Table of Contents
Introduction 1 About This Book 2
Foolish Assumptions 2
Icons Used in This Book 3
Beyond the Book 4
Where to Go from Here 4
Part 1: Getting Started with 3D Printing 5
Chapter 1: Seeing How 3D Printers Fit into Modern Manufacturing 7
Embracing Additive Manufacturing 8
Defining additive manufacturing 9
Contrasting with traditional manufacturing 10
Understanding the advantages of additive manufacturing 13
Exploring the Applications of 3D Printing 17
Working with RepRap 18
Chapter 2: Exploring the Types of 3D Printing 19
Exploring Basic Forms of Additive Manufacturing 19
Photopolymers 20
Granular powders 24
Laminates 27
Filament-based production 28
Understanding the Limitations of Current Technologies 29
Considering fabrication rates 29
Exploring size constraints 30
Identifying object design constraints 30
Understanding material restrictions 31
Chapter 3: Exploring Applications of 3D Printing 33
Looking at Current Uses of 3D Printing 34
Rapid prototyping 34
Direct digital fabrication 35
Restoration and repair 36
Designing for the Future with 3D Printing 39
Household goods 39
Buildings 40
Bridges 43
Examining Molding and Casting through 3D Printing 43
Lost-material casting 43
Sintered metal infusion 44
Applying Artistic Touches and Personalization 44
Medical implants 44
Biological implants (organs) 46
Item personalization 46
Clothing and textiles 46
Customizing Designs on the Fly 48
Military operations 48
Space 49
Part 2: Outlining 3D-Printing Resources 51
Chapter 4: Identifying Available Materials for 3D Printing 53
Exploring Extruded Materials 54
Thermoplastics 55
Experimental materials 59
Extruded alternatives 59
Identifying Granular Materials 61
Plastic powders 61
Sugar and salt 61
Metal powders 62
Sand and natural granular materials 63
Exploring Photo-Cured Resins 64
Understanding Bioprinting 65
Bioprinting food and animal products 66
Replacement tissues and organs 67
Identifying Other Uses for Materials 67
Recycling materials 68
Producing food 68
Caring for people 69
Chapter 5: Identifying Sources for 3D-Printable Objects 71
Exploring Object Repositories 72
Vendor repositories 72
Community repositories 74
Designing in the Computer 75
Scanning Objects 78
Capturing Structure from Photographs 82
Preparing Models for Printing 85
3D model viewers 86
Mesh modelers 86
Mesh repairers 86
Part 3: Exploring the Business Side of 3D Printing 87
Chapter 6: Commoditizing 3D Printing 89
Democratizing Manufacturing 89
Derived designs 90
Curated artifacts 90
Expanded opportunities 91
Establishing Personal Storefronts 94
Creating a unique design 94
Fabricating a unique product on demand 96
Creating “Impossible” Objects 98
Building New Tools 99
Moving beyond solid blocks 99
Creating the tool that will create the tool 100
Chapter 7: Understanding 3D Printing’s Effect on Traditional Lines of Business 103
Transforming Production 103
Displacing the production line 104
Abbreviating the manufacturing chain 105
Providing local fabrication 106
Eliminating traditional release cycles 107
Challenging Intellectual Property Laws 107
Threatening IP protections 108
Assigning legal liability 110
Leveraging Expired Patents 110
Working around patents 111
Protecting intellectual property rights 112
Imposing Ethical Controls 113
Chapter 8: Reviewing 3D-Printing Research 115
Building Fundamental Technologies 115
Crafting educational tools 116
Expanding 3D-printing options 118
Creating 3D-printed electronics 119
Creating Functional Designs 119
Drones, robots, and military applications 120
Von Neumann machines 121
Expanding Material Selection 122
Supporting Long Space Voyages 123
Creating Medical Opportunities 125
Part 4: Employing Personal 3D-Printing Devices 127
Chapter 9: Exploring 3D-Printed Artwork 129
Adorning the Body 129
Personalizing Your Environment 131
Incorporating Individualism in Design 132
Visualizing the Abstract 134
Sharing Art 136
Chapter 10: Considering Consumer-Level 3D Printers 139
Examining Cartesian 3D Printers 140
Exploring Delta Options 143
Understanding Polar Fabrication 146
Getting to Know SCARA and Robot Arm Motion 147
Building Emerging Alternatives 148
Open innovation and community designs 151
Examining Printers for Flexible Materials 152
Understanding Shore ratings 152
Printing with soft filaments 153
Sampling 3D Food Printers 154
Going beyond RepRap 159
Prusa i3 MK2 159
Sigma 160
Printrbot Simple Metal 161
LulzBot Taz 6 161
Ultimaker 3 162
MakerBot 163
Chapter 11: Deciding on a RepRap of Your Own 165
Evaluating Your 3D Printing Needs 166
