3-D PRINTING OF LEAF SPRING

A mini project report submitted to

Jawaharlal Nehru Technological University
In partial fulfillment of the requirement for the award of degree of

BACHELOR OF TECHNOLOGY
IN
MECHANICAL ENGINEERING

Submitted by
CH. PAVAN KUMAR 16831A0331
D. VIKAS REDDY 16831A0335
G. VENU MADHAV 16831A0352
A.MUKHUL VAMSHI 17835A0304

Under the guidance of

B.SUSHMA
Assistant Professor

DEPARTMENT OF MECHANICAL ENGINEERING

GURU NANAK INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY
(Affiliated to Jawaharlal Nehru Technological University)
Ibrahimpatnam, Ranga Reddy District – 501506
Telangana, India
2016-2020
 CERTIFICATE

This is to certify that the mini-project entitled, “3-D PRINTNG OF LEAF SPRING” is
being submitted by CH. PAVAN KUMAR, D. VIKAS REDDY, G. VENU
MADHAV, A. MUKHUL VAMSHI bearing the Roll No. 16831A0331, 16831A0335,
16831A0352, 17835A0304 respectively in partial fulfillment for the award of the Degree
of Bachelor of Technology in Mechanical Engineering to the Jawaharlal Nehru
Technological University, Hyderabad is a record of bonafide work carried out by them
under my guidance and supervision.
The results embodied in this mini-project report have not been submitted to any other
University or Institute for the award of any Degree or Diploma.

Internal Guide Head of the Department

B. SUSHMA Dr. B. VIJAYA KUMAR

External Examiner
 DECLARATION
We hereby declare that the mini-project entitled “3-D PRINTING OF A LEAF
SPRING” is the work done by, CH. PAVAN KUMAR, D.VIKAS REDDY, G.
VENUMADHAV, A. MUKHUL VAMSHI bearing the Roll No. 16831A0331,
16831A0335, 16831A0352, 17835A0304 towards the fulfillment of the requirement for
the award of the Degree of Bachelor of Technology in Mechanical Engineering to
Jawaharlal Nehru Technological University, Hyderabad, is the result of the work
carried out under the guidance B.Sushma, Assistant professor, Guru Nanak Institute of
Technology, Hyderabad.
We further declare that this project report has not been previously submitted before either
in part or full for the award of any degree by any organization or any universities.

CH. PAVAN KUMAR 16831A0331

D. VIKAS REDDY 16831A0335
G. VENU MADHAV 16831A0352
A.MUKHUL VAMSHI 17835A0304
 ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

The Mini-project entitled “3-D PRINTING OF LEAF SPRING” is the sum of the total
efforts of our batch. It is our duty to bring forward each and every one who is directly or
indirectly in relation with our project and without it would not have gained a structure.
We extend our deep sense of gratitude to Dr. S. Sreenatha Reddy, Principal and the
Management of Guru Nanak Institute of Technology for providing us the best amenities
to enable us completes my project in the stipulated time.
We owe our immense thanks to Dr. B. Vijay Kumar, Professor & Head of Department
of Mechanical Engineering, Guru Nanak Institute of Technology for his sustained
interest, constructive criticism and constant encouragement at every stage of this
Endeavour.
We also extend our sincere thanks to B. Sushma, Assistant Professor of Mechanical
Engineeringforhisvaluableguidanceandunstintingsupportwhichgaveustheconfidence
required to overcome the obstacles that we faced in the completion of this project.
Last but not least we are thankful to our parents, friends and other faculty of the
Department of Mechanical Engineering for their constant support for completion of this
project.

CH. PAVAN KUMAR 16831A0331

D. VIKAS REDDY 16831A0335

G. VENU MADHAV 16831A0352

A.MUKHUL VAMSHI 17835A0304

 ABSTRACT

Additive manufacturing, often referred to as 3D printing, has the potential to vastly

accelerate innovation, compress supply chains, minimize materials and energy usage, and
reduce waste

.Originally developed at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 1993. 3D printing

technology forms the basis of Corporation’s prototyping process.3DP technology creates
3D physical prototypes by solidifying layers of deposited powder using a liquid binder.
By definition 3DP is an extremely versatile and rapid process accommodating geometry
of varying complexity in hundreds of different applications, and supporting many types of
materials. Z Corp. pioneered the commercial use of 3DP technology, developing 3D
printers that leading manufacturers use to produce early concept models and product
prototypes.

Utilizing 3DP technology, Z Corp. has developed 3D printers that operate at

unprecedented speeds, extremely low costs, and within a broad range of applications. This
paper describes the core technology and its related applications. Additive manufacturing,
often referred to as 3Dprinting, is a new way of making products and components from a
digital model. Like an office printer that puts 2D digital files on a piece of paper, a 3D
printer creates components by depositing thin layers of material one after another, only
where required, using a digital blueprint until the exact component has been created.
Interest in additive techniques is growing swiftly as applications have progressed from
rapid prototyping to the production of end-use products. Additive equipment can now use
metals, polymers, composites, or other powders to “print” a range of functional
components, layer by layer, including complex structures that cannot be manufactured by
other means

.By eliminating production steps and using substantially less material, ‘additive’
processes could be able to reduce waste and save more than 50% of energy compared to
today’s ‘subtractive’ manufacturing processes, and reduce material costs by up to 90%.
The use of additive manufacturing can potentially benefit a wide range of industries
including defense, aerospace, automotive, biomedical, consumer products, and metals
manufacturing.
 CONTENTS

CONTENTS Page no

List of Figures vii

1. INTRODUCTION 1

1.1 3D-Printer 2

1.2 Architecture 3

2. ADDITIVE MANUFACTURING 5

2.1 Extrusion Deposition 7

2.2 Granular Material Binding 8

2.3 Photopolymerization 9

2.4 Lamination 10

3. LITERATURE 12

4. PROCEDURE FOR PRINTING 17

4.1 Designing Using CAD 18

4.2 Conversion to STL File Format 23

4.3 Choosing Filaments for 3D-Printing 26

4.4 Printing 3D model 30

5. APPLICATIONS 33

6. ADVANTAGES AND DISADVANTAGES 34

7. CONCLUSION 35

8. FUTURE SCOPE 36

8.1 Rocket Engine 37

8.2 3D Bio-Printing 38

8.3 3D Printing in Space 39

REFERENCES
 LIST OF FIGURES
Fig no. Title pages

1 Block diagram 3

2 Architecture 3

3 Additive manufacturing 6

4 Extrusion deposition 7

5 Granular deposition 8

6 Photo polymerization 9

7 Laminated object manufacturing 10

8 Procedures for 3-D printing 17

9 Catia (sketch 1) 19

10 Catia (extrude command 1) 19

11 Catia (sketch 2) 20

12 Catia (extrude command 2) 20

13 Catia (sketch 3) 20

14 Catia (sketch 4) 21

15 Catia (sketch 5) 21

16 Catia (sketch 6) 21

17 Catia (material selection) 22

18 LEAF SPRING 3-D model 22

19 Catia (file menu) 24

20 Catia (save as) 24

21 Saving part file 25

22 Selecting STL format 25

23 Saving. STL file 25

24 PLA filaments 26

25 ABS filament product 26

26 PETG printed product 27

27 Nylon printed product 27

28 Flexible filament product 28

29 Iron man suit by polycarbonate 28

30 Comparison of filaments Scaling LEAF SPRING in cura 29

31 Loading LEAF SPRING in cura 30

32 Scaling LEAF SPRING in cura 30

33 3-D printer 31

34 printing LEAF SPRING 32

35 3-D printed rocket engine 37

36 Bio-printing (heart) 38

37 Bio-printing (human foot) 38

38 3-D printer in space 39

 1. INTRODUCTION

3D printing or Additive manufacturing [1] is any of various processes for making a three-
dimensional object of almost any shape from a 3D model or other electronic data source
primarily through additive processes in which successive layers of material are laid down
under computer control. A 3D printer is a type of industrial robot.

