After nearly 30 years of continuous development, 3D printing technology has been widely used in model making, and sales of 3D printing products and services are also increasing. Today, I’m going to talk about modeling and what the major 3D printing technologies are on the market. If you also have models or spare parts that need 3D printing, you can contact us.

1. SLA light curing rapid prototyping 3D printing technology

SLA photocurable rapid prototyping is an additive manufacturing process that uses ultraviolet (UV) lasers in a barrel of photopolymer resin. With the help of computer-aided manufacturing, and computer-aided design software (CAD/CAM), UV lasers are used to draw photoreduction surfaces on pre-programmed designs or shapes. As the photosensitive polymer is exposed to ultraviolet light, the resin solidifies to form the desired 3D object layer. Repeat this process for each layer of the design until the 3D object is complete.

SLA can be said to be the most popular printing method, the SLA process of printing photosensitive resin is widely used. The photosensitive resin is more cost-effective, now a large number of customers mostly choose this material to print. SLA photosensitive resin can be used for printing prototype verification of function and appearance, as well as for printing animated characters, which are collected directly after coloring.

2. SLS selective laser sintering 3D printing technology

SLS selective laser sintering, and SLS rapid prototyping technology to create strong and geometrically complex parts. SLS uses a high-power CO2 laser to melt or sinter layers of powdered thermoplastic for additive manufacturing. SLS involves the use of a high-power laser, such as a CO2 laser, to fuse small particles of plastic or metal powder into the desired three-dimensional shape. The laser selectively places the powder material on the powder bed surface through a section of the 3D digital description generated by scanning (for example, from a computer-aided design document or scan data). In each cross-sectional scan, the powder bed is reduced by one layer, then coated with new material, and the process is repeated until the section is complete.

A key advantage of the SLS is that, as part of it, it is covered in powder. This eliminates the need for supporting structures and allows for complex geometry. SLS produces parts with excellent strength, water, and air tightness, and heat resistance and special materials such as aluminum-filled and glass fiber-filled nylon PA12 series can be added.

3. DMLS direct metal laser sintering 3D printing technology

Direct Metal Laser Sintering (DMLS) is an additive manufacturing technique that uses Yb precision, high-power lasers up to 200 watts to microworld thin layers of metal and alloy powders at 20 or 30 microns, after one layer the sintered portion is lowered to a powder bed platform. In the Build room area, there are materials platforms, build platforms, and a new powder build platform for moving fully functional metal parts automatically created directly from 3D data.

4. FDM melt deposition forming 3D printing technology

Melt deposition modeling (FDM) is an additive manufacturing technique. It is a software mathematical layering, and position modeling that extrudes thermoplastic fibers through heated layers. FDM is the only 3D printing process for ABS, polycarbonate, and materials such as PC-ISO and ULTEM 9085, suitable for durable parts of complex geometry construction of almost any shape and size. This means that the FDM can create excellent thermal stability and a strength-to-weight ratio with good chemical resistance. Support structures can be generated if needed. Machine technology can combine multiple materials to achieve different goals: for example, one material can be used to build a model, another for a soluble support structure, or the same model can be used for multiple thermoplastic colors of the same type.

FDM is also the technology behind small desktop 3D printers, but it’s just another name, Fuse manufacturing (FFF). FDM offers a wide range of durable thermoplastics with unique properties, making them an ideal choice for many industries.

5. DLP digital image projection 3D printing technology

DLP is a 3D printing technology driven by “light”. When light falls on a liquid photosensitive resin (a liquid material that is sensitive to light), it solidifies into shape. DLP uses a high-resolution digital light processor projector to project outlines lightly onto a photosensitive resin surface, thereby curing a layer of resin in a specific area of the surface. As you process layers, a cross-section of the object is generated. ; The platform then moves one layer and the cured layer covers another layer of liquid resin. When projecting the second layer, the second layer of the curing layer and the previous layer of the curing layer is firmly bonded, so that each layer is superimposed to form a THREE-DIMENSIONAL workpiece prototype.

DLP is similar to SLA photo cure molding technology, both of which use photosensitive polymer materials (mainly photosensitive resin) to cure quickly under UV light. The difference is that DLP technology uses a high-resolution digital light processor projector to project ultraviolet light, one part at a time. Thus, in theory, it is also much faster than comparable SLAs.

6. PolyJet UV curing liquid photosensitive resin 3D printing technology

PolyJet 3D printing technology is an ULTRAVIOLET (UV) photocuring liquid photosensitive resin jet, as thin as 16 microns (0.0006 microns), for layer-by-layer modeling. And has extremely complex geometric shapes, realistic details, and smooth surfaces. You can even create the same molded parts and models by printing multiple materials, colors, and hardness at once. The PolyJet rapid prototyping process utilizes high-resolution inkjet technology to quickly and economically produce parts — an excellent choice for demonstration models.

7. MJP multi-nozzle inkjet high resolution layer-by-layer 3D printing technology

MJP multi-nozzle inkjet 3D printing technology adopts the piezoelectric jet printing method to print high-resolution or photocured plastic resin or wax casting material layer by layer. Provides the highest Z-axis resolution, a layer thickness of 16 microns, for printing high precision and fine parts.

8. JCP color inkjet printing technology

JCP color inkjet 3D printing uses rollers to push the composite powder onto a molding platform, spreading out thin layers evenly. The mixture is selectively sprayed over the laid powder, then the model platform is lowered layer by layer and the process is repeated until the model is complete.

9. 3DP 3D Printing technology

Because the technology is so similar to flatbed printing, even the print head is used directly on the flatbed printer. Like SLS, the raw material is in powder form. A typical 3DP printer has two cabinets. As shown in the figure above, the powder storage cylinder is on the left and the forming cylinder is on the right. When printing, the left side will rise one layer (generally 0.1mm), the right side will fall one layer, and the powder roller from the powder storage tank to the forming tank, sprinkle 0.1mm of powder thickness. The print head prints the liquid onto the powder based on computer data. (The Y-axis of flatbed printers is the paper moving, while the Y-axis of 3DP is the print head moving.) The liquid is either the binder or water (used to activate the powdery binder in the powder).

10. DED multi-layer laser cladding 3D printing technology

Equivalent to multi-layer laser cladding, the use of laser or other energy in the material output from the nozzle synchronous melting material, solidification to form a solid layer, layer-by-layer superposition, and the final formation of three-dimensional parts. DED has low molding accuracy, but the molding space is not limited. It is often used to make blanks of large metal parts.

11. LOM laminated 3D printing technology

Basic principle: Use tools such as lasers to cut and stack sheets of material layer by layer to form three-dimensional entities. Wood grain parts, plastic parts, and metal parts can be produced from cardboard, plastic, and metal plates respectively. Bonding between sheets of cardboard or plastic is usually achieved by adhesives, while direct bonding of sheets of metal is usually achieved by welding (such as thermal brazing, fusion welding, or ultrasonic welding) and bolting. The biggest disadvantage: is that can’t make too complex parts, the material range is very narrow, the thickness of each layer can’t be adjusted, and the accuracy is limited.