(Global TMT July 15, 2022) "3D printing " became a popular search term in Japan not long ago. 3D printing is a technology that uses adhesive materials such as powdered metal or plastic to construct objects by printing layer by layer based on digital model files. 3D printing first appeared in the mid-1990s.
On March 9, 1983, American scientist Chuck Hull invented the world's first 3D printer. The name "3D printing" didn't exist at the time, so Hull named the machine "SLA-1" and described its function as rapid prototyping. With this machine, the time it takes Hull to create product prototypes is significantly reduced. In 1986, Hull founded a company called 3D Systems and began selling his "rapid prototyping" machine on the market. This was the world's first commercial 3D printer.
The 3D printing process requires first modeling with computer modeling software, and then "partitioning" the completed three-dimensional model into layer-by-layer sections, thereby guiding the printer to print layer by layer. The printer reads the cross-section information in the file and prints these sections layer by layer using liquid, powder or sheet materials. In this process, the machine first sprays a layer of special glue on the area that needs to be formed. The glue droplets themselves are very small and difficult to spread. Then spray a uniform layer of powder. When the powder meets the glue, it will quickly solidify and bond, while the areas without glue will remain loose. The various layers of sections are then bonded together in various ways to create a solid body. After printing, just sweep away the loose powder to "plan" the model. Commonly used materials for
3D printing include nylon fiberglass, durable nylon materials, gypsum materials, aluminum materials, titanium alloys, stainless steel, silver-plated , gold-plated, and rubber materials. 3D printing has high precision and can achieve 600dpi resolution. The thickness of each layer is only 0.01mm. Even if there are text or pictures on the surface of the model, it can be printed clearly.
3D printing is often used to make models in the fields of mold manufacturing, industrial design and other fields, and is gradually used in the direct manufacturing of some products. There are also parts printed using this technology. technology is used in many fields such as the medical industry, industrial design, construction engineering, automobiles, aerospace, etc.
Urbee, the world's first 3D "printed car" prototype, came out in 2013. It was built by the Jim Kor team in the United States. It is a three-wheeled, two-seat hybrid car that uses batteries and gasoline as power fuel. The entire car body is integrated using 3D printing technology. It takes 2,500 hours to print the parts of the entire vehicle. All the workers need to do is assemble all the printed parts together. The new version of Urbee2 only requires 50 3D printed parts. Although its single-cylinder engine brake power is only 8 horsepower, the car's structure is light and strong, small and stable, so the maximum cruising speed can reach 112km/h.
At the end of 2021, Germany's Blackstone Technology Co., Ltd. (Blackstone Technology) announced that it will use 3D printing technology to produce batteries for the electric vehicle . The additive process is called "thick layer technology", through which 3D printing technology can be used to produce battery electrodes and separators for lithium-ion batteries . Blackstone Technologies says this manufacturing process has several advantages over conventionally produced lithium-ion batteries: The printing process means the layers of battery cells that store electricity are thicker, resulting in a 20% increase in energy density. The size of the battery can be flexibly adjusted and customized according to customer needs. Battery space is saved by 15% and materials are saved by 20 Euro/kWh. At the same time, energy consumption in production was reduced by 23%. In addition, the process is based on the environmentally friendly pure water process, which can reduce production waste by 50%.
On June 6, 2011, the world's first 3D printed bikini was released. Fashion designer Mary Huang and 3D model expert Jenna Feather used Rhino 3D design software to create a "blueprint" for 3D printed swimsuits. This high-tech bikini swimsuit is called "Nylon 12" because it is made of nylon. Clothes produced through 3D printing technology are also particularly suitable for private customization and tailor-made production models.
3D printed house is a concept established in February 2013 by Softkill Design architectural design studio in London, UK.3D printed houses need to be fixed with Velcro or button-like fasteners, and also rely on traditional construction techniques. Nowadays, 3D printed houses can be found in many places around the world. For example, the Eindhoven Municipal Government in the Netherlands has launched the "Milestone Project" project, which plans to build and form a public housing community built with 3D printing.
3D printing has many applications in the medical industry. As early as 2012, Scottish scientists used human cells to print artificial liver tissue with a 3D printer for the first time. In 2015, the first SPRITAM (levetiracetam) instant-dissolving tablets produced by Aprecia Pharmaceuticals using 3D printing technology received marketing approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). In 2019, Tel Aviv University researchers used the patient's own tissue as raw materials to 3D print the world's first "complete" heart with cells, blood vessels, ventricles and atria. In 2022, a 20-year-old woman from Mexico became the first person in the world to successfully undergo an ear transplant through 3D printing technology.
UnionTech was founded in 2000 and is a leading company in the field of industrial non-metal 3D printing. Luentech has created a fully automated small batch production orthodontic dedicated 3D printer D800, which can not only greatly reduce the treatment cycle, but also can be customized to improve patient satisfaction and comfort in all aspects. Technical advantages and disadvantages of
3D printing: The technical advantages of
3D printing are obvious. It can not only shorten the processing and manufacturing cycle, but also significantly reduce production costs, especially breaking through the limitations of traditional processing and manufacturing methods on complex shape processing; 3D printing finished products have strong plasticity and high precision; the emergence of 3D printing technology also allows personalized customization become possible.
Combined with the current supply chain crisis and people’s calls for green energy and environmental protection, we can’t help but think about whether 3D printing can become a direction for the transformation and upgrading of the supply chain. The advantages of 3D printing can shorten the manufacturing cycle, reduce overseas transportation activities, reduce the number of intermediate links in the supply chain, make it more convenient, and thus reduce energy consumption.
But it also has some disadvantages, such as higher equipment cost. High-precision 3D printers are relatively large and expensive, and the price of consumer-level 3D printers ranges from a few hundred yuan to several million yuan. When the production scale reaches a certain quantity, the economic benefits of 3D printing will decline, and it is currently not capable of large-scale production tasks. At the same time, the material technology required for printing is relatively lacking.
3D printing is a niche market, with a handful of top 3D printing companies dominating this emerging field.
According to investingnews, the 3D printing industry is growing rapidly and is expected to be worth more than $34.8 billion by 2026. investingnews ranks some of the largest 3D printing companies by market capitalization. (All data from August 31, 2021 using TradingView's stock screener.)
AutoDesk, The company produces 3D design software products and services a wide range of industries, including architectural engineering, construction manufacturing, media, education, and entertainment.
HP is not a 3D printing company in the strict sense, but HP devotes some of its resources to mainstream manufacturing using 3D printing technology. HP also has an industrial-grade 3D printing center in Guangdong.
3D Systems, a company founded by Chuck Hull, has been providing 3D printing products and services since 1986.
Desktop Metal, designs and sells metal 3D printing systems for engineers, designers and manufacturers.
Proto Labs, in 2020, the company announced that it has the ability to 3D print cobalt-chromium materials using direct metal laser sintering for the aerospace industry.
Nano Dimension, Additive manufacturing electronics (AME)/PE (3D printed electronics) supplier.
Stratasys, has been in the 3D printing business since 1988, operating primarily in the healthcare, aerospace, automotive and education markets.
Materialise, a Belgian company, has been providing software solutions and 3D printing services for more than 25 years.
Organovo, uses 3D printing technology to create 3D functional human tissues for medical research and surgical treatment applications.
Voxeljet, manufacturer of 3D printing systems for industrial applications.
related links:
http://www.uniontech3d.cn
