What Exactly Is 3D Printing?
By Toby TunwaseHave you ever imagined that your phone’s pouch could ever be reproduced in just a matter of minutes? Yes, it can be. This is what 3D printing can do. This is the creation of a 3-dimensional object by adding particles that make it up in an incremental manner. This is done until the object is completed and can be handled in 3 dimensions.
With the use of Computer-Aided Design (CAD), 3D Printing is created from just a software design to hand-held form via additive processes. This process, again, involves the addition of several thin layers to create a material instead of the subtractive procedure.
3D printing has been used to solve many real-life problems such as the production of eyewear, PPE, Prosthetics, furniture, reconstructing fossils, etc.
Here are the processes involved in 3D printing.
- 3D Model
This involves creating a model or design, as it were, to be printed.
- 3D Software
This is the computer program to be used to make the 3D model printable. It turns the model into a printable file for the 3D printer.
- Slicing
This is the slicing of the 3D model into thousands of thin layers to effectuate the additive printing process.
- Printing
You can send the file to the printer via USB, SD Card, Bluetooth, or Wi-Fi. Then, the printer starts printing the file.
3D printing is an interesting concept and easy to grasp. You should try your hands at it if the concept fascinates you.