Types of 3D printers

3D printing is an innovative technology that lets you create a physical object from a digital model. It started in the '80s under the name ‘rapid prototyping’ because this was the purpose of the technology: to prototype faster and cheaper.

The reasons there are different types of 3D printers and printing processes are similar to that of the 2D printers we’re so familiar with. It all comes down to the following six considerations:

• Printer cost
• Print quality
• Print speed
• Printer capability
• Practicality
• User expectations

Some printers only print text others text and graphics. The technologies and materials used also vary, and the way the machine extrudes ink to paper. 3D printers are even smarter. And like their 2D counterparts, they also offer a range of options including quality, materials, and price.

There are various 3D printing methods which were developed to build 3D structures and objects. A number of them are prevalent nowadays, and a few have fallen by the wayside.

The seven different types of 3D printers

• Fused deposition modeling (FDM)

• Stereolithography(SLA)

• Digital Light Processing(DLP)

• Selective Laser Sintering (SLS)

• Selective laser melting (SLM)

• Laminated object manufacturing (LOM)

• Digital Beam Melting (DBM)