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C1 – What is 3D Printing
Surely you are already familiar with desktop paper printers. You might have one at home or at school, and perhaps you’ve even used it to print a drawing or a photograph.
When we print on a sheet of paper there is a width and a length – the two dimensions of the paper. We are printing in two dimensions – 2D.
If we add another measurement to our idea of paper printing, then we have a thickness for example. In this case, we are printing in three dimensions – 3D. Later we’ll go into more detail about 2D and 3D, for now just keep this idea in mind: 2D = two measurements; 3D = three measurements.
There are many 3D printing technologies, but they all consist of creating an object with three dimensions – 3D.
The 3D printing technology you will learn here with us is known as Fused Deposition Modeling, or Fused Filament Fabrication (FFF). From now on, whenever you read “3D printing” we will be referring to this particular method.
With FFF, 3D printing works by adding layers of melted plastic, one on top of another, successively, until the final object is built with three dimensions – a 3D object!
We will use a class of plastic called thermoplastic, which means it can be heated and shaped, and then when it cools it returns to a solid state. This plastic is sold as a filament – a long strand that comes wound on a spool. Later (C3) we will also discuss a few different thermoplastics and their characteristics.
Okay. That’s a lot of new vocabulary, isn’t it? 3D, FFF, filament, thermoplastic, spool… But you’ll pick them up quickly and use them like a true 3D printing master – a 3D Ninja! 🙂
Let’s recap:
- 3D printing – manufacturing objects with three dimensions.
- FFF – a 3D printing technology that builds 3D objects using thermoplastic filament.
- Fused – “fused” material means the material has been heated enough to become easily shaped.
- Thermoplastic – plastics that when heated can be easily shaped, and solidify after cooling keeping the new shape.
- Filament – plastic in the form of a long wire.
- Spool – the plastic filament rool.
Ready for the next chapter? Do you have any doubts or questions to ask? Great!
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Don’t forget… HAVE FUN!