Early AM equipment and materials were developed in the 1980s. In 1984, Chuck Hull of
3D Systems Corp, invented a process known as stereolithography employing UV lasers
to cure photopolymers. Hull also developed the STL file format widely accepted by 3D
printing software, as well as the digital slicing and infill strategies common to many
processes today. Also, during the 1980s, the metal sintering forms of AM were being
developed (such as selective laser sintering and direct metal laser sintering), although they
werenotyetcalled3DprintingorAMatthetime.In1990,theplasticextrusiontechnology
mostwidelyassociatedwiththeterm“3Dprinting”wascommercializedbyStratasysunder the
name fused deposition modelling (FDM)[2]. In 1995, Z Corporation commercialized an
MIT-developed additive process under the trademark 3D printing (3DP), referring at that
time to a proprietary process inkjet deposition of liquid binder onpowder.

AM technologies found applications starting in the 1980s in product development, data

visualization, rapid prototyping[3], and specialized manufacturing. Their expansion into
production (job production, mass production, and distributed manufacturing) has been
under development in the decades since. Industrial production roles within the
metalworking industries achieved significant scale for the first time in the early 2010s.
Since the start of the 21st century there has been a large growth in the sales of AM
machines, and their price has dropped substantially. According to Wohlers Associates, a
consultancy, the market for 3D printers and services was worth $2.2 billion worldwide in
2012, up 29% from 2011. Applications are many, including architecture, construction
(AEC), industrial design, automotive, aerospace, military, engineering, dental andmedical
industries, biotech (human tissue replacement), fashion, footwear, jewellery, eyewear,
education, geographic information systems, food, and many otherfields.

1
1.1 3D-PRINTER

3D-PrinterisamachinereminiscentoftheStarTrekReplicator[4],somethingmagicalthat can
create objects out of thin air. It can “print” in plastic, metal, nylon, and over ahundred
other materials. It can be used for making nonsensical little models like the over-printed
Yoda, yet it can also print manufacturing prototypes, end user products, quasi-legal guns,
aircraft engine parts and even human organs using a person’s owncells.

We live in an age that is witness to what many are calling the Third Industrial
Revolution[5]. 3D printing, more professionally called additive manufacturing, moves us
away from the Henry Ford era mass production line, and will bring us to a new reality of
customizable, one-off production.

3D printers use a variety of very different types of additive manufacturing technologies,

but they all share one core thing in common: they create a three-dimensional object by
building it layer by successive layer, until the entire object is complete. It’s much like
printingintwodimensionsonasheetofpaper,butwithanaddedthirddimension:UP.The Z-axis.

Each of these printed layers is a thinly-sliced, horizontal cross-section of the eventual

object. Imagine a multi-layer cake, with the baker laying down each layer one at a time
untiltheentirecakeisformed.3Dprintingissomewhatsimilar,butjustabitmoreprecise than
3Dbaking.

In the 2D world, a sheet of printed paper output from a printer was “designed” on the
computer in a program such as Microsoft Word. The file - the Word document which
contains the instructions that tell the printer what to do.

In the 3D world, a 3D printer also needs to have instructions for what to print. It needs a
file as well. The file, a Computer Aided Design (CAD) file is created with the use of a 3D
modelling program, either from scratch or beginning with a 3D model created by a 3D
scanner.Eitherway,theprogramcreatesafilethatissenttothe3Dprinter.Alongtheway, software
slices the design into hundreds, or more likely thousands, of horizontal layers. These
layers will be printed one atop the other until the 3D object isdone.

2
1.2 ARCHITECTURE

Fig. 1 Block Diagram

Fig. 2 Architechture

Thepictureshowsthestructureofatypical3Dprinter.Theprinttableistheplatformwhere the
objects for printing has been situated. It provides the basic support for manufacturing
objects layer bylayer.

3
The extruder is the most important part of a 3D-Printer. As the extruders in the normal
paperprinters,thisextruderisalsousedtopourinkforprinting.Themovementofextruder in
various dimensions create the 3D print. For printing a 3d object, the extruder has to access
X, Y and Z coordinates. For achieving this, many techniques are used according to the
printer specification required for variousapplications.

If the 3D-Printer is a desktop printer, the Z axis movement of the extruder can be avoided
and that function can be transferred to the print table. This will avoid complexity in 3D
printing as well as time consumption.

WhentheSTLfileisinputtotheprinter,themicrocontrollerextractseachlayerfromitand also
extracts each line segment from each layer. Then it gives controls to the movementof the
extruder at required rate. The X-direction movement of extruder is made possible by the
X-motor. When the X motor rotates, the shaft also rotates and the extruder moves in X
direction. The Y-direction movement of extruder is made possible by the Y-motor. When
the Y motor rotates, the shaft also rotates and the extruder moves in Y direction. The X
direction movement is made by the printtable.

In the case of desktop printers, the printing ink is usually plastic wire that has been melted
by the extruder at the time of printing. While printing, the plastic wire will melt and when
it falls down to the printing table.

Considerprintinglargerobjectslikehouseusing3Dprinter.TherewillnotbeanyXmotor or Y
motor in that case. An extruder which can pour concrete mix is fixed on the tip of a crane.
The crane is programmed for the movement of extruder in X, Y and Z axis. The concept
and structure of 3d printer changes according to the type, size, accuracy and material of
the object that has to beprinted.

Generalizing the facts, the extruder needs to access all the 3 coordinates in space to print
and object. The method used for that doesn’t matters much.

4
 2. ADDITIVEMANUFACTURING

Additive manufacturing is a truly disruptive technology exploding on the manufacturing

scene as leading companies are transitioning from “analogue” to “digital”
manufacturing[6]. Additive manufacturing uses three-dimensional printing to transform
engineering design files into fully functional and durable objects created from sand, metal
and glass. The technology creates products layer by layer – after a layer’s particles are
bound by heat or chemicals the next layer is added and the binding process is repeated. It
enables geometries not previously possible to be manufactured. Full-form parts are made
directly from computer-aided design (CAD) data for a variety of industrial, commercial
and art applications.

Manufacturers across several industries are using this digital manufacturing process to
produce a range of products, including: engine components for automotive applications,
impellers and blades for aerospace use, pattern less sand moulds for pumps used in the oil
and energy industry, and medical prosthetics which require easily adaptable design
modifications.

This advanced manufacturing process starts with a CAD file that conveys information
about how the finished product is supposed to look. The CAD file is then sent to a
specialized printer where the product is created by the repeated laying of finely powdered
material (including sand, metal and glass) and binder to gradually build the finished
product. Since it works in a similar fashion to an office printer laying ink on paper, this
process is often referred to as 3D printing. The 3D printers can create a vast range of
products,includingpartsforuseinairplanesandautomobiles,toreplacingagingorbroken
industrial equipment, or for precise components for medicalneeds.

