Tag: 3D Printing

Origination of 3D-Printing Plastics

CADDZOOM

If you have bought a 3D printer, and have printed some of the stuff, then you must know what plastic material you need to work with. Different plastic materials have different characteristics and are utilized for certain products. Hence, it is important to know what kinds of plastics are used in 3D printing.

Types of materials used in 3D printing

Naturally occurring organic plastics have been utilized by humans for thousands of years. The use of synthetic plastics was started in mid of 19th century. Gradually by the mid of 20th century, developments in chemical technologies lead to a new era of plastic materials. Plastics are widely used as 3D printing materials. Here, are some types of materials which lead to the origination of 3D printing plastic:

Photopolymers

These polymers are liquid plastic resin that changes into solid form when exposed to light. This UV-curable resin is made up of three main components: Binders, Monomers and, Photoinitiators which are mostly mixed with additives, chemical agents, colorants and plasticizers.

Thermoplastics

They are not as complex as photopolymers. These plastic polymers become moldable at a certain temperature and harden upon cooling. They can also be remelted as per the requirements. Thermoplastics are used in selective laser sintering and fused deposition modelling. 

Bioplastics

Substituting conventional plastics with bio-based plastics, made from renewable feedstocks, is an excellent way to mitigate the harmful impact of plastics on the environment. Polylactic Acid (PLA), which is a thermoplastics polymer derived from renewable sources and is the most preferred choice of plastic for 3D printing.

Upcoming 3D printing plastic

There are many organizations which are creating 3D printing plastic from renewable sources and are taking measures to keep the environment clean and protected. Many organizations are also focussed on manufacturing machinery for recycling plastic objects to make 3D printing filaments. All in all, 3D printing the future of the digital world, and it is vital to know about the raw materials used in it to ensure that it is environment-friendly.

3D Printing on Human Skin to Become Reality

CADD CENTRE

 

The Engineering researchers at the University of Minnesota have developed a revolutionary process for 3D printing electronic sensory devices that gives robots the ability to feel the environment. The innovation will acts as a significant step for printing electronics on human skin.

Uses of 3D printed Sensors

The lead researcher on the study, Michael McAlpine revealed about the uses of super sensors.

  • Introducing bionic skin on surgical robots gives them the ability to make the surgery easier and precise.
  • These sensors will make it easier for robots to walk and interact with the environment.
  • The innovation will lead to the future sensors that will be printed directly onto the human skin for monitoring their health and protecting soldiers in the field from dangerous chemicals.
  • The sensor devices are so sensitive that it can even detect the pulse of an individual.

Designing and Development of Sensors

McApline and his team created a unique sensing fabric with the help of a 3D printer that they built in the lab. The printer is inscribed with four nozzles, which can print with specialized “inks” that forms as layers of the device. All the layers used in flexible sensors can be set at room temperature. Talking about the conventional 3D printing, the researchers said that using liquid plastic is difficult as it is hot and rigid to use on the skin, however; the flexible 3D printed sensors makes the process easy by expanding up to three times the original size.

Going Beyond the Limitations of Biology

In their next experiment, researchers hope to print such “skin” on the human body. Other advancements will include improvement in laparoscopic surgery and provision of touch sensation for the victims. The people who are suffering from prosthetic limbs can gain the touch sense through the artificial skin. Surprisingly, this breakthrough can completely revolutionize mass production.

According to the lead researcher on the study, there can be the arrival of undiscovered applications because the possibilities of future are endless.

From 3D to 4D Printing: Transforming the way Micro Scale Structures are printed

CADDZOOM

Technology has grown up to a large extent in the recent past years. It showed some of the technical marvels that were never imagined before. One of them was the evolution of the 3D printing technology that made it possible to transform computer models into real world objects.

Ever since the dawn of 3D printing, it never left the sky. The technology first started printing with metal alloys and plastic materials. Growth never stopped and now a number of other materials have been used to produce 3D printed objects. Technology made it possible to use a different “inks” that made it possible even to print living cells and semiconductor batteries.

