The use of 3D printing is not as novel as you may imagine. Actually, media coverage of FDM (Fused Deposition Modeling) technology beginning in 2009 propelled it to widespread popularity and awe among the general people. Many individuals once had the false belief that FDM was the only method of additive manufacturing. However, 3D printing didn’t even begin with FDM; the technique was initially pioneered in the 1980s.
A brief history of 3D printing from the 1980s to the present is shown below. Intriguing developments in 3D printing’s past. The earliest machines, the high hopes, and the many successful 3D printing uses today. Let’s go back in time and learn how 3D printing came to be.
The primary 3D printing techniques did not emerge until the 1980s.
The concept of 3D printing has been envisaged back in the 1970’s, although the first attempts are dated from 1981. Dr. Kodama, for his work in developing a quick prototyping technology, is given permission to try out 3D printing for the first time. His description of a manufacturing process in which a photosensitive resin was polymerized by a UV light was the first step toward what would become SLA (or Stereolithography). Regrettably, he missed the deadline for submitting the necessary patent paperwork.
A group of French engineers named Alain Le Méhauté, Olivier de Witte, and Jean-Claude André became interested in stereolithography a few years later but eventually gave up on it because they lacked a business plan. The stereolithography technique was also used in this failed 3D printing attempt.
Check out our conversation with Jean-Claude André if you want to learn more about these formative encounters. Similarly, in 1986, Charles Hull submitted the first patent for stereolithography (SLA) due to his interest in the technology. In 1988, he released the SLA-1, 3D Systems’ first commercial device, and subsequently created the company.
If stereolithography (SLA) was the pioneering method of 3D printing, then what about selective laser sintering (SLS) and fused deposition modeling (FDM)?
Powder grains are fused together locally by a laser in SLS, another 3D printing technique developed by Carl Deckard in 1988 at the University of Texas and patented that same year.
While that was going on, Stratasys Inc. co-founder Scott Crump patented Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM). In less than 10 years, the three major technologies of 3D printing were patented and 3D printing was born!
Simply put:
Japanese doctor Kodama filed the first patent in 1980. Instantaneous Modeling
In 1984, French engineers gave up on stereolithography.
Charles Hull adopts stereolithography in 1986.
First SLA-1 machine built in 1988.
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Model SLA-1
Most major 3D printer manufacturers and CAD programs appeared in the 1990s.
Since the foundation has been laid for additive manufacturing, its development has accelerated. Additive manufacturing is progressing thanks to the emergence of major 3D printer manufacturers, the refinement of new technologies, and the development of 3D modeling tools.
In Europe, EOS GmbH was founded and built the first EOS “Stereos” system for industrial prototyping and production applications of 3D printing. Today, SLS (Selective Laser Sintering) technology for plastics and metals is widely used because of the high quality industrial parts it produces.
Stratasys, a company that pioneered numerous types of 3D printers for both businesses and consumers, was granted a patent for “Fused Deposition Modeling” in 1992. The pioneers of the 3D printing industry came onto the scene between 1993 and 1999, bringing with them a wide range of methods.
Arcam MCP technology and Selective Laser Melting inspired ZCorp to develop the Z402 binder jetting printer, which combined powdered starch and plaster with a liquid binder made from water.
Meanwhile, Sanders Prototype (now known as Solidscape), one of the first actors to develop dedicated tools for additive manufacturing, is only one example of the proliferation of new CAD tools that make it possible to construct 3D models.
In 2014, the European Patent Office honored Charles Hull with the European Inventor Award in the Non-European Countries category.
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Debut of the EOS Stereos system, 1990
In 1992, Stratasys was awarded a patent for fused deposition modeling.
Solidscape was established in 1993.
In 1995, Z Corporation secured a sole distribution agreement with MIT.
New medical breakthroughs because to organ engineering. 1999.
Hull, Charles
In 2014, the European Patent Office honored Charles Hull with the European Inventor Award in the Non-European Countries category.