Therearetremendouscostadvantagestousingadditivemanufacturing.Thereislittletono
wastecreatingobjectsthroughadditivemanufacturing,astheyarepreciselybuiltbyadding
material layer by layer. In traditional manufacturing, objects are created in a subtractive
manner as metals are trimmed and shaped to fit together properly. This process creates
substantialwastethatcanbeharmfultotheenvironment.Additivemanufacturingisavery energy
efficient and environmentally friendly manufacturingoption.

5
Additive manufacturing swiftly creates product prototypes – an increasingly critical
function that significantly reduces the traditional trial-and-error process – so newproducts
can enter the market more quickly. Likewise, it can promptly create unique or specialized
metalproductsthatcanreplacewornorbrokenindustrialparts.Thatmeanscompaniescan
avoidcostlyshutdownsanddrasticallycompressthetimeittakestomachineareplacement
part.Withadditivemanufacturing,onceaCADdrawingiscreatedthereplacementpartcan be
printed. Storage of bulky patterns and tooling is virtuallyeliminated.

Major global companies, including Ford, Sikorsky and Caterpillar, have recognized that
additive manufacturing can significantly reduce costs while offering design freedoms not
previously possible. They have begun to implement the technology into their
manufacturing processes. Additive manufacturing has robust market capabilities ranging
from aerospace to automotive to energy, and it is not uncommon to find 3D printers inuse
atmetal-workingfactoriesandinfoundriesalongsidemillingmachines,pressesandplastic
injection mouldingequipment.

Companies that use additive manufacturing reduce costs, lower the risk of trial and error,
and create opportunities for design innovation. A serious limitation of subtractive
manufacturing[7] is that part designs are often severely comprised to accommodate the
constraints of the subtractive process. Additive manufacturing enables both the designand
the materialization of objects by eliminating traditional manufacturingconstraints.

Fig. 3 Additive Manufacturing

6
A large number of additive processes are now available. They differ in the way layers are
depositedtocreatepartsandinthematerialsthatcanbeused.Somemethodsmeltorsoften
material to produce the layers, e.g. selective laser melting (SLM) or direct metal laser
sintering (DMLS), selective laser sintering (SLS), fused deposition modelling (FDM),
while others cure liquid materials using different sophisticated technologies, e.g.
stereolithography (SLA). With laminated object manufacturing (LOM), thin layers are cut
to shape and joined together (e.g. paper, polymer and metal). Each method has its own
advantages and drawbacks, and some companies consequently offer a choice between
powder and polymer for the material from which the object is built. Some companies use
standard,off-the-shelfbusinesspaperasthebuildmaterialtoproduceadurableprototype.

2.1 Extrusiondeposition:

Fig. 4 Extrusion Deposition

In extrusion deposition, Fused Deposition technique is used. Fused Deposition Modelling

(FDM)[8]wasdevelopedbyStratasysinEdenPrairie,Minnesota.Inthisprocess,aplastic
orwaxmaterialisextrudedthroughanozzlethattracesthepart'scross-sectionalgeometry layer
by layer. The build material is usually supplied in filament form, but some setups utilize
plastic pellets fed from a hopper instead. The nozzle contains resistive heaters that keep
the plastic at a temperature just above its melting point so that it flows easilythrough
thenozzleandformsthelayer.Theplastichardensimmediatelyafterflowingfromthe

7
nozzle and bonds to the layer below. Once a layer is built, the platform lowers, and the
extrusion nozzle deposits another layer. The layer thickness and vertical dimensional
accuracy is determined by the extruder die diameter, which ranges from 0.013 to 0.005
inches. In the X-Y plane, 0.001-inch resolution is achievable. A range of materials are
available including ABS, polyamide, polycarbonate, polyethylene, polypropylene, and
investment casting wax.

2.2 Granular Material Binding:

Fig. 5 Granular Deposition

Another 3D printing approach is the selective fusing of materials in a granular bed. The
technique fuses parts of the layer, and then moves the working area downwards, adding
anotherlayerofgranulesandrepeatingtheprocessuntilthepiecehasbuiltup.Thisprocess uses
the unfused media to support overhangs and thin walls in the part being produced, which
reduces the need for temporary auxiliary supports for the piece. A laser is typically
usedtosinterthemediaintoasolid.Examplesincludeselectivelasersintering(SLS),with
bothmetalsandpolymers(e.g.PA,PA-GF,RigidGF,PEEK,PS,Alumide,Carbonamide,
elastomers), and direct metal laser sintering (DMLS)[9]. Selective Laser Melting (SLM)
does not use sintering for the fusion of powder granules but will completely melt the
powder using a high-energy laser to create fully dense materials in a layer wise method
with similar mechanical properties to conventional manufactured metals. Electron (EBM)
isasimilartypeofadditivemanufacturingtechnologyformetalparts(e.g.titaniumalloys). EBM
manufactures parts by melting metal powder layer by layer with an electron beamin

8
a high vacuum. Unlike metal sintering techniques that operate below melting point, EBM
parts are fully dense, void-free, and very strong. Another method consists of an inkjet 3D
printing system. The printer creates the model one layer at a time by spreading a layer of
powder (plaster, or resins) and printing a binder in the cross-section of the part using an
inkjet-like process. The strength of bonded powder prints can be enhanced with wax or
thermoset polymer impregnation.

2.3 Photopolymerization:

Fig. 6 Photopolymerization

Stereolithography was patented in 1986 by Chuck Hull. Photopolymerization[10] is

primarily
used in stereolithography (SLA)[11] to produce a solid part from a liquid. This process
dramatically redefined previous efforts, from the "photo sculpture" method of François
Willene (1830–1905) in 1860 (which consisted of photographing a subject from a variety
ofangles(butallatthesamedistancefromthesubject)andthenprojectingeachphotograph onto a
screen, whence a pantograph was used to trace the outline onto modelling clay) through
the photopolymerization of Mitsubishi's Matsubara in1974.

In photopolymerization, a vat of liquid polymer is exposed to control lighting under

safelightconditions.Theexposedliquidpolymerhardens.Thebuildplatethenmovesdown in
small increments and the liquid polymer is again exposed to light. The process repeats
untilthemodelhasbeenbuilt.Theliquidpolymeristhendrainedfromthe vat,leavingthe

9
solid model. The Envision TEC Perfactory is an example of a DLP rapid prototyping
system.

Inkjet printer systems like the Object PolyJet system spray photopolymer materials onto a
build tray in ultra- thin layers (between 16 and 30 μm) until the part is completed. Each
photopolymer layer is cured with UV light after it is jetted, producing fully cured models
that can be handled and used immediately, without post-curing. The gel-like support
material, which is designed to support complicated geometries, is removed by hand and
water jetting. It is also suitable for elastomers.

Ultra-small features can be made with the 3D micro fabrication technique used in
multiphotonphotopolymerization.Thisapproachtracesthedesired3Dobjectinablockof gel
using a focused laser. Due to the nonlinear nature of photo excitation, the gel is cured to a
solid only in the places where the laser was focused and the remaining gel is then washed
away. Feature sizes of under 100 nm are easily produced, as well as complex structures
with moving and interlockedparts.

2.4 Lamination:

Fig. 7 Laminated object Manufacturing

Laminated Object Manufacturing[12] works by layering sheets of material on top of one-

another, binding them together using glue. The printer then slices an outline of the object
intothatcrosssectiontoberemovedfromthesurroundingexcessmateriallater.Repeating
10
this process builds up the object one layer at a time. Objects printed using LOM are
accurate,strong,anddurableandgenerallyshownodistortionovertimewhichmakesthem
suitable for all stages of the design cycle. They can even be additionally modified by
machining or drilling after printing. Typical layer resolution for this process is defined by
the material feedstock and usually ranges in thickness from one to a few sheets of copy
paper.Mcor’sversionofthetechnologymakes LOMoneofthefew3Dprintingprocesses that
can produce prints in fullcolour.

