3-D Printing Principles, Processes, and Applications

In 3-D Printing Principles, Processes, and Applications, you'll learn ...

• Types of polymer and metal 3-D printing processes
• Principles, advantages and disadvantages, materials, and applications of each process
• The benefits and limitations of 3-D printing and each process
• Post-processing requirements for optimal mechanical properties and surface finishes

Overview

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Credit: 5 PDH

Length: 58 pages

Three-dimensional (3-D) printing or additive manufacturing is the process of taking 3-D drawings from computer-aided design (CAD) files and making 3-D solid objects from polymers, ceramics, composites, and metals. The creation of the solid object is an additive process that prints the object layer-by-layer. This process is inherently opposite to the subtractive processes of CNC-machining, cutting, drilling, and grinding. It is also different than formative manufacturing technologies such as casting or injection molding.

Today, 3-D printing and subtractive processes are used in tandem. 3-D printing integrates 3-D design and modeling, materials, and manufacturing. Hence, a major benefit of 3-D printing is that it can produce geometrically complex shapes at a much lower cost than conventional methods. On the other hand, 3-D printed components require post-processing for optimal mechanical properties and surface finishes and may have lower accuracy and tolerances than conventional methods. It is for this reason that subtractive processes are often used in conjunction with 3-D printing.

In this course, we will first cover the interesting early history of 3-D printing starting in 1981. We then consider polymer 3-D printing processes, including Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM), Stereolithography (SLA), and Selective Laser Sintering (SLS). This is followed by a discussion of metal 3-D printing processes, including two powder bed fusion methods of Direct Metal Laser Sintering (DMLS) and the functionally very similar Selective Laser Melting (SLM), powder Directed Energy Deposition (DED), and Binder Jetting.

In the appropriate sections, we discuss other 3-D printing techniques that are similar to the aforesaid ones. We discuss the principles, advantages and disadvantages, materials, and applications of each process. We consider post-processing at various points in the text. Next, we examine the principles of 3-D printing, including 3-D solid models, slicing of the CAD model, and design considerations and challenges. In the final section, we discuss different materials that are commonly printed. We discuss the benefits and limitations of 3-D printing and each process in the text.

Specific Knowledge or Skill Obtained

This course teaches the following specific knowledge and skills:

• Details about common polymer 3-D printing processes including Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM),
• Stereolithography (SLA), and Selective Laser Sintering (SLS)
• Specifics about common metal 3-D printing processes including Direct Metal Laser Sintering (DMLS), Directed Energy Deposition (DED), and Binder Jetting
• Information about other polymer and metal 3-D printing processes and recent developments
• Overview of 3-D model types, modeling software, model repositories, .stl files, slicing, and G-Code
• Information on 3-D scanning by coordinate measuring machines, laser scanning, structured light scanning, photogrammetry, and industrial CT scanning
• Specifics about 3-D printing design considerations and challenges including overhangs, wall thickness, minimum feature size, tolerances, build orientation, warping and delamination, and porosity
• Details and differences between common thermoplastics including PLA, ABS, PETG, nylon, and PEEK used in 3-D printing
• Overview of thermoset engineering resins used in 3-D printing
• Specifics about gas atomization, titanium alloys, steels, and aluminum alloys in the context of 3-D printing

Certificate of Completion

You will be able to immediately print a certificate of completion after passing a multiple-choice quiz consisting of 25 questions. PDH credits are not awarded until the course is completed and quiz is passed.