P15ME842 Additive Manufacturing Process

Concept models are typically used early to evaluate a product’s design. Whereas a prototype
simulates how a product will function, a concept model is the equivalent of a three-dimensional
sketch. Concept modelers, produce relatively crude & fragile parts cheaply and quickly.
Prototypes fabricated from AM machines are often used to evaluate how a part will perform,
concept models typically are used to evaluate a product’s design. Just as there are multiple AM
technologies, there are also several processes for making concept models. The characteristics of
concept models vary widely. To get the most benefit from a concept model, one has to choose a
process that makes parts matching their requirements.
As with other AM systems, the input for concept modelers is a CAD file that has been
converted into the tessellated STL format. Software in the Concept modeler system slices the STL
model into a series of horizontal cross sections. Concept modelers build parts layer by layer using
ink jet printing technology.
Table: Comparison between Concept Modelers and AM machine
Concept Modelers AM machine
 Models produced are less accurate and  Parts are more accurate and have good
surface finish is poor. surface finish
 Models are fragile in nature typically  Whereas a AM product is strong and
used to evaluate a product’s design at simulates how a product will function.
each stage.
 Concept modelers and materials used  AM machine and materials used are
are cheap hence models are inexpensive. expensive and hence products are costly
 Concept models are built very quickly.  AM products are built comparatively
slower.
 Reside in design office environments.  Reside outside design office space as some
AM machines are not safe for humans.
 Operate much like a standard printer,  Training is essential to operate AM machine
require very little or no training to
operate.

Types of Concept Modelers

 3D Systems Thermo jet printer (multi jet printer)

 Z Corporation 3-D printer
 Sanders model maker II ( Ink jet model )
 Genisys XS printer
 JP system 5
 Object Quadra system

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3D SYSTEMS THERMO JET PRINTER

Fig: 3D Systems ThermoJet printer

The multi-jet modeling system (MJM) was first launched in 1996 as a concept modeler for
the office to complement the more sophisticated SLA machines. The 3D Systems ThermoJet (Multi
Jet) simultaneously deposits thermo plastic materials from hundreds of jets in raster build style. This
machine uses fine, hair-like structures made of the modeling material itself to support overhangs and
undercuts. Thin hair-like structures hold up all downward-facing surfaces. When a part is complete,
the supports can be brushed away. For easy loading of thermoplastic material it is equipped with
cartridge system.

Fig: 3D Systems ThermoJet printer

Process
 The STL files of the CAD model is sent to ThermoJet printer where its software allows users
to verify the preloaded STL files and auto-fix any errors and also to auto-position the parts to
be built so as to optimize building space and time.
 During the build process, the head is positioned above the platform. The head begins building
the first layer by depositing materials as it moves in the X-direction. As the machine’s print
head contains a total of 352 heads and measures 200 mm across, it is able to deposit material
faster and more efficiently. Each jet dispenses a special thermopolymer material only where
required. These jets also dispense fine, hair-like structures made of the modeling material
itself to support overhangs and undercuts.
 With a print head measuring 200 mm across, ThermoJet® is able to build a model with a
width of up to 200 mm in a single pass. If then model’s wide is greater than 200 mm, then the
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platform is repositioned (Y-axis) to continue building in the X-direction until the entire layer
is completed.
 After one layer is completed, the platform is lowered and the building of the next layer begins
in the same manner as described in Steps 2 and 3.
 The process continues with the continual repetition of Steps 2 to 4 until the part is complete,
after which the part is ready for instant removal and review with no further need for post-
processing or post-curing and hence can be used as soon as they are built.
Factors
 Part size – Small parts with fine detail can be built. It’s not easy to glue waxy Thermojet parts
together.
 Build orientation -- Downward facing surfaces on MultiJet modeling parts are uneven after
supports have been removed. Though much of this roughness can be smoothed with solvent,
one should indicate which surfaces are most important so the operator can orient them facing
upwards.
 Finishing -- For concept models, it may not be necessary to spend the extra time required to
get perfect finishes on all surfaces.
 if small features or fine detail are required, 3D Systems Multi Jet modeling might do a better
job.
Advantages
 Efficient and ease of use: The large number of jets from 352 heads allows fast and continuous
material deposition at a resolution of 300 dpi for maximum efficiency. CAD program and no
file preparation is required. This makes the concept modeler easy to use.
 Cost-effective: MJM uses inexpensive thermopolymer material that provides for cost-effective
modeling.
 Fast build time: As a natural consequence of MJM’s raster-based design, the geometry of the
model being built has little effect on the building time.
 Office-friendly process: As the system is clean, simple and efficient, it does not require special
facilities, thereby enabling it to be used directly in an office environment. Due to its networking
capabilities, several design workstations can be connected to the machine just like any other
computer output peripheral.
 Material is loaded into the machine in cartridges. There is no messy powder or liquid. Support
removal can be done over a wastebasket and requires no protective clothing.
Disadvantages
 Small build volume: The machine has a comparatively small build volume as compared to most
other high-end AM systems (e.g., SLA-500), thus only small prototypes can be fabricated.
 Limited materials: Materials selection is restricted to 3D systems’ ThermoJet® 2000 and
ThermoJet 88 thermopolymer. This limited range of material means that many functionally-
based concepts that are dependent on material characteristics cannot be effectively tested with
the prototypes.
 Weak accuracy: The process lacks sufficient accuracy in building exact prototypes when
compared with the high-end AM systems.
 Surfaces where supports have been removed are quite rough but can be improved by polishing

