Additive Manufacturing Introduction

Additive manufacturing is a rapidly expanding technology that's opening up new

possibilities for how parts are made and what types of items can be printed there are a
few primary printing methods that are leading the industry namely “FUSED DEPOSITION
MODELING” and “STEREOLITHOGRAPHY” I’ll get into more detail in the next video
about the differences between them.

Each of these processes can produce different qualities of parts and they can come at a
variety of price points this makes it important to know what type of machine you'd be
interested in purchasing and what the capabilities of that machine will be.

Beyond these two machine types there are other companies producing other additive
manufacturing technology that can print metal bio materials and even food.

Additive manufacturing is changing the mindset of how parts are created while most of
the manufacturing processes have focused on a subtractive process, which removes
material, from an existing block of material an additive process only uses material to make
up the part geometry.

This means that significantly less material is wasted, the cost of manufacturing goes down,
and the part is generated immediately in its final shape.

There are a couple additive manufacturing methods that are leading the industry.

The most common type is called fused deposition modeling or FDM in this process a
strand of plastic material is pushed through a heated nozzle. That nozzle moves in a
programmed pattern which places the heated plastic strand in the shape of a single layer
of the part. These layers stack on top of one another until the entire part is printed.

Another common method is called stereolithography or SLA in this process a pool of liquid
resin is heated to a specific temperature and the laser moves throughout the liquid and
hardens the resin at the point of contact this laser moves in the pattern of a single layer
of the part and then the machine will adjust and move on to the next layer there are
several other additive manufacturing processes out there.

Many of these processes use a powder-based system that polymerizes the powder and
forms a solid while this process can make much higher quality parts along with the ability
to print metal it's a much more complex process and requires additional cleanup and post
processing.

While these processes are all revolutionizing the way that parts are manufactured the
cost of buying a machine and printing parts varies between them FDM printers are
typically the lowest cost machines both in initial purchase and material the hardware that
makes up FDM printing machines aren't nearly as expensive as other machines that use
a projected laser in addition the spools of plastic strands used by FDM printers are widely
available and created at a low cost so if you're wanting to get started with your own printer
this can be the cheapest option to get going SLA printers are more expensive than FDM
printers however they often come in a smaller footprint and are available in desktop sizes
this means that they aren't nearly as expensive as the other powder-based printers which
use a more complex process with high-end components and are much larger
dimensionally however SLA printers are making a strong push in the 3d printing market
and are coming to a more competitive price point with other FDM printers as mentioned
a little bit ago 3d printing technology is continually expanding and is able to print materials
other than plastic metals such as steel and aluminum are some of the materials in highest
demand however there are other materials that can have a tremendous impact medical
industries are now able to print bio materials such as skin cells organ cells and even
dissolving implants this could revolutionize health care and the procedures available to
those in need even peripheral industries like the restaurant and culinary industry are
benefiting by the ability to print food from a machine while the possibilities of 3d printing
aren't slowing down anytime soon it's important to know how the technology works so that
your prints are successful high-quality products in the following lessons you'll learn more
about the technical details of the machine and the best practices for printing your parts
you.
Machine Types

3D printers use a variety of printing methods to produce the final part. One method, known
as FDM, pushes a spool of plastic material through a heated nozzle. The material is
printed in the pattern of the part in a single layer, then the machine moves one layer down
to print the next layer.

Another method, knows as SLA projects a laser into a pool of liquid resin that hardens
the liquid at a specified point. The laser is controlled by small mirrors that move the laser
around, hardening material one layer at a time.

Then the machine moves so that the laser can print the next layer, building up the solid
part vertically.

At this lesson, ill walk through the details of these two printing methods, as well as some
other more complex methods that offer alternatives to creating 3D printed parts.

3D printing is one of the fastest growing industries in manufacturing technology. Because

of this growth there's a variety of printing methods and machine types available.

To begin I’d like to walk you through some of the most common printing methods used
today. The first method known as fuse deposition modeling or FDM takes a long-
coiled strand of plastic and pushes it through a heated nozzle. This process is really
similar to using a hot glue gun where the material is pushed through the hot tip and is
applied to a surface.

In the same way an FDM printer pushes the material through the heated nozzle while the
nozzle head moves about in a pattern in the shape of the part. This means that the nozzle
moves along two axes in a single plane this is done for a single layer at a time then the
build plate that the parts printed on moves downward so the next layer can be printed on
top of the last one the build plate moving vertically is the third axis of motion.
The next method known as stereolithography or SLA is very different from the last
method. In stereolithography a laser is projected into a pool of liquid resin and hardens
the resin at specific spots which forms the shape of the part layer by layer the laser is
controlled by mirrors that move underneath the pool of resin this means that only the build
plate moves upward and downward in a single axis.

These two methods are the most common for smaller benchtop models however there
are more advanced forms of 3d printing. The process known as selective laser sintering
or SLS is similar to stereolithography but instead directs a laser in 3d space and hardens
a powder at the contact point. A laser is still used in this process to produce a solid part
however it interacts with a powder instead of a liquid resin.

A subgroup of SLS is known as selective laser melting or SLM which uses a laser
once again to melt and fuse metallic powders together this process is used to create
metal parts in particular where SLS can't achieve this result in the next video I’ll discuss
how these different printing methods are incorporated into today's 3d printing machines
you'll learn why some of the printers have an open or closed printing area as well as why
some machines are larger than others.

