But, what exactly is 3D Printing?

Feb 16, 2022 – Babina Banjara

It is difficult to show what real-world objects look like in all their three-dimensional form. Most of the time that doesn’t matter—looking at a photo or sketch gives us a good-enough idea.

But if you’re in the business of developing new products and you need to show them to the customers, nothing beats having a prototype: a model you can touch, hold and feel. The only problem is that the models take ages to make by hand. And here comes 3D Printer, that can make a rapid prototype.

Let’s take a closer look!

You’ve heard the hype about 3D printing but how does it actually work?

A typical 3D printer is very much like an inkjet printer operated from a computer. It builds up a 3D model one layer at a time, from the bottom upward, by repeatedly printing over the same area in a method known as fused deposition modeling (FDM).

Working entirely automatically, the printer creates a model over a period of hours by turning a 3D CAD drawing into lots of two-dimensional, cross-sectional layers—effectively separate 2D prints that sit one on top of another, but without the paper in between. Instead of using ink, which would never build up too much volume, the printer deposits layers of molten plastic or powder and fuses them together.

Unlike normal printers which use ink, the 3D printer uses material made up of aluminum alloys, cobalt-chrome superalloys, Inconel (nickel alloys), precious metals such as silver or gold, stainless steel, and titanium alloys

3D printing in RIU

With the vision to create a student empowering learning environment, Research and Innovation Unit(RIU), ACEM has started 3D printing right from April 2021.

Visualizing the object in 3D form while learning would be the best thing for the students to capture the concept as well as to enhance their learning capacity. With major advantages of 3d printing like rapid prototyping, cost-effective manufacturing process, flexibility, product testing, etc, the technology is rapidly used worldwide and in Nepal as well.

Advancement of 3D printing in RIU

In the journey of 3D printing technology in ACEM, a couple of students did research on 3D printing machines and learned to print the object. They started the course with a deep dive into 3D printing, examining how it works, how it can be used, and the tech ecosystem in which it exists. They get to learn more about CAD tools and practice creating digital 3D models of objects.

The printing process takes a little time according to the weight of the material as it is an additive process. They had the trial printing and learned new things in every test. Things that were new to them were asked to the experts. In the meantime, the students printed the Charlotte valve for the Mission Oxygen Team to help fight against the COVID. Multiple 3D printing assignments were done after that.

The students discussed the potential for adapting the models of these organizations to create change in their own contexts.

Now, 3D printing in ACEM is totally run by the students.

3D printing technology is evolving at a fast pace to address some of the limitations. Interviews with guest professionals and among stakeholders, and projects highlighted in this study, demonstrate the potential of 3D printing for the benefit of the community – from improving health care delivery to creating potential success and to contributing to the sustainable development of the world.

What are the limitations?

While all the advances in the field of 3D printing are exciting, it is important to understand that applying 3D printing technology to low-cost settings comes with a few challenges.

Although buying a 3D printer is much cheaper than setting up a factory, the cost of each item you produce is high, so the 3D printing economy is not mixed against traditional mass production at the moment.

Nor can it match the smooth finish of industrial machinery, or provide the variety of materials or scope of size available through industrial processes.

Access to filament-like resources and robustness to complete 3D printing work are important facts to consider when taking 3D printing to low-level settings.

Is it the next big thing?

Yes, if you are a product designer or engineer, but for common people, yet no.

Like all new technologies, the hype of the industry is a few years ahead of consumer reality. Emerging technology means that, like home computers or cell phones, many people will always have doubts about needing one until everyone has got it.

It takes time to become the next big thing until each individual thinks of it as a daily need. After all that, we will all wonder how we ever managed without them.

Is 3D Printing the future of product design?

While 3D printing will certainly enable us to do our own thing, there is a limit to what you can accomplish on your own with a cheap printer and a plastic tube. The real benefits of economics are likely to come when 3D printing is accepted worldwide by large companies as the mainstay of the manufacturing industry.

3D printing offers a number of benefits that have significant implications for the future of 3D printing. The speed, accessibility, and versatility of 3D printing make it accessible to a wider audience, allowing more people to achieve their dreams at lower prices.

Finally, as 3D printing produces less waste, it is more environmentally friendly, which can have a greater impact on long-term sustainability.

As these technologies spread, it could help connect people who were neglected and hard to reach with important products. Overall, these emerging technologies have the potential to transform our communities, and transform the development landscape. For this to happen, we need to ensure that these emerging technologies fall into the hands of development workers and stakeholders around the world.

“3D printing is already shaking our age-old notions of what can and can’t be made.“

– Hod Lipson