By adding one more to its dimensions, the world of printing has just entered a whole other extent. A people-friendly technology has entered the creative society and delivers even more oomph for their wicked minds. Maybe soon, we will be able to build an entire rocket ship in our own cubicle. Or maybe not…
3D printing or additive manufacturing is a process of making three-dimensional solid objects from a digital file. The creation of a 3D printed object is achieved using additive processes, by laying down successive layers of material until the entire object is created. Each of these layers can be seen as a thinly sliced horizontal cross-section of the eventual object.
It starts with making a virtual design of the object you want to create via either a CAD (Computer Aided Design) file using a 3D modeling program or with the use of a 3D scanner to copy an existing object. Digitizing real objects into 3d models will become as easy as taking a picture. To prepare a digital file for printing, the 3D modeling software “slices” the final model into hundreds or thousands of horizontal layers. When the sliced file is uploaded in a 3D printer, the object can be created layer by layer. The 3D printer reads every slice (or 2D image) and creates the object, blending each layer with hardly any visible sign of the layers, with as a result the three dimensional object.
Not all 3D printers use the same technology. There are several ways to print and all those available are additive, differing mainly in the way layers are build to create the final object. Some methods use melting or softening material to produce the layers. Selective laser sintering (SLS) and fused deposition modeling (FDM) are the most common technologies using this way of printing. Another method of printing is when we talk about curing a photo-reactive resin with a UV laser or another similar power source one layer at a time. The most common technology using this method is called stereolithography (SLA).
LulzBot Mini
The LulzBot Mini is a high performance desktop 3D printer that's perfect for home users, makers, designers, engineers, architects, and anyone looking for an easy-to-use desktop 3D printer. New features like self-leveling, self-cleaning, an easy carry handle, new software, and a low maintenance print surface allow you to focus on making and doing, while your 3D printer does the work. LulzBot Mini uses proven technology developed collaboratively as all LulzBot products use Free Software and are Open Source Hardware.
source by : 3DPRINTING.COM