Because the different printing methods vary quite a bit, the 3d printing machines also vary
in size and structure an FDM printer such as this ultimaker 3 model has an open build
area that's accessible during the printing process this helps the heat dissipate during the
print by increasing airflow it also gives the build plate a much larger distance to move
downward which means you can print taller parts since FDM is one of the most common
printing methods many companies package their printers in bench top size models that
don't take up a ton of room and can be moved without too much difficulty however there
are much larger versions of FDM printers available which can print much larger parts and
can print thicker spools of material at a faster rate one advantage of FDM printers is that
multiple spools of material can be printed in the same part this allows for one type of
material to create the main structure of the part while a second water-soluble material can
be printed for the supports and then later dissolved away once the parts finished printing
or if you want to use multiple colors in a single part two different color spools can be used
to intermix them in the printing process.

An SLA printer, such as this form labs 2 has an enclosed area that keeps debris and other
foreign objects from entering because the resin needs to be consistent in order for the
laser to harden the liquid floating debris or other objects can't be allowed to get mixed in
this could disrupt the printing process or even damage the machine the contained space
is temperature regulated so having a closed build area is not an issue for SLA printers
this printer type is also incredibly common in the market and is packaged as a small
benchtop model that can be moved around if needed however there are also much larger
SLA printers that can produce incredibly high quality parts that are fairly large scale.

The other printing methods such as SLS and SLM typically are housed in much larger
printers because the processes are more complex and require more parts one advantage
of using these larger more sophisticated machines is that you can print some of the
highest quality parts eliminating the need for other manufacturing methods they also can
handle materials other than plastic such as an SLM printer creating metal parts these
machines come at a much higher price point and are typically used by companies that
offer 3d printing services.

With these different printers available on the market today your designs can be made real
in your own home in just a matter of hours imagine how this technology will continue to
evolve and make some of the most complex products available at your fingertips.
Materials

One of the most important aspects of 3d printing is the material used in the process. Not
only does the material have to work directly with the technology but it has to have the
right material qualities that make the printed part durable and functional.

Fused deposition modeling printers or FDM printers use large spools of plastic that draw
a continuous strand into the heated extruder nozzle these plastic spools are typically
comprised of either PLA or ABS however other plastic types are also available.

Stereolithography printers or SLA printers use a pool of liquid resin that's hardened using
a laser the printer regulates the temperature of the resin to make sure it's consistent
depending on the printer being used a number of different resins can be used to produce
different material qualities in the part such as making it flexible or having a specific color.

In this lesson I’ll walk through how the different materials function within the printers and
what options are available depending on the printer.

To begin I’ll discuss which types of materials are used for fused deposition modeling
printers or FDM printers to quickly review FDM printers push a strand of plastic through
a heated nozzle the temperature of the nozzle allows for the plastic to become soft and
malleable and can be printed in the shape of the part the material must also fuse to the
plastic printed on any lower layers this means there are a couple critical aspects to which
materials can be used and how they can best be applied FDM printers most commonly
use a plastic known as PLA which stands for polylactic acid this is the material that
will be referenced for FDM printers throughout the remainder of the additive
manufacturing lessons.

This plastic has a few important properties it can soften at a temperature that's easy to
regulate in a 3d printer it's also a bioplastic which makes it biodegradable its fumes are
also less toxic than other plastic types making it important to consider if the 3d printer
doesn't have optimal ventilation many FDM printers also use ABS which stands for
acrylonitrile butadiene styrene this plastic also melts easily and can print very evenly
the main advantage of abs is that it's much more durable and produces higher quality
finished parts this is because abs doesn't soften as easily as PLA due to its higher “glass
transition temperature” material property.

There are many other plastic types that can be used in FDM printers this ultimaker printer
primarily uses PLA and PVA for dual material extrusion however this model can also print:

• POLYPROPYLENE
• NYLON
• ABS
• CPE
• PC
• TPU95A

Dremel also makes an FDM printer that utilizes some of the most common plastic types
namely PLA ABS and NYLON.

These materials are typically coiled around a large spool that attaches to one of the sides
of the printer this allows for the strand of plastic to feed up and over the top of the machine
into the moving extrusion nozzle.

Now I’ll switch over to discussing which types of materials are used by
stereolithography 3d printers or SLA printers these printers utilize the process of
photopolymerization in this process a pool of liquid resin material has an ultraviolet laser
that moves and projects the light into the areas that make up the solid model.
X and Y scanning mirrors control the position of the laser the material at this location in
the resin pool then hardens and bonds with any other material that's been hardened
beforehand the laser will harden all the material in a single layer and then the build plate
will move in the third axis to work on the next layer because the laser shines upward
through the resin pool the part is printed upside down and rises upward out of the resin.

The resin used in the 3d printer is designed to have specific characteristics once the laser
hardens the liquid into a solid for instance form labs offers a variety of resin types that
produce different solid qualities.

There's a standard resin that comes out semi-translucent.

There's also a white resin a tough resin that has added durability.

A resin that's castable which can burn out cleanly without ash or residue while still
capturing fine detail and smooth surfaces.

A flexible resin used to produce parts that bend and compress

And a dental resin that produces high quality dental devices in-house such as surgical
guides orthodontic models and retainers.

These resins are typically loaded into a cartridge that slides into the machine and can be
replaced as the resin runs out. With all these resin types available for SLA printers the
limits of creating new parts are ever expanding you can be confident that your parts will
be functional and serve their purpose right away.
Model Preparation

When preparing the model to be printed there are several factors to take into account
before sending the file to the printer.

