What is 3D printing?

 3D (three-dimensional) printing is an addictive manufacturing process in which a 3D object is created using a digital design i.e.  CAD model or digital 3D model through a layering process. It is mainly used in the medical field, automotive and manufacturing industries where parts, prototypes, and tools are made using 3D printers. The materials used in the layering process of 3D printing are related to plastics, composites, or bio-materials for creating objects of varied shape, size, color, and rigidity. 

3D printing technology  in electronics /3D print electronics 

The usage and combination of 3D printing in electronics have been innovative and can bring wider transformation in the manufacturing industry. The 3D print electronics purpose is to build electronic objects like electronic components(also nanometer-sized), embedded sensors, display interconnects, antennas, actuators, printed circuit boards(PCB), produce wearables(used for real-time health monitoring), RFID tags, large-scale flexible OLED displays, and 3D printed satellites in some applications.

3D printing electronics include the use of material ink-jetting technology, which is used to jet conductive and insulating inks on the printing surface. Before the usage of UV light for solidifying the inks, the inks are applied which have similar thin lines as that of a few microns. The inks used for 3D printing in electronics consists of semiconductor, conductor, insulator, resistors, and dielectrics. Thermoplastics are also included in making circuits and enclosures, consisting of copper, graphene, and carbon. 

The different kinds of printers that are mostly used for 3D printing electronics are: 

1. Nano Dimensions Dragonfly Pro: It is a type of jetting technology-based printer used for multilayer PCB prototypes. 
2. Optomec's Aerosol Jet Technology: It is used for making micron-size electronics. 
3. BotFactory PCB 3D printers: This type of printer is used for low-cost prototyping of circuit boards and is now possible with the BotFactory line of 3D printers which is based on inkjet technology. 

The benefits of 3D printing in electronics are: 

• It has better agility and freedom to design. 
• It brings simplified supply chain management and faster time-to-market.
• In-house prototyping is possible. 
• It has the potential to be more customized and has freedom of design. 
• It has improved sustainability. 

Conclusion 

Although it's not common, prototyping is a commonly used application in the electronics industry of 3D printing. 3D printing electronics have the opportunity to be used and recognized in different technologies like automotive, toy industries, robotics, and aerospace. 

In the next blog, the discussion regarding the applications of 3D printing will be explained.

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