July 31, 2019

Today I learned about how today’s manufacturing is, it requires fewer workers, fewer pieces of equipment, it improved efficiently, better accuracy and repeatability , faster time to go from initial design stages to a completed product. I also learned about different kinds of 3D printers. There is Fused-Deposition Modeling (FDM), Stereolithography (SLA), Photopolymer Phase Change Inkjets (Polyjets), Selective Laser Sintering (SLS), Direct Metal Laser Sintering (DMLS). FDM printers use a thermoplastic filament, which is heated to its melting point and then extruded, layer by layer, to create a 3 dimensional objects. SLA uses a tank, filled with liquid photo-polymer resin, each layer of the design is traced by UV laser onto the build platform. The laser uses mirrors to rotate and reflect the laser, the liquid resin hardens, creating a solid object. PolyJet process uses a Inkjet print head that jets out liquid photopolymer and support material onto the print platform. After each pass a UV light cures the photopolymer and support material. Excess material is than removed by a roller and the print platform is lowered by one layer. SLS process uses a CO2 laser to fuse small particles of powdered material together to create 3 dimensional parts. The laser selectively fuses the powdered material by scanning the X and Y cross-section of the part onto the surface of the platform. DMLS process consists of a 3D printer that distributes a layer of metal powder onto a build platform. This metal powder is then melted by a laser. The build platform will then be lowered and the next layer of metal powder will coated on top. By repeating the process of coating powder and melting the parts are are built up layer by layer in the powder bed.