Part orientation is one of the most critical aspects of achieving a successful print which
means minimizing overhangs on the model and making sure support material is in place
SLA parts may need to have a drain hole included that way liquid resin isn't trapped inside
the part the amount of in-fill or solid material also greatly affects the part as well as the
desired wall thickness if the part isn't entirely solid adjusting scaling will also ensure that
parts are sized correctly and can fit together lastly the smoothness and finish quality are
determined by a couple factors such as material thickness and adding any post printing
procedures to polish off the final design.

With both FDM and SLA printers orienting the part correctly is critical to achieving good
results with a part printed on an FDM printer minimizing the number of overhangs will
ensure that the layers will correctly adhere to one another and the geometry will be built
correctly typically anything more than about 55 to 60 degrees of overhang will require
support material to keep the layer from collapsing this would cause a layer to disconnect
and potentially a print failure.

Here I’m using ultimaker's cura software to prepare the model for printing. To orient the
part, I want to make sure the overhangs are minimized and that the footprint is as large
as possible especially if it's a flat surface this means I need to rotate the part so that this
face is parallel to the build plate then click on the lay flat button to make sure it's laying
directly on top of the build plate and use the move tools to position it near the center in
this orientation notice that the overhangs have been minimized and the largest surface is
flat against the build plate to make the largest footprint.

With SLA it's also important to consider how supports will be added, but not as critical as
with FDM.
There's also one important feature of printing SLA parts if you're printing a part that is
hollow there should be either a natural drain hole so the part doesn't trap resin inside or
you should model one in such a way that resin won't be trapped in a cavity in the part.

Here I’m using the formlabs “preform” software orienting a part in the software can be a
very simple process if I click on this icon one click print the software will automatically
orient the part to the optimal angle and position followed by generating supports where
necessary and calculating the layout notice that the part isn't flat against the build plate if
needed these three steps can be manually adjusted to your preference I can click on any
of the icons such as the orientation options and make adjustments as needed this is the
same for the supports such as adjusting the density or adjusting the layout by dragging
this icon to position it on a different area of the build plate.

Next, I’d like to talk about the concept of infill which refers to how much of the part volume
is considered to be solid. The more solid the part is the more rigid it will be but it will also
consume more material and time.

Often the infill isn't solid material but is created using internal structures that act like a
solid the slicer software can automatically incorporate this removing the need for you to
incorporate this into the 3d model for parts that need to function without breaking a solid
infill is ideal if a part is non-mechanical or doesn't have to sustain external loads or
pressures you can reduce the infill down to the 10 to 20 percent range to save time and
material.

Another key aspect to consider is determining the parts wall thickness the wall thickness
affects multiple aspects of the printed part:

strength and durability

amount of material needed

how long it'll take to print

and how refined the finished part will look

However, keep in mind that this only applies to parts that have less than 100 percent infill.

Most slicer programs will also let you define the number of layers a part will have before
it begins to create the infill in FDM printers wall thickness is typically set as a multiple of
the size of the extruder nozzle opening one of the key steps in creating a correctly sized
part is adjusting the parts scale sometimes a printed part will shrink slightly as it cures
particularly for SLA printed parts to account for this the slicer program can be used to
scale up the model by a few percent prior to printing you don't have to account for this in
the modeling software in addition if you're printing parts that fit together such as a bolt
going through a mounting hole in a part you'll need to make sure that the part going inside
isn't too large so scaling the parts accordingly will help make sure the parts fit properly
together scaling down one of the two parts will most likely take care of it with all these
considerations in mind it's important to adjust settings to achieve the finish quality you're
looking for because 3d printed parts are created in layers the layer height has a big effect
on how smooth and refined the finished part appears thinner heights will produce a
smoother part but will drastically add time to the total print time if a very fine finish on a
part is necessary post finishing of the part should be considered as a solution since it will
keep the print time and material consumption low this can include sanding painting and
polishing you.
File Export Settings

Export settings greatly determine how successful a printed part will turn out this includes
making sure that the 3d geometry is structurally sound as well as aesthetically pleasing
some of the important export settings include saving out the STL file from its cad software
with a certain amount of roughness or smoothness orienting the part correctly in the slicer
software adjusting the layer thickness and including supports in the print in this lesson I’ll
cover many of the ways you can refine your print ensuring that your part will come out
fully functional and looking just how you intended it to be.

In order for a 3d printed part to come out successfully there are a number of settings to
consider in both the cad environment as well as the slicer software with the file ready to
be exported from Solidworks you'll want to go up to file save as and then choose STL
from the available file types this is the most common file format used to export 3d printable
files when I click save Solidworks breaks up the part into tiny triangular segments the
larger the number of triangles the more refined the printable file this results in a smoother
part but it increases both the file size and print time if you want to change the number of
triangles used to make up the 3d geometry the options can be adjusted from the same
save as menu I’ll open it again make sure STL is selected again and click on options there
are a few ways to make adjustments you can select coarse or fine and when I check the
box for preview the number of triangles is shown if you select custom you can adjust the
deviation and the angle which will increase or decrease how many triangles are created
in the STL file I’ll click ok and then save then yes and the STL file is generated.

