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Around the 15th century, Julian Gutenberg invented the printing press and contributed in no small part to ushering in the great development of the Renaissance. Humanity at that time was extremely surprised with this new technology CM.
In the second half of the 20th century, when inkjet and laser printing technologies were developed, printers also became much more popular. With diverse models, increasingly advanced technology and much cheaper prices, 2D printers are no longer the monopoly of publishers or large enterprises. And all workplaces need and have printers, and households are no exception.
But after a long time conquering the world of 2D printing technology, people have begun to want to explore more new fields. And the world of the next printing technology is being explored and explored by mankind with the determination to conquer it.
What is 3D printing?
Also known as the extravagance in printing, 3D Printing is the most recently invented printing technique. And the products of this technique are just as the name implies, products in 3D form.
The 3D printer will print a layer based layer that creates a 3rd dimension to the 2D drawing on the computer screen. There are specialized applications or software on the computer to prepare designs and data for 3D printing.
The first 3D printer was first invented in the 1980s. Since then, inventors have always been searching and exploring to invent new techniques, using diverse materials to get products. the best product for this printing technique.
What is 3D printing used for?
3D printing has a wide range of applications in all fields.
For example, used in the food industry to print custom shaped candies. Or in the medical field, 3D printing could be used to create exact replicas of body parts and prostheses for people with disabilities.
The same goes for fashion and jewelry design. With things that can be mass-produced, such as clothes or shoes, accessories, 3D printing is very useful in prototyping and manufacturing.
The automotive industry is also applying 3D printing to create and manufacture parts for cars or airplanes.
But what we should care about now is what 3D technology can help architects, to apply it in the field of construction and architectural design:
Architects can create higher quality models, faster and with less effort. Have the flexibility to present your designs and ideas in a variety of materials.
Some parts of the building can also be modeled in 3D printed and used in construction
Some design companies or famous designers are now also using 3D printing technology to build pavilions. There are even some companies trying to use 3D printing to design the whole building. China’s WinSun Engineering Corporation is one of them. They have designed a number of buildings with 3D printing. Those buildings are currently uninhabited. Therefore, it is still not possible to determine whether they are really successful or not. However, experts still insist on safety and reliability. huts or halls) and small detailed structures.
Wood furniture is also an area worth applying 3D printing, and in fact, 3D printed furniture design is even more popular in construction design. Some famous designers have experimented with this to create custom tables, chairs and benches. And it turns out that the products created by the combination of 3D printing and parametric design are surprisingly impressive and unique.
What material should be used for 3D printing?
- Resin can be used for detailed designs and sculptures. This material will give the product a smooth surface and sharp edges. The downside is that there are not many colors to choose from, but in return using Resin is very easy to print.
- Nylon plastic is white. The application of this material is very wide because of its flexibility and durability. The surface of this material is rough (like sand) rather than smooth like Resin.
- Metals such as aluminum (Aluminum), copper (bronze), chromium (chromium), gold (gold), silver (silver), titanium and stainless steel (stainless steel). From KL powder, laser sintering will be used and they are all very durable. This group of materials is often used to manufacture functional mechanical parts or jewelry.
- Gypsum/Sandstone is hard and brittle but characteristic for its colored texture. Used to create sophisticated architectural models, product designs and artwork.
- Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene (ABS) is a thermoplastic commonly used for mold injection. Has high strength and good heat resistance. Used to manufacture auto parts and LEGO bricks are common.
- Polylactic Acid (PLA) is an eco-friendly option because it is obtained from renewable resources. Is a biodegradable thermoplastic made from potato starch, cornstarch or sugarcane. Used for food packaging, disposable clothing and especially surgical implants.
What is the advantage of 3D printing?
- It can be seen that 3D printing technology is spreading, but it is still not developed enough to see the full potential of this technology. And if this technology is developed in the right direction, it is expected that:
- This technology will almost overwhelm other techniques in construction when it comes to productivity.
- This technology relies heavily on robotics so it will require less labor. Accordingly, construction costs will go down.
- 3D printing can also help build almost anything. With the help of CAD (Computer-Aided Design) software and 3D Scanners, the concept of forms so complex that it seems impossible to build is no longer possible.
Disadvantages of 3D printing?
- Currently, 3D printing is still a rather expensive option.
- Technically proficient professionals are required to handle the operation with robotics and technical details.
- Current 3D printers are limited in size per print. Only a part can be subdivided into small parts, and only one part can be printed at a time.
- 3D printed products sometimes also require extra handling and operations to fully and clearly represent 3-D details.