Embedded Files
Be able to produce components using additive manufacturing techniques
Be able to produce components using additive manufacturing techniques
P6, D3: Explain different additive manufacturing techniques used in 3D printing; assess how additive manufacturing techniques are used for the production of final components and in advanced applications
Vat polymerisation- Also known as stereolithography (SLA), this technique uses a vat of a special type of resin called photopolymer. Photopolymer resin means that it has photoreactive molecules so as it cures (typically with an ultraviolet light) the properties of the resin change and it becomes solid. This additive manufacturing technique produces a high-quality surface finish and guarantees high precision components which can be used in a range of industries such as dental, medical and jewellery. In the healthcare industries mentioned, vat polymerisation has been used for dental aligners and hearing aids. This is useful for creating biocompatible products.
Industries that use it: automotive, aerospace, healthcare, jewellery and prototyping and manufacturing
Well suited for: high detail, small to medium sized objects and intricate geometry
Selective laser sintering- This technique is a powder-based additive manufacturing technique that uses lasers to melt the powder which fuses when cooled down and creates a solid component by creating it layer by layer. One of the major advantages of using SLS as an additive manufacturing technique is that it does not require support unlike using a 3D printing machine - instead, the powder which hasn't been sintered surrounds the parts that have, making it a self supporting medium.
Industries that use it: aerospace, automotive, medical and consumer goods
Well suited for: lightweight, durable, functional prototypes and custom parts
Material jetting- Material jetting works similarly to an ink printer and vat polymerisation; this method uses inkjet technology to deposit liquid photopolymer resin through tool heads whilst curing it with UV light at the same time. Using this method is very precise as it can print within layers as small as 20 microns thick which can make finishing details on parts with high precision.
Industries that use it: automotive, aerospace, electronics, consumer goods, medical and prototyping
Well suited for: high accuracy, smooth surfaces, multi-material parts and models that look realistic
Fused deposition modelling- This is one of the most common additive manufacturing techniques as it is the most cost-efficient compared to others. This method uses a thermoplastic filament which gets heated up and deposited through a nozzle which solidifies and is built on layer by layer to create a solid component.
Industries that use it: medical, aerospace, architecture, education, film, automotive, prototypes and dentistry
Well suited for: prototyping, custom parts, low cost applications and end-use parts
A gel stump protector sleeve was made using FDM and silicone gel material. This technique was specifically used as FDM allows you to create custom parts by making a mould.
Vetinary- horse shoe FDM https://www.thewestmorlandgazette.co.uk/news/22790693.freda-clydesdale-horse-saved-3d-printer/
Another example of how additive manufacturing techniques can be used for final components in advanced applications is when a horseshoe was created to treat an infected hoof.
Freda the horse had an infected hoof, which if left untreated meant she would have been put down. Additive manufacturing techniques were used to create a horseshoe that perfectly sealed Freda's hoof and stopped moisture from getting further into the infection; as well as the horse shoe having to be airtight, it also had to be comfortable and flexible-an advantage of FDM.
D3: Assess how additive manufacturing techniques are used for the production of final components and in advanced applications.
How are additive manufacturing techniques used in the creative fashion industry:
Prototyping and design exploration
Speed and efficiency: fashion designers can use 3D printing to quickly create prototypes which allows more time to do iterations and experimentation with different types of designs and materials before having to commit to producing products on a larger scale.
Complex geometries: 3D printing allows fashion designers to create complex and unique shapes and silhouettes that would be otherwise unattainable or extremely difficult to create manually.
Customisation: Designers can create clothes and accessories that specifically fit the client it's made for as the designs can be tailored to their preferences. This means clothing and accessories can be customised both in the fit and visual concept to create unique personalised fashion pieces.
Production and manufacturing:
On-demand manufacturing: In the fashion industry they use 3D printing to reduce waste by using an on-demand production system which means that items are only created once they’ve been bought. This reduces the need to have large inventory stock which therefore lowers inventory costs. Additionally, this means there is greater flexibility for customers to personalise products and for small batch orders.
Sustainable practices: Using remote production reduces dependence on traditional manufacturing processes which means that the use of 3D printing in the fashion industry can lead to more sustainable practices. Additionally, transportation costs are reduced and therefore there is a decreased carbon footprint as there are fewer emissions released.
New materials and processes: 3D printing allows for different creative processes and gives designers more tools to push the boundaries of innovation within the fashion industry. It allows for more time to easily and efficiently experiment with different materials, designs and textures such as eco-friendly materials made with recycled materials.
Specific applications
Textile printing: Fashion designers use 3D printing to create finely detailed patterns, textures and designs on top of fabrics, again, allowing designers to create intricately personalised fashion pieces with unique surface textures.
Jewellery and accessories: The fashion industry also uses 3D printing to create custom, complicated, detailed jewellery and accessory designs
Footwear: 3D printing is used in footwear to promote comfort by creating custom shaped and sized shoes and insoles that fit to each individual.