Other 3D printing file types that are supported are 3MF files and AMF files additionally
some slicer programs include the ability to directly import Solidworks and other native cad
files this eliminates the need to export them to a neutral format like an STL file here I’m
using the formlabs preform slicer software orienting the part and preparing it for printing
is simple simply click here on the one-click print icon and all of the work is done for you
however you can always make adjustments as needed for instance if i knew i needed to
rotate the part by 30 degrees around the x-axis i can click on the orientation menu then
type in 30 to the orient x field this adjusts the part orientation and the supports disappear
to add the supports back in i can click on the supports menu and make any adjustments
as needed I’ll leave the defaults and click auto generate selected from here I’ll make sure
it's positioned properly on the build plate by clicking on the layout menu and moving it into
position now the part is in place and is ready to be printed now I’ll briefly switch over to
ultimaker's cura software which uses an FDM printing process with the STL file imported
I’ll make sure that the part is oriented in such a way that it'll produce the optimal print i
want to minimize the number of overhangs and make the footprint as large as possible
this means that if I rotate the part so that this face is the base the footprint is as large as
possible and the overhangs are minimal if a part such as this one is intended to be
structural and withstand stress the printed layer should be perpendicular to the direction
of applied stress since the direction of the layers on an FDM printed part are the weakest
the strongest part will be created if the applied load is perpendicular in this software once
the model is oriented correctly and any additional supports are included the printer type
can be selected here along with custom settings such as the thickness of each layer the
amount of infill or if you'd like to include build plate adhesion once your settings are in
place you can click the slice button to prepare the model for printing and you'll see cura
displays an approximate print time finally you can save the file and begin the print in the
form labs preform software the part can be sent directly to the printer by clicking on this
button and selecting the available printer connected to your machine or if you need to
save the file to a thumb drive or other storage device you can go to save as and save the
part as a preform jobs file you.
Machine Preparation

In order to successfully print a part you'll need to make sure that the machine is prepared
properly one of the most important areas to prep is the build plate since the first few layers
of a print are the most important the build plate should be prepped so that the surface
allows the material to adhere to it you'll also want to make sure that there aren't any
objects obstructing the build area loading the material is also an extremely important
process FDM printers need to have the spools attached and oriented correctly along with
the strand feeding evenly into the extrusion nozzle SLA printers need to have sufficient
amount of resin remaining in the cartridge and that there aren't objects floating in the resin
tank prior to printing once these are prepped the access doors can be covered guards
put in place and check that the build area is clear from there you can begin printing.

The build plate is one of the most important areas to prepare on a 3d printer there are a
couple different methods depending on the type of machine you're using.

When using an FDM printer the build plate is most often made of glass which is the most
common practice with current generation machines due to the smooth nature of glass the
addition of some sort of adhesion material will aid in making sure that a print will stick to
the build plate some suggestions for materials to use on the build plate include blue
painters tape hairspray or the use of a glue stick because the adhesion of the first layer
of an FDM print is so critical to the successful completion of a print

(01:41) it's highly suggested that one of these methods be used in the case of using an
SLA printer it's best to make sure that the build plate is clean and free of debris and that
the resin tank is clear of any foreign objects that may disrupt the path of the laser loading
the print material is another important aspect of preparing the machine there must be
enough print material present and it needs to be loaded properly loading material into an
FDM printer will vary by manufacturer but the most common steps will include

(02:11) mounting a spool holder and then attaching the spool be sure to orient the spool
the correct way which means that the strand of material feeds smoothly into the guide
without any kinks if the spool is oriented correctly it will rotate easily on the spool holder
and allow for an even feed into the extrusion nozzle additionally be sure to handle the
spools of the material in a way that the strand doesn't overlap and get tangled around
itself before attaching it to the machine this could bind the strand and keep it from

(02:44) feeding into the printer in the case of this Dremel machine you'll need to remove
the access cover and then manually feed the material into the guide tube at that point you
can run the material load function on the printer to conclude the process with this ultimaker
3 printer the spool holder needs to be mounted and plugged in and the spool end holder
should be used to keep the spool on the machine the ultimaker spool holder includes an
nfc reader which can transmit the material type color and diameter directly into the
machine

(03:16) and into the slicer software once mounted you feed the material into the feeder
here and then complete the process on the machine interface in the case of most FDM
printers once the machine has successfully started extruding material through the nozzle
it's best to let a little bit of material flow out to ensure that there aren't any clogs you can
also watch to make sure any previous material has flowed out in the case of a color
change with an SLA printer like this formlabs form 2 printer you can always add additional
resin once

(03:51) the installed cartridge runs out an SLA printer will first need to heat up the resin
in the build tank prior to starting the print this is an automated process that will take place
once you begin a print in the case of most modern printers they will allow you to pause a
print should it get close to running out of material then the machine can be refilled with
additional material whether it uses a spool or a resin cartridge once the build plate is
prepped and the material is loaded properly you're ready to begin printing you want

(04:23) to make sure that all the access doors are closed not every machine incorporates
safety switches when beginning to print it's also a good idea to make sure the printer is
placed in a well-ventilated area especially with SLA printers since the heated resin can
produce a noticeable smell
Printing the Part
When it's time to print your part you want to make sure that the printing process will go
smoothly this means that you want to be sure you can send the file to the machine
correctly whether it's using a USB cable or thumb drive or even over the internet then
check that the first few layers are printing properly and continue to check on the part from
time to time during the printing process gauging the progress at each of these stages will
help ensure that your part prints as intended or that you can cancel the print at the right
time if there's an issue with the printer.