Low cost due to readily available raw material

Paper models have wood like characteristics, and may be worked and finished
accordingly
Dimensional accuracy is slightly less than that of stereolithography and selective laser
sintering but no milling step is necessary.

11
 3. LITERATURE REVIEW

Literature Review of 3-D Printing:

Brogan Rylands and et.al in his paper “3D Printing - To print or not to print? Aspects to
consider before adoption - A supply chain perspective” has concluded that There is much
complexityaround3Dprinting,whichbringsabouttheneedtoessentiallyreengineervalue
streams. It is a collaborative attempt across the whole organisation and there are many
aspects to be considered, stemming not only from a business and technical perspective but
also social and environmental aspects that requireconsideration.
This paper provided an overview of what 3D printing is, examples of industries that it is
currently deployed in, how it can influence supply chains and aspects for consideration
before adoption. It highlighted the need for increased awareness and collaboration in the
area and future challenges and opportunities.
However,howdoesacompanyprepareforsuchachange?Howdoesiteducateitself?How can
the fire for 3D printing be sparked in industry? When is the right time to adopt 3D
printing? What additional aspects are managers currently considering when facing the 3D
adoption challenge? Are all aspects of equally important or can even some aspects be
disregarded? How has 3D printing impacted on manufacturing and the wider supply chain
today? How will 3D printing impact manufacturing and the wider supply chain in future?
How well is Australia positioned when compared to their international counterparts in
regards to 3D printing? How does 3D supply chain costing compare with traditional
manufacturing supply chain costing? How mature does your supply chain need to be in
order to deploy 3D technology meaningfully and harvest itsbenefits?
It is expected that this research will contribute to academia/ theory and practice. A
conceptual model or framework incorporating major aspects to be considered for
businesses before pursuing 3D printing has been developed that will need to be verified
through case study/ field research in industry. It is further expected that businesses will
benefitfromthemodelthroughinformedandimproveddecisionmakingpriortodeploying such
cutting edge technology on their productionline.[13]

Alexandru Pirjan Dana-Mihaela Petroşanu in his journal “The impact of 3D Printing

technology on the society and economy” concluded in this paper, we have presented and
analysed the impact of 3D printing technology on the society and economy. After
presenting,intheintroduction,abriefhistoryof3Dprinting,inthesecondsectionwehave

12
depicted the additive technology and the materials used in rapid prototyping. In the third
section, we have highlighted the main advantages and limitations of the 3D printing
technology, while in the fourth section we have made a survey of the most significant
existing 3D printing solutions. We have compared these 3D printing solutions, taking into
account their technical specifications and prices. One can conclude that the 3-D printing
technology’s importance and social impact increase gradually day after day and
significantly influence the human’s life, the economy and modern society.[14]

Vinod G. Gokhare and et.al in his paper titled “A Review paper on 3D-Printing Aspects
and Various Processes Used in the 3D-Printing” conclude that Introduction part is about
the brief history of 3D printing, in the next section we have depicted the 3D-printing and
theprocessesusedin3D-printingandthepropertiesofthe3Dprintermaterials.Inthethird
section, we have highlighted the main advantages and limitations of the 3D printing
technology. One can conclude that the 3-D printing technology's importance and social
impact increase gradually day by day and influence the human's life, the economy, and
modern society. 3D Printing technology could revolutionize the world. Advances in 3D
printing technology can significantly change and improve the way we manufacture
products and produce goods worldwide. An object is scanned or designed with Computer
Aided Design software, then sliced up into thin layers, which can then be printed out to
form a solid threedimensional product. As shown, 3D printing can have an application in
almost all of the categories of human needs as described by Maslow. While it may not fill
an empty unloved heart, it will provide companies and individuals fast and easy
manufacturing in any size or scale limited only by their imagination. 3D printing, on the
other hand, can enable fast, reliable, and repeatable means of producing tailor-made
products which can still be made inexpensively due to automation of processes and
distribution of manufacturingneeds.[15]

ThabisoPeterMpofuandet.alfromhisjournalpapertitled“TheImpactandApplication of 3D
Printing Technology” concluded that The 3D printing industry is set on a growth
trajectory as evidenced by the growth forecasts. The applications of 3D printing are
increasingasmoreandmoreresearchiscarriedout.3Dprintingwillchangethewaypeople
acquire products as evidenced by the Amazon proposed model. The field is definitely a
game changer with lots of prospects to look outfor.[16]

13
Baljinder Singh Shahi in his paper titled “Advanced Manufacturing Techniques(3D
Printing)” concluded that Additive manufacturing, starting with today's infancy period,
requires manufacturing firms to be flexible, ever-improving users of all available
technologies to remain competitive. Advocates of additive manufacturing also predict that
thisarcoftechnologicaldevelopmentwillcounterglobalization,asenduserswilldomuch of
their own manufacturing rather than engage in trade to buy products from other people
and corporations. The real integration of the new additive technologies into commercial
production, however, is more a matter of complementing traditional subtractive methods
rather than displacing thementirely.[17]

Literature Review of LEAF SPRINGs:

K.Srinivasa Rao and et.al in his paper “Design and Analysis of LEAF
SPRINGs”concluded that from the analysis we came to know that all three designs are
safe and are within the standard limits. Among the three designs simple rim design is
more promising than centrifugal rim followed by pentagonal rim. Among the three-
materials steel alloy is the best material followed by aluminium and magnesium.
Magnesium occupies last position as it has more deformation for the same loading
condition. From this result we can then why magnesium alloy material is only used for
pretty shorter period restricted to racing
carsonly.Fromthefatigueanalysisaluminiumalloyhasgotmorelifethanthatofthesteel alloy.
Even though the safety factor is almost equal for both the materials aluminium is
subjected to less damage compared to steel (for same loading conditions). From the above
results we define a new material (Al-Mg alloy) which is more promising than othertwo
i.e. these has got less deformations like Aluminium and more life like Magnesium. Under
the influence of radial load, the rim tends to vocalize about the point of contact with
maximumdisplacementoccurringatthelocationofbeadseat.Theinsidebeadseatreveals
thegreatestdeflectionandisconcurrentlypronetolossofairpressureduetodislodgement of the
tyre on the rim. Actually, failure of LEAF SPRING occurs mostly at the areas where there
is max stress values occurs (predicted by analysis software). More deformed areas arealso
in agreement with theoreticalvalues.[18]

M. Suguna in her paper titled “Comparative Analysis of Automotive Wheel Rim by

using different materials” concluded that the modelling is done by using CATIA and the
file into ANSYS for software analysis.The results are tabulated by comparing in theabove
table. Hereby we came to know that Mg alloy having less stress compared other two
14
materials. The wheel design with Mg alloy material is optimised in order to with stand the
existing load of the vehicle with factor of safety with least quantity of manufacturing cost
and losses. IN this the life expectancy will increase and we are having the flexibility and
efficiencytoresisttheimpactforces.Whenweightoftherimreducedtheoverallefficiency will
be increased.[19]
.
Nandigam Dayakara Rao and B. Kishore Kumar from his journal titled “Design and
Analysis of LEAF SPRING” concluded that Brief study about LEAF SPRING its
construction, type, materials is done in this project. By using 3d modelling software
CATIA V5 LEAF SPRING is modeled. Catia Model of alloy wheel is saved as IGES
(neutral) file and transferred to ANSYS workbench 14.5 software. Static structural
analysis is performed of alloy wheel by applying the pressure load of 1.5 MPA. Static
structural analysis is performed on five different materials on same boundary condition.
Analysis result is noted and tabulated. According to result table magnesium alloy showing
least stress value compare to other four materials. Meanwhile magnesium alloy is also
least dense material, i.e. its weight ratio is lowest than other four materials. So we can
conclude that magnesium alloy is best material for LEAF SPRING compare to other four
materials, because of its least weight and least stress value on load conditions. Design and
analysis on LEAF SPRING is done.[20]

