Why 3D Printing is the most amazing invention recently?
3D printing is an innovative technology used for manufacturing solid objects in Three Dimensional (3D) format.
Using an innovative idea of slicing our objects into normal 2D layers that can be drawn using a specific printing head, those layers/slices are stacked adherent to each other so they can combine the 3rd Dimension.
That why it's also called the Additive manufacturing technology referring to adding layer to previous layers.
By combining The 3D Printing technology with traditional manufacturing methods, a diverse types of 3D Printers are generated depending on the manufacturing material, manufacturing techniques & technology.
The most famous types of 3D Printers are FDM, DLP, SLS; which are used to manufacture Thermo plastics, Light solidifying Resin, Polymers, and metals.
The FDM type you see in photo below can 3D print different materials of Thermo plastics, some are Rigid like PLA, ABS or PETG, and some materials are flexible Like TPU
an FDM 3D Printer "Creality Ender 3 V2"
3D Printers Prices are getting better and better every year! with less than a 200$ you can buy your first FDM 3D Printer (Depending on your country).
But if you live in Egypt, Please be careful you can't buy a 3D Printer from abroad, as importing 3D Printers is prohibited for Normal Persons, it's allowed for companies but with a difficult long procedures and approvals with no sucess guarantee; that's why the 3D Printers' prices in Egypt are different, because it includes a lot of Tax's, customs, Customs approvals, Customs long storage fees.
At 3D Printneer We try to help you get the benefits of 3D Printing without suffering those long procedures, You can use our service for FDM 3D printing on demand with 10 variant levels of finishing/prices to suite your needs and budget get it by clicking here..
or you can buy an FDM 3D Printer from a variety of Brands and models from our online Store by clicking here...
How FDM 3D Printing is working!?
A FDM 3D Printer device is normally have a motherboard like a small special Computer That can control at least 4 motors one motor to control one direction which represents a dimension of our shape 3 Dimensions + extrusion motor to extrude the Plastic into a hot end block that can melt the thermo plastic filament (Plastic line) and moves in each direction to draw our shape with melted plastic.
The melted plastic line is very thin normally 0.4 mm so it cool down quickly back into it's original rigid form but after it shaped our 2D layer, Layers then stack to each other to give us the 3 Dimensional shape.
Those steps are happening above a building plate, that in most cases is heated to help the plastic stick to it; tell the 3D printed layers are done, then it cools down after finish to help easily remove our 3D object.
What do you need to 3D Printing your object!?
to be able to manufacture your object with FDM 3D Printing you will need:
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a computer 3D Model file of your object.
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a Personal computer with 3D printing slicing program.
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a 3D printing Filament (3D Printing material and color).
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a 3D Printer ready to 3D print.
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a cable or SD card to transfer our 3D printing file generated by the slicing software.
Here Below you will find more description of those steps;
1. a computer 3D Model of your Object
a 3D model of your object is a 3D file containing information how your object dimensions in the 3D space is represented, normal images or PDF ..etc. are not compatible hence they lack the 3rd dimensions.
a specific type of file is needed the most famous types are : *.stl, *.obj, *.3mf
Those types can be exported from any 3D design software.
But what if you have an idea but you don't have the 3D model!? in this case here are the solutions;
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Search the internet for a similar 3D model to your idea that was designed before by another person and uploaded to specific websites. a great search engine for 3D models is (www.yeggi.com) you can find a 3d model by searching it with a keyword representing your idea (don't worry about the overall dimension the 3D printing slicing software can scale it up or down).
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Hire a professional 3D Product designer to design your 3D model for you (we at 3D printneer provides professional 3D Product Design service you can access from here..).
But What if you have a physical object that you want to make copy of it with 3D printing!?
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a special 3D scanner can be used to generate the 3D model from your physical object.
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Hire a professional 3D Product designer to design your 3D model for you by measuring the dimensions of your physical object and drawing it on the 3D Product Design computer software. (we at 3D printneer provides professional 3D Product Design service you can access from here..)
