3D printing

The FDM process (Fused Deposition Modeling) or the FFF process (Fused Filament Fabrication) is also known as fused layering or nozzle melting. It is one of the most common processes in the 3D printing sector and was developed by Scott Crump at the end of the 1980s. Your selected plastic filament (ABS or PLA are popular, for example) is melted and applied in layers to a print bed using an extruder. Which nozzle is used for application depends on the material selected for your object. The material also determines, among other things, the temperatures of the nozzle, the print bed and the installation space, as well as the speed at which the material is extruded.

The great advantage of this process is the wide choice of materials. The right plastic for your object can be found for a wide range of properties, such as temperature and UV resistance or stability requirements. The FDM or FFF process is therefore particularly suitable for the production of individual pieces or small batches, such as for the manufacture of tools, parts for automation technology or mechanical engineering, as well as for the construction of prototypes, devices or design objects.

In the SLA process(stereolithography process) or the DLP process (digital light processing process) , your object is created using light technology inside a tank filled with liquid synthetic resin (photopolymer). Both processes are used very frequently in 3D printing, although the SLA process can work a little more finely than the DLP process. The light sources differ; for example, we work with a laser in the SLA process and with an LCD display or DLP projector in the DLP process. The process using a synthetic resin tank is the origin of 3D printing methods and, through continuous further development, has become a cost-effective way of producing highly accurate, isotropic and waterproof prototypes and end-use parts.

In the SLA process, the individual layers are projected into the pool using a laser and allow the synthetic resin to solidify in the desired places. This creates an object whose structures can be designed even more finely than with the FDM process. This high print quality is particularly suitable for functional prototypes, models, molds and tools, and is flexible enough to meet the exact requirements of industries ranging from medicine to jewelry design. SLA resin formulations therefore cover a broad spectrum of optical, mechanical and thermal properties.

After the liquid synthetic resin has been transformed into a hardened plastic object, the material is still soft and unstable, which is why a support structure is also printed in these two processes. The fine supports are only removed after cleaning in a car wash and curing. For this purpose, your object is irradiated all around with UV light in a curing oven to achieve its final strength. The hardening temperatures and dwell times for the individual models vary depending on the properties and requirements.

In the SLS process (selective laser sintering), your object is created using powder and energy, without any binding agents. The energy source is a laser that “selectively” processes the component or prototype from a powdered plastic according to your CAD file.

This allows precise production, which, unlike the SLA process, is possible without additional support structures. This means that even almost impossible 3D printing results can be produced effortlessly. The extremely fine material powder is applied layer by layer using a roller and then fused locally with a laser beam.

This makes it possible to achieve particularly even, smooth surfaces. It is important that this process is followed by slow and continuous cooling in order to counteract potential deformation. In the final production step, the last powder residues are removed using sand and glass beads in a cleaning station.