This is the effect gravity has on 3D printing. This means that every layer of molten material must be supported from below by some structure, or else it droops down into the print area, largely ruining the accuracy of the part. Most common types of 3D printing might be contemptuously referred to by CNC machinists as “2.5D,” since planar 3D printing isn’t really a 3D process – it’s a 2D process repeated for hundreds of layers until a three-dimensional part starts to form ( non-planar 3D printing not included). 3D prints can vary the percentage of plastic used internally to support the part, a feature referred to as “infill.” Parts can be printed with cavities that would be difficult or impossible to replicate with processes like injection molding, whose geometrical limitations are far more stringent than layer-based 3D printing.Īs great as layer-based 3D printing is at printing some types of geometry, it falls apart quickly on parts that break a few key rules, defined by gravity and tension.ģD prints have a variety of different infill types, as generously demonstrated by the best treefrog ever. For example, I used interlocking parts in Puzzle X to form the internal mechanisms without requiring any assembly in post-processing. Layer-based 3D printing consistently beats other manufacturing processes in its ability to create complex, self-intersecting geometry. I thought I’d change that today by talking a bit about one of the most crucial parts of modeling for 3D printing: overhangs. It’s been a while since I’ve delved into any technical 3D modeling projects.

Simplify 3d bridge