Different Types of 3D Printing Processes

The Additive Manufacturing technology comprises of 7 significant methods to manufacture 3D model. Since 1986, Additive Manufacturing or 3D Printing has played a very important role in the field of manufacturing. The inventor of this technology Mr. Chuck Hull has made this technology to speed up the manufacturing process and eliminate the extra cost that was needed to first examine the product before starting the production.

Engineers and scientist have accepted this technology and is now very much popular in almost every field. People have started knowing its benefits and started learning its processes. Some companies also started customizing 3D printer according to their manufacturing needs.

Firstly, 3D printers were used to make only prototypes made by plastic materials but slowly as the scientist started working on this technology, they invented new methods and new materials for 3D printing. These new materials and methods were invented to serve one particular industry. For example, the FDM technology which uses plastic materials can only be used for prototyping.

There are total 7 different methods of 3D printing and each method has their own different way of printing. This methods are beautifully described by 3D HUBS in form of a table which comprises of main methods with their sub methods and reputed companies manufacturing these machines:

A short explanation about how these methods work along with the popular sub-method are described below:

Vat Polymerization

Method:   SLA (Sterolithography) & DLP (Digital Light Processing)
Working: This technology works by curing liquid photo-polymer resin in a vat by UV light.

Material Extrusion

Method:   FDM (FusedDeposition Modelling)
Working: Plastic/Composite Material is selectively dispensed through a nozzle or orifice.

Powder Bed Fusion

Method:   SLS (SelectiveLaser Sintering), SLM (Selective Laser Melting)
Working: This method uses high energy laser beam which selectively fuses plastic or                                   metal powder particles.

Material Jetting

Method:   PMJ (Plastic Material Jetting)
Working: Droplets of material are selectively deposited and cured by UV Light.

Binder Jetting

Method:   SBJ (Sand/Gypsum Binder Jetting), MBJ (Metal Binder Jetting)
Working: This method of 3d printing uses liquid bonding agent which selectively binds                                 regions of a powder bed.

Direct Energy Deposition

Method:   LENS (Laser Engineering Net Shape), EBAM (Electron Beam AM)
Working: A high-energy source beam fuses material as it is deposited.

Sheet Lamination

Method:   LOM (Laminated Object Manufacturing)
Working: Sheets of material are bonded and formed layer-by-layer.

All the above explained processes work on the same principle of printing which is printing the whole product layer-by-layer. The two things that separate the above processes from each other are:

• Energy Source used to solidify the product material – Heat, Ultra Violet Rays, Laser Beams, Electron Beams, Bonding Agent, UV Light + Oxygen.
• Material used for manufacturing products – Plastics, Composite, Polymer, Sand, Metal, Wax.