Jitendra Shinde and et.al in his paper titled” Review Paper on Design and Analysis of
Automotive Wheel Rim Using Finite Element Analysis” concluded that it is necessary to
carry out experimental and finite element analysis of wheel rim to avoid the failure of the
rim by improving the geometry and material optimization with the help of design of
experiment. Results are to be validate by radial load test on wheel rim to check its fatigue
life.[21]

Rahul K. Jape and S. G. Jadhav in their paper entitled “CAD Modeling and FEA
Analysis of Wheel Rim for Weight Reduction” concluded that load acting on the LEAF
SPRING rim is calculated as per Japanese industrial standard given by the company. The
modelling is done as per drawings given by the company and made changes to reduce the
weight. Finite element analysis is performed on both wheel rim i.e. base wheel rim and
optimized wheel rim the stresses and fatigue life of the wheel is calculated which is
satisfying company criteria. The weight of the wheel is reduced from 7.7 Kg to 7.5 Kg by
using this finite element analysis approach of weight optimization. On trying on these two
cases with varying dimensions, one model is finally reached at with a total of 3%(200gm)
15
mass reduction without compromising its performance. The wheel International Journal
of Engineering Science and Computing, June 2016 7411 http://ijesc.org/ on subjection to
Cornering Fatigue Test and radial fatigue test is observed to pass through all the
requirements. There is a mass reduction of 200gm per wheel is achieved which mounts to
1kg per car considering the spare wheel. This mass reduction results in two benefits.
Decrease in total weight of the car and decrease in cost of production. Optimization
techniques help largely in reducing the mass of solid components which results in overall
body weight reduction and thus lesser cost. Lesser weight in turn gives better performance
and better fuel efficiency. These result in many indirect benefits to mankind which
includes conservation of natural resources to some extent, reduction in air pollution
etc.[22]

16
 4. PROCEDURE FORPRINTING

Fig. 8 Procedures for 3-D printing

Therearesomeproceduresforprinting.Firstyoumustcreateacomputermodelforprinting
theobject.Forcreatingthat,youcanuseComputerAidedDesignSoftwarelikeAutoCAD, 3DS
Max etc. After the object file is created, the file needs to be modified. The object file
containsnumerousamountsofcurves.Curvescannotbeprintedbytheprinterdirectly.The
curves have to be converted to STL (Stereo lithography) file format. The STL file format
conversionremovesallthecurvesanditisreplacedwithlinearshapes.Thenthefileneeds to be
sliced into layer by layer. The layer thickness is so chosen to meet the resolution of the
3D printer we are using. If you are unable to draw objects in CAD software, there are
manywebsitesavailablewhicharehostedbythe3Dprintingcompaniestoeasethecreation of 3D
object. The sliced file is processed and generates the special coordinates. These
coordinates can be processed by a controller to generate required signal to the motor for
driving extruder. This layer by layer process generate a completeobject.

17
4.1 Designing Using CAD:
Computer-aided design (CAD) is the use of computer systems to assist in the creation,
modification, analysis, or optimization of a design. CAD software is used to increase the
productivity of the designer, improve the quality of design, improve communications
through documentation, and tocreateadatabaseformanufacturing.CADoutputisoftenin the
form of electronic files for print, machining, or other manufacturingoperations.

CADsoftwareformechanicaldesignuseseithervector-basedgraphicstodepicttheobjects
oftraditionaldrafting,ormayalsoproducerastergraphicsshowingtheoverallappearance of
designed objects. However, it involves more than just shapes. As in the manualdrafting of
technical and engineering drawings, the output of CAD must convey information, such as
materials, processes, dimensions, and tolerances, according to application- specific
conventions.

CAD may be used to design curves and figures in two-dimensional (2D) space; or curves,
surfaces, and solids in three-dimensional (3D) space. CAD is an important industrial art
extensively used in many applications, including automotive, shipbuilding, and aerospace
industries, industrial and architectural design, prosthetics, and many more. CAD is also
widely used to produce computer animation for special effects in movies, advertising and
technical manuals, often called DCC digital content creation. The modern ubiquity and
powerofcomputersmeansthatevenperfumebottlesandshampoodispensersaredesigned using
techniques unheard of byengineers of the 1960s. Because of its enormous economic
importance, CAD has been a major driving force for research in computational geometry,
computer graphics (both hardware and software), and discrete differentialgeometry.

The design of geometric models for object shapes, in particular, is occasionally called
computer-aided geometric design (CAGD). Unexpected capabilities of these associative
relationships have led to a new form of prototyping called digital prototyping. In contrast
to physical prototypes, which entail manufacturing time in the design. That said, CAD
modelscanbegeneratedbyacomputerafterthephysicalprototypehasbeenscannedusing an
industrial CT scanning machine. Depending on the nature of the business, digital or
physical prototypes can be initially chosen according to specificneeds.

18
Today, CAD systems exist for all the major platforms (Windows, Linux, UNIX and Mac
OS X); some packages even support multiple platforms which enhances the capabilitiesof
3D printing into a newlevel.

The LEAF SPRING that is to be printed in this project is designed in one of the popular
CAD software, CATIA.
The LEAF SPRING is designed in Catia in the following way:

In Catia, part modelling is to be selected first. Then, by selecting one of the three
planes, the following 2-d sketch is drawn using appropriatemeasurements.

Fig. 9 Catia (sketch 1)

 Extrude the 2d figure for 12.5mm 

Fig. 10 Catia (extrude command 1)

.

19
 Using sketcher,draw the second leaf with respect to the first one

Fig. 11 Catia (sketch 2)

Using extrude command, extrude the second leaf upto the first one 

Fig. 12 Catia (extrude command 2)

Fig. 13 Catia (sketch 3)

20
 

Fig. 14 Catia (sketch 4)

Fig. 15 Catia(sketch 5)

Fig. 16 Catia (sketch 6)

21
 Fig. 17 Catia material selection

The LEAF SPRING that is to be 3-d printed is designed and saved in the computer and it
has to be modified further to print it in a 3-d printer

Fig. 18 LEAF SPRING 3-D model

22
4.2 Conversion to STL FileFormat:

An STL file is a triangular representation of a 3D surface geometry. The surface is

tessellated logically into a set of oriented triangles (facets). Each facet is described by the
unit outward normal and three points listed in counter clockwise order representing the
vertices of the triangle. While the aspect ratio and orientation of individual facets is
governed by the surface curvature, the size of the facets is driven by the tolerance
controlling the quality of the surface representation in terms of the distance of the facets
fromthesurface.Thechoiceofthetoleranceisstronglydependentonthetargetapplication of the
produced STL file. In industrial processing, where stereolithography machines perform a
computer-controlled layer by layer laser curing of a photo-sensitive resin, the tolerance
may be in order of 0.1 mm to make the produced 3D part precise with highly worked out
details. However much larger values are typically used in pre-production STL prototypes,
for example for visualizationpurposes.

