Hey Buggs…. How exactly does a 3D printer work? I’ve heard reference to this before and this stupid old carpenter/ bowyer here just can’t picture this in my mind. Humor me will ya? Kirk
There are two basic common types (actually more if you consider other materials than plastics).
One uses a heated nozzle and deposits a continuous string of hot/melted material down in layers to make the part. Think of taking silicone in a caulking tube and then repeating a pattern over and over on a table top, putting one layer down on top of the other to build up thickness.
The other uses a liquid resign that cures by exposure to UV light. The part is made in a tub of the resin by exposing the resin to UV light in the pattern for that layer.
Both methods build the part in layers, they just make each layer in a different way. There is a lot of technique and knowledge required for the solid modeling needed to design the part and how it is best oriented in the printer to achieve the best strength and surface finish for the end purpose.
Mark