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2.CONCEPTUAL DESIGN
Convert a digital 3D model into a physical object by depositing material layer by layer.
1.Receive 3D design- Accept the digital model and printing instructions.
2.Process printing instructions- Convert the digital design into instructions for the printer.
3.Store and supply material- Hold and continuously supply filament to the printing system.
4.Heat the material- Raise the filament to the required temperature for extrusion.
5.Move the printing mechanism- Move the print head accurately along the required X, Y and Z directions.
6.Extrude material- Push the heated filament through the nozzle at a controlled rate.
7.Deposit material- Place the material accurately on the print bed to form each layer.
8.Support the printed object- Provide a stable surface for the object during printing.
9.Control temperature- Maintain the required temperature of the nozzle and other heated components.
10.Control the printing process- Coordinate material flow, movement and temperature throughout the print.
11.Cool the deposited material- Cool the material so that each deposited layer solidifies properly.
12.Provide structural stability- Support all components and minimize unwanted vibrations during printing.
13.Protect the user- Reduce risks from hot, moving and electrical components.
14.Complete the printed object- Allow the finished object to cool and be removed from the print bed.
| Serial No. | Subfunctions | Means 1 | Means 2 | Means 3 | Means 4 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | To supply printing material | Filament spool | Direct drive feeder | Bowden feeder | Dual gear feeder |
| 2 | X,Y,Z-axis movement | Lead screw | Belt pulley | Linear rail | Ball screw |
| 3 | Motion motor | Stepper motor | Closed-loop stepper | Servo motor | DC motor with encoder |
| 4 | Controller | Arduino | ESP32 | Raspberry Pi | STM32 32-bit board |
| 5 | Printing technology | Fused deposition modeling (FDM) | Stereolithography (SLA) | Selective Laser Sintering (SLS) | Direct Ink Writing (DIW) |
| 6 | Build plate | Aluminium plate | Steel plate | Polyetherimide (PEI) plate | Borosilicate glass |
| 7 | Material filament | Polylactic acid (PLA) | Acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS) | Thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) | Polyethylene terephthalate glycol (PETG) |