3D printing’s ability to produce complex shapes and interlocking parts introduces exciting possibilities for in-house manufacturing. Whether you are a small business or a large-scale manufacturer, 3D printing puts mass production and rapid prototyping on your desk. With a suitable material and a 3D printer, it’s possible to replace aluminium and composite parts manufactured with …
Rapid prototyping is a production method where objects are manufactured directly from CAD (computer-aided design) software. As you know, a prototype is a preliminary version of an end product used to assess its shape, materials, design, technology, and mechanical qualities. A ‘rapid prototype’ is made quickly from CAD data. 3D printing – or additive manufacturing …
What is Rapid Prototyping? – The Advantages & Disadvantages Read More »
Top Autodesk Software Tools. There’s a lot for students to love about Autodesk’s CAD and 3D modelling software solutions, especially the fact that some are free. But with more than 40 software tools available – many with overlapping features – picking the most suitable tools for your project can be a bit of a minefield. The good …
Tinkercad is a free CAD program for beginners that provides a simple and fast way to create 3D models compatible with 3D printers. Tinkercad’s extensive shapes library and drag-and-drop model builder let you build custom models in minutes. You can scale, group, mirror, align and manipulate shapes in multiple ways to hone your skills. However, …
3D printing unlocks unequalled rapid prototyping opportunities but getting caught up in the iteration cycle creates bottlenecks. With fewer iterations you can reduce time to final part and time to market, but it’s easier said than done with traditional, numerical workflow. The traditional process sees engineers applying loads to already-manufactured parts and evaluating where they …
How Topology Optimisation Creates 3D Printing Opportunities Read More »
Many factors determine the accuracy and surface finish of 3D printed parts, but part orientation is up there with the most important. Part orientation refers to how you print parts on the build platform, which dictates the print head’s travel. The cusp of it is that FFF 3D printers produce parts with anisotropic properties where the X, …
6 Effects of Part Orientation on 3D Printed Parts Read More »
There are more than one hundred 3D printing filaments, stretching into the low hundreds when you include SLA, SLS, DLP, EBM and MJF technologies. However, if we stick to the foundation on which 3D printing is built, twelve filaments are prevalent in every industry. This article explores these twelve filaments and provides comparisons, helping you …
A lattice is a repeating pattern of strips, an arrangement so practical that you can find it in everything from apple pie to 3D printing. In 3D printing, lattice structures make parts lighter and stronger, solving strength and rigidity challenges. They are also relatively simple to produce, enabling most 3D printers to maintain high print …
What is a Lattice Structure? – Optimise your 3D Printed Parts Read More »
