Additive manufacturing or 3D printing is the future of manufacturing and is opening up a world of 3D prototyping and low-volume rapid manufacturing possibilities. Ares have been providing online 3D printing solutions for over 10 years. Rapid prototyping via SLA and SLS paired with our extensive experience enable us to deliver high precision, high-quality parts every time.
SLA – great for accurate aesthetic models and rapid prototyping. A precise laser cures a liquid resin in the build chamber building accurate parts one layer at a time.
SLS – great for functional rapid prototypes and low-volume end-use parts. Here a precision laser fuses powder material together one layer at a time, to build accurate and strong nylon parts.
The idea of having a prototype of the component to be created before the actual production starts is always an ideal one. If you are also looking to have a 3D prototype created to identify loopholes and get approval for a new product design, or you need to have 3D components manufactured in bulk, getting in touch with Ares's is a great shot.
Ares offers 3D printing services of components and prototypes in various materials and customized manufacturing of such parts at a price you can always afford.
A 3D printing prototype is a process in which components needed in different applications are created using additive manufacturing. In this process, layer-by-layer materials are added to make a 3D part.
The main aim of considering 3D printing services for the prototype is to get approval for the component's design and identify any loopholes in the component or design at the initial stage. It is pretty obvious that no change would be possible once the production has been done in bulk. Hence, the prototype serves as a testing component that is open to all kinds of changes in design for future production.
3D printing is one of the mainly considered processes of manufacturing parts for several fields nowadays, and there are many reasons for this. A few of such advantages of choosing a 3D printing service are discussed below:
Affordability :The best thing about choosing 3D printing is that it doesn't waste material, which helps save the cost of the component. The required materials are only used during the manufacturing process, and tooling does not exist; hence it proves to be an affordable process.
Efficiency :As compared to other processes used to manufacture components, 3D printing is an efficient technique. It doesn't take much time, and once the design is ready in the CAD software, it will immediately be used, and in a matter of hours, components can be lined up.
Adaptability :The process of 3D printing itself is not complex, and no tools are designed and created to have any component manufactured. Therefore if there is any glitch in the design, you don't need to change the entire tool, instead, the design can be altered.
Geometries :3D printing is a process in which the material is introduced in the form of layers one after the other, released by a nozzle. Specific components exist that need to have complex designs internally and externally. Due to the complex geometrical structure, most parts can only be formed through 3D printing due to the style of manufacturing it follows.
Environmental factors :Keeping in line with other processes used for manufacturing components, 3D printing helps play a fair share in protecting the environment. It does not create waste since the required material is only used, and as an additive manufacturing method, no material subtraction occurs. Therefore, it helps keep the environment safe from pollution, unlike other subtractive methods.
SLA 3D printing, also known as stereolithography, is a process of manufacturing 3D components in which an ultraviolet laser is used, and with its beams, the liquid resin is pushed on the platform of the component. This liquid resin drops on the surface and creates layers of the desired part that solidifies. SLA printing deals with various materials and offers high-resolution to the final components; the surface finish provided by SLA 3D printing is entirely satisfactory.
The process of SLA 3D printing involves the following steps
● The first step is sending the design to the 3D printer, which is done after the design has been sent to the software and into the slicing program.
● The STL file then instructs the printer to start working, ensuring that the tank contains liquid resin.
● The position of the platform on which the 3D component will be created is adjusted, and the laser beams are passed through the lens of the printer onto the liquid resin.
● Thin layers of liquid resin are then dropped on the platform, and after every layer, the platform moves downwards to cater to another layer.
● These layers tend to create one after the other unless the final component has been created.
Get A QuoteSLS stands for Stereo Laser Sintering, this process also uses laser beams, but those are high optic laser beams that are reactant over a powder whose layers are deposited on the platform for creating a 3D object.SLS 3D printing is used to create very strong parts in 3D design, and those are also filled with nylon material if required.
SLS 3D printing can be carried out by following the steps below
● The polymer's melting temperature is considered, and below that, the area where the powder is kept, which you may call the powder bin and the platform over which the component will be created, are both heated.
● A layer of powder is spread on the platform, and a laser beam, after scanning the contour of the upcoming layer, fuses, and sinters polymer powder particles.
● Once the first layer is created, the platform moves slightly downward, and another layer is made using a similar process.
● Once the first layer is created, the platform moves slightly downward, and another layer is made using a similar process.
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SLA and SLS are two such processes that create 3D components, but both have their pros and cons and also limitations and applications. Here you will find the advantages and applications of the two processes that differ.
● SLA creates components that have thin layers and are very accurate.
● Shapes with geometrical complexity can be manufactured under SLA.
● The surfaces of components formed under SLA are usually very smooth and open for further finishing.
● Precise details on the parts could be created through SLA.
● Many types of materials can be used when SLA 3D printing is considered.
● High-end engineering-grade thermoplastics could be used for manufacturing components.
● Extremely robust structures deal with temperature, chemicals, and other abrasive materials without falling off.
● Extremely complex geometric patterns can be created.
There are many applications of SLA 3D printing, a few of which may include casting patterns, patterns for molding, transparent optical boxes and cases, cosmetic prototypes, fixtures, rapid tooling, etc.
SLS 3D printing could be seen in medical devices, automobile parts, aerospace components, ducts with complex structures and functional prototypes, etc.
Many factors require consideration when choosing which kind of 3D printing process would suit. These factors consist of assessing the material selected for the component manufacturer, the surroundings in which it would be used, what bond strength is needed, and what kind of surface finish is required.
SLS offers a great choice of materials and bond strength; it also provides components that can handle all kinds of environments. Whereas, in the case of SLA, the surface finish is commendable, and so are the dimensions. It is excellent for creating master patterns needed for different components.
FDM stands for Fused Deposition Modeling, an additive manufacturing process that creates components by depositing the layers of material on a specific path. The material used in FDM printing is a thermoplastic polymer, and this material comes out in filament form.
DMLS is a 3D printing process for components that is a Direct Metal Laser Sintering, it works using laser technology by additive manufacturing, and a powder is used to create a design on the metal component. It is a very common procedure in the medical, aerospace, and energy industries.
MJP is a printing process that uses the inkjet printing technique. By way of a printhead, the photocurable material, resin for casting wax, is deposited on the platform in the form of layers. It is used in the process of building parts and models that are manufactured with very fine detail for their applications.
When choosing the proper 3D printing process for metals, there are many things to consider. The application, the kind of metal, and what kind of detailing and output are needed.
In usual cases, if we consider FDM and SLS, we can say that FDM is a very cost-efficient method of 3D printing; however, as far as the property of output is concerned, SLS has greater efficiency. So, for intricate parts, SLS is a better choice to make.
Aesthetic appeal is also one of the considerations in many components. Here the MJP and SLA can be compared. They both are known for producing excellent parts like injection molding, but when it comes to surface finishing, MJP is a better choice.
DMLS offers highly accurate and excellent parts with perfect dimensions, so when such considerations are required for components, DMLS must be chosen.
However, you can always get in touch with Ares's for a detailed analysis of which kind of 3D printing process would suit your component. A professional team of expert engineers is always available to answer all your queries and offer the best recommendations to provide you with the most acceptable component manufacturing option.
3D Printing service at Ares's is carried out keeping in mind the best quality materials, affordable quote-btns, and high level of versatility. Hence, get in touch with us today and send us your 3D CAD files so we can provide you with a quote-btn and recommend design changes if needed for the perfection of the final product.
