Definition of 3D Printing

3D printing is that process by which, a cable of a material, generally a plastic or derivative, is molded by addition to take a specific shape that corresponds to some blueprints developed by computer.

The process

What is done is to heat the plastic material to a temperature until it can be poured into a certain shape, solidifying as it cools.

There are a wide variety of methods to heat the materials with which it is printed, such as melting the material, or using a laser or different types of rays (electron beam, ultraviolet).

Once cast and moldable, what makes the printer is to pour the resulting liquid or semi-liquid in the form of successive layers according to the instructions given by the computer program that follows the plans created by the designer.

Different materials can also be used, such as paper, plaster, cement or metals, although they are the least common and the most specialized.

And finally, we could talk about food 3D printers, for which the base material is raw food and the result of which is a cooked dish, in the line of the so-called "food robots kitchen".

To 3D print on a small / medium home type printer, you must first carry out carry out a process of aligning the platform with the head and that the distance between them is the adequate.

Both elements must also be heated to a temperature that is suitable for the process. During printing, we must monitor that the temperature parameters are always adequate.

The use of technology 3D printing is already a reality today, used both industrially and in the domestic environment, although due to the cost of printers and materials, the latter is less common.

In the industrial field, custom parts for machinery and other uses can be made, saving time and money in the creation of molds to later manufacture, by injection, which maybe only one copy.

The manufacture of prototypes of machines, consumer goods and others is a functionality that 3D printing covers perfectly

In the medical field, 3D printing allows the manufacturing, cheaply, of prostheses adapted to the needs of the consumer. It is also experimenting with the manufacture of artificial organs, since in this way they can be produced in the same hospitals and medical centers, avoiding expensive transfers.

In the domestic field, 3D printers allow the manufacture of parts necessary for small arrangements, as well as parts and figures in order to hobbies as collector's figurines, or parts of drones, to name just a few.

A separate issue in the possibilities of 3D printing is food printing. And is that the kitchen of the future could be a room centered around the 3D printer, and not the stove.

Currently there are printers capable of preparing, with creditworthiness, pizzas, pasta, and even delicious desserts and cookies.

Ultimately, we can only imagine a small part of the tasks that 3D printers can carry out today and that they will carry out in the future.

Photos: iStock - zorazhuang / Savas Keskiner

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