Applications:- MultiJet modeling is best for applications where part detail is more important
than durability. It is also ideal for building parts to be used as investment-casting patterns. Because
Thermo Jets run cleanly and quietly in an office environment, the technology is ideal for small
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company use in-house.. The main application for the ThermoJet® is to produce concept models for
visualization and proofing during the early design process. It is meant to function in an office
environment in the immediate vicinity of the CAD workstations.

Z CORPORATION 3-D PRINTER

The most popular concept-modeling systems are those based on three-dimensional printing
(3DP), a process developed by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and licensed to Z
Corporation of Burlington, Massachusetts. Z Corporation offers a range of 3DP machines
To start the process, a thin layer of powder -- between 0.003 inches and 0.010 inches thick (0.076-
0.254mm)-- is spread by a roller onto a platform mounted on a piston in a building box. Multiple
inkjets sweep across the surface of the layer and print the image of a single cross section onto the
powder. Where the binder is printed, the powder is glued together. Loose powder surrounding the
printed area remains in place and supports the part as it is built. Once a layer is complete, the piston
lowers the build platform by one layer thickness and the process is repeated. The only time required
between layers is the time needed to spread each new layer of powder. When a part is finished, the
piston raises the build platform and any excess powder can be brushed or vacuumed off the part.
Because the print heads sweep across the platform in a raster pattern and dispense binder from
multiple jets simultaneously, three-dimensional printing is very fast, as much as 40 times faster than
other machines
Process
 The .STL file of the CAD model is sent to Z-Corp printer where its inbuilt software allows users
to verify, auto-fix any errors and also to auto-position the parts to be built so as to optimize
building space and time. It slices the model into number of layers.
 The machine spreads a layer of powder from the feed box to cover the surface of the build
piston. The printer then prints binder solution onto the loose powder, forming the first layer.
For multi-colored parts, each of the four print heads deposits a different color binder, mixing
the four color binders to produce a spectrum of colors that can be applied to different regions of
a part
 The powder is glued together at where the binder is printed. The remaining powder remains
loose and supports the layers that will be printed above.
 When one layer is completed, the build piston is lowered, a new layer of powder is spread over
its surface, and the process is repeated until the part is completed. The part is completely
surrounded and covered by loose powder.
 Once a build is completed, the excess powder is vacuumed and the parts are lifted from the bed.
Once removed, parts can be finished in a variety of ways. For a quick design review, parts can
be left raw or “green.”