Media Coverage of 3D Printing Grows in the 2000s
In 2000, the millennium saw the first 3D printed kidney, but we would have to wait 13 more years to see it transplanted into a patient. Researchers have perfected the art of 3D printing functional kidneys, and they are now experimenting with faster growth in preparation for speedy organ transplantation.
The RepRap Project, which is essentially a self-replicating 3D printer, began in 2004. A 3D printer can be printed using a 3D printer. Because of this free and public effort, FDM 3D desktop 3D printers became widely available and fashionable among DIY enthusiasts.
The first high-definition color 3D printer, the Spectrum Z510, was released by ZCorp in 2005.
The first 3D printed prosthetic limb gained widespread attention in the medical community and the media in 2008.
This incredible medical 3D printing endeavor included the manufacturing of an entire biological limb, “as is,” without the need for any additional assembly. Medical prostheses and orthoses 3D produced with the use of 3D scanning are becoming more readily available to patients at lower costs and in shorter turnaround times. Additionally, these prostheses are becoming increasingly optimized and tailored to the patient’s unique anatomical structure. Opportunities for mass customization are expanding thanks to additive manufacturing.
exo-prosthetic-leg-2
http://www.ufunk.net/en/tech/exo-prosthetic-leg/
After the FDM patents expired in 2009, a flood of new ideas and improvements were made to FDM 3D printers, the price of desktop 3D printers fell, and the technology gained greater attention since more people could afford to use it.
The online 3D printing service Sculpteo was founded in 2009, making it one of the forerunners of the now-proliferating online 3D printing services.
Simply put:
In the year 2000, a fully functional kidney is 3D printed.
Established vacuum casting original equipment manufacturer (OEM) MCP Technologies launched SLM technology in 2000.
Spectrum Z510 was released by Z Corporation in 2005. This 3D printer was the industry’s first full-color HD model.
Initiation of an Open Source Project (Reprap) in 2006.
The first 3D-printed prosthetic leg was created in 2008.
FDM Patents Become Generally Available in 2009
In 2009, Sculpteo was born.
The 2010s: Decade of 3D Printing Exposure, Progress, and Expectations
The development of 3D printing in recent years has been crucial. The first few years of this decade have been the heyday of 3D printing, thanks to the expiration of the FDM patent. As a result, firms can begin to use additive manufacturing as a viable and cost-effective prototyping and production approach.
The term “3D printing” became a household term after President Obama included it in his 2013 State of the Union address as a critical problem for the future.
It has entered the public consciousness and the deliberations of policymakers. Both the technology itself and the ways in which it is put to use are constantly evolving. Companies of all sizes are taking advantage of 3D printing’s inexpensive prototyping to improve their iteration, innovation, and production processes.
Urbee, the world’s first 3D-printed automobile, debuted in 2010. A very large 3D printer was used to print its entire body. With the advent of additive manufacturing, the 3D printed car is quickly moving from science fiction to the mainstream. Indeed, additive manufacturing appears to be pretty useful on many levels, aiding in the passage through brand new obstacles, from the incorporation of 3D printing technology for the tooling process to 3D printed automobile parts.
Light-Cocoon-carOne point: The EDAG 3D printing technology is constantly developing and improving. Every so often, a brand new generation of 3D printers is released; these new machines are more productive, print at higher speeds, and provide access to previously unavailable materials. Carbon is working on technologies like CLIP (differential layer stacking) that will make 3D printing much quicker and more precise than it already is.
Our online 3D printing service offers a wide variety of printable materials, from rigid polyurethane and other strong resins to flexible plastic and metals that can withstand high temperatures. This makes it simple for businesses to find printable materials that are suitable for their needs and products.
From the lab of Daniel Kelly, which is 3D printing bone, to the French firm XtreeE, which is 3D printing concrete to transform the construction sector, new 3D printing materials are being researched every day. Indeed, regarding architecture application, 3D printing concrete is now a real thing, and families are starting to move into 3D printed houses. In 2018, the first family really moved into a home that had been 3D printed. It took two days to print, but the 1022-square-foot home is ready for occupancy.
