Title: 3-D Printing: Solid Model Fabrication with a Touch of a Button
Abstract: complexity of parts that may be made with these printers is impressive. Most teachers of drafting and design are currently teaching using CAD software. While most teach two-dimensional drawings in form of orthographic projections, advances in software are making construction of 3-D models easier and more practical. Solid models can take form of a wire frame or shading, and materials can be added to give model a more realistic appearance. With all these advances in 3-D modeling, most students still cannot touch or hold object they have designed unless they fabricate part on a mill or lathe in conjunction with a CAD/CAM program. One may wonder if there are any other options that would give students ability to fabricate prototypes of designs easily and quickly. The fact is that technology has been around for several years. It is known as 3-D printing. These printers have capability to create prototype parts from 3-D solid models, while giving student designers and CAD operators option of handling designed part and sharing that part with others. What is a 3-D printer? It is a system that can produce real prototype parts of solid models drawn through applications of CAD packages. There are several 3-D printers currently available that use varying technologies. Those described within this article use different technologies to harden powders of different materials. The method of hardening may be with use of a laser or ink-jet droplets sprayed onto powders. The Process Since there are various machines on market using different modeling processes, we will first focus on one of less expensive systems, such as Z-Corp printers. The first thing needed is a CAD package that saves in a format that printer will accept. These may be .ply (popmail), .bid (bloadable picture), .stl (stereo-lithography) or VRML (virtual reality modeling language) formats, and are save options on many 3-D modeling packages currently used in school-based drafting programs. Once operator saves solid model in appropriate format, he or she must then import file into printer software. This normally takes less than two minutes. Materials used in process are then loaded into machine. They include forming powder and hardener. Once machine is prepared, operator then presses PRINT on printer and fabrication process begins. Powder is laid down onto a flat surface of machine at a thickness between .003 and .01 inches. An ink-jet cartridge then passes over powder, releasing microscopic droplets that glue powder together in a process called sintering. Sintering is a way of bonding particles together. The process uses existing ink-jet technology to release hardener. This helps keep costs down and gives option of purchasing replacement printer heads locally. The process is then repeated as part begins to take shape from bottom up, one layer at a time. (Creators of this technology worked closely with Hewlett Packard when designing this aspect of process.) The speed at which parts are fabricated depends on size of item. These printers can fabricate complicated parts in hours, while smaller parts may take an hour or less. An 8 X 8 X 8 inch block can be made in 5 to 6 hours, depending on powder used. The complexity of part does not increase time of part fabrication. It is more related to mass of item. This is considerably faster than a printer that joins powders with a laser. According to Drew Santin, President of Santin Engineering, the Z-Corp printers produce parts ten times faster and at one tenth cost of a laser hardening system. This is currently fastest way on market to produce prototype parts. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Once part is completed, it is removed from printer and excess powder is brushed or blown off. …
Publication Year: 2001
Publication Date: 2001-11-01
Language: en
Type: article
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