The native STL format has to fulfil the following specifications:

(i) The normal and each vertex of every facet are specified by three coordinates
each, so there is a total of 12 numbers stored for eachfacet.
(ii) Each facet is part of the boundary between the interior and the exterior of the
object.Theorientationofthefacets(whichwayis``out’’andwhichwayis
``in’’) is specified redundantly in two ways which must be consistent. First,the
direction of the normal is outward. Second, the vertices are listed in counter
clockwise order when looking at the object from the outside (right-handrule).
(iii) Eachtrianglemustsharetwoverticeswitheachofitsadjacenttriangles.Thisis known
as vertex-to-vertexrule.
(iv) The object represented must be located in the all-positive octant (all vertex
coordinates must bepositive).

However, for non-native STL applications, the STL format can be generalized. The
normal, if not specified (three zeroes might be used instead), can be easily computed
from the coordinates of the vertices using the right-hand rule. Moreover, the vertices
canbelocatedinanyoctant.Andfinally,thefacetcanevenbeontheinterfacebetween

23
 two objects (or two parts of the same object). This makes the generalized STL format
suitable for modelling of 3D non- manifolds objects.

The object (LEAF SPRING, in this case) can be converted to STL format file by the following
procedure:
o Open the previously saved design file in the CAD software (CATIA, in thiscase)
and find ‘File’ on themenu

Fig. 19 Catia (file menu)

o Click on the ‘File’ menu and select ‘Save as’ as shown in the figurebelow.

Fig. 20 Catia (save as)

24
 o After selecting ‘Save as’, the following windowappears.

Fig. 21 Saving part file

o Now select ‘. Stl’ from the list of options to save thefile.

Fig. 22 Selecting STL format

o Save the file in the respectivefolder.

Fig. 23 Saving .stl file

The 3dprinter should be connected to the pc or laptop,on which you have been working
and the software like CURA from Ultimaker or Ideamaker has to be pre-installed on the
computer.

25
4.3 Choosing Filaments for3D-Printing:

Filaments are chosen according to the need and kind of object that has to be printed.
Differenttypesoffilamentsareavailableaccordingtothesize,type,resolutionandfunction of
theobject.

PLA: PLA stands for Polylactic Acid. PLA has a lower printing temperature than ABS,
anditdoesn’twarpaseasily,meaningitdoesn’trequireaheatingbed(althoughitdefinitely
helps).AnotherbenefittousingPLAisthatitdoesn’tgiveoffabadsmellduringprinting.
Finally,asabiodegradablethermoplastic,PLAismoreenvironmentallyfriendlythanmost types
of 3D printer filament, being made from annually renewable resources such as corn starch
or sugarcane.

Fig. 24 PLA filaments

ABS: ABS stands for Acrylonitrile Buta-diene Styrene. Products made of ABS boast high
durability and a capacity to withstand high temperatures, but 3D printer enthusiastsshould
be mindful of the filament’s high printing temperature, tendency to warp during cooling,
and intense fumes. ABS is tough – able to withstand high stress and temperature. It’s
also moderately flexible. Together these properties make ABS a good general-purpose 3D
printer filament, but where it really shines is with items that are frequently handled,
dropped, orheated.

Fig. 25 ABS filament product

26
PETG(PET,PETT):Polyethyleneterephthalate(PET)isthemostcommonlyusedplastic in
the world. Best known as the polymer used in water bottles, it is also found in clothing
fibresandfoodcontainers.While“raw”PETisrarelyusedin3Dprinting,itsvariantPETG is a
popular 3D printer filament. The ‘G’ in PETG stands for “glycol-modified”, and the
resultisafilamentwhichisclearer,lessbrittle,andmostimportantly,easiertousethanits base
form. For this reason, PETG is often considered a good middle ground between ABS and
PLA, the two most commonly used types of 3D printer filament, as it is more flexible and
durable than PLA and easier to print thanABS.

Fig. 26 PETG printed product

NYLON: Nylon, a popular family of synthetic polymers used in many industrial

applications, is the heavyweight champion of the 3D printing world. Compared to most
other types of 3D printer filament, it ranks as the number one contender when together
considering strength, flexibility, and durability. Another unique characteristic of this 3D
printer filament is that you can dye it, either before or after the printing process.

Fig. 27 Nylon printed product

27
TPE,TPU,TPC(FLEXIBLE):Asthenameimplies,thermoplasticelastomers(TPE)are
essentiallyplasticswithrubber-likequalities,makingthemextremelyflexibleanddurable. As
such, TPE is commonly found in automotive parts, household appliances, and medical
supplies.
Thermoplasticpolyurethane(TPU)isaparticularvarietyofTPE,andisitselfapopular3D
printerfilament.
Compared to generic TPE, TPU is slightly more rigid – making it easier to print. It’s also
a little more durable and can better re tain its elasticity in thecold.
Thermoplastic copolyester (TPC) is another variety of TPE, though not as commonlyused
as TPU. Similar in most respects to TPE, TPC’s main advantage is its higher resistance to
chemical and UV exposure, as well to heat (up to 150°C).

Fig. 28 Flexible filament product

PC (POLYCARBONATE): Polycarbonate (PC), in addition to being the strongest 3D

printer filament presented in this list, is extremely durable and resistant to both physical
impactandheat,abletowithstandtemperaturesofupto110°C.It’salsotransparent,which
explainsitsuseincommercialitemssuchasbulletproofglass,scubamasks,andelectronic
displayscreens.

Fig. 29 Iron man suit by polycarbonate material

28
Fig. 30 Comparision of filaments Scaling LEAF SPRING in cura

29
4.4 Printing 3-DModel:

Before printing the 3-D model file, the 3d printer should be connected to the pc or the
laptop, on which you have been working and the software like CURA from Ultimaker or
Ideamaker has to be pre-installed on the computer.
o The filament used to print the 3-D model of LEAF SPRINGw in this case isPLA.
o The specifications of the PLA filament are:
 Diameter of filament: 1.75mm
 Certification: Rootsapproved
 Printing temperature: 190° to 210°C
 Bed temperature: 50° to 60°C
 Colour: White

o NowopentheIdeamakerorCurasoftwareandloadtheSTLfilethathasbeensaved using
CADsoftware.

Fig. 31 Loading LEAF SPRING in cura

o Necessary modifications should be done after the file has been loaded, like
rotating and scaling(sincethemaximumprintingcapacityofmostoftheprintersis
20cm×20cm×20cm, along X, Y and Zaxes).

Fig. 32 Scaling LEAF SPRING in cura

30
 The printing process has to be set to the following settings from the available
options, that the software has to offer.
 Layer height:0.1mm
 Fill density:8%
 Shell thickness: 2%
 Extruder temperature: 200°C
 Heat bed temperature: 50°C
 Printing speed: 60mm/s

Fig. 33 3-D printer

After the settings have been done, the following information regarding the model to be
printed will be displayed:
 Dimension (mm): 59.4×9.0×58.9 (inmm)

Triangle:2822

Edges:1015

Non-manifold edges:0

Error orientation faces:0

Layers:88

Steps:271

Time duration; 1 hr 1min

Left filament: ---

 Right filament: 240°C

31
 Price:$1

Estimated amount: 5.3g

Length: 1.96m

Now, the processed STL file has to be mounted onto the external storage device like
memory card or a pen drive that is compatible with the 3-D printer, and it should be
mountedontheprinter,wheretheobjectwouldbeprintedinsolidmaterialofthefilament.