3D printing software provides a variety of ways for the print file to be sent to the machine
one of the most direct ways to send the print file is to connect a USB cable from the
computer to the printer this will allow the file to print right away another way for the file to
be sent to the printer is by exporting the file from the slicer software and then loading it
onto a USB thumb drive as long as the printer has an available USB port the thumb drive
can be inserted and the file can be printed similarly some machines also have an available
slot for an SD card just like the USB drive simply export the print file to the SD card and
then insert it into the printer additionally some printers can receive files over a wi-fi
network or a wired ethernet connection this makes it even simpler to print if both machines
are using the same internet signal some machines have more advanced monitoring
systems some printers have web monitoring where you can watch the progress of the
print in real time from your computer no matter where the printer is located so you could
be at the office watching a new file print at home some printers also have the ability to
send a text message or email to the user when a print is finished or if an error occurs in
the machine needs attention now that I’ve discussed how to send a file to the printer and
monitor it i want to talk about the actual printing process the very beginning of a print is
the most important stage this is where the first layers are formed which is the foundation
for the rest of the part it's recommended that a user watches the first set of layers maybe
three to five to make sure that the print is running smoothly if an issue occurs at this stage
the part most likely won't print properly in an FDM printer like the ultimaker and Dremel
models the first layers must adhere to the build plate for the part to turn out correctly for
every print you do watching the early stages will help ensure you get the results you're
looking for with the first few layers printing successfully you can gain some confidence in
the printing process however it's still advised that you check on the part every so often to
make sure it's still on track while the downside of not checking on a print can have minimal
consequences should a part fail it may save you time and material if you're able to stop a
failed print before it spends hours printing incorrectly sitting near the machine during the
print can also be helpful as it may make strange sounds that indicate if a part isn't printing
properly this will allow you to easily check on it and cancel the print if needed in general
3d printers are fairly hands off and can require little to no supervision when set up and
started correctly you.
Post Printing

Once a part is finished printing it's time to take it off the build plate you may want to
remove the build plate from the machine to make it easier to pry off the part if you do need
to pry it off you want to be very careful not to injure yourself if you're using a tool that has
any kind of sharp edge once the part is removed you can replace the build plate back in
the machine making sure it's set properly and is level once again if you're done printing
parts for the day or any extended period of time be sure to shut it down and remove any
printing material that may clog the machine or cause problems down the line

It's a great feeling once a successful 3d print is finished you may be eager to grab it and
quickly remove it from the build plate however there's some things to consider before
taking it off because of the use of adhesion materials on FDM printers blue painters tape
hairspray or glue stick some prints may be tough to remove using a glue stick may be the
trickiest of the three you want to be sure that removing the part doesn't damage it in the
process here's some suggestions on removing the part properly off the build plate
extreme care should be used when removing the part off the build plate in many cases
you may need to pry a part off using a tool using a putty knife is a great tool to get under
the part and pry upward this doesn't have a particularly sharp edge whether using a semi
sharp tool like this one or potentially something with a sharper edge you should always
pry away from your body to avoid injury in addition parts will always be easier to remove
as soon as possible after print completion as opposed to trying to remove them after it's
set around for a while you can also be strategic during the design phase you can integrate
a feature on the base of the part that will allow you to easily remove it a pry slot located
around the outer edge will greatly aid in this process but may not always be possible given
the parts design and geometry once the part has been removed it's also the best time to
make sure that the build plate is also free of any leftover material and ready to be used
again in the case of the formlabs SLA printer we're using the manufacturer has supplied
a fixture in which to mount and hold the build platform for easier part removal their slicer
software also produces a continual pry slot around the raft section of the part in which
you can use their pry tool to remove the part more easily in many cases it may be best to
remove the build plate from the 3d printer to get better access and leverage when
removing the part each machine is slightly different in how the build plate is removed and
replaced once you know how to remove it you typically follow the same steps in reverse
to replace it in the machine after you pry the part off the build plate make sure all the
surfaces are clean and there aren't any pieces still stuck to it or that there's any debris
left over this will help ensure that the plate will nest back into the machine securely if you
do need to replace the build plate it's best to take a bit of time to make sure the plate has
been securely placed and to be sure everything looks visually correct this will help make
sure it's ready for the next print if the plate looks crooked or doesn't seem secure in its
position it's best to remove it and try again some printers also have a leveling procedure
you can follow after the build plate has been replaced which will guarantee that the build
plate is flat before printing your next part if you're done printing parts for the day you want
to make sure the machine is either in rest mode or it's shut down if it's not going to be
used again right away it's best to fully shut down the machine and power it off most fdm
printers will do just fine leaving cold material in the extrusion nozzle but it's recommended
to purge any material from it using the load or purge function of the machine if it's going
to sit for any extended period of time for sla printers you can simply empty any unused
resin back into the cartridge of the machine if it will not be used for some time the resin is
uv sensitive so be sure it's not exposed to direct uv light prior to adding it back in the
cartridge this could cause misprints and other issues in the machine in the future you
Part Finish

Adding the finishing touches to a part may seem like a short step but there are many
considerations to be made first removing the support material should be done with care
and it may require tools to get rid of all the leftover material they're also washing and
curing machines for sla printed parts made from resin second you want to make sure you
check that the part will function as intended this can mean fitting the part in the larger
assembly or fitting it into other parts to make sure everything lines up from here you can
continue the finishing process you'll want to sand the part by hand or by using a micro file
to make it smooth if the part was printed in sections you'll also want to make sure those
will assemble properly and then glue them in place finally you can paint the model
however you'd like putting it to use and on display in its final state.