Challenges
Although 3D printing has strong benefits, this production method has its limitations such as scalability for high production (on-demand production system means lower inventory and the manufacturer may not have enough stock for the order) and the use of certain materials may not be cost-effective. Despite this, as technology advances, it creates solutions or temporary solutions on reducing these limitations, making it more widely available to use 3D printing in the fashion industry.
https://www.voxeljet.com/additive-manufacturing/industries/art-and-design/
https://fit.technology/solutions/art-fabrication
Trypophilia collection by Jansa Rokegem
This collection featured innovative garments that blended fashion and advanced technology with the visualisation of emotions. Rokegem worked with a 3D designer to visualise the paths and locations of where we feel our feelings. The main material used in this collection is Vero which is a multi-material that makes it easier and more efficient to create detailed, flexible, durable structures on top of the fabric. They used Rhino and CLO3D software to create 3D algorithmic structures that translate into human emotions. Without the use of 3D printing or the software used to create them, this process could have taken hundreds of hours if they were to do it manually due to the amount of detail in the pieces.
How is additive manufacturing techniques used in the visual arts industry:
Creative development and conceptual exploration
Rapid experimentation: Using 3D printing in the visual arts allows artists to quickly produce prototypes or quick versions of scaled models of concepts. This increases efficiency of the design and creation process as it allows artists to easily and quickly experiment leading to quicker decisions with more variations with more iterations without being constrained to lengthy and meticulous traditional methods.
Unconventional structures: artists are able to create complex and unconventional architectural structures using additive manufacturing to design fluid, organic forms that deviate from traditional structures. Symmetry and gravity are no longer a limitation when using additive manufacturing techniques.
Unique creations: Artists have full control of different elements in the design and creation process as they can customise environments, dimensions and surface textures with high precision which can be painstakingly difficult to do by hand.
Fabrication and production
Production on request: Similarly to how the fashion industry uses on-demand systems, visual artists also benefit from only producing art pieces when commissioned as it can reduce potential issues with storage, material waste and make it more cost-effective.
Remote and digital workflows: Artists can create their work using digital media such as a software program to share files globally. This reduces carbon footprint as it reduces the need to ship delicate and intricate pieces and encourages collaboration by making it easy to share artworks.
Sustainability: Due to the accuracy and precision of the 3D printing process there is a reduced amount of waste material compared to subtractive methods like carving which makes it more sustainable as materials are used more intentionally and efficiently. Additionally, with 3D printing it is easy to change the material and swap it for a more eco-friendly option such as biodegradable resin and recycled polymers.
fig.5 https://concr3de.com/publications/content/images/20230829165421-sus%201.jpg
Emerging techniques and tools
Material innovation: Artists are experimenting with what types of matiearls they are using in the design creation process and are now reaching for different material substitutes such as lightweight polymers and biodegradable filaments to create blends with metal or textured surface finishes. This increases the potential to create sensory artworks with new mediums increasing experimentation within the art community and leading to new discoveries and innovative creations.
Digital-aided design: The use of digital software such as Rhino and Blendr help artists to create algorithmic designs and make use of different types of forms. Increased variation in creative tools allows creative individuals to translate data sets or emotional responses into physical creations.
Specific applications
Sculpture and installations: Additive manufacturing is used by artists to freely create unique structures that combine organic forms with mechanical precision.
Reproductions and restoration: Museums make use of 3D scanning and printing to restore parts of historical artworks and repair them by replicating the missing or damaged parts or by creating replicas to preserve the original versions
Functional art: 3D printing can be used to create surreal sculptures such as interactive installations made with art furniture or light fixtures blending domestic living with art and technology
Challenges
Scaling issues: 3D printers only have a limited workable area which may be smaller than the desired concept outcome. This means artists may have to print in stages or parts and then assemble them together later on to build up to the full design. This requires more planning ensuring that the structure is stable and properly fits together.
Material and equipment costs: Some materials or equipment may be expensive to the average person making this medium of creative expression less easily available than cost effective manual options such as sculpture. It can cost more to get more durable materials for outdoor structures which may be difficult to obtain as an individual artist or small studio.
Learning curve: Traditional artist can find 3D modelling difficult as they are not as knowledgeable with the use of 3D design software and how to use the equipment such as a 3D printer.
P7: Produce a 3D component using additive manufacturing techniques
P7: Produce a 3D component using additive manufacturing techniques
Here I have selected all the individual components to be imported into the slicing software used to create the parts
Here I imported the parts into the setup software for the 3D printer.
By orienting the parts it means that there are less supports needed and the accuracy of the parts was increased, it also means that it is more efficient to print as the print heasd doesnt have to move too far to get to the next point.
Here I used different view modes to show me what the printing process will look like and how each part will be made
Here I was checking the correct type of filament that we required (PLA) was in the printer as it is easier to print with and is cheap to use as well as being more environmentally friendly.
I began the preprinting process which allowed the machine to equilibrate the pressure and heat the filament to ensure when the filament is outputted it runs as smoothly as possible and is the correct temperature. The printer also calibrates and adjusts the bed level to ensure the nozzle is at the right height to print the parts with minimised defects.
M4: Produce a 3D CAD data for the component in STL format
M4: Produce a 3D CAD data for the component in STL format
STL (standard triangle language) is a file format that engineers use because it is a universal format used by CAD/CAM machines to process and produce 3D forms. STL is commonly used for 3D printing processes such as selective laser sintering, stereolithography and fused deposition modeling. The cartesian coordinate system is used to break down triangles into x, y and z coordinates which determines where the print head moves.
Here I clicked the tab in the top left to begin exporting the design as an STL file.
Here I chose STL as the file format to save the design as.
Here I selected the name and location of where the file with be exported to and then clicked export.
Page updated
Report abuse