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Fig: Z Corporation 3D Printer

 To quickly produce a more robust model, parts can be dipped in wax. Once the powder is
removed from the part surfaces, the part is placed in a small oven and heated to a temperature
just above that of the infiltrant wax, to provide a wicking characteristic as opposed to coating.
The part temperature for paraffin infiltrant is approximately 200°F.
 Immediately after the part is heated, it is dipped for a few seconds into a vat of molten wax,
then removed and placed on a sheet to dry. After drying the part is complete.
 For a robust model that can be sanded, finished and painted, the part can also be infiltrated with
a resin or urethane.
 A unique capability of three-dimensional printing is the ability to produce multicolored parts. A
part’s color is determined by dyes added to the liquid binder. Almost any color is possible.

Models produced by 3D Printer

3D Printer

Advantages
 High speed. Fastest 3D printer to date. Each layer is printed in seconds, reducing the
prototyping time of a hand-held part to 1 to 2 hours.
 Versatile. Parts are currently used for the automotive, packaging, education, footwear,
medical, aerospace, and telecommunications industries. Parts are used in every step of the
design process for communication, design review and limited functional testing. Parts can be
infiltrated if necessary, offering the opportunity to produce parts with a variety of material
properties to serve a range of modeling requirements.
 Simple to operate. The office compatible Z-corp system is straightforward to operate and
does not require a designated technician to build a part. The system is based on the standard,

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off the shelf components developed for the ink-jet printer industry, resulting in a reliable and
dependable 3D printer.
 No wastage of materials. Powder that is not printed during the cycle can be reused.
 Color. Enables complex color schemes in parts from a full 24-bit palette of colors.
 Bulky parts can be produced.
Disadvantages
 Limited functional parts. Relative to the SLS, parts built are much weaker, thereby limiting
the functional testing capabilities.
 Limited materials. The materials available are only starch and plaster-based materials, with
the added option to infiltrate wax.
 Poor surface finish. Parts built by 3D printing are porous and hence have a relatively poorer
surface finish and post-processing is frequently required.
Application: - Three-dimensional printing is best used when speed and price are more critical than
accuracy, surface finish, and material properties. 3DP parts are most often used as concept models
but, when infiltrated, also can be finished and used as patterns for duplication. Parts built with starch-
based material can be used directly as investment-casting patterns. 3DP parts a have relatively poor
surface finish. Small features and fine details are not replicated well. Thin walls can be problematic
because all materials are brittle.
A secondary use of three-dimensional printing is for making casting shells. Z Corporation is now
testing methods of building casting shells from its plaster material. Z Corporation suggests making
molds in pieces that are put together along with cores prior to casting, much like sand-casting molds
are assembled. That way, the casting surface of each mold piece can be sanded or filled to remove
stair steps. Z Corporation says shells built with 3DP deliver a surface finish and accuracy similar to
traditional sand casting in a fraction of the time.
Factors
 Part size: - Large parts can be built in pieces and then glued together, but this takes extra time.
Moreover, the low accuracy of 3DP can prevent part sections from fitting together well.
 Feature size: - 3DP systems can have problems producing very small features, and thin walls
are sometimes impossible to build.
 Accuracy: - Three-D printed parts have low accuracy. Consequently, it is difficult to assemble
parts made with 3DP. Threads are not replicated.
 Joining: - Because materials are brittle, 3DP parts are difficult to drill and tap for joining with
conventional fasteners.
 Material: - Plaster powder is more expensive than starch but delivers better strength, detail, and
surface finish For investment-casting patterns or just to get parts as cheaply and quickly as
possible, starch dipped in wax is sufficient. Changing materials in a 3DP system is messy and
takes time. Not all service providers will offer both starch and plaster.
 Finishing: - For concept models, it may not be necessary to spend the extra time required to get
pretty parts.

