3D Printing: The Dawn of A New Tech Age

3D Printing: The Dawn of A New Tech Age

3D printing technology has come a long way in recent years, and it is now possible to create complex 3D objects using a variety of materials! Just a handful of years earlier, it would have been impossible even to imagine a phenomenon like this! This technology has a wide range of applications, from creating medical implants to printing food. One of the most exciting aspects of 3D printing is its potential to absolutely revolutionize the manufacturing process.

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Coming back to today’s discussion, with 3D printing technology, companies can create prototypes and products much faster and more cheaply than with traditional manufacturing methods. This could lead to a reduction in the overall cost of manufacturing, as well as a shorter lead time from design to final product.

3D printing is also becoming more accessible to consumers. Home 3D printers are becoming more affordable, and there are now a number of online services that allow anyone to upload a 3D design and have it printed. This technology is still in its early stages, but it has the potential to change the way we create and consume products.

How Does 3D Printing Work?

3D printing is a process of making three-dimensional solid objects from a digital file. A 3D-printed object is created using additive processes, where successive layers of material are laid down in different shapes.

It creates an object from bottom to top according to the form that has been fed into it, creating layers. It uses plastic-based materials- basically those materials which have the capacity to become molten under heat and subsequently solidify again.

Duration

The printing time depends on a number of factors, including the size of the part and the settings used for printing. 3D printing can take anything from a few minutes to several hours or days.

It’s typically fast, with low fixed setup costs, and can create more complex geometries than ‘traditional’ technologies, with a list of materials. It is used extensively in the engineering industry, particularly for prototyping and creating lightweight geometries.

The Process

3D Softwares

There are several software programs accessible. From commercial to open source. CAD is a widely used software to create the 3D form of the object that is to be printed.

Now that you have a printable file, you may prepare it for your 3D printer. This is known as slicing.

Slicing: Transferring a printable file to a 3D printer

Slicing is the process of dividing a 3D object into hundreds or thousands of layers using slicing software.

You can further feed the file into the 3D printer and attach the required material in it’s place.

Fashion & 3D Printing: The Relation

Luxury fashion firms have begun to include 3D printing in their creative process. Look through Balenciaga’s Autumn Winter 2018 collection. It’s astonishing to learn that the clothing was made from 3D-printed parts. The precise measurements of each model were recorded and entered into the computer to be produced according to the fitting specifications.

We’ve walked through the entire process of 3D printing, and needless to say, it is a world that has so much to explore- whether in fashion or other fields. Check out our other articles below and until then look out for our next one!