Once a printed part is removed from the build plate it's time to remove the attached
support material some material can be removed by hand in other cases removing
supports can be made easier by using a small set of cutters or even needle nose pliers
because the process can be tedious it's recommended to optimize the amount of support
material in the slicer software to minimize how much it will generate when using an fdm
printer such as the ultimaker or Dremel models shown here the orientation of the part in
the slicer software can aid in reducing the amount of supports or the need for them entirely
in the case of printing an open-ended box if you printed it with the open end on one side
you'd need to add supports however if you printed it standing up with the open end at the
top you wouldn't need any additional supports with the introduction of pva material and
being able to use it in a dual extruder machine such as the ultimaker 3 we're using you
can print water-soluble support material that only requires a tank of water to remove the
support material as shown while it may take longer to complete it also allows for internal
support structure that you wouldn't be able to get at to remove otherwise raft material can
also be difficult to remove however using a raft can be helpful in printing large parts on
an fdm printer when printing a part using an sla printer such as this form labs model the
part is typically printed at an angle intentionally and support material is added by default
oftentimes these supports can be removed by hand however using small cutting tools
may also be needed because these parts are made from liquid resin the parts may still
have excess resin coating its exterior this

(02:51) resin can be removed by washing it by hand with isopropyl alcohol excess uv
resin used in the form 2 machine is easily removed by using their specially designed
machine called the form wash it's optimized for removing all the remaining resin simply
by agitating the solution while the parts are submerged and lifting them out to air dry when
complete there's also a lid that keeps the alcohol fumes contained inside the machine
parts average about 15 minutes of soak time to complete resin parts also need some time
to cure

(03:29) under uv light this can be done by placing them in contact with sunlight for a period
of time from labs also created the form cure machine that rotates the part on a turntable
while shining uv light directly onto the part it also includes a heating system that preheats
to get the parts ready for optimum post curing both processes help solidify the part to the
correct material properties after it's been cleaned before investing too much time in the
post-processing of a part it's best to visually inspect the part

(04:02) to make sure that all features are there in case it needs to be printed again
because the part will tend to dimensionally change for a short period of time after it's
printed it's best to ignore any sort of dimensional issues until after it's cured and you can
verify if it will work to meet your needs once the parts are clean and most of the support
material has been removed the use of some fine sandpaper or fine microfiles will aid in
removing leftover support attachment points layer lines can also be smoothed out by
sanding this will help to achieve a smooth finished part which gets much closer to the final
look and feel of the part

Once the printed part is cured and sanded down to the intended smoothness you can
begin checking that the part will function as its intended purpose because printed parts
dimensions will change especially right after being printed it's best to wait a few hours to
allow it to stabilize in addition the features that fit together need to be checked that they
will work for instance printing a one millimeter

(05:06) hole and a one millimeter rod will not allow them to fit together after they're printed
it's best to allow for some clearance which can easily be added by slightly scaling one of
the parts in the slicer software and because material shrinkage is never uniform in all
directions it may take a few iterations of printed parts to get the fit and scale just right you
can closely estimate the shrinkage of a material by printing any one of the many
dimensional test parts found online but be aware that each machine may

(05:37) produce different results and results can also vary between different batches of
material in any case always be prepared to print apart more than once to get the final fit
and function you desire if you printed a part that needed to be broken up into multiple
sections since it wouldn't fit in the machine's build volume you want to be sure that they
fit together before using any adhesive this is also a good time to consider part orientation
when printing on an fdm printer because layers can easily separate

(06:08) printing apart where the layers are perpendicular to any sort of stress will be ideal
in making sure it won't break apart between weak layers once they're ready to be glued
together you can apply super glue and fit them together this type of adhesive works well
on many 3d printed parts and it gets the job done quickly if you're unsure if a certain type
of glue will work find some scrap parts and test glue them to make sure it works with all
the sections assembled and the parts sanded down to your desired

(06:39) smoothness the parts can be painted with any standard spray paints or brushed
on with model paints as expected the cleaner the part is from any sort of dust or cleaning
solutions the better the paint will adhere and dry now your model is ready to be put to use
or set on display for others to admire you
Software Options

With the rapid advancement of 3d printing technology part manufacturing is being

changed in ways that make all new products possible cad software now integrates 3d
printing tools directly in the user interface and leverages functionality such as generative
design to create optimized geometry that fits the exact needs of the part online
communities and file sharing platforms are also making models available to
anyone which can serve as a part to print directly or use as a base model and make
adaptations these tools and platforms are also being applied to materials and
applications other than 3d printed plastic parts metal parts are now able to be printed
which simplifies the manufacturing process and keeps material from being wasted in
addition other non-mechanical materials can be printed as well such as implantable
bio materials and particular food types the world of 3d printing is going to continue to
expand quicker than we may realize bringing a lot of excitement to what the future holds
most cad titles now include a number of 3d printing tools integrated directly into the user
interface solidworks has partnered with machining and software vendors to allow you to
set up and create sliced parts directly inside the software this allows you to quickly
iterate designs without the need to deal with time consuming and hard to track exported
files you can also see where a part needs supports added based on the orientation in
addition you'll be able to see if the part will fit into your machine's build space tools such
as 3d expert for solidworks from 3d systems can also automate processes such as
combining an assembly file into one single printable part slicer software isn't the only
technology being implemented directly into cad generative design tools such as design
guidance within x design are helping designers create more complex but stronger parts
that may not be able to be machined but can easily be printed this allows designers to
potentially use less material while gaining structural strength and because 3d printing
can orient the part and print it in various shapes and sizes the designer doesn't have to
be overly concerned with manufacturability the resulting shapes tend to also have a
more organic look to them as opposed to the traditional mechanical look which can
always be refined if needed one great way to begin working on a design is to see if
there are existing 3d models that you can adapt and work from there are some
great online resources that make models available for download and direct printing or
bringing into a modeling software and making modifications solidworks hosts the 3d
content central where users in the 3d experience community can upload their designs
and share them with one another these can be downloaded in a variety of formats such
as the solidworks part and assembly files or even an stl generated directly from
the website this is a great place to find models you're looking for since the native cad
file type is one of the available download options other websites that host community
shared models only make stls or graphics files available which are much more difficult
to make edits the website thingiverse is also a great resource with tons of models
available for download and printing depending on the member that uploaded the file
they may have also posted the native cad files for download it simply depends on which
files that user chose to upload in the next video I’ll discuss some of the ways in which
3d printing is advancing and what other materials and applications are being leveraged.

