What are the next major 3d printing developments?
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Bit of an open question and I have my own thoughts. I think in recent years FDM printing has reached a stage where even cheap machines can deliver quality. Spend a bit of money and you get reliable quality. This year seems to be all about speed. So logically it's speed with good quality we are moving towards.
I want to look beyond that and get others insight. My personal thoughts are the real developments will come when we move away from machines based on other technologies and the hardware is developed exclusively with 3d printing in mind. Motion systems etc all come from other industries and whilst they transfer well can we improve if we design something with FDM as the sole purpose?
Beyond that I think the biggest advancement is to come from the use of sensor (such as we see with input shaping) and AI. This combined with a slicer that can analyse a part and determine what it's indented purpose is then slice it in a way that is prints optimally should be the goal in the next 2-3 years. Machine learning has to play a part in this much as it does now with 2d photos. Just my thoughts, love to hear more and start the debate.
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@blacksheep99 I think AI is not going to be as important as proper modeling and physics simulation. Most behavior of the relevant part is either predictable or directly measurable, so either is a pre-defined, or post-evaluated control loop.
I also am of the opinion that "speed" and "quality" are only marginally related. Printing slow and hot changes surface quality and inter layer adhesion considerably (for the better), and either you print uniques which means some extra hours aren't a problem, or you need to print on schedule and repeatedly because it's your business and then a number of printers has considerable advantages over a single fast one.
I believe we will see some material science related improvements on the extrusion system (note that e3d recently announced phasing out brass nozzles), and some technological advances on filament feeders once someone innovates beyond dual gear extrusions (picking up on ideas from 2014ish).
And then, returning to the initial point, even without mythological AI, firmware will make more use of readily available compute capacity which simpy didn't exist in consumer devices a scant couple years back ...
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@oliof Interesting points. I agree with many. I guess where I am coming from with regards to the slicing side is right now you need a solid understanding of the principles of 3D printing in order to make changes to the print settings in a slicer. Maybe a slicer will be a thing of the past? (I don't believe this just trying to look ahead).
If 3D printing is to be democratised then it has to move beyond the 'enthusiast' to the point where someone can get or make a model and then print it reliably on their printer with minimal fuss and knowledge of the process behind it. Agree?
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I’m excited to see development in non-planar technology, especially for my industry (architecture/design).
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I hope we'll see clay printers/slicers which build a mold-negative of the parts we want. That way we skip the step of printing a lost-PLA part.
Furthermore I can't wait to try out multi-gcode stream features, where two or more tools work on one part simultaneously.
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In the area of FFF, I wouldn't consider it a major development rather a current technology becoming more mainstream is the ability to process materials that require a high temperature (>180c) build environment. This will drive down material cost but more importantly afford the ability to create components with properties equaling, and in some cases far exceeding those of injection molded parts.
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Assuming we are talking about consumer or hobbyist machines, then IMO no major developments will have much effect until we move away from what is essentially a robot controlled hot melt glue gun. While we are stuck with that, we are stuck with printing at the speed at which some mushrooms can grow. There has to be a better way................
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@3dpmicro said in What are the next major 3d printing developments?:
In the area of FFF, I wouldn't consider it a major development rather a current technology becoming more mainstream is the ability to process materials that require a high temperature (>180c) build environment. This will drive down material cost but more importantly afford the ability to create components with properties equaling, and in some cases far exceeding those of injection molded parts.
I believe some patents have recently lapsed regarding heated enclosures so let's see what machines are developed as a result. If the market increases then materials should come down if quantities increase (i hope)
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@deckingman fair point!
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@blacksheep99 I was think of rushing out and getting a KG of this PEEK 9581 filament .... https://technologyoutlet.co.uk/collections/premium-3d-printer-filament/products/primaselect-luvocom-3f-peek-9581-1-75mm-500g-natural
NOT !!!!!!! -
@o_lampe said in What are the next major 3d printing developments?:
I hope we'll see clay printers/slicers which build a mold-negative of the parts we want. That way we skip the step of printing a lost-PLA part.
Wouldn't that be easily done in whatever CAD program was used to create the model?
Frederick
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@deckingman said in What are the next major 3d printing developments?:
Assuming we are talking about consumer or hobbyist machines, then IMO no major developments will have much effect until we move away from what is essentially a robot controlled hot melt glue gun. While we are stuck with that, we are stuck with printing at the speed that which some mushrooms can grow. There has to be a better way................
I use Shapeways to make certain part for me.
Are you familiar with their printers that use an approach similar to resin printers but using a powder instead of a liquid?
Can you envision those ever being affordable at the hobby level?
Thanks.
Frederick
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@fcwilt I use jawstec for MJf printing certain things, but I would kill for a home version of the technology.
Maybe if I win the lottery I’ll splurge and get a 600k MJF setup
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@nuramori said in What are the next major 3d printing developments?:
@fcwilt I use jawstec for MJf
I don't know what either of those things are.
Please elaborate.
Frederick
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@fcwilt jawstec is a similar printing company like shapeways. Both use Multijet Fusion technology from HP (powdered nylon) to print. It’s shortened to MJF. It’s similar to SLS in that regard. It’s supposed advantage is the material strength is equal in all axis, vs SLS is technically weaker in the z axis vs x and y. Same or better accuracy.
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@blacksheep99 Yes, the Stratasys heated build chamber patent with external motion system is the main one that expired, finally after a 1 year extension.
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@nuramori said in What are the next major 3d printing developments?:
@fcwilt jawstec is a similar printing company like shapeways. Both use Multijet Fusion technology from HP (powdered nylon) to print. It’s shortened to MJF. It’s similar to SLS in that regard. It’s supposed advantage is the material strength is equal in all axis, vs SLS is technically weaker in the z axis vs x and y. Same or better accuracy.
Thanks. I didn't recognize MJF but I have had parts printed with it.
Shapeways seems to have another printer that does something similar, as their "Versatile Plastic" was the first type I used and the parts appear much the same as the MJF parts.
Frederick
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@fcwilt Yeah, their "versatile plastic" is SLS - very good. I've had them make some parts for me with that had to be larger than the limits of MJF, and that required the other process.
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There are a bunch of Powder SLS DIY machines, but the process is messy and wasteful.
https://www.instructables.com/DIY-SLS-3D-Printer/
https://github.com/MillerLabFTW/OpenSLS
https://www.projectopenfuse.comAnd some others I can't find right now.
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@oliof
...who needs multitool FDM printers when you can fuse a whole layer at once
I've seen a video, where a guy in full_body_suit removed the excessive powder. YUCK
Not my style of DIY printer
