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This one-step process is in stark contrast to raditional 3D manufacturing technologies that have been available in one form or another since the 1970s. Here we encounter prohibitively costly machine ardware, significantly more expensive materials plus ime-consuming multi-step construction and finishing processes. All this equipment is invariably located in a actory-like environment to cope with noise, dust, umes and hazardous materials. These constraints have so far limited bespoke 3D manufacturing to a small number of well-heeled organisations—typically, engineering prototyping aboratories, feature film company modelling shops and educational institutions. The arrival of affordable 3D printers opens up a new world of 3D fabrication opportunities to a broad range of enterprising and creative individuals. existing computing resources helps to keep down the start-up costs, and there's already a large choice of commercial and open-source 3D modelling applications. Widespread 3D printer adoption would encourage software developers to create additional innovative applications, some of which could be targeted at tablet and smartphone devices. Of course, we also need appropriate materials to fabricate these objects. In fact, materials selection and costs are key to realising the full potential of 3D printing. So, what sort of materials are we talking about? veeepe and educational institutions. The atrival of affordable 3D Materials Science 3D printers opens up a new world of 3D fabrication Commercial 3D manufacturing is performed with opportunities to a broad range of enterprising and large machines in industrial environments. These creative individuals. machines fabricate objects in a wide range of materials. Some materials need to be melted, softened, 3D Printer Anatomy granulated or liquefied before use, while others require A basic 3D printer is requent curing by light or uncomplicated in both design emperature during the printing and operation. Generally, it's a process. In some cases, each cuboid frame supporting a The processing power ayer is manufactured print bed which moves in a and software required to individually and then bonded vertical orientation, forming +e ogether, rather like a 3D jigsaw the Z axis. Above this bed, create 3D digital models puzzle. motorised arms propel the can be provided by the In contrast to 3D printing, printhead in an X and Y axis . owever, many of these motion. The printhead guides powerful computing methods are expensive and and heats the print material, devices we already own. slow. Large machines require which is extruded onto the significant space and power. It print platform—rather like ho can be a messy, noisy and even glue. hazardous business, with How big is this cuboid shape? Well, that's really — intricate objects usually requiring a multi-step process dependent on the items to be printed. Smallitems only _ including finishing and final construction. need a small printer—one which takes up no more In comparison, desktop 3D printers typically fabricate space than an inkjet paper printer. Forlargeritems, the objects using a number of thermoplastic polymers. whole assembly is scaled up, as exemplified by a These polymers are easily obtained in spools of thin number of initiatives looking into printing full-sized filament, at prices that keep construction costs down to buildings (see Resources section at the end of this pennies per cubic centimetre. Recycling can reduce article). Even with industrial-sized construction anda manufacturing costs even further. Discarded printhead gantry running on rails, these machines are prototypes and objects that have worn, broken or instantly recognisable as big brothers to the desktop simply fallen out of use can be recycled to provide the 3D printer. material for the next product evolution or a brand new A 3D printer's on-board computing requirements are __ idea. pretty basic, too. Being more akin to a motorised While there's quite a range of polymer options, the calculator, the printer has just a few circuit boards and most popular are PLA, ABS and HDPE (see the box, a PC connection port to receive a multi-layered 3D Thermoplastic Polymers, on the following pages). digital model. Although most of these are fossil fuel based, there are Once a model is received, printing a layer simply a few plant-derived alternatives—which also happen to involves controlling the flow of material and the be biodegradable. Polymers are usually available in a printhead's X and Y motion. After each layer, it will | range of colours, and some materials offer opaque and move the Z-axis print platform according to the translucent options. previously specified print resolution. A number of factors need to be considered when The processing power and software required to create deciding on the right polymer. Some polymers are 3D digital models can be provided by the powerful easier to work with than others, and so are ideal for computing devices we already own. Harnessing our _ those initial 3D printing experiments. The processing power and software required to create 3D digital models can be provided by the powerful computing devices we already own. 36 * NEXUS APRIL - MAY 2012 www.nexusmagazine.com