As 3d printing continues to be adopted by companies and individuals’ new technologies

are becoming mainstream 3d printing isn't restricted to just plastics but has made its way
into the world of printing metal. metal printers from companies like desktop metal and
mark forged are allowing companies to print final design parts at the lowest costs
possible with these machines different types of metal materials can be printed but all
will require some sort of post printing curing to fully harden the part the ease of use
of the machines along with the easy to use software programs are allowing for this
technology to gain momentum at a very fast pace another emerging technology is the
sls printing process this stands for selective laser sintering it falls in between the costs
and complexity of sla and metal printing it's similar to the sla printers in that it uses a
laser to harden material however it's solidifying a powder instead of a liquid resin one of
the largest benefits of sls printing is the ability to print multiple parts that are
interconnected by support material that can be easily broken away form labs also
makes an sls printer that provides a low-cost entry point combined with a user-friendly
interface this makes it easy to get up and running making professional grade parts
regarding emerging applications of 3d printing the medical field cooking and space travel
are all benefiting from this advancing technology in the medical field there are many
emerging materials also in development that are allowing for printed parts to be placed
inside a human body without the risk of causing infections or the body rejecting the part
experimental materials such as skin cells and body organs are allowing for further
exploration into printing human body parts regarding cooking and food preparation 3d
printing allows for food to be stored in sealed hygienic containers and then printed out
when ready to be consumed this can be extremely helpful when needing to transport
food to impoverished countries without worrying about how the food will last as it's
transported and finally in the use of space travel the use of 3d printers is allowing tools
and parts to be readily manufactured without the need for waiting for costly resupply
missions which can also take months to occur this allows the astronauts flexibility in
what they need and the preparation time and materials can be reduced prior to
conducting a successful launch with 3d printing technology taking rapid steps
forward the future holds great potential for manufacturing and how efficiently new
products can be created you
QUIZZ DE LAS LECCIONES
Additive Manufacturing Introduction

1. Additive manufacturing uses much less material than many other

traditional “subtractive” manufacturing processes.

• CORRECT: TRUE

• FALSE

2. Which of the following is typically the cheapest type of 3D printer to

purchase?

• Powder-based
• SLA
• CORRECT: FDM
• None of these are correct

3. SLA printing uses a plastic strand that’s pushed through a heated

nozzle in a specific pattern, producing one layer at a time

• TRUE
• CORRECT: FALSE

4. Which of the following is typically the most expensive type of 3D

printer to purchase?
• CORRECT: Powder-based
• SLA
• FDM
• None of these are correct
5. 3D printing technology is expanding and is now able to print metal
parts.

• CORRECT: TRUE
• FALSE
Machine Types

1. What does FDM stand for?

• Forged Direct Modeling

• CORRECT: Fused Deposition Modeling
• Finite Discrete Modeling
• Focused Disintegrated Modeling

2. What does SLA stand for?

• Sintered Laser Amplification

• CORRECT: Stereolithography
• Sinter lithography

3. Which type of printer can print multiple materials simultaneous?

• CORRECT: FDM printers

• SLA printers
• Both of these printer types
• Neither of these printer types

4. What type of printer typically uses an enclosed build area?

• FDM printers
• CORRECT: SLA printers
• Both of these printer types
• Neither of these printer types
5. What type of printer can melt metal into 3D shapes?

• FDM printers
• SLA printers
• SLS printers
• CORRECT: SLM printers
Materials

1. Which type of material is NOT used in 3D printing?

• NYLON
• ABS
• PLA
• CORRECT: PVC

2. Which type of 3D printers uses a pool of resin to create the solid

part?

• FDM printers
• CORRECT: SLA printers
• SLS printers
• None of these

3. Which type of printer can print multiple material types together?

• CORRECT: FDM printers

• SLA printers
• SLS printers
• None of these

4. The material for SLA printers is packaged in a _____________

• Chain
• CORRECT: Cartridge
• Spool

5. 3D printers can only print parts that are rigid and unable to bend or
compress (Las impresoras 3D solo pueden imprimir piezas que sean
rígidas y no puedan doblarse ni comprimirse)

• TRUE
• CORRECT: FALSE
Model Preparation

1. Which of the following will affect the final quality of a 3D printed part?

• Scaling the part

• Part orientation
• Setting the wall thickness
• CORRECT: All of the above

2. FDM printed parts should have a drain opening to ensure that resin
doesn’t get trapped inside the part.

• TRUE
• CORRECT: FALSE

3. One method of accounting for shrinkage in the finished part is scaling

the model in the slicer software before sending it to print

• CORRECT: TRUE
• FALSE

4. Which of the following is true about the “infill” of a 3D printed part?

• The entire part is made of solid printed material

• A separate printed material must be used for the internal section of
the solid part
• Printed parts can’t always have an infill added and may need to be
redesigned prior to print
• CORRECT: Internal structures are automatically added in the areas
Where the part is modeled as a solid

5. Supports should always be used for 3D printed parts on both FDM

and SLA printers

• TRUE
• CORRECT: FALSE
File Export Settings

1. Which type is the most commonly exported from CAD software to be

used in a slicing software?