Fig. 34 Printing LEAF SPRING

32
 5. APPLICATIONS

Three-dimensional printing makes it as cheap to create single items as it is to produce

thousands and thus undermines economies of scale. It may have as profound an impact on
theworldasthecomingofthefactorydid....Justasnobodycouldhavepredictedtheimpact of the
steam engine in 1750 or the printing press in 1450, or the transistor in 1950. It is
impossible to foresee the long-term impact of 3D printing. But the technology is coming,
and it is likely to disrupt every field ittouches.

Additive manufacturing's earliest applications have been on the tool room end of the
manufacturing spectrum. For example, rapid prototyping was one of the earliest additive
variants, and its mission was to reduce the lead time and cost of developing prototypes of
new parts and devices, which was earlier only done with subtractive tool room methods
(typically slowly and expensively). With technological advances in additive
manufacturing, however, and the dissemination of those advances into the business world,
additive methods are moving ever further into the production end of manufacturing in
creative and sometimes unexpected ways. Parts that were formerly the sole province of
subtractive methods can now in some cases be made more profitably via additive ones.

Standard applications include design visualization, prototyping/CAD, metal casting,

architecture, education, geospatial, healthcare, and entertainment/retail. 3D printer came
with immense number of applications. All the traditional methods of printing causes
wastage of resources. But 3D printer only uses the exact amount of material for printing.
This enhances the efficiency. If the material is very costly, 3d printing techniques can be
used to reduce the wastage of material.

Considerprintingofacomplexgeometrylikecombustionchamberofarocketengine.The 3D
printing will enhance the strength and accuracy of the object. Conventional methods use
parts by parts alignment. This will cause weak points in structures. But in the case of 3D
printed object, the whole structure is a singlepiece.

3D printer has numerous applications in every field it touches. Since it is a product

developmentdevice,rateofproduction,customizationandprototypingcapabilitiesneedto
beconsidered.

33
 6. ADVANTAGES AND DISADVANTAGES

Advantages:

Create anything with great geometrical complexity.

Ability to personalize every product with individual customer needs.

Produce products which involve great level of complexity that simply could not be

produced physically in any other way.

Additive manufacturing can eliminate the need for tool production and therefore reduce

the costs, lead time and labour associated with it.

3D printing is an energy efficient technology.

Additive Manufacturing use up to 90% of standard materials.

Lighter and stronger products can be printed.

Production has been brought closer to the end user or consumer.

Spare parts can be printed on site which will eliminate shipping cost.

Wider adoption of 3D printing would likely cause re-invention of a number of already

invented products.

3D printing can create new industries and completely new professions.

Printing 3D organs can revolution rise the medical industry.

Rapid prototyping causes faster product development.

Disadvantages:

Since the technology is new, limited materials are available for printing.

Consumes more time for less complicated pats.

Size of printable object is limited by the movement of extruder.

In additive manufacturing previous layer has to harden before creating next layer.

Curved geometry will not be much accurate while printing.

34
 7. CONCLUSION

Asthe3Dprinter is a device, it should be analysed with the advantages and disadvantages,

how the device can change the society and engineering etc i n mind. The very nature of
3D printing, creating a part layer by layer, instead of subtractive methods of
manufacturing lend themselves to lower costs in raw material. Instead of starting with a
big chunk of plastic and carving away (milling or turning) the surface in order to produce
your product. Additive manufacturing only “prints” what you want, where you want it.
Other manufacturing techniques can be just as wasteful. 3D printing is the ultimate just-
in-time
methodofmanufacturing.Nolongerdoyouneedawarehousefullofinventorywaitingfor
customers. Just have a 3D printer waiting to print your next order. On top of that, you can
alsoofferalmostinfinitedesignoptionsandcustomproducts.It doesn’tcostmoretoadda
company logo to every product you have or let your customers pick every feature on their
next order, the sky is the limit with additivemanufacturing.

Whether you are designing tennis shoes or space shuttles, you can’t just design whatever
you feel like, a good designer always takes into account whether or not his design can be
manufactured cost effectively. Additive manufacturing open up your designs to a whole
new level. Because undercuts, complex geometry and thin walled parts are difficult to
manufactureusingtraditionalmethods,butaresometimesapieceofcakewith3Dprinting. In
addition, the mathematics behind 3D printing are simpler than subtractive methods. For
instance,thebladesonacentrifugalsuperchargerwouldrequireverydifficultpathplanning
usinga5-axisCNCmachine.Thesamegeometryusingadditivemanufacturingtechniques is
very simple to calculate, since each layer is analysed separately and 2D information is
always simpler than 3D. This mathematical difference, while hard to explain is the
fundamental reason why 3D printing is superior to other manufacturing techniques. It
almostalwaysbettertokeepthingssimpleandadditivemanufacturingissimplebyitsvery nature.

With so many potential benefits of 3D printing, there’s no surprise that this method is
making its way through a diverse number of industries and quickly becoming a favourite
tool of progressive marketers.

Comparing the numerous advantages, applications and future scope, we can conclude that
the 3D printer and its technology is able to create next industrial revolution.
35
 8. FUTURESCOPE

NASA engineers are manufacturing 3-D printed parts, which are structurally stronger and
more reliable than conventionally crafted parts, for its space launch system. The Mars
Rover comprises some 70 3-D-printed custom parts. Scientists are also exploring the use
of 3-D printers at the International Space Station to make spare parts on the spot. What
once was the province of science fiction has now become a reality.

Medicine is perhaps one of the most exciting areas of application. Beyond the use of 3-D
printing in producing prosthetics and hearing aids, it is being deployed to treatchallenging
medical conditions, and to advance medical research, including in the area of regenerative
medicine. The breakthroughs in this area are rapid andawe-inspiring.

Whetherornottheyarriveen-massinthehome,3Dprintershavemanypromisingareasof
potential future application. They may, for example, be used to output spare parts for all
manner of products, and which could not possibly be stocked as part of the inventory of
even the best physical store. Hence, rather than throwing away a broken item (something
unlikely to be justified a decade or two hence due to resource depletion and enforced
recycling), faulty goods will be able to be taken to a local facility that will call up the
appropriate spare parts online and simply print them out. NASA has already tested a 3D
printer on the International Space Station, and recently announced its requirement for a
high-resolution3Dprintertoproducespacecraftpartsduringdeepspacemissions.TheUS Army
has also experimented with a truck-mounted 3D printer capable of outputting spare tank
and other vehicle components in thebattlefield.

Asnotedabove,3Dprintersmayalsobeusedtomakefuturebuildings.Tothisend,ateam at
Loughborough University is working on a 3D concrete printing project that could allow
large building components to be 3D printed on-site to any design, and with improved
thermalproperties.

Anotherpossiblefutureapplicationisintheuseof3Dprinterstocreatereplacementorgans for the

human body. This is known as bio printing, and is an area of rapid development. You can
learn more on the bio printing page, or see more in my bio printing or the Future
Visionsgallery.

36
8.1 RocketEngine:
NASA’s first attempt at using 3D-printed parts for rocket engines has passed its biggest,
and hottest, test yet. The largest 3D-printed rocket part built to date, a rocket engine
injector, survived a major hot-fire test. The injector generated 10 times more thrust than
any injector made by 3D printing before, the space agency announced. A NASA video of
the 3D-printed rocket part test shows the engine blazing to life at the agency’s Marshall
Space Flight Centre (MSFC) in Huntsville Ala.

