3D Printing For Dummies

Get started printing out 3D objects quickly and inexpensively!

3D printing is no longer just a figment of your imagination. This remarkable technology is coming to the masses with the growing availability of 3D printers. 3D printers create 3-dimensional layered models and they allow users to create prototypes that use multiple materials and colors. This friendly-but-straightforward guide examines each type of 3D printing technology available today and gives artists, entrepreneurs, engineers, and hobbyists insight into the amazing things 3D printing has to offer. You’ll discover methods for the creation of 3D printable objects using software, 3D scanners, and even photographs with the help of this timely For Dummies guide.

Includes information on stereolithography, selective sintering, fused deposition, and granular binding techniques
Covers the potential for the transformation of production and manufacturing, reuse and recycling, intellectual property design controls, and the commoditization of traditional products from magazines to material goods
Walks you through the process of creating a RepRap printer using open-source designs, software, and hardware
Addresses the limitations of current 3D printing technologies and provides strategies for improved success






Introduction 1

Part I: Getting Started with 3D Printing 7

Chapter 1: Seeing How 3D Printers Fit into Modern Manufacturing 9

Chapter 2: Exploring the Types of 3D Printing 23

Chapter 3: Exploring Applications of 3D Printing 41

Part II: Outlining 3D Printing Resources 61

Chapter 4: Identifying Available Materials for 3D Printing 63

Chapter 5: Identifying Sources for 3D-Printable Objects 81

Part III: Exploring the Business Side of 3D Printing 99

Chapter 6: Commoditizing 3D Printing 101

Chapter 7: Understanding 3D Printing’s Effect on Traditional Lines of Business 117

Chapter 8: Reviewing 3D Printing Research 131

Part IV: Employing Personal 3D Printing Devices 143

Chapter 9: Exploring 3D-Printed Artwork 145

Chapter 10: Considering Consumer-Level 3D Printers 157

Chapter 11: Deciding on a RepRap of Your Own 169

Part V: Creating a RepRap 3D Printer 199

Chapter 12: Assembling Structural Elements 201

Chapter 13: Understanding RepRap Control Electronics 231

Chapter 14: Assembling the RepRap Extruder and RepRap Upgrades 265

Chapter 15: Identifying Software and Calibrating Your 3D Printer 295

Part VI: The Part of Tens 331

Chapter 16: Ten Ways That Rapid Prototyping Will Disrupt Traditional Manufacturing 333

Chapter 17: Ten Examples of Direct-Digital Manufacturing and Personalization 339

Chapter 18: Ten Impossible Designs Created Using Additive Manufacturing 345



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