3D printing is an advanced manufacturing process in which each thin layer of melted material is added once at a time to create an actual three-dimensional object. It was commonly seen in movies a few decades ago with the misperception that it was only a product of future sci-fi. However, with the advanced technology recently, 3D printing can make highly accurate parts at an affordable price within a short time frame. Additive Manufacturing is the correct term for 3D printing. It distinguishes itself from other subtractive fabrication methods by literally adding material to the object by each layer until it forms the whole 3D part. The printing procedure is controlled by a gcode file generated from a CAD (computer-aided design) model through the slicing process.   More companies have favoured 3D printing over traditional fabrication methods due to its versatility and affordability. For example, instead of spending thousands of dollars on making a new plastic injection mould, with 3D printing, your new product or prototype can be quickly created and customised. At Solidium3D, we value our business by providing quality and quick turn-around service with high customer satisfaction. We target all Australian customers in schools, companies or individuals looking to have their model quickly made within a short time frame or have something 3D designed. Contact us today to see how we can help bring your ideal into a real 3D object.

Shorter Production Time

The ultimate benefit of 3D printing over traditional manufacturing is that it can quickly transform your design from a CAD model to an actual functional part in just a few hours. Instead of spending extensive time and money on plastic injection moulding, engineers and designers can now print and test their models using in-house 3D printers or a 3D printing service. As a result, the prototyping and re-iterative testing process have been significantly reduced to just a few days. Fast prototyping can also bring benefits to a wide range of applications. So whether you're an architecture student looking to build a 3D model of your design or you need a quick replacement for your machine part, we got you covered.

Cost-effectiveness

Conventional fabrication methods such as casting, CNC or plastic injection moulding often require expensive machines and highly skilled operators. In contrast, the cost of 3D printers is significantly lower, and they only need one operator to run multiple machines, thus a lower cost per unit if the quantity is less than a few thousand.

Creative Design and Customisation

3D printing embraces your creativity and imagination through its ability to make parts with complex shapes and geometry. Moreover, it allows for endless customisation and personalisation, such as colours, texture and finishes. In contrast, conventional methods will make fabricating those designs difficult. Therefore, with low-volume and high-variety products, 3D printing is the better choice over traditional methods. With 3D printing, the only limitation is your imagination.

Less Material Waste

By adding material, 3D printing uses the exact amount of material it needs to create the part with just a small portion of waste through support structure if required. In comparison, methods such as milling and lathing produce more waste by removing the material.

Improve Quality and Reduce Risk of Design Failure

3D printing allows designers to test the model through rapid prototyping, examining and fitting the actual part to check its functions before mass production. If there are any errors, the model can be quickly modified in 3D CAD, then re-printed and re-tested. As a result, 3D printing can eliminate any risks of failure due to errors and improve part quality through a quick re-iterative testing process.

More User Friendly

3D printed parts are free of any chemical residue, have no debris and mostly no sharp edges. Most 3D printers can be installed in a regular office or classroom, making them user-friendly and more accessible to just any type of business, school or household. If you print styrene plastic such as ABS and ASA, all you need is a 3D printer with a HEPPA filter, and you're good to go.

Depending on the requirement, there are five essential factors that you should consider when choosing a 3D printing method for your model.
  • Budget
  • Mechanical requirements
  • Cosmetic appearance
  • Material selection
  • Geometry

These criteria will help you decide which type to use among the five most popular 3D printing methods below.

Fused Deposition Modelling (FDM)

Fused deposition modelling (FDM) is one of the most popular 3D printing technology for plastic parts. It has been used widely by engineers and designers for prototyping due to its versatility and affordability. An FDM printer operates by extruding a plastic filament layer-by-layer onto the heated bed. It’s a cost-effective method for creating physical models from a CAD design within a short time frame. Objects printed by the FDM method still have great mechanical, thermal, and chemical properties despite their surface finish limitation.

Stereolithography (SLA)

Stereolithography (SLA) was the earliest 3D printing process in the 1970s. SLA printers create parts with high levels of detail, smooth surface finishes, and tight tolerances. The excellent surface finishes of printed objects can contribute to the part’s function and cosmetics. It has been used in the medical industry and typical applications include anatomical models and microfluidics. SLA uses laser power to solidify the special liquid resin, layer-by-layer to create a whole 3D object which then will be cured by UV light. Although SLA printers are relatively affordable, they require a dedicated setup workspace to work liquid resin safely.

Selective Laser Sintering (SLS)

Selective laser sintering (SLS) melts nylon-based powders into solid plastic. Since SLS parts are made from actual thermoplastic material, they are durable and suitable for functional testing. Compared to SLA, printed objects are more robust but have rougher surface finishes. SLS doesn’t require support structures. The whole print bed can be utilized to put many parts into a single build, making it capable of high productivity than other 3D printing methods.

PolyJet

PolyJet 3D printer is another plastic 3D printing process that uses jetting heads to distribute photopolymer particles that solidify when exposed to UV light. It can make parts with multiple attributes such as colours and materials. PolyJet is one of the best solutions that helps you iterate and validate your model faster, especially when prototyping an overmolding or silicone rubber design. However, due to the high cost of printers and materials, PolyJet 3D printing could be more expensive than other methods.

Direct Metal Laser Sintering (DMLS)

Metal 3D printing has become an alternative option for metal part manufacturing. One of the most popular processes is direct metal laser sintering (DMLS). Metal 3D printing has reduced complicated assemblies into a single part or lightweight components with complex geometry. DMLS is suitable for prototyping and production since printed objects have the same mechanical properties as those produced with conventional methods. In addition, creating metal parts with complex geometries makes it suitable for medical applications where a design must replicate an organic structure.

Currently, the 3D printing method we're using at Solidium3D is FDM for its versatility and affordability. Depending on the application of your model, you should consider these factors below:

  • Heat Resistance
  • Impact Resistance
  • Strength
  • Flexibility
  • Layer Adhesion
  • Ease of Printing
  • Visual Quality

The below charts will give an overview of what materials you should choose for your design. These are some of the most popular materials in FDM 3D Printing: PLA, ABS, PETG, TPU, Polyamide (PA) (Nylon 6,6 or Nylon 12) and Polycarbonate (PC)

Depending on the application and cosmetic requirement, we're providing 3 options for printing quality:
  • Draft quality: layer height 0.2mm. Only use this option if you don't require a smooth surface finish on your model.
  • Standard quality: layer height 0.15mm. This is the most popular quality that will fit most of the applications of 3D printed parts.
  • Fine quality: layer height 0.1mm. The best quality that most FDM 3D printers can offer at the moment. This will give a smooth surface finish on the sides of your model. The layer lines are barely noticeable by human eyes.
  • 10% - Low infill for decorative parts which do not bear any force
  • 20~40% - The standard infill that we will optimise depends on your model
  • 50% ~75% - High infill for tough parts that will withstand some forces
  • 100% - Solid infill for maximum strength
At Solidium3D, we're proud to be your local 3D Printing Service with fast delivery and local support. We always aim for the best quality and reliable results. We will 3D print your model and send out within 1-4 business days depends on the models and the quantity. Upload your model and get a free quote or instantly place an order online through our quotation system with a wide range of materials and colours. Based in Melbourne, we proudly service Australia-wide, including Sydney, Brisbane, Perth, and Adelaide. If you need your model 3D printed urgently or not sure what materials and options to choose from, please email us at [email protected] or give us a call on 0402 480 422