SpaceX’s Dragon capsule has been taking cargo to the International Space Station since
2012. Dragon V2 comes with new “SuperDraco” 16,000 lb-thrust engines that can be
restarted multiple times if necessary. In addition, the engines have the ability to deep
throttle, providing astronauts with precise control and enormous power.

Fig. 35 3-D printed rocket engine

The SuperDraco engine chamber is manufactured using 3D printing technology, the state-
of-the-art direct metal laser sintering (DMLS) which uses lasers to quickly manufacture
high-qualitypartsfrommetalpowderlayerbylayer.Thechamberisregenerativelycooled and
printed in Inconel, a high-performance superalloy that offers both high strength and
toughness for increased reliability. Fig.14 shows the image of the SuperDracoengine.

Totally eight SuperDraco engines built into the side walls of the Dragon spacecraft will
produce up to 120,000 pounds of axial thrust to carry astronauts to safety should an
emergencyoccurduringlaunch.Asaresult,Dragonwillbeabletoprovideastronautswith the
unprecedented ability to escape from danger at any point during the ascent trajectory, not
just in the first few minutes. In addition, the eight SuperDraco provide redundancy, so
that even if one engine fails an escape can still be carried outsuccessfully.

37
8.2 3DBio-Printing:

3D bioprinting is the process of generating spatially-controlled cell patterns using 3D

printing technologies, where cell function and viability are preserved within the printed
construct. Using 3D bioprinting forfabricating

biologicalconstructstypicallyinvolvedispensingcellsontoabiocompatiblescaffoldusing a
successive layer-by-layer approach to generate tissue-like three-dimensional structures.
Given that every tissue in the body is naturally compartmentalized of different cell types,
many technologies for printing these cells vary in their ability to ensure stability and
viability of the cells during the manufacturing process. Some of the methods that are used
for 3D bioprinting of cells are photolithography, magnetic bioprinting, stereolithography,
and direct cell extrusion. When a bio printed pre-tissue is transferred to an incubator then
this cell-based pre-tissue matures into atissue.

Fig. 36Bio-printing(heart) Fig. 37 Bio-printing (human foot)

3D-bioprinting attributes to significant advances in the medical field of tissue engineering

by allowing for research to be done on innovative materials called biomaterials.
Biomaterials are the materials adapted and used for printing three- dimensional objects.
Some of the most notable bioengineered substances that are usually stronger than the
average bodily materials, including soft tissue and bone. These constituents can act as
future substitutes, even improvements, for the original body materials. Alginate, for
example, is an anionic polymer with many biomedical implications including feasibility,
strongbiocompatibility,lowtoxicity,andstrongerstructuralabilityincomparisontosome of the
body's structuralmaterial.

38
8.3 3D Printing inSpace:
In one small step towards space manufacturing, NASA is sending a 3D printer to the
International Space Station. Astronauts will be able to make plastic objects of almost any
shapetheylikeinsideaboxaboutthesizeofamicrowaveovenenablingthemtoprintnew parts to
replace broken ones, and perhaps even to invent usefultools.

The launch, slated for around September 19, will be the first time that a 3D printer flies in
space. The agency has already embraced ground-based 3D printing as a fast, cheap way to
makespacecraftparts,includingrocketenginecomponentsthatarebeingtestedforitsnext
generation of heavy-lift launch vehicles. NASA hopes that the new capability will allow
future explorers to make spacecraft parts literally on thefly.

Spaceexpertssaythatthepromiseof3Dprintingisreal,butalongwayfromthehypethat
surrounds it. The printer selected by NASA was built by the company Made in Space,
which is based at a technology park next to NASA’s Ames Research Centre in Moffett
Field, California. During the printer’s sojourn on the space station, it will create objects
fromaheat-sensitiveplasticthatcanbeshapedwhenitreachestemperaturesofabout225– 250
°C. The team is keeping quiet about what type of object, it plans to print first, but the
general idea is to fashion tools for use aboard thestation.

Fig. 38 3-D printer in space

TheMadeinSpaceprinterisalsoatestbedforperformanceofthetechnologyinnear-zero gravity.
The machines work by spraying individual layers of a material that build up to form a
complete, 3D object. But in near-weightless environments, there is no gravitational pull to
hold the materialdown.

39
 9. REFEERENCES
1. https://www.economist.com/technology-quarterly/2013/09/05/3d-printing-scales-
up
2. "Most used 3D printing technologies 2017–2018 | Statistic". Statista. Retrieved 2
December2018.
3. https://tmg-muenchen.de/training-course/11/Additive-Manufacturing?flang=en
4. "ConfrontingaNew'EraofDuplication'?3DPrinting,ReplicatingTechnologyand the
Search for Authenticity in George O. Smith's Venus Equilateral Series". Durham
University. Retrieved July 21,2013.
Replicator at Memory Alpha (a Star Trek)
5. JeremyRifkin,NicolasEasley."JeremyRifkinandTheThirdIndustrialRevolution
Home Page".thethirdindustrialrevolution.com.
6. Bredt,James(November17,2000)."Digitalmanufacturing". CriticalTechnologies for
the Future ofComputing.
7. "MAS.863/4.140J-P7". fab.cba.mit.edu. Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
Retrieved2016-08-22.
8. Jones, R.; Haufe, P.; Sells, E.; Iravani, P.; Olliver, V.; Palmer, C.; Bowyer, A.
(2011). "Reprap-- the replicating rapid prototyper". Robotica. 29(1): 177–
191.doi:10.1017/S026357471000069X.
9. "DMLS | Direct Metal Laser Sintering | What Is DMLS?". AtlanticPrecision.
10. Clayden, J., Greeves, N. and Warren, S. (2000).Organic chemistry, Oxford
University PressISBN 0198503466pp.1450–1466
11. U.S. Patent4,575,330(“Apparatus for Production of Three-Dimensional Objects
byStereolithography”).
12. "How Laminated Object Manufacturing Works". THRE3D.com. Retrieved 3
February2014.
13. Brogan Rylands, 3D Printing - To print or not to print? Aspects to consider before
adoption - A supply chain perspective in the year2015.
14. ALEXANDER Pirjan and Dane-Mihaela Petrosanu, The impact of 3D Printing
technology n the society andeconomy
15. Vinod G. Gokhare, A review paper on 3D Printing aspects and various processes
used in 3D-Printing, volume 6, issue 6 in June 2017, ISSN2278-0181
16. Thabijo Peter Mpofu, The impact and application of 3D Printing technology,
Volume 3, issue 6 in June 2014, ISSN 2319-7064
17. BaljinderSinghShahi,AdvancedManufacturingTechniques(3DPrinting),volume 4,
issue 4 in 2016, ISSN2320-2092
18. K.Srinivasa Rao, Design and Analysis of LEAF SPRINGs, volume 4, issue 6 in
June 2017, ISSN2395-0056
19. M.Suguna Comparitive analysis of automotive wheel rim by using different
materials, ISSN2249-7455
20. NandigamDayakarRaoandB.KishoreKumar,DesignandAnalysisofalloywheel,
volume 6, issue 3 in may2018
21. Jitendra Shinde, review paper on design ad analysis of automotive wheel rimusing
finite element analysis, volume 4, issue 7 in July 2017, ISSN2395-0056
22. Rahul K. Jape and S.G.Jadhav, CAD modeling and FEA analysis of wheel rim for
weight reduction, volume 6, issue 6, ISSN2321-3361