New type of 3D printing was inspired by Terminator 2
Ron Czapala
Posts: 2,418
http://www.vox.com/2015/3/16/8227627/3d-printing-liquid-continuous
How "continuous" 3D printing actually works
There are a few different types of existing 3D printers, but they mostly work via the same principle: a printing head passes over a platform over and over, depositing layer after layer of a material like plastic in a precise pattern. Over time, these layers combine to form the desired object much like a paper printer forms text on a page by putting down row after row of ink.
By contrast, this new continuous 3D printer would do away with the layers entirely. Instead, a platform draws the object continuously out of a bath of liquid resin.
How "continuous" 3D printing actually works
There are a few different types of existing 3D printers, but they mostly work via the same principle: a printing head passes over a platform over and over, depositing layer after layer of a material like plastic in a precise pattern. Over time, these layers combine to form the desired object much like a paper printer forms text on a page by putting down row after row of ink.
By contrast, this new continuous 3D printer would do away with the layers entirely. Instead, a platform draws the object continuously out of a bath of liquid resin.
Comments
The resin based printers sort of have a speed advantage, that is that the print time does not depend upon the size of the object, it depends upon the layers (height). So when they compared printing the tiny Eiffel tower against the MakerBot printing something absolutely huge - well not exactly a fair comparison.
There a DLP resin printers and also laser beam resin printers, do you think the use a highend TI DLP or a custom made 8K UV projector?
$41million dollar investment so far (though probably not all used up yet), kind of proves it was not that easy to do.
O2 and generate radical reactions. I suspect that the resin will eventually all set if
the tank isn't kept under an inert gas though - oxygen is a highly reactive molecule
anyway.
I guess speeds will only increase and chemistry improve and it will be very popular.
How is this in any way like liquid metal from terminator? The resin doesn't form itself, its controled by the printer's UV source. How is this different from existing DLP resin printers?