بقلم: م. عبدالرحمن بن عدنان العامر
مدير العمليات، نمذجة
The world of 3D printing is a nascent, rapidly changing world full of surprises. Although the regulations and specifications for this manufacturing process are still incomplete, the radical changes it has brought to various fields have prompted everyone to rush to adopt and benefit from its advantages. This technology has begun to reach early stages of maturity after nearly three decades since its first appearance, evolving to produce high-quality pieces. Additionally, the costs of machines and raw materials have decreased to a level that makes their economic use feasible. In this article, we provide an overview of this new world in an attempt to give the reader a clear understanding, followed by detailed articles in upcoming publications, God willing.
3D printing is a manufacturing technique that involves adding materials layer by layer to create objects. This technology comes with its requirements; three-dimensional drawings are essential and can be created using various computer programs, as they are the only language understood by machines. These drawings are divided into tiny slices through slicing software and converted into code that is sent to the printer for manufacturing. Additive manufacturing encompasses a variety of techniques, distinguished mainly by the materials used and how layers are fused together to form objects. 3D printing can produce pieces ranging in size from millimeters to meters, using diverse materials such as:
- Polymers such as: ABS, Polycarbonate, Nylon, …
- Metals such as: Stainless Steel, Aluminum, Titanium, Precious Metals, …
- And various other materials such as: Concrete, Sand, Wax, Biomaterials, …
3D printing stands out in its ability to manufacture limited quantities quickly, regardless of complexity, unlike other manufacturing techniques such as casting, which require costly molds for each piece and are thus economical mainly for large quantities. The uses of 3D printing can be summarized as follows:
- Manufacturing limited quantities: These are products with unique designs not readily available in markets, intended to be manufactured in small quantities (typically less than 1000 pieces). Examples include spare parts using reverse engineering, customized products, industrial prosthetics, molds, special tools, art pieces, and decorations.
- Manufacturing complex designs: Each manufacturing technique has its capabilities and limitations, but 3D printing has excelled in surpassing many design constraints and rules. It has become possible to transform even the most complex designs into tangible objects with ease.
- Manufacturing prototypes: These are models manufactured for testing and experimenting with new products to ensure their suitability before significant investments are made in their full-scale production.