Introduction to Processes & Best Practices Of 3D Printing

Name: Introduction to Processes & Best Practices Of 3D Printing
Rating: 4.3 (20 reviews)

Introductory course about various 3D printing processes,applications, materials used & best practices

Created byJ Aatish Rao

Last updated 10/2023

English

What you'll learn

General explanation of 3D Printing
Various 3D printing processes like SLA, DLP, FDM etc.
3D Printing procedure & material
Applications of 3D printing in present era

Course content

3 sections • 18 lectures • 49m total length

Scope of the course1:40
General explanation of 3D printing5:41
It is widely believed that 3D printing or additive manufacturing (AM) has the vast potential to become one of these technologies. There is a lot of coverage on 3D printing across many television channels, newspapers and online resources. Now What really is this 3D printing that some have claimed will put an end to traditional manufacturing as we know it? Revolutionize design and impose geopolitical, economic, social, demographic and environmental and security implications to our everyday lives.
3D printing procedure2:16
The entire 3D printing technology can be divided into 3 steps –
(a) 3D Design
(b) Slicing
(c) 3D Printing.
3D digital model is the starting point for any 3D printing process. This digital model can be created using various 3D design software like Fusion 360 & Solidworks or can also can be created using 3D scanning. Once the 3D model is created, it is then sliced into layers thereby converting the design into a file readable by 3D printer. This slicing is done by exporting 3d model to another software like Ultimaker cura. 3D printer will then print this file layer by layer using the material given as input to the 3D printer.
Quiz 1

Theory - Stereolithography2:09
Stereolithography - SLA2:58
Stereolithography (SL) is widely recognized as the first 3D printing process. It was certainly the first to be commercialized. SL is a laser-based process that works with photopolymer resins that react with the laser and cure to form a solid in a very precise way. It is a complex process but simply put the photopolymer resin is held in a vat with a movable platform inside.
Theory - Digital Light Processing (DLP)2:06
Digital Light Processing - DLP1:41
DLP (Digital Light Processing) is a similar process to stereolithography in context that it is a 3D printing process that works with photopolymers. The major difference is the light source. DLP uses a more conventional light source, such as an arc lamp with a liquid crystal display panel, which is applied to the entire surface of the vat of photopolymer resin in a single pass, generally making it faster than SLA.
Theory - Laser Sintering1:52
Laser Sintering2:25
Laser sintering and laser melting are interchangeable terms that refer to a laser-based 3D printing process that works with powdered materials. The laser is traced across a powder bed of tightly compacted powdered material, according to the 3D data fed to the machine, in the X-Y axes. As the laser interacts with the surface of the powdered material it sinters, or fuses, the particles to each other forming a solid. As each layer is completed the powder bed drops incrementally and a roller smoothens the powder over the surface of the bed prior to the next pass of the laser for the subsequent layer to be formed and fused with the previous layer.
Theory - Fusion Deposition Modelling/Extrusion/FFF1:51
Extrusion / FDM / FFF1:58
3D printing utilizing the extrusion of thermoplastic material is easily the most common and recognizable 3DP process. The most popular name for the process is Fused Deposition Modelling (FDM). However, this is a trade name, registered by Stratasys, the company that originally developed it. Stratasys’ FDM technology has been around since the early 1990’s and today is an industrial grade 3D printing process.
Inkjet - Binder Jetting1:34
Inkjet - Material Jetting1:07
Selective Deposition Lamination (SDL)1:22
SDL is a proprietary 3D printing process developed and manufactured by Mcor Technologies. The SDL 3D printing process builds parts layer by layer using standard copier paper. Each new layer is fixed to the previous layer using an adhesive, which is applied selectively according to the 3D data supplied to the machine. This means that a much higher density of adhesive is deposited in the area that will become the part, and a much lower density of adhesive is applied in the surrounding area that will serve as the support, ensuring relatively easy “weeding,” or support removal.
EBM - Electron Beam Melting0:55
The Electron Beam Melting 3D printing technique is a proprietary process developed by Swedish company Arcam. The heat source is an electron beam, rather than a laser, which necessitates that the procedure is carried out under vacuum conditions.
Quiz 2

3D printing materials6:28
The materials available for 3D printing have come a long way since the early days of the technology. There is now a wide variety of different material that are supplied in different states (powder, filament, pellets, granules, resin etc.)
Specific materials are now generally developed for specific platforms performing dedicated applications (an example of such dedicated application would be the dental sector). In this lecture, we shall look at the most popular types of generic materials available for 3d printing.
3D printing applications11:10
The origins of 3D printing in ‘Rapid Prototyping’ were founded on the principles of industrial prototyping as a means of speeding up the earliest stages of product development. Prototyping is still probably the largest application of 3D printing today.
The developments and improvements of the process and the materials since the emergence of 3D printing for prototyping saw the processes being taken up for applications further down the product development process chain. Tooling and casting applications were developed utilizing the advantages of the different processes. Again, these applications are increasingly being used and adopted across industrial sectors.
Do not forget to see the BONUS LECTURE to receive complete course notes.
Quiz 3
BONUS Lecture0:32
So with this.We conclude our course.I hope you understood everything well and will apply the same.Remember! you have a lifetime access to the course and you can always ask for anything in the Q/A section.Do not forget to leave a review and download completion certificate.
The complete course material in PDF format is attached herewith.
All the very BEST !!

Requirements

No prior experience is required since this is an introductory class to 3D printing itself.
No software requirements as well.
Just a kin & curious mind & you are good to go.

Description

With the advent of computers in the 1950s and the internet in the 1990s, technology has consistently revolutionized the way we live and work. These advancements have not only transformed our lives but also opened up new possibilities and given us hope for the future. Just like these milestones, 3D Printing or Additive Manufacturing (AM) is poised to become the next disruptive technology, reshaping industries and creating limitless opportunities.

This short, introductory course is carefully designed for students and curious individuals who are completely new to the field of 3D printing. It provides an engaging overview of the technology and its implications while ensuring clarity and simplicity for beginners.

What's Covered?

General Explanation of 3D Printing: Understand what 3D printing is and why it’s revolutionary.
3D Printing Procedure: Learn the basic steps involved in the additive manufacturing process.
Types of 3D Printing Processes: Explore various techniques used in 3D printing today.
Materials and Applications: Discover the materials used and the real-world applications transforming industries.

What's Not Covered?

This course focuses on the conceptual understanding of 3D printing and does not include hands-on instructions or guides on how to 3D print.

Why 3D Printing?

3D printing is not just another manufacturing technique—it’s a radically different approach. Unlike traditional manufacturing methods that subtract material to shape objects, 3D printing builds parts additively, layer by layer, at the sub-millimeter scale. This fundamental difference opens up unparalleled possibilities in design, manufacturing, and beyond.

In this course, we will explore why 3D printing is being hailed as the future of manufacturing and how it could revolutionize design, impose geopolitical and economic changes, and influence everyday life.

"In the 20th century, no other invention affected mankind more than technology did."

Who Should Enroll?

Students exploring modern manufacturing technologies.
Curious minds eager to understand the potential of 3D printing.
Anyone fascinated by disruptive technologies shaping our future.

ENROLL now and embark on your journey to discover the fascinating world of 3D printing!

Who this course is for:

University students or graduates
3D printing enthusiasts & hobbyist
Mechanical engineering graduates & undergraduates.

Introduction to Processes & Best Practices Of 3D Printing

What you'll learn

Explore related topics

Course content

Introduction3 lectures • 10min

Various Processes12 lectures • 22min

Materials & Applications3 lectures • 18min

Requirements

Description

Who this course is for: