The laser melts and solidifies it
Posted: Mon Jan 27, 2025 3:06 am
There is no doubt that 3D printers have become a true technological revolution, and it has only just begun.
We have already mentioned that one of the most common materials used for 3D printing is ABS plastic (acrylonitrile butadiene styrene). It is not the only one. PLA (polylactic acid) is also commonly used. And in the industrial field, we find printers that model with resins, photopolymers and even metal. The high price of these machines makes it difficult to find them outside of this sector.
Types of 3D printers
Nowadays, there are different types of 3D printers on the line data market. The main difference between them lies in the way in which they deposit the different layers of material to create the object. Thus, the main technologies of this type of printing are:
Fusion Deposition Modeling (FDM ) or plastic material deposition technology, which allows parts to be produced using plastic materials such as ABS and PLA. In the field of domestic 3D printers, this technology is the most widely used.
By laser, such as photosolidification (SLA) and Selective Laser Sintering (SLS) . SLA technology, also known as stereolithography, consists of hardening a polymer by light, and works by molding the piece layer by layer. Selective Laser Sintering or SLS performs the molding from the material in a powder state.
By injection , which injects layers of photopolymers that solidify through the use of chemicals.
In the most common printers of this type in the home, the operation is very similar. The first thing to do is to load the file with the 3D design that we want to print into the software we use; we load the printing material into the machine, in the same way as in an ink printer we insert the cartridge, and give the printer the order. From this moment on, the machine takes care of everything.
We have already mentioned that one of the most common materials used for 3D printing is ABS plastic (acrylonitrile butadiene styrene). It is not the only one. PLA (polylactic acid) is also commonly used. And in the industrial field, we find printers that model with resins, photopolymers and even metal. The high price of these machines makes it difficult to find them outside of this sector.
Types of 3D printers
Nowadays, there are different types of 3D printers on the line data market. The main difference between them lies in the way in which they deposit the different layers of material to create the object. Thus, the main technologies of this type of printing are:
Fusion Deposition Modeling (FDM ) or plastic material deposition technology, which allows parts to be produced using plastic materials such as ABS and PLA. In the field of domestic 3D printers, this technology is the most widely used.
By laser, such as photosolidification (SLA) and Selective Laser Sintering (SLS) . SLA technology, also known as stereolithography, consists of hardening a polymer by light, and works by molding the piece layer by layer. Selective Laser Sintering or SLS performs the molding from the material in a powder state.
By injection , which injects layers of photopolymers that solidify through the use of chemicals.
In the most common printers of this type in the home, the operation is very similar. The first thing to do is to load the file with the 3D design that we want to print into the software we use; we load the printing material into the machine, in the same way as in an ink printer we insert the cartridge, and give the printer the order. From this moment on, the machine takes care of everything.