2. a Personal computer with 3D printing slicing program
a 3D slicer software is a computer program used to prepare our 3D Model computer file for 3D Printing by selecting the prober settings for 3D Printer & 3D Printing steps & processing and produce a file (*.Gcode) that contains instruction for your 3D Printer on how to move and 3D Print your Object.
Slicer programs are available from your 3D Printer manufacturer, but you can also find 3rd party Slicer software that are generic to suite any FDM 3D Printer type, some of them are free to use like Ultimaker Cura and some of them are paid like Simplify3D.
in the slicer software you configure your 3D Printer (it's Brand, Type, Dimensions...etc.) for once.
Then each time you need to 3D Print you insert your 3D Model file (*.stl or *.obj or *.3mf...etc.) and position it on your virtual build plate, then you can choose to scale it up or down as a whole object or keep its original dimensions.
Later you can choose the 3D Print settings as 3D Printing Nozzle dimension, Printing Layer Hight, Printing Speed, Thickness and infill of 3D Printing lines...etc.
after you finish choosing your 3D Printing options you can slice automatically your 3D Model to produce the instruction file that you can transfer later to your 3D Printer that contains all the information required by your 3D Printer on how to move and plastic extrusion quantities to 3D Print your object.
3. a 3D printing Filament (3D Printing material and color)
Choosing 3D Printing material is an essential step, that needs to be taken with care, hence FDM 3D Printing materials are available in various types and colors.
Choosing the right material for your 3D Printed object depends on the mechanical probertites that you need in your object, either it can withstand higher working temperature or have better resistance to brake or failure, or needs more flexibility ...etc.
If you don't know or if not important to you a specific characteristics you can go to the default option for FDM 3D Printing PLA (Poly Lactic Acid)
which is suitable for most uses, if you would like to know more about FDM 3D Printing materials you can learn from here..
after choosing the right material it's time to choose the color of your 3D Print, hence the 3D printing filament is already colored your 3D Print will inherit the same color of it, although you can color your 3D Printed object manually after finishing as most 3D printing materials accept various color types as Acrylic paint, Plastic paint, spray paint...etc.
4. a 3D Printer ready to 3D print
Preparing your 3D Printer for 3D printing is very important step to avoid any failure and have a better chance for successful 3D Print.
You need to make sure your Printing Building plate is clean and leveled correctly, nothing is blocking the movement of the motors and axis of the 3D Printer, the 3D Printing Nozzle is clean and not blocked.
Most 3D Printer have a small TFT screen to see the status and control your 3D printer.
You need to preheat the 3D printer and load the correct 3D Printing filament to get ready for 3D Printing.
5. a cable or SD card to transfer our 3D printing file
Now you are ready for the last step to start your 3D Printing, transferring your sliced file of the required 3D Model (generated code by slicer software).
Most 3D printers have both online and offline 3D Printing mode;
in the online mode the 3D printer is connect with USB Cable to a personal computer with slicer software program open to monitor and control your 3D printer and 3D Print your file.
in the offline mode you transfer the file using a SD Card and insert it into your 3D Printer and uses the 3D printer controls buttons and TFT screen to choose your file and start 3D Printing Process.
The offline mode is most preferred as this options is avoids failure of your 3D prints if the personal loses power or go to sleep, and a lot of 3D Printers makes available the resuming of your 3D Print after a Power failure in the offline mode.
3D Printed Products Examples
3D printing, Wardrobe knob Accessories طباعة ثلاثية الأبعاد أكسسوار مقبض دولاب
Custom Manufacturing 3D printing, Ice-cream shape lamp تصنيع مخصوص, طباعة ثلاثية الأبعاد اضاءه على شكل ايس كريم
3D printing, 3D Model طباعة ثلاثية الأبعاد موديل ثلاثي الأبعاد
3D printing, Wardrobe knob Accessories طباعة ثلاثية الأبعاد أكسسوار مقبض دولاب