3D printing, which is also known as additive manufacturing, is the process of creating an object from a 3D digital model or a CAD model. Typically, 3D printed objects are made by adding layer over layer of materials like plastic, liquids or other materials until the object is fully formed. In the past 3D printing was only used to create prototypes, however as new technology emerged and more varied materials started to come into use, 3D printing, and manufacturing became a more popular method and is today used in almost all industries. At Generation 3D, the additive manufacturing technology is used to create objects of a wide variety including 3d models in architecture, 3D interior design structures, objects in fashion, artwork, medical field, automobiles and many more. Our expert 3D design team makes the most complex designs look impeccable and creates them to be cost-effective as well, in the minimum possible time. This makes Generation 3D the best 3D model making company in Dubai, UAE.
How does 3D printing work?
The first step is to create a digital model of the design you want and then preparing it to be printed using a 3D printer. This process is called slicing. Slicing is the process of breaking down your CAD model into hundreds of thousands of layers to be eventually printed.
The most common 3D printing process in use is called Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM) which uses a continuous filament of thermoplastic material.
3D Printing Materials
The most frequently used 3D printing materials are:
Thermoplastics: The is the most common type of plastic. Its most striking property is that it can go through various melting and solidification cycles. It can be molded into the desired shape very easily and it is also reversible.
Thermosetting plastics: After a curing process induced by heat, light or radiation this type of plastic solidifies and sets itself. It is not reversible as the polymers in this material cross-link and decomposes when heated rather than melting.
3D Printing Processes
The most widely used processes in 3D printing are:
Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM): In this process, 3D printers melt and eject thermoplastic material and this material is deposited layer by layer by a printer nozzle in the build area
Stereolithography (SLA) printers: In these printers, curing of thermosetting liquid resins into plastic using laser and this process is called polymerization
Selective Laser Sintering (SLS) printers: In these 3D printers, high-intensity laser is used to fuse thermoplastic powder