3D printing

PROTOTYPIG AND LOW-VOLUME MANUFACTURING. WITHOUT TOOLING.

3D printed products are becoming increasingly popular due to their advantages.
There are more 3D printing technologies. Deproma uses two of the most technologically advanced technologies in the industry.

SLA –
Stereolitography

Stereolitography (SLA) is the most common industrial form of 3D printing today. It is an optimal solution for prototyping that requires high accuracy and excellent surface finish.

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SLS – Selective laser sintering

Selective laser sintering (SLS) enables quick, high-quality and cost-efficient manufacture of plastic parts and is an ideal solution for the manufacture of functional prototypes and for small production runs.

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MAIN ADVANTAGES OF 3D PRINTED PROTOTYPING AND LOW-VOLUME MANUFACTURING:

  • production without tooling
  • rapid production
  • high accuracy
  • complex geometries
  • functional products
  • production directly from a computer
  • possibility of further processing of the product by painting, sanding, …

APPLICATIONS:

  • prototyping
  • low-volume manufacturing
  • rapid tooling

You can read some general information about 3D printing below.

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3D printing is one of the most advanced manufacturing technologies and is already widely adopted in industrial applications. It is used for final products, their component parts, as well as replacement and spare parts. This additive manufacturing technology creates little to no waste. 3D printing is based on a CAD model which must be appropriate prepared and saved in a suitable format such as .*stl.

3D printing can render highly detailed physical objects from a variety of materials. The most commonly used materials include different types of polymers, metal, ceramics, and concrete.

Several 3D printing technologies are available today, and the following are among the most popular:

SLS (Selective Laser Sintering)

SLA (Stereolithography) and

FDM (Fused Deposition Modeling).

Selective laser sintering, or SLS, uses plastic powders to create durable sintered parts. The powder is applied in thin layers in the printing chamber. A laser beam traces the powder layer, melting the material and fusing it with the preceding layer. As the part is suspended in powder, no additional supports are required. When the process is completed, the unfused powder is removed to get the final product. For more information about selective laser sintering, go to https://www.deproma.si/en/technologies/3d-printing/sls-selective-laser-sintering/

In stereolithography, or SLA, the polymers used are special resins. A laser is focused on each layer to cure the resin into solid form and fuse the layers. SLA requires the use of supporting structures before a part is printed as resins cannot support the solid. Supports are removed in further steps of the process. More about stereolithography: https://www.deproma.si/en/technologies/3d-printing/sla-stereolithography/.

Fused Deposition Modeling, or FDM, uses a moving nozzle to extrude polymeric material and deposit it onto the build in thin layers which fuse to each other as they cool.

3D printing is particularly suitable for prototyping and low-volume manufacturing, where investing in tools would be too costly and time-consuming. The technology is already widely established in several industries. In automotive, electric and electronic appliances and domestic white goods, 3D printing is used to make prototypes, individual components and spare parts. In medicine, 3D printing applications have proven extremely valuable in prosthetics, medical appliances and training models. In architecture and design, 3D printing is used to build concept models and samples needed to test the aesthetic value of the finished product, while its main competitive advantage for modelling applications where usually a lot of unique parts are produced.