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SANDERS MODEL MAKER

Fig: Sanders Model Maker

Sanders Prototype of Wilton, NH uses a different ink-jet technique in its Model Maker line of
concept modelers. The machines use two ink-jets One dispenses low-melt thermoplastic to make the
model, while the other prints wax to form supports. After each layer, a cutting tool mills the top
surface to uniform height. This yields extremely good accuracy. Hence this machine is used in the
jewelry industry. Also in precision investment cast components for aerospace, electronics and
medical applications
Process
 The software of the model maker machine verifies, manipulates and slices .STL file of the CAD
model. It allows the user to orient and slice the model.
 After slicing and orientation, the model is sent to the machine for part building. The machine
use two ink-jets one dispenses low-melt thermoplastic to make the model, while the other prints
wax to form supports. These materials are wax based with the support having a lower melting
point than the build material. This insures that during postprocessing, the support material will
melt away leaving only the part.
 According to slice information low-melt thermoplastic is printed to build parts and wax is
printed to support the part. Both build material and supporting wax material are deposited at the
same time from respective jets.
 After each layer is printed, a cutting tool mills the top surface to uniform height. The platform
lowers to accommodate printing of next layer. After the completion of the model wax which
acts as supports is melted and the part surface is cleaned.
Advantages
 Small, intricately detailed parts with exceptional accuracy can be built. its use in the jewelry
industry.
 Accuracy is partly enabled by a milling step after each layer deposition.
 Plotting system is a liquid-to-solid inkjet which dispenses both thermoplastic and wax materials.
 Smooth cosmetic surface quality can be achieved by pre-tracing the perimeter of a layer prior to
filling in the interior.
Disadvantages
 Slow build speed while fabricating parts larger than a 3- inch working cube.

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Models produced by Sanders Model Maker

STRATASYS GENISYS XS 3D PRINTER

The process was developed by IBM and is similar to Fused Deposition Modelling. Later
Stratasys developed a Concept Modeller called the Genisys 3D Printer principally for use by design
offices. The Genisys Xs 3D Printer builds models by extruding a bead of polyester compound
through a computer-controlled pump. Material is loaded in a series of cassettes. Each cassette holds
50 rectangular wafers. The polyester material in the form of wafers is loaded into a bank of
cartridges within the machine. One wafer is loaded into the deposition head, where it is melted and
deposited in thin layers through a single extrusion tip while tracing the cross section of the part being
built. Once the wafer in the head is spent, it is replaced by another automatically and the build
resumes. A stapling mechanism feeds the wafers into a pressurized heated channel that supplies the
material to a viscosity pump. To ensure accuracy, the material is extruded through a 0.3302 mm
diameter orifice at a controlled rate. Parts are built on a thermally controlled metallic substrate that
rests on a table. As each layer is extruded, it bonds to the previous layer and solidifies. The pump
head, table and gantry move in the X, Y and Z axes, respectively. The gantry is employed to
reposition the printing nozzle in the Z direction to build subsequent layers. Supports for the models
are built from the same polyester material. The system creates perforations where supports adjoin the
model, making it easy to snap them off. The Genisys models often require fewer supports than those
of other systems thanks to precise pump control.
A technique called "bridging" allows the material to be extruded across a distance without
supports. Thin perimeter walls are created, and the pump head fills in the area, creating a flat surface
between the walls. This technique reduces build time and maintains a good surface finish.
The advantages of the Genisys system include the ease of use and the network operability.
Since the preprocessing is kept to a minimum, and the systems can be networked much like printers,
the Genisys lends itself to the office modeling environment.

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Fig: Stratasys Genisys Xs 3D printer

Models produced by Genisys Xs 3D

Genisys Xs 3D printer printer

Disadvantage of the system would be its single- material capacity, which results in more difficult
support removal on complex parts.
The intended application of the Genisys system's product was mainly concept modeling and
verification. However, as with all AM devices, various users have progressed the use of Genisys
models into analysis, direct use, even low-impact wind-tunnel modeling. The material is said to be
suitable for painting, drilling, and bonding to create the necessary appearance for an application

