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The ISO/ASTM 52900 standard categorized all different types of 3D printing under one of these seven groups:
Material Extrusion (FDM): Material is selectively dispensed through a nozzle or orifice
Vat Polymerization (SLA & DLP): Liquid photopolymer in a vat is selectively cured by UV light
Powder Bed Fusion (SLS, DMLS & SLM): A high-energy source selectively fuses powder particles
Material Jetting (MJ): Droplets of material are selectively deposited and cured
Binder Jetting (BJ): Liquid bonding agent selectively binds regions of a powder bed
Direct Energy Deposition (LENS, LBMD): A high-energy source fuses material as it is deposited
Sheet Lamination (LOM, UAM): Sheets of material are bonded and formed layer-by-layer
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An infographic with all currently available 3D printing technologies is available is available for download. It illustrates the seven 3D printing categories, the main materials each group can print with and the most popular printer manufacturers.
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After printing, the part is usually ready to use but it might require some postsome post-processing, such as removal of the support strucures or surface smoothing.
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As of limitations, FDM has the lowest dimensional accuracy and resolution compared to the other 3D printing technologies. FDM parts are likely to have visible layer lines, so post-processing is often required for a smooth surface finish. Additionally, the layer adhesion mechanism makes FDM parts inherently anisotropic. This means that they will be weaker in one direction and are generally unsuitable for critical applications.
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Low-cost prototyping
Fast turn-around (less than 24 hours)
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After printing, the part needs to be cleaned from the resin and exposed to a UV source to improve its strength. Next, the support structures are removed and, if a high quality surface finish is required, additional postadditional post-processing steps processing steps are carried out.
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SLA/DLP can produce parts with very high dimensional accuracy, intricate details and a very smooth surface finish ideal that are ideal for visual prototypes. A large range of speciality materials, such as clear, flexible, castable and biocompatible resins, or materials taylored for specific industrial applications, are also available.
Generally, SLA/DLP parts are more brittle than FDM parts, so they are not best suited for functional prototypes. Also, SLA parts must not be used outdoors, as their mechanical properties and color degrades when they are exposed to UV radiation from the sun. Support structures are always required in SLA/DLP which may leave small blemishes in the surfaces they come in contact with that need extra post-processing to remove.
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High accuracy & intricate details
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After printing, the bin needs to cool before the parts are removed from the unsintered powder and cleaned. Some postSome post-processing steps processing steps can then be employed to improve their visual appearance, such as polishing or dying.
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SLS printers are usually high-end industrial systems. This limits the availability of the technology and increases its cost and turn-around times (compared to FDM or SLA, for example). SLS parts have a naturally grainy surface and some internal porosity. If a smooth surface or watertightness is required, additional post-processing steps are needed. Beware that large flat surfaces and small holes need special attention, as they are susceptible to thermal warping and oversintering.
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Ideal for functional prototypes
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A competing technology with similar benefits to SLS is MJF, which was introduced in 2016 by HP. Both technologies create parts that are visually and mechanically almost indistinguishable.
Learn about the differences of SLS and MJF →
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Material Jetting (PolyJet)
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Material Jetting is one of the most expensive 3D printing processes and this high cost may make it financially unviable for some applications. Moreover, parts produced with Material Jetting are not best suited for functional applications. Like SLA/DLP, the materials used with this process are thermosets, so the produced parts tend to be brittle. They are also photosensitive and their properties will degrade over time with exposure to sunlight.
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High accuracy & very fine details
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The costs associated with DMLS/SLM 3D printing are high: parts produced with this processes typically cost between $5,000 and $25,000. For this reason, DMLS/SLM should only be used to manufacture parts that cannot be produced with any other method. Moreover, the build size of modern metal 3D printing systems is limited, as the required precise manufacturing conditions are difficult to maintain for bigger build volumes.
Learn more about the DMLS/SLM process →
Highly complex, topology optimized metal parts
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Metal 3D printing is on the rise. So we wrote a comprehensive guide to help you get a complete overview of today's metal 3D printing landscape.
Read the complete guide to Metal 3D printing →
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Binder Jetting
Binder Jetting is a flexible technology with diverse applications, ranging from low-cost metal 3D printing, to full-color prototyping and large sand casting mold production.
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Metal Binder Jetting parts have lower mechanical properties than the bulk material though, due to their porosity. Due to the special post-processing requirements of Binder Jetting, special design restrictions apply. Very small details, for example, cannot be printed, as the parts are very brittle out of the printer and may break. Metal parts might also deform during the sintering or infiltration step if not supported properly.
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Low-cost batch production of metal parts
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With these considerations in mind, identifying the best solution for your application should become straightforward. We have prepared a detailed guide to a detailed guide to help you with the technical details or you can se this decision trees bellow for a quick reference.Read the full selection guide →
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