ENSC 489

Computer Aided Design and Manufacturing

3D Printers

School of Engineering Science

Rapid prototyping
What is a prototype?
How much of a product should be included in a
prototype?
Should a prototype be virtual or physical?
To what extent should a prototype be realistic?

A 3D printer can make a part or assembly,

physical, containing many properties of the
real product
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Roles of a prototype
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.

Experimentation and learning

Testing and proofing
Communication and interaction
Synthesis and integration
Scheduling and markers

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Advantages of rapid prototyping

Fast product build time (doesnt scale with
complexity of the part in the same way
traditional prototype manufacture does)
Spare parts can be printed on demand
Tooling can be made with rapid prototyping
techniques

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3D printers
This is a additive process (previous
manufacturing processes were subtractive)
Process:
Start with a CAD model
Lay down material in layers
Layers are fused together
Part and assembly could be constructed together
eg. joints
Allows manufacture of difficult to machine shapes
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Laminated Object Manufacturing

(LOM)
Laminate layers of paper, plastic or metal
together to make the final shape
Laser could be used to cut out the shape
required for each layer
Enables large build volumes

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Laminated Object Manufacturing

(LOM)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lJynQ-_79n8
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Stereolithography Apparatus (SLA)

Very common process for plastic
Starting material is a photopolymer (liquid
form)
When cured (polymerized or crosslinked) by
UV or laser radiation, layer solidifies
Layer is lowered into the vat
Next layer solidified on top
Layers bond to each other
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Stereolithography Apparatus (SLA)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NM55ct5KwiI

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Photo-polymers
Liquid polymer can be turned to a solid
through exposure to radiation
Many commercial systems use photopolymers that can be cured in the UV range
Photo-polymerization: linking small
monomers into chains (polymers)
Crosslinking: linking the polymers to one
another
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Strengths and weaknesses of SLA

Strengths
Build volumes from small to
large
Good accuracy
Excellent surface finish
Wide material range

Weaknesses
Requires support structure
Post processing to remove
support
Post curing to ensure
structural integrity

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Multi Jet Modeling (MJM)

(Poly Jet Technology)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Som3CddHfZE
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Multi Jet Modeling (MJM)

Material is a wax-like plastic
Model and support material contained in
heated reservoirs, pumped to the print heads
Support and model material printed together
UV light cures after each pass

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Strengths and weaknesses of MJM

Strengths
Efficient and easy to use
High precision
Cost effective
Fast build time
Office friendly

Weaknesses
Small build volume
Limited materials

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Digital Light Processing (DLP)

Resins cured by photo-polymerization, using
Digital Light Processing to achieve resolutions
in range of 50 to 150 m.
Builds the model top-down instead of bottom
up
Model is suspended on a tray, with the
bottom dipped in a trough of photopolymer
Transparent window allows UV light to cure
material
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DLP build time-lapse

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BgcS8-aGsXg
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DLP
Projection technology
DMD (Digital Micromirror Device) contains
100000s of mirrors on an IC in rectangular
array
Mirrors rotate to ON or OFF state based on
external electrodes
Each mirror represents one projected pixel

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Strengths and weaknesses of DLP

Strengths
Fast build time
Office friendly
Small quantity of resin in
use at any time (200 mL).
Can be swapped for
alternate material with little
waste
No levelling required

Weaknesses
Small build volume
Post processing required
Removal of part from tray
requires peeling (damage
possible)

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PLA/ABS Filament Printing

Low cost ($2000) for hobby versions
Filament (thermoplastic) heated
2-axis stage guides nozzle to correct location
to build one layer of part
Also called Fused Deposition Modelling (FDM),
trademarked by Stratsys, or Fused Filament
Fabrication (FFF)

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Makerbot

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WHO6G67GJbM

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Strengths and weaknesses of FDM

Strengths
Parts similar to productiongrade of same material (~85
% of strength for ABS)
Minimal wastage
Easy to break away supports
Easy to change materials
Large build volumes

Weaknesses
Limited accuracy
Slow process
Shrinkage of parts as they
cool affects construction
quality (heated build tray
can help)

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Selective Laser Sintering (SLS)

Material starts in form of small particles
Metals
Ceramics
Plastic

CO2 laser fuses particles together

Fabrication piston lowers and powder delivery
piston raises each scan
New powder deposited on top for next layer
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SLS continued
No need for support material, since unused
power remains
Applications include short runs of parts,
tooling for injection moulding, or investment
casting patterns
Similar process: SLM Selective Laser Melting
Only works for pure metals (not alloys)
Example Ti, Al
Melts the metal completely with a laser
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Selective Laser Sintering (SLS)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9E5MfBAV_tA

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Strengths and weaknesses of SLS

Strengths
Good part stability
Wide range of materials
No part supports required
Minimal post processing,
good finish
No post curing

Weaknesses
Large physical size (complex
machine)
High power consumption
(energy required to fuse is
300-500 higher than to
polymerize)

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Zero-G 3D printer
Tech demo arrived on the ISS (International Space
Station) in 2014
AMF (Additive Manufacturing Facility) in late 2015
Also recently demonstrated additive manufacturing
in vacuum

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T_vpsqVn2A8
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lJynQ-_79n8

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3D printing in Zero-G
Uses a filament extruder
Powder or liquid too hard to control in
microgravity

First round of parts were test samples

Compared with samples built on Earths surface to
compare materials properties

Next up are tools, support system parts etc.

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Self replicating robots

Technology enabled by 3D printers
One hurdle is still how to print electronic
circuits
E.g. RepRap The 3D printer that prints itself
Idea is to make a printer from parts that can
be printed on a 3D printer
Design is continually evolving through opensource like process
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RepRap

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Practical tips and tricks

Build speed varies by axis
Build resolution varies by axis
Calibrate for parts that fit together (0.25 mm
space)
Geometry may affect strength
How will the support material exit?

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Some questions
How do we choose a specific manufacturing
process?
How do our choices of materials affect our
manufacturing process?
Will product function or performance affect
our choice of manufacturing process?

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