JP SYSTEM 5
This is developed by Schroff Development Corporation. It is an inexpensive system requires
only a PC and cutting device, material used is paper sheets. The JP-5 software Silver Screen accepts
the standard .STL file, as well as Silver Screen CAD files. The build material supplied with the JP-5
is label paper which has adhesive on its underside. The JP-5 plotter has stainless steel cutting blades.
The plotter moves the paper back-and-forth in the -y direction, while the blade is controlled in the -x
direction. This result in the two axis motion used to cut the cross sections of the parts being built.
The assembly board is used to align the sheets of paper for final fabrication of the parts. It has many
threaded holes across its surface, into which the alignment pins can be placed.
Fabrication steps of JP system 5
 A software package is used to slice the model into series of cross sections.
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 These slices are the converted to HPGL plot file format and sent to a plotter.
 Plotted sheets are layered by aligning specially cut orientation hole.
 The sheets are positioned on a registration board.
 An adhesive is sprayed on the first sheet.
 Each subsequent sheet adheres to the exposed adhesive surfaces of the previous sheet.
 Sections formed by the nesting operation are cut
 The final model is assembled.

Fig: Process steps of JP System 5

CAD File Preparation
 The JP-5 starts with a CAD file, which can either, be drawn up in Silver Screen or any other
CAD package that puts out the standard .STL file format. The CAD model is converted from
the three-dimensional format into horizontal two-dimensional slices (thickness of the paper),
which will control the plotter motions. JP-5 allows the user to scale parts and also to orient
the parts in desired direction.
Plotting and Assembly
 In the plotter, all slices except the mask are only cut partially through the label paper on the
peel-away side, so that each cross section of the part can be peeled away from the backing
and adhered to the previous layer. Alignment holes preset to match the peg scheme on the
assembly board are cut completely through the paper and backing. The first sheet is placed
with the backing side down on the assembly pegboard with pins properly aligned through the
alignment holes. This sheet is taped around the edges to the assembly board with masking
tape to prevent any movement along the pegs. The now upward-facing surface of sheet one
has no adhesive for the next layer to stick to, so the mask is placed on the assembly pegboard,
using the registration pins, over the first slice, and adhesive is sprayed to the top of the first
slice to give the second slice an adherent surface to start on. The part is now ready for the
second layer. The second layer of paper is placed in the JP-5 and is cut like the first slice.
After the cut, it is placed on the first layer such that its own adhesive side is exposed. Now
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the third and all remaining slices are cut through the label side, and the sheets are placed on
the previous layer such that their adhesive side up for the next layer. The alignment pegs
allow the cross sections to be set properly and ensure part is built accurately.
Finishing a Part
 Once the JP-5 part has been completely assembled, it should be sealed to prevent moisture
from being absorbed into the paper. Moisture can cause the parts to warp, sag, or deform.
Different sealers can be used, including sanding sealers and varnishes or polyurethane sprays,
but the simplest method is to use ordinary school glue brushed on with a small paintbrush.
The glue hardens, leaving a nice glossy seal around the part, which helps the appearance as
well.
Advantages
 This process is quick, cheap and simple
 Shape and size of the part can be checked easily.
Disadvantages
 Parts are produced by paper hence life of the part is short
 Parts are not as strong as other concept models.

Models produced by JP-5 System

OBJECT QUADRA SYSTEM

The Quadra system is from Objet Geometries of Israel. The Quadra process is based on state-
of-the-art ink-jet printing technology. The printer, which uses 1536 nozzles, jets a proprietary
photopolymer. It requires no postcure or postprocessing, and it is the fastest start-to-finish process of
any concept modeler currently on the market.
Once the STL file of the CAD model is sent to Quadra system the inbuilt software allows
users to optimize building space and time and also slices the model into number of layers. The
Quadra system deposits layers of photo sensitive resin through 1536 nozzles. It also deposits second
material to support models containing complicated geometry, such as overhangs and undercuts. Each
layer of resin is fully cured by two UV lights. The process continues until the part is complete, after
which the supports are easily removed by hand and the part requires no post-processing or post-
curing.

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Fig: Object Quadra System

.
The support material separates easily from the model body without leaving any contact points
or blemishes to the model. No special staff or training is required. Furthermore, models built on the
system do not require sanding or smoothing where the supports are attached.
The Quadra prints in a resolution of 600 dpi, with a layer thickness of 20 microns, and builds parts
up to a maximum size of 11 " x 12" x 8".
Maintenance costs for Quadra are expected to be low.
This is used to produce models of mobile phone, artistic items, etc.

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