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How Are 3D Printers Made?

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Updated January 16, 2023

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If you are new to the world of physical printing, you may wonder how are 3D printers made. Some of the best printers are 3D printers, and these models are more complicated than their 2D cousins. So how do the best 3D printers work, and how are they made? Keep reading to find out.

KEY TAKEAWAYS:

These printers use filaments (raw materials), extrusion nozzles, print beds, and various moving parts to create physical objects (3D models) layer by layer from a digital file.
Many actual parts of these printers are made with larger and business-focused 3D printers.
Traditional manufacturing methods, including assembly lines, round out the building process when it comes to 3D printing technology.

3D Printers Defined

Before learning how much 3D printing costs, it is helpful to understand the role of 3D printing. These gadgets build 3D renderings of physical objects, layer by layer, if you are wondering how small 3D prints can get. Some objects take hours or even days to complete if you are learning how long can a 3D printer run.

Insider Tip

Save money on your printer by looking for sales or even purchasing refurbished models directly from the company.

The objects are made with filament or resin, which is extruded via a dedicated nozzle onto the print bed. The print bed helps keep the object sturdy as it is being built if you are wondering how hot a 3D printer bed should be.

How Are These Printers Made?

There are a number of advanced manufacturing processes working in tandem to bring this type of printer to the market. Let’s take a look at some of these concepts.

3D Printers

Wait, what? It is true. Many 3D printers are built using larger and more capable 3D printers. Or rather, the manufacturing process leverages a number of printers to create various components, which are then put together via more traditional building methods. Remember, these printers were a huge hit in the industrial and commercial sectors long before they were ever shrunken down for the home market.

Modular Manufacturing

These printers tend to feature a number of swappable parts, like print beds, extrusion nozzles, and filament tanks. If a company makes a large number of printers, it is highly likely they are swapping out these components via modular manufacturing. In other words, the glass bed of one model likely easily fits into another model by the same company. This is a common practice across the entire technology sector.

STAT: 3D printing is a process that uses computer-aided design, or CAD, to create objects layer by layer. 3D printing is commonly used in manufacturing and automotive industries, where tools and parts are made using 3D printers. (source)

Good Old-Fashioned Assembly

The printers are finished via good old-fashioned assembly. This can be done on a traditional assembly line or completed by hand for limited batch releases. This is typically the final stage of the manufacturing process, as the finished parts are put together and inspected by qualified professionals.

Printer Manufacturing FAQs

How does 3D printing work?

The process works by leveraging various filaments and metal powders via heated nozzles onto print beds. These are known as additive manufacturing processes as envisioned by inventor Charles Hull.

What can you 3D print?

For now, you can use additive manufacturing to make three-dimensional objects like toys, knick-knacks, and smaller components of larger items. The 3D printing industry, however,e is constantly advancing.

Why are these printers important to the future?

Thanks to advancements in technology, such as selective laser sintering, computer-aided design, and additive manufacturing, this sector is constantly advancing. Before long, 3D objects, aka three-dimensional objects, will give way to medicine, foods, and even microchips.

References:

Lawrence Bonk

Lawrence Bonk is a copywriter with a decade of experience in the tech space, with columns appearing in Engadget, Huffington Post and CBS, among others. He has a cat named Cinnamon.