[KOREA WAVE, October 26]In the early 2000s, 3D printers were called the “alchemists of the 21st century” because they were able to create anything you wanted with the materials you wanted. Many people praised 3D printers as an icon of manufacturing innovation leading the Fourth Industrial Revolution. But the high expectations were met with great disappointment due to their slow output speed and low quality.

However, technological advances have shortened printing times and improved quality, and 3D printers are now used in a variety of industries. They go beyond printing simple parts and are now used to build homes and even produce food. The global 3D printing market, which was worth $37 billion in 2020, is expected to grow to $84 billion by 2024.

◇FDM, SLA, SLS…3D printing technologies with distinct advantages and disadvantages

There are three main types of 3D printing: fused deposition modeling (FDM), selective laser sintering (SLA), etc. FDM is the 3D printing method we are most familiar with. It works by applying heat to a thermoplastic filament, melting it, and extruding it, layer by layer.

The advantages of FDM are that the materials are inexpensive and it is easy to operate. In fact, most 3D printers in use at home use the FDM method. The disadvantages are the output quality. The surface is uneven because it is a method of extruding heated molten filament and building it up layer by layer. It also takes a lot of time for post-processing. The output time is also long.

SLA is a 3D printing technology that uses light-curing resin that hardens when exposed to a laser. A laser is applied to liquefied light-curing resin to build up the desired shape of an object. The advantages of SLA are its high resolution and accuracy. Compared to FDM, it has smoother surfaces and can easily print complex structures. The problem is the material. Liquefied resin is toxic and requires careful management. Another disadvantage is that it is a design method that uses a laser, making it more difficult to operate and design than FDM.

SLS is a method in which powdered materials are cut into thin slices, then heated with a laser to melt and solidify. Its advantage over SLA is that it can be used with a wider variety of materials. As long as the powder particles can be made uniform, any material can be used. However, post-processing is an issue. You have to remove any powder that doesn’t melt yourself. The ultra-fine particles that are produced during this process can be deadly to the human body, so they need to be managed carefully.

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