Without doubt, 3D printing is among the most promising innovations that has and will continue to transform industries. It has essentially changed the manufacturing processes in all areas including food, medicine, construction and fashion among many others. The technology can only grow even more as more and more innovations are developed. There are different 3D printing processes and each comes with its pros and cons.
Whether you are a professional designer, manufacturer or just a hobbyist in 3D printing, it is necessary to get familiar with the options so you can make the right choice in the end. Below are some of the most common methods of 3D printings with their advantages and disadvantages to help you make the right choice.
Stereolithography printing
This 3D process builds the parts layer by layer. A thin pattern or resin is traced and zapped with ultraviolet laser to harden it and the same procedure repeated into the complete part is achieved. The laser pulse binds the layers on top of each other creating sturdy strong parts in the end.
Advantages
- It offer excellent surface finishes
- The method uses materials efficiently
- It offers appealing translucent and transparent parts
Disadvantages
- The parts are low in terms of mechanical properties
- Materials used for this method are expensive
- There is risk of UV degradation
Selective laser sintering printing
Loose materials are turned into compact shapes using intense sudden heat in this 3D printing process. The technology is expensive but it is considered the most accurate method in 3D. Powder like nylon plastic is transformed into solid mass using high powered laser and machines can create custom color for those looking for ready part production.
Advantages
- The parts have good environmental resistance
- It offers parts with good mechanical properties
- It is a mature process offering impressive aging behavior of the parts
- Applicable in different industries
Disadvantages
- There build volume for the process is not as impressive
- The material selection for the printing is limited
Electronic beam melting
This 3D printing process is a powder bead fusion technique that uses electron beam instead of laser beam as the power source. Metal powder is used in the method to melt and form 3D parts layer by layer from a computer. Fully melting under high temperatures is conducted to achieve the desired results. Its application is mainly on aerospace and medical implants.
Advantages
- It has lower residual stresses
- The printing process is impressively fast
Disadvantages
- The printing ends in rough surface finish
- The maximum part size for the process is limited
- Dealing with internal passages is a challenge
Fused deposition printing
The 3D machines using this method of printing build the objects by heating and extruding selected thermoplastic filament. It is a printing method very similar to stereolithography and builds the parts layer by layer. It is the only 3D process that builds the parts with production grade thermoplastics hence resulting into parts with excellent thermal, chemical and mechanical qualities.
Advantages
- It is cost effective
- Produces very strong materials
- It can accommodate large build volumes
Disadvantages
- The process can be slow
- The surface finish is not as good
- It is anisotropic
These are some of the services you can get from 3D printing supplier in China but the list goes on. China 3D printing experts have everything you could desire for your parts and can help you make the right choice.
For more information, please refer to http://www.3dprintingchina.com.