• . SLDPRT
• . IGES
• CORRECT: . STL
• . X3G

2. Which of the following does NOT influence how refine the 3D printed
part will be?

• Layer thickness
• Using support material
• Part orientation
• CORRECT: All of these influence how refined the part will be

3. The number of triangles in an exported SOLIDWORKS 3D print file

can be adjusted as needed.

• CORRECT: TRUE
• FALSE

4. Which of the following should be considered when orienting the part

on the build plate in the slicing software?
• Holes should always be printed horizontally
• The footprint of the part should be as small as possible
• CORRECT: You should minimize the number of overhangs
• All of these should consider when orienting the part
5. When printing a part on a FDM printer, the model should be oriented
such that the layers are parallel to the direction of stresses that will be
placed on the part

• TRUE
• CORRECT: FALSE
Machine Preparation

1. Which of the following is a method used to prepare the build plate of

an FDM printer?

• Applying a layer of blue painter’s tape

• Spraying a light layer of hairspray
• Applying a light layer of glue using a glue stick
• CORRECT: All of these are correct

2. Whenever you load a spool of material into an FDM printer, it can be

loaded in any orientation and the strand will feed evenly into the
extrusion nozzle.

• TRUE
• CORRECT: FALSE

3. SLA printers automatically heat the resin to correct temperature and

don’t need any manual adjustments to maintain it.

• CORRECT: TRUE
• FALSE

4. A 3D print can be paused at any time if seems that the material is

going to run out. Once the material is replaced, the print can resume
where it left off.

• CORRECT: TRUE
• FALSE
5. Which off the following is true of adding material to a 3D printer?

• Spools should be attached to the SLA printer such that there aren’t
any kinks in the strand.
• Resin cartridges must be heated externally prior to attaching it to the
printer.
• CORRECT: FDM printers should push some excess material trough
the nozzle prior to beginning a print.
• SLA printers will only allow resin to be added to the tank at the
beginning of the print.
Printing the Part

1. Which of the following is NOT a way to can send a print file to a 3D

printer?

• CORRECT: By downloading the file from the cloud server

• By sending the file over a WIFI network
• By loading the file on an SD card that can be inserted into a printer
• By connecting your computer directly to the printer using a USB cable

2. Some printers have a build-in webcam that allows you to monitor your
print progress form a remote location

• CORRECT: TRUE
• FALSE

3. The last layers of a print are the most important and you should
prioritize watching those printed layers in person to guarantee that
the printed part doesn’t fail

• TRUE
• CORRECT: FALSE

4. How many layers should you observe when the print begins?

• 0-1
• 1-3
• CORRECT: 3-5
• 5-10
5. If a print experiences an error, you can cancel t at any time to save
time and material

• CORRECT: TRUE
• FALSE
Post Printing

1. Which of the following is a helpful method of being able to remove a

printed part from the build plate?

• Removing the build plate from the printer to make it easier to pry off
the part
• Using a prying tool such as a putty knife
• Incorporating a design feature in the base of the part that allows it to
removed easier
• CORRECT: All of these are correct

2. When prying a part off a build plate, you should make sure that any
sharp edges are pointing away from you
• CORRECT: TRUE
• FALSE

3. Blue painters tape is considered the most difficult adhesion from

which t remove printed parts
• TRUE
• CORRECT: FALSE

4. Some 3D printer models have fixtures that mount and hold the build
platform for easier part removal
• CORRECT: TRUE
• FALSE
5. Which of the following should be done after the part has been
removed from the build plate?

• CORRECT: Any remaining material or debris should be removed

from the build plate
• The machine should be left on until your next print so that it can cool
down properly and reset its components
• Any leftover resin should be discarded as it’s been exposed to some
UV light and can’t be reused
• All of these are correct
Part Finish

1. Which of the following is true of removing support material from a 3D

printed part?

• All the support material can be removed by hand

• CORRECT: On a FDM printed part, setting the correct orientation for
the part will minimize how much support material will be generated
and then removed
• On an SLA printed part, picking the optimal orientation will remove
the need add support material to the print and then later remove it
• All of these are correct

2. Placing a Formlabs printed part in the Form Wash isopropyl alcohol

bath removes the need to wash the printed part by hand

• CORRECT: TRUE
• FALSE

3. Using an Ultimaker dual extrusion printer allows you to remove

support material by submerging the part in water if the support
material you used is water-soluble

• CORRECT: TRUE
• FALSE
4. Which of the following will help ensure that a printed part will fit with
the other components in an assembly?

• If a part includes a 1mm rod feature, it should be slightly undersized

to fit inside a 1mm hole
• The printed part should be allowed to fully cure before testing if it fits
properly
• Scaling a part uniformly can help it account for shrinkage and correct
final dimensions
• CORRECT: All of these are correct

5. All 3D printed parts will adhere properly when using superglue to hold
them together

• TRUE
• CORRECT: FALSE
Software Options

1. Which of the following is NOT true of 3D printable files?

• They can be generated directly in the SOLIDWORKS environment
• They can be produced using a GENERATIVE DESIGN process which
produces optimal geometry depending on the demands on the part
• They can be printed in metal
• CORRECT: All CAD software titles can export 3D printable part files

2. SOLIDWORKS design guidance functionality produces much more

organic and unique geometry than if modeled by users
• CORRECT: TRUE
• FALSE

3. What does the 3D printing process SLS stand for?

• Selective Lithographic Soluble
• CORRECT: Selective Laser Sintering
• Separated Lithographic Synchronization
• Separated Light Sintering

4. Native CAD files as well as STL files can be downloaded directly from
the 3D Content Central site
• CORRECT: TRUE
• FALSE

5. Food items can be printed using a 3D printer

• CORRECT: TRUE
• FALSE