A 3D printer prints prototypes or complete products. An FDM printer, or fused deposition modeling printer, prints with fusible materials, such as polymers. An object is printed layer by layer. When the polymer touches the surface, it sticks, just like each polymer layer on the previous polymer layer. This hardens and creates the final product.
The design for the 3D printer was developed using CAD (computer-aided-design). By using CAD, possible errors are identified and corrected before printing.
There is a wide variety of materials that can be used in a 3D printer. Each material has its own properties such as flexibility, weight and finish. The majority of our prototypes are made from PLA (poly lactic acid), a biodegradable and biobased plastic.
The biggest advantage of 3D printing is the flexibility it gives. All geometric shapes and complex structures can be printed. Think for example of hollow parts for weight reduction.
Another example is our printed science fiction castle with many details. This was printed on a Resin printer. This uses a resin that can harden using UV light. By allowing a small amount of resin to harden at specific locations, a 3D model can be made very precisely (0.05 mm).
In other words, anything is possible with a 3D printer, just give us an idea and we will make it a reality.