3D printing soon entered the micro scale device manufacturing. Experts, scientists and researchers from the top organizations such as University of Harvard, Cambridge, Princeton, UCLA, and Minnesota have been constantly working on this 3D printing technology and soon came up with designing micro scale devices and gadgets that were even smaller than the width of a human hair.

On the way forward, material science experts and Biologists worked together to take things on a complete new level.

1

 

  1. They developed objects that hold properties of both- life science and electronics.
  2. Materials with multivariate characteristics of materials were developed that can be potentially used as a fluid in micro-scale printing.
  3. On the same way, scientists from the University of Princeton developed a fully functional bionic ear blending biology and electronics together.

The Next Step- 4D Printing

Professor Lewis, a researcher from the Harvard University has been working on this technology in her Lewis lab from a while. She has been showing a keen interest on developing 3D printed objects that had features as small as one micrometer. The Lewis lab again gained recognition when they developed objects that actively responded to external stimuli.

Inspired by many plants that responds by the external stimuli, this 4D technology was a big breakthrough.

 

  1. The 4D-printed hydrogel composite structure changed shapes when immersed in water.
  2. Objects now started moving in the fourth dimension when we were only brainstorming around the third one.
  3. Combining both biological as well as electronic properties, researchers soon developed micro scale structures.
  4. 4D printing soon made objects change into any arbitrary shape using any suitable material.

This 4D printing technology is said to be competent enough to print dynamic micro scale structures that can significantly contribute in both industrial as well as medical domains.

Institutional Training Services from CADD Centre

CADDZOOM

With the boom in the technical industry, thousands of graduate engineers are pass out every year across the nation. Even after professionally qualified, these candidates are not directly employable as they fail to meet the needs of the industry.

Organizations today not only demands knowledge in engineering fundamentals, but also know-hows about CAD software skills, Business Etiquettes, Communication skills and other soft skills. Engineering graduates often do not meet all these requirements and therefore are not immediately employable.

The CADD Centre Training Services, the Asia’s Largest Skill Development Network have taken initiatives to empower the young engineers and help them grab their dream jobs. The centre has joined hands with a number of educational institutes across geographies to generate highly productive workforce for the industries. The centre offers highly customized programs filling the technical requirement gaps of engineering candidates offering them hi-end skills.

 

Program Highlights

  • Top-notch education and knowledge sharing by qualified and meticulously trained mentors.
  • Skill development programs enabling employability right from the first year of college.
  • On- premises programs for engineering candidates so that they do not miss the regular college classes.
  • Highly customized programs to fill the technical gaps.
  • Specially designed courseware for Institutional Training.
  • Placement World Wide Assistance (PWW) for fresh engineers to help them find right jobs.

 

Special Programs to Empower Engineers

CADD Centre offers two special programs for the engineering graduates empowering them with this extra dose of knowledge. The centre works in association with the educational institutes to train and endorse students for their future careers.

Paradigm Shift- This program is designed for all those students who have recently completed their schooling and are ready to join college. Paradigm Shift acts as a career shaping assistance for such candidates at a stage where it is difficult to make choices about which degree to choose.

Employment Skill Development program (ESDP)- This special program guides a candidate how to crack an interview to make an entry into the industry. Designed for the last year college students, this course covers areas such as interview skills, communication skills, resume writing skills, etc.

 

Other than the two courses mentioned above, other value added programs include:

  • Bringing Industry experts to talk about emerging trends & technologies to colleges.
  • Event sponsorship.
  • Faculty development programs.
  • Conduct Quiz program for engineering departments.
  • Project Assistance.
  • Assist students in creating product prototype, including 3D printing.

 

CADD Centre also provides customized programs for engineering students in the following products:

  • AutoCAD
  • CREO
  • Ansys
  • NCCAM
  • MX Road
  • NX Nastran
  • 3D Printing
  • Inventor
  • ProSteel
  • PDMS
  • Ansys Fluent
  • Ansys Civil

Universities / Colleges interested in customized programs can visit  for more details

https://www.caddcentre.com/institutional_training_program.php