3D Technology - A Revolution For Printing

Today, this kind of printing is sneaking into all possible aspects of human life. The fields of usage vary from medicine to spacecraft construction, from kitchen accessories to dentures alongside architecture and security mechanisms. The only limit is your imagination, as the printer adjusts to any design or sketch.

The Origin of the Invention

Charles Hull—the alleged father and inventor of the technology came out with the idea of 3D printing during working with the UV light. Later on, more and more scientists found the concept appealing. After the foundation of 3D Systems by Hull, the technology has begun to be continuously and rapidly developed. This finally led to a whole new field of science—stereolitography.

Different Techniques

There are many methods used in 3D printing. There is FDM (Fuse Deposition Modelling), using melted plastic. Another method is SLA (Stereolithography). The leading advantage of the first technique is the possibility of creating objects of any size, resistant to damage. The other one, on the other hand, is based on photopolymerization. This process relies on linking molecules by treating them with a beam of light. SLA’s main advantage is that it is very precise and operates with high quality, which results in high-quality products. The last (but not least) technique is SLS (Selective Laser Sintering) that uses powder or nylon. The SLS 3D printer with industrial capabilities is the most popular, as the price of its products is adequate to their quality. The effect is industrial quality SLS prints that are very resistant and persistent.

Where is 3D printing used?

3D printing makes it is possible to create objects of any kind, shape, and size. Moreover, it is possible to reshape items already printed. As this technology is being more and more efficient, products of 3D printing are used in industry, medicine, and Stomatology, advertising, space exploration, architecture, army, even fashion along with shoe industry. Items that are useful, new and needed are air pollution masks and exoskeletons. The first ones can protect both adults and children from air pollution. The exoskeleton is a solution that helps disabled people to function with full capability.

The limits of such kind of the product are only a human’s imagination. You can create shoes, glasses, components of spaceships and a lot more. 3D printing is used in everyday life, and it is reassuring that is highly developed every day, being more and more available to everyone.