What elements are used to make a 3D printer?

3D printer – construction

Just a few years ago, this was only seen in science fiction movies: you could simply print all kinds of objects. Today, this thought is no longer pure fiction, but thanks to the construction of a 3D printer, you can easily print various objects.

There are many different models of 3D printers available on the market. Just select the model you are interested in and place your order. However, it is worth knowing that you can assemble the 3D printer yourself. Of course, you will need appropriate materials and components for this. Therefore, it is worth knowing what a 3D printer consists of so that you can assemble it yourself if necessary.

3D printer parts

One of the main structural elements of a 3D printer is the frame. The task is to maintain the stiffness of fixed elements and (moving) parts of the 3D printer. In other words, the printer is a kind of skeleton of the 3D printer on which all other elements of the 3D printer are mounted. The frame can be made of various materials. It can be wood, metal or plastic. The frame should be painted with protective enamel. This will make it easy to clean. Another important element of a 3D printer are stepper motors. They are responsible for controlling and moving the head over the printed object.

3D printers construction – printer head and extruder

When talking about building a 3D printer step by step, a separate paragraph should be devoted to the head and extruder. These are extremely important elements in every printer. They are responsible for the quality of 3D prints. The printer head heats up to high temperatures and thus melts the filament. Inside the head there is a nozzle that pushes the molten filament, creating a previously designed 3D object. In turn, the extruder is an element that enables the unwinding of the filament spool and, consequently, the embossing of the printed object.

3D printer parts – filament, i.e. ink for a 3D printer

Filaments in 3D printers are the equivalent of ink in classic inkjet printers. Thermoplastics such as PLA, ABS and others are mainly used for 3D printing and the FDM process.

ABS stands for acrylonitrile butadiene styrene and is one of the amorphous thermoplastics. For example, Lego® bricks are made of this material.

As a fiber, the material is more heat resistant and stable than PAL because it only becomes soft from 100 degrees Celsius. However, this material is more difficult to work with because it shrinks a lot when it cools. The countertop must be heated so that the first layers do not shrink after application and the whole thing does not warp unevenly. Therefore, ABS is rather unsuitable for laymen.

Other parts of the 3D printer

Of course, the structure of a 3D printer consists of many more parts and elements. These include the heating table, LCD screen, limit switches, guides, threaded rods, thermistors, trapezoidal screws, bearings and the power supply. Although the power supply is listed last, it is a very important part of every 3D printer. Without it, the device would not function. Depending on the selected power supply, it can supply 12 V or 24 V to the printer. It is good if the power supply supplies about 20 amperes to the device. This will ensure that DC power is still supplied to the printer.

Building a 3D printer

The 3D printer can be purchased in two variants. The first is to purchase a ready-made model. The second is to purchase a printing house for self-assembly. The latter solution is much cheaper. However, you must know that a 3D printer is not easy to assemble yourself. It is necessary to carefully follow the instructions contained in the manual. Assembling a 3D printer can be made easier by knowing the parts that make up the device. Therefore, before starting work, it is worth thoroughly familiarizing yourself with the function and application of each 3D printer part.

Models for a 3D printer

In addition to software with which you can create your own creations and work on ideas yourself, there are already 3D printing studios that offer good quality. Particularly fascinating is the possibility of making your own model. To do this, you can be photographed from all sides and the appropriate software will show you in miniature from a 3D printer.

3D printer – it is worth knowing its structure

Although 3D printers are quite complicated devices, the construction of a 3D printer is not that complicated. Therefore, it is worth knowing what elements the equipment consists of. This may be useful, for example, in the event of a printer failure. Knowing the structure of a 3D printer from scratch will allow you to quickly locate the fault and replace the damaged part with a new one.