Page 8 - 3D Printing: The Revolution in Personalized Manufacturing

with HP to print their materials,
including electronic, multi-
material, and multicolor

structures.
THE MATERIALS

The three most common
3D-printed materials are
thermoplastic filaments, UV
curable resins, and anything
that can be made into a
powder (metal, ceramic,

FDM printing uses plastic filaments such or plastics). As 3D printing
as these. Specialty or composite 3D becomes more common,
printer filaments combine thermoplastics people want to use a wider
with metal powder, carbon fiber, wood, variety of materials. These
and glow-in-the-dark compounds to
create hybrid materials for printing. include metal and plastic
combinations, carbon-fiber
and plastic composites, clay,
plants, human cells, and even chocolate to name just a few. And
3D technology can use recycled materials. Organizations such
as ProtoPrint, the Plastic Bank, and the Perpetual Plastic Project
collect and convert plastic waste (such as milk jugs and water
bottles) into 3D printer filament. Or you can recycle your 3D
plastics with products such as ReDeTec’s ProtoCycler. Meanwhile,
innovators are looking for more ways to recycle materials other
than plastic for 3D printing.

THE HARDWARE

The 3D printers that you’ll find in industrial settings are usually
large and expensive. They cost about $100,000 to more than $1
million. Smaller, more affordable printers for home or office cost

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3D PRINTING