For starters, in many cases, it's simply cheaper. Also, as it is designed with a computer program, you can tweak the design whenever you want, simply save another version of it.
This gives the client the ability to customize and modify the design as many times and in the way they want, that is, once the project has been carried out and the physical product is available; for example, if the client considers that the size is too small, it can be scaled perfectly without the need to invest excessive time in correcting it, as can happen in other processes.
Thanks to this, we have realized that, on numerous occasions, not only has it been possible to create the product exactly, but we have also managed to improve it; reducing the weight of the final product, increasing the speed at which the product can be manufactured or improving the aesthetic result, among others.
What is 3D Printing?
3D printing is a type of additive manufacturing that uses material to build layers into 3D objects. Essentially it prints by adding material (usually a form of plastic) one drop at a time. The 3D printer draws a shape on a flat surface and then draws another on top of it until the model is complete.
Our 3D Printers & Materials suppliers are based near our studio. We believe in working with local suppliers is a way to get this industry to grow in our region, reaching agreements with them so both part can benefit from it. These come in all different shapes and sizes and can be configured in various ways depending on your end goals, but most of the ones a hobbyist or small business will use can be broken down into two distinct types: FDM and resin.
FDM/FFF Technology
FDM/FFF is the main 3D printing techinque for big scale projects. This process is done by pouring thin layers of fused material one on top of each other to create the desired figure. The most common materials used in this process are ABS, PLA and PETG, but there are many other that offer different characteristiques depending on what strengths and weaknesses the figure presents. If it needs to have a lot of flexibility we would use, for example, a material called TPU, which offers a rubber type of finish, making it completely flexible.
The process is very simple; the filament gets into the heater which will then reach the material's fusing temperature, liquifying it. Then the extruder extrudes the fused material in a thin layer following the speed, length and width parameters that have been set up before. By repeating this process, layer after layer, we finally reach the desired figure. During this process it may be necessary to create supports, depending on the geometry of the figure, in order to make sure separated parts of the main body don't break.
SLA/SLS Technology
SLA/SLS techniques are usually used for a very specific purpose, that being the best quality of detail in a figure. This techinque has a much better resolution than the FDM/FFF, but it has a handicap and it is the size of the printers. There are many different types of resins and depending on what need we have we must choose between one or the other. The standard resin is usually used for aesthetic pieces, since it is not really hard, making it brittle. Another one, for example is the castable resin, which will burn easily and leave no residue after the process.
This process is fundamentally the same as FDM/FFF, but using another material and a different way to harden it. In this case, we use what is called Resin, this is a material that comes in liquid state and is poured onto the tank. Under the tank we have a LCD/LED screen that will light the desired zone, solidifying a extremely thin layer of material and giving it the exact shape we want. Repeating this process will get us the desired piece. Once the printing is complete, the figure must be cured using a UVA light to completely solidify it.
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