Do you want a RepRap or another 3D printer? 166
Do you buy a ready-built 3D printer or use a kit? 167
Licensing and Attribution 168
Selecting a 3D Printer Design 171
RepRap designs 171
Home 3D printer kits and self-sourcing 176
Experimental designs 179
Choosing Print Media 181
Thermoplastic 181
PLA/PHA plastic 183
ABS 185
PET 185
Composite or filled materials 186
Paste 187
Identifying Components 189
Structural framework 189
Extruder 189
Build plate 193
Control electronics 194
Software 195
Simplify3D 197
Part 5: Creating a RepRap 3D Printer 201
Chapter 12: Assembling Structural Elements 203
Locating Materials 203
Kits 204
Self-sourcing 206
Printing your own 207
Ask the community 207
Online marketplaces 207
Obtaining Printed Parts for Machine Assembly 208
Understanding the Machine Motion 209
Z-axis motion 210
X and Y motion 212
Building the Frame Structure 214
Assembling the Prusa i3 Y-Axis Frame 219
Assembling the Moving Axis 220
Assembling the Prusa i3 moving Y axis 223
Assembling the Prusa i3 moving Z and X axes 224
Joining the Z, X, and Y axes 227
Sensing the Home Position 228
Chapter 13: Understanding RepRap Control Electronics 231
Understanding RepRap Electronics 231
RAMPS 232
RAMBo 232
Sanguinololu 234
Minitronics 234
RUMBA 235
Elefu-RA V3 235
Megatronics 236
Adding Electronics to Your RepRap 3D Printer 238
Preparing for electronics assembly 238
Fitting the positional sensors to the frame 239
Fitting the heated bed to the Y carriage 241
Preparing and fitting the main electronics 242
Preparing and connecting the power supply 243
Connecting the motor and position-sensing wiring 244
Adding Modular Components, Sensors, and Motors 246
Printing without a computer 246
Installing stepper-motor driver modules 246
Selecting position-sensing modules 249
Identifying power-supply requirements 250
Installing add-ons 253
Connecting RepRap Wiring 255
Configuring Firmware 256
Configuring Prusa i3 firmware 258
Uploading Marlin firmware to RAMPS electronics 263
Chapter 14: Assembling the RepRap Extruder 265
Thermoplastic Extrusion 265
Filament drive mechanism 266
Idler wheel 270
Prusa i3 Extruder and Hot-End Assembly 273
Fitting the filament drive to the motor shaft 273
Assembling the extruder idler pressure bearing 273
Fitting the J-head hot-end 274
Fitting the assembled extruder to the X carriage 274
Wiring the extruder to RAMPS 275
Multicolor Print Methods 279
Toothpaste effect 280
Three-way color mixing 280
Two-color printing 281
Layer-selective color printing 282
Cut-and-follow-on printing 283
Extruder Operation and Upgrades 286
Fixing a blocked hot-end or extruder 288
Acquiring an assortment of extruders 289
Cooling extruders with fans 291
Chapter 15: Identifying Software and Calibrating Your 3D Printer 295
Finding 3D Design Software and Models 295
Using design software 301
Verifying models with Netfabb 303
Working with Slic3r 305
Configuring Slic3r 305
Processing models with Slic3r 308
Calibrating Your 3D Printer 315
Leveling your print bed 316
Tuning your hot-end temperature control 318
Calibrating extruder distance 318
Printing Objects 322
Printing vases, pots, and cups 326
Printing large single-piece objects 328
Printing tiny or highly detailed objects 328
Printing many objects at the same time 329
Improving print quality 330
Chapter 16: Refining the Design and 3D-Printing Process 331
Being Productive with 3D Printing 331
Refining Your Print Preparations 333
Examining a Design Example 336
Designing Parts for 3D Printing 340
Material 341
Orientation 342
Layer height 344
Nozzle size and perimeter outlines 344
Infill level 344
Postprocessing, Recycling, and Finishing an Object 346
Manual finishing 346
Assisted finishing 347
Coatings 348
Printing Big: Bonding and Joining Parts 349
Recycling 351
Using a Web-Based 3D-Printing Interface 354
OctoPrint 354
Duet 354
Part 6: The Part of Tens 355
Chapter 17: Ten Examples of Direct Digital Manufacturing and Personalization 357
Producing 3D-Printed Food 357
Printing Tissues and Organs 358
Fashioning Biological Replicas 358
Crafting Clothing and Footwear 359
Customizing Jewelry 360
Making Hollywood Spectacular 360
Creating Structures 361
Reaching beyond the Sky 361
Constructing Robots 362
Printing 3D Printers 363
Chapter 18: Ten Impossible Designs Created Using Additive Manufacturing 365
Personalized Objects 365
Medical Implants 367
Dental Repair 367
Self-Deploying Robots 368
Printed Drones and Aircraft Parts 368
On-Demand, On-Site Manufacturing 369
Custom Objects Created in Space 369
Art on Demand 370
Locally Fabricated Items 370
Body Parts 371
Index 373
