Printer Types Lesson 009: 3-D Printers Part 1

3D Printer

Type of printer that creates objects in three dimensions, meaning there is height, width, and depth to the finished printout.

What is the true benefit of 3D printing?

The ability to take something that is downloaded from the Internet and to make it into a tangible object.

What materials can 3D printers use?

Plastic, resin, rubber, carbon fiber, metal alloy, and cement.

What type of material will the typical home or office 3D printer use?

Plastic or resin.

What is the first step of the 3D printing process?

Creating a 3D model using a 3D modeling program.

What will a 3D modeling program do to a digital 3D model once completed?

Divide it into slices, each representing one layer of an object.

Why does a 3D model have to be divided into layers?

Because the 3D printer can only print out a portion of the model at a time.

What happens after a 3D model has been divided into layers?

The design will be sent over to the 3D printer via USB, memory card, or Wi-Fi connection.

Why would someone prefer to use a memory card to give a 3D printer the 3D model to print, instead of using some type of other connection media connecting the laptop and the 3D printer?

Because it frees up the laptop for other tasks.

Besides the obvious functionality that comes from using a 3D printer, what is another benefit of it?

It is extremely precise.

What is the caveat to 3D printing?

It can be very slow to print models.

What are the main components of a 3D printer?

Print bed/build plate, build surface, extruder, gears, motors, and motion control system, and fans.

Print Bed/Build Plate

A flat surface where the material is extruded and built upon.

What is done to the print bed/build plate of a 3D printer to prevent warping or adhesion problems with print material?

It is preheated.

What will happen if 3D print material isn’t preheated properly?

The material can crack or fail to adhere, making it difficult to build up the subsequent layers.

What do some printers handle automatically concerning the print bed/build plate of a 3D printer?

The heating of said component, others require manual calibration though.

Build Surface

Holds the object in position during the printing process.

What must the build surface of a 3D printer be able to do?

Grip the object firmly during the printing process, while still allowing the removal of the printed product after the job is complete without damaging it.

Bed Weld

Can be applied to the build surface to help the material adhere during printing and release cleanly when finished.

Extruder

Serves as the 3D printer’s version of a print head that heats and melts the filament, squirting it onto the build plate layer by layer.