How does a 3D printer work?

printers 3D

There are many situations in which we think of something we need or want but cannot find where to buy it, that is when we say "I wish I could make it myself." A 3D printer gives us the possibility of manufacturing almost any object by entering a plan in our PC. We have surely heard a lot about these machines and the thousands of possibilities they have to make objects or parts in almost any imaginable way.

The possibility of manufacturing solid three-dimensional objects with just a printer and a computer is something that was expected by various manufacturers for their use to allow the construction of small objects such as medical implants, architectural or automotive parts. In addition, despite the initial cost of the printer, the rest of the elements would be low cost and easy to use. In this article we are going to show how a 3D printer works and what they can be used for.

What is a 3D printer?

A 3D printer is a machine capable of manufacturing three-dimensional objects or parts from designs created with a computer. Such designs can be made from scratch or based on ideas by drawing plans by existing CAD software. 3D printing involves the superposition of materials such as plastics, composites or biomaterials to create objects that vary in shape, size, or stiffness. We can see a 3D printer building from houses to cars and even protective equipment for healthcare workers.

3d printer

These printers have extreme flexibility in terms of printability, so they can print any type of rigid material, some printers are even capable of printing with carbon fiber and metallic powders for extreme resistance industrial products.

Today these programs offer many facilities when using them, so almost anyone with basic computer skills could make their own objects by watching a YouTube tutorial. We can find websites with thousands of designs created by fans of 3D printing that will be available for download and printing totally free.

How does the 3D printer work?

3D printing uses methods similar to those of a traditional ink printer, although in this case it is done in 3 dimensions instead of 2. For this we need a combination of high-end software with powder or rigid materials and high-precision tools to create an object starting from 0. We start with the Software, a fundamental part in the operation of any printer.

There are several types of 3D printers depending on the technology they use. We are going to explain in a simple way, how each one of them works and what specific material they are capable of molding.

3D FDM printers

These printers are those that use rigid plastic material in the form of coils by pushing a motor that propels the filament through a fuser that heats the material until it melts to facilitate the union. Hot material exits a nozzle that precisely positions the material on the printer base with a series of precise movements that forms the drawing of the piece as it was previously designed in the computer.

Thanks to the indicated programming code, the printer knows what movements to perform and at what speed so that the creation of the object is as accurate as possible. While this printer is executing the program entered, the extrusion system moves and the material once melted comes out through the nozzle and cools once placed on the base. In this way, the printer will place one layer after another as the previous one has cooled down to mount each layer. It depends on the quality of the printer that these layers are less noticeable when finishing the object.

The quality is very varied as well as their prices, we can find 3D printers for € 150 as well as for € 3000, the biggest differences are found in their construction materials as well as their stability as a whole.

Resin printers

In this case, although the design creation process through software and the files used are the same, The technology used by this type of printers is different, since instead of plastic in rolls, they print from a type of special resin sensitive to Light. that is deposited inside the printer. The printer in this case, instead of heating the material through a fuser, uses a laser that solidifies the material on which it is projected, while the base of the printer rises and takes the part out of the tank at the same time as it is overlap the layers.

resin printer

Resin printers are much more accurate than FDM and we can barely appreciate the imperfections between layers, but the material they use can be toxic although if we respect basic safety rules and keep the printer in a well-insulated and ventilated place, it should not to pass the least danger.

Thanks to the precision of these printers, they are widely used in the dental and jewelry sector, but we can also see them in the automotive sector. Although unlike the FDM, these printers are much more expensive, although we always have cheap options greatly reducing their quality and precision when printing parts.

Used materials

There is a wide variety of materials to use in a 3D printer and their use depends on the printer, but also on the use that we want to give to what we are going to manufacture. Both the plastic filaments and the resin have properties that we will have to take into account before using them.

The material that is most often used is PLA, polylactic acid, it is a type of biodegradable plastic with which it is very easy to get good print quality thanks to its flexibility, it is also quite cheap. Another widely used material, especially in the automotive industry, is ABS plastic that offers greater resistance but is more difficult to offer a precise result due to its less flexibility.

I want a 3D printer. What should I look for to buy it?

Depending on the visual finish that we need and especially our budget, we will choose one printer or another. For parts with a precise and fine finish I recommend a resin printer but we must bear in mind that it uses materials that can be toxic and we will need a conditioned place for its use. There are also FDM printers with good quality that we could use quietly at home.

3d printing parts

To know what type of printer we need, think that the parts printed on a resin printer will need one process after printing, so this coupled with its toxic materials make it less attractive for home use. Furthermore, its use is somewhat more complex and requires a greater learning curve.

I recommend that we set a maximum budget when looking for the printer, since if we are new to this world, Maybe investing a lot of money is not a good idea, I would start with something basic to learn and see if it is really what we are looking for, once we have experience, stretch the budget a little to improve the team.

For € 226 we can find in this link One of the best-reviewed 3D printers on Amazon, it can be an ideal product to start with.


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