There are several materials and settings that determine the strength of a 3D printer. Energy, matter, and thermodynamics are essential considerations in a 3D Printer. 3D printing most occurs with a shell and closed-cell infill. This saves material and printing time while maximizing length. The top and bottom surfaces experience the most force when bent. The strength of the beam can optimize this. (Physics of 3D Printing, 2021) Energy is also vital for printing. It provides mechanical energy to power the electronic parts of the printer. It also allows the user to know the status of the printer.

MATTER

The matter of a 3D printer explains the components of the printer. This includes its extruders. They are crucial components in 3D printers. The extruder is the tool that holds the filament of the printer. It controls the amount of energy fed into the filament's hot end. The hot ends are attached to the extruder. They are the primary location tasked with the melting process. (Physics of 3D Printing, 2021) The extruders contain a stepper motor that allows the filament to be fed through. They also form a gearing and hobbed shaft that hold the filament in place. The fan regulates the temperature in the filament.

Some 3D printers come with dual extruders. The dual extruders support holds the designs of the printer. It also can print with multiple materials within a single object. 3D printers have two intruders, direct extruders and Bowden. Direct extruders have their motors driving the filament. (Physics of 3D Printing, 2021) They also have hot ends directly attached to the extruder body. Bowden contains a separation tube between the extruder. It includes the motor and the other components attached to the printer chassis. Print Bed: It is the part that the printed objects rest on during printing. (Physics of 3D Printing, 2021) It always moves down to allow for the next layering step. It should provide the sufficient adhesion to the molten material to ensure that objects adhere to the bed. It has aluminium and glass materials that offer a smooth surface for the things to rest on. The user can apply the gluing agent to improve cohesion.

Hot Ends: it is where the filament is melted before being extruded through a nozzle. There is also Enclosure that provides safety and better temperature management for better printing results. It also ensures that the internal ambient temperature of the printer is stable, thus reducing printing issues such as warping and cracking. The filament is the coil of composite or thermoplastic. It is fed through the printer and then into the extruders, which are melted and then extruded. It is cost-effective and thus preferred by many organizations. (Physics of 3D Printing, 2021) Layer height is the thickness of the printed layers of the objects. A smaller layer yields better printing quality objects because of better interlayer cohesion. However, it requires more printing time. The Fibers are thin wires that connect different electrical components of the printer. Their strength depends on the bond materials they are made of—for example, carbon fiber and fiberglass.

ENERGY

Energy in a 3D printer is required to power the machinery components in the printer. It mainly consists of both mechanical and electrical energy. 3D printing uses different ways to produce and store energy. The energy produced is transformed from one form to another. It includes electricity generation technologies such as wind turbines and solar panels. There is also conversion hardware, such as batteries and generators. (Physics of 3D Printing, 2021) Scaled models and prototypes can also improve and transform products into their complete final form.

The energy consumption in a 3D printer depends on the type of printer and the general status of the printer. There are 3D printers that consume more power while others consume relatively less. Printers with low energy efficiency consume more power and thus electricity costs. The filament also determines the amount of energy to be consumed. Each material of the filament melts at different temperatures. For example, printing with PLA reduces energy consumption compared to printing with ABS. (Physics of 3D Printing, 2021) 3D printers have a power supply that converts high voltage Alternating Current to low voltage Direct Current. Their power supply has a maximum rating that cannot succeed.

The amount of energy consumed by a 3D printer depends on the type and status of the filament. For example, a BCN3D Epsilon W50 printer has a maximum power consumption of 840W per hour. When printing with both extruders, the filament must be melted to a higher temperature to consume as much energy as possible. When printing with only one extruder, the filament should be melted at a lower temperature in order to consume less power. This is recommendable as it is cost-effective. The printing speed also determines the energy consumption rates. (Physics of 3D Printing, 2021) Printing at higher speeds significantly reduces overall energy consumption. This is because the print heads need more energy to go faster. There is also direct energy deposition that only focuses on thermal energy such as electric arc, electron beam, or laser to fuse the wire or powder feedstock as it is deposited.

The energy consumption in a printer can be reduced or minimized. The user should print in supplication or mirror mode. This means that the printing should be with the two extruders simultaneously. It reduces energy consumption by almost half. Printing with the recommended settings and configurations also minimizes energy consumption. This is because these configurations have been tested in a laboratory and proved perfect and efficient. (Physics of 3D Printing, 2021) Using modern printing technology also reduces energy consumption compared to traditional methods. This is highly recommended. 3D printers operate at a complete power supply. They do not store energy to use when the power supply is off.

THERMODYNAMICS OF 3D PRINTERS

The thermodynamics in 3D printers relates to heat, energy, and temperature. It deals with the transfer of power in one form to another and from one place to another. Thermodynamic concepts in 3D printers are applied in different parts of the printer. The hot end and the filament apply heat concepts and thus thermodynamics. There are also heated print beds that convert heat to thermal energy for transmission. (Dynamics, Thermodynamics and Mechanics in 3D printing, 2020) The heated print beds minimize the chances of object warping. This is because they provide the necessary heat to the print bed's first layer, ensuring faster cooling of random pockets.

The printer also contains aluminum beds that offer uniform heat distribution. It can convert heat to thermodynamic energy for equal distribution. The filament uses heat to melt it in the hot end. They contain a thermal barrier tube with a heat break that cuts off the circuit when it exceeds the desired temperature. It also has a heatsink that absorbs all the heat emitted from the printer's filaments and other heating materials. The thermal sink also provides twofold properties. (Dynamics, Thermodynamics and Mechanics in 3D printing, 2020) The thermal barrier is connected to the heat block from the bottom section where the filament is melted.

Thermodynamic temperatures are controlled and lowered by the heat break to prevent overheating of the filament. This process is called heat creep. There is also a sealed-off printing environment in the Enclosure. The sealed-off printing environment ensures better printing results and proper utilization of resources. High temperature in the Enclosure causes overheating and cause fumes on the printing materials. (Dynamics, Thermodynamics and Mechanics in 3D printing, 2020) As a result, the printer needs glass filters to reduce the dangerous particles due to fumes. The Enclosure also ensures that the internal temperature of the printer is stable, thus reducing warping and cracking.

Thermodynamics concepts are also applied in the filament. The filament contains a coil of thermoplastic with various diameters. The filament is fed through the printer and intruders, where it is melted and extruded. The filament also has other materials, such as wood, to control temperatures. Warping causes shrinkage of the 3D printed object. It is caused by non-uniform cooling, where the printing layers have different cooling times than the heated parts. It can be prevented by ensuring that the 3D printer has a heated bed with a metal plate. This ensures uniform temperature distribution throughout the material. (Dynamics, Thermodynamics and Mechanics in 3D printing, 2020) Ambient temperature fluctuations also cause cracking of the printer objects. It can be controlled by using an enclosure that allows changes in the ambient temperature.

References

Dynamics, Thermodynamics, and Mechanics in 3D printing. (n.d.). Frontiers. Retrieved September 17, 2022, from https://www.frontiersin.org/research-topics/31193/dynamics-thermodynamics-and-mechanics-in-3d-printing

Physics of 3D Printing. (2021, April 8). Markforged. Retrieved September 16, 2022, from https://markforged.com/resources/learn/design-for-additive-manufacturing-plastics-composites/understanding-3d-printing-strength/physics-of-3d-printing