fan of different roles played by the actor, some would love Danerys, some love Tyrion and Jon Snow is just next level love. Being a 3D Printing enthusiast and also a fan of GOT, you would be thinking of making 3d prints of your favorite character or your favorite house.

Gucci’s hot 3D Printed Fashion Accessories:

At the brand’s Fall-Winter 2018 show in Milan, Gucci designer Alessandro Michele sent models down the runway carrying duplicates of their own headless domes. Gucci may well be the hottest brand the world, which suggests that its favorite maximalist trends —all-over prints, endless logos, animal picture, embroidery—trickle all the way down to the remainder of the style world.
Fashion lovers were shocked at Gucci’s freaky catwalk show that saw models strut their stuff carrying fake heads. Whereas the fashion things were spectacular, two of Gucci’s models stole the show by taking to the runway carrying 3D printed replicas of their own heads.
Unsurprisingly, the 3D printed heads have caused quite a stir on social media and have even been the inspiration for a number of funny memes.

3D Printing Beer Bottles:

Rather than throwing away the bottles and adding up to the pollution, you can take a step to revolutionize things and this article will tell you exactly how you can.We have bought a good news for you, so get excited. Click here to read more… 

Multi-Material 3D Printing:

The 3D Printing community is constantly making new efforts and updating new processes to get things done easily. The most difficult process is multi-material and multi-color 3D printing. Both are time-consuming processes and also more fun.
How to create a multi-material print with a Single Extruder printer?
The secret? Spread the different materials across different layers of a single extruder printer. Both of the models that are shown have the materials at separate heights; on separate layers. The process basically works by printing with one material to a certain height, pausing the printer, switching materials, and continuing the print. To know more about multi-material 3D printing click here…

3. 3D Printing Filaments:

3D Printed Pens:  

As we know technology is beyond our imagination and the 3D Printed Pen is the perfect example of it. Basically, it is a handy tool that is created especially for teenagers. The 3D drawing pen comes in beautiful colors which include yellow, blue, green, white, red, and purple. These pens are extremely lightweight and easy to use.
For those who are new to the art of 3D printing, getting a good start is challenging, so you have to start with a good 3D printing pen. You need to work with the best 3D pen that flows without a single hitch, so you can concentrate on the craft.

3Doodler Pen

This one comes with 50 plastic filaments out of which 25 are PLA plastic filaments and remaining are ABS filaments. But it is not just the look and feels that have been improved; the functionality also promises nice improvements such as lower power usage, optimized and quieter cooling, better speed and performance and more. Above all, if you are someone that is more conscious about the looks, then you’ll love this version.
Investing in the 3D printer may be a very pricey deal and a lot of therefore if you’re obtaining it for brief term use. Apart from the investment to induce one, alternative expenses like renewal, replacement, and maintenance are reaching to add up to lots of cash going out of your pocket. This is where 3D printing pens can come as a good alternative and help you enjoy the advantages of a really affordable valuation.

4. 3D Printing DIY

3D Printed Ergonomic Keyboard: 

A whole community just talking, making and sharing their split keyboards!! Now the question that arises is why do we need a mechanical keyboard? Most manufacturers make keyboards from one circuit board and use what many describe as mushy buttons. A mechanical keyboard uses individual switches on each key and many people claim it is not only much more satisfying to type but also more accurate and faster.
If you’re interested, you can actually build one of these amazing keyboards yourself with the help of Matt’s GitHub files, but there isn’t really a detailed guide available. And the best printer and PCB for printing this keyboard is available at Geeetech.

Earphone Holder:

You may put your earphones in your pocket as gently as you can manage but eventually, they will end up in a tangled mess(just like always) Luckily this cool earphone case is here to make life much much easier and you can find them on Thingiverse!
You can use either clear PET filament for the first couple of layers since it works better as a hinge material and works as a window, but ABS will work too. They take around 30 minutes to print.

The Mountster- a Raspberry Pi Camera Mount:

The Mountster is a monster mount for the Raspberry Pi Camera. You can screw the cam to print using the two holes on the side of the lens. Also, there is an opening for the focus light.

5. 3D Printing Troubleshooting Guides

Tips To Help You Remove Your 3D Prints From The Bed:

  • If the object is sturdy you can go ahead and put in more strength. Grabbing, twisting and turning, should work in most cases.
  • By using more extreme temperatures you can take advantage of this behavior. You can speed things up by placing a cool pack or run cold water on the 3D print.
  • Think of all the flat, sharp tools which you can slide between the printed object and the build platform. Spatulas, palette knife, or even a razor blade will be able to help you pry away your design from the print bed.
  • Using solvent liquids should be the last resort since they will make a new coating of blue tape inevitable.
  • Dental floss isn’t just for your teeth! It can help remove stuck print asides as well. Place the string underneath the edge of the print and begin to move it horizontally in a sawing motion.
  • Geeetech Superplate comes with high-performance microporous coating and silicon carbide glass. The silicon carbide glass is of chemical stability, uniform heat, and durability. Besides, the special coating is inorganic, with its hardness of 8 Mohs and heat resistance up to 400 ℃. Easy to clean with water or alcohol. Compared with aluminum plate, this kind of build platform is of better adhesion and flatness and easy to take offprints.

Blocked Nozzle?

If you frequently switch between filaments like ABS and PLA then this problem occurs quite a bit. The difference in melting points of various filaments is what attributes to a blocked nozzle. Some amount of PLA is left behind in the nozzle. When heated beyond its normal melting point, it will carbonize and burn which causes the blockage.
Similarly, a switch between ABS and Nylon does the same and you may see a wisp of smoke appear briefly as the new filament is fed through.
The Atomic Pull or Cold Pull is one of the best solutions to fix this problem!

Your 3D Print Won’t Stick to the Print Bed?

One of the most common problems faced during 3D Printing is the print design refusing to stick to the print bed. Though it can prove to be extremely frustrating, it can be fixed easily.

How can you fix pillowing?

Your 3d print may have seemed successful while printing it but once it’s finished you notice gaps and holes in the outer layers. This is known as pillowing and though it is frustrating after spending hours on a print, there are some easy ways to prevent it from happening again!

Mistakes To Avoid when Designing and Printing a 3D Model

3d printing involves different stages and processes of designing and printing. 3d designers use different software, different print in materials and printers, and sometimes most of them using a different printing technology suited to the product or item they’re printing. So it’s perfectly normal to feel lost until such time where we feel like it seems difficult to design a perfect 3D model for 3D printing.

I hope this article will helps you to understand more about the 3D printing and perhaps acts as a springboard for your creativity to run wild.