Service

What Is 3D Printing Prototype?

3D Printing is a broad term used to describe additive manufacturing, which includes a series of rapid prototyping technologies that combine multiple layers of materials to create parts.

Rapid prototyping 3D printing is the quick, easy and cost-effective way to turn great ideas into successful products. These 3D printing prototypes not only help to verify the design but also find issues early in the development process and feedback directly on design fix, preventing costly changes once the product is in full production.

Why Choose JX For 3D Printing Service?

JX is an expert in the field of rapid prototyping manufacturing in China, providing a wide range of 3D printing services, including SLA 3D printing (Stereolithography), SLS 3D printing (Selective Laser Sintering).

At JX, We have a full team of dedicated engineers and project managers that will work with you to verify your CAD designs, product functions, dimensional tolerances, etc. As a professional prototype manufacturer, we deeply understand the prototype and production needs of any business. We strive to meet all specified times to deliver products with quality guarantees to our clients worldwide at affordable prices.

Benefits Of 3D Printing

●   Shorten Delivery Times. Parts can typically be shipped within a few days, speeding up design iterations and time to market.
●   Build Complex Geometry. Allows the creation of unique parts with more complex geometries and precise details without increasing costs.
●   Reduce Manufacturing Costs. Drive to reduce production costs by eliminating the need for tools and reducing labor.

GET AN INSTANT QUOTE

What Is SLA 3D Printing?​

SLA 3D Printing (Stereolithography) uses an ultraviolet laser that draws on the surface of liquid thermoset resin to create thousands of thin layers until final parts are formed. A wide selection of materials, extremely high feature resolutions, and quality surface finishes are possible with SLA 3D Printing.

What Is SLS 3D Printing?

SLS 3D Printing (Stereo Laser Sintering) makes use of a high power optic laser that fuses small powder particles layer by layer to produce complex and durable geometric parts. SLS 3D Printing builds robust parts with filled Nylon materials, suitable for functional prototypes and end-use parts.

How Does SLA 3D Printing Work?

● Data processing, the 3D Model is imported into a slicing program of proprietary software, with support structures added as necessary.
● The STL file is then sent to print on the SLA machine, with a tank filled with liquid photosensitive resin.
● A building platform is lowered into the tank. The UV laser beam focused through the lens scans contour of the cross-section along the liquid surface.
● The resin in the scanning area solidifies quickly to form a single layer of material. Once the first layer has been completed the platform is lowered by 0.05–0.15mm with a fresh layer of resin covering the build surface.
● The next layer is then traced out, curing and bonding the resin to the layer below. Then repeat this process until the part is built.

How Does SLA 3D Printing Work?

● The powder is dispersed in a thin layer on top of a platform inside of the shaped chamber.
● When heated just below the melting temperature of the polymer, a laser beam scans the powder according to the cross-section contour of the layer and sinters the power. The unsintered powder supports the cavity and cantilever of the model.
● When the sintering of a cross-section is completed, the thickness of the platform
decreases by one layer, and the laying roller spreads a layer of uniformly dense powder on it for the sintering of a new cross-section.
● The process is repeated until all layers are sintered to obtain the solid model.

How Does SLA 3D Printing Work?

Advantages of SLA 3D Printing

Lower layer thickness and higher accuracy.
Complex shapes and precise details.
Smooth surfaces and post-processing options.
Various material property options.

Applications of SLA 3D Printing

Concept Models.
Presentation Prototypes.
Prototyping Clear Parts.
Master Patterns for Silicone Molding.

Advantages of SLS 3D Printing

Engineering-grade thermoplastics (Nylon, GF Nylon).
Excellent mechanical properties and layer bonding.
No support structures, enabling complex geometries.
Temperature resistance, chemical resistance, abrasion resistance.

Applications of SLS 3D Printing

Functional Prototypes.
Engineering Test Parts.
End-use Production Parts.
Complex Ducts, Snap Fits, Living Hinges.

Ready to Get Started?

From prototype to production, our team of engineers is ready to help bring your idea to life.

INSTANT QUOTES ON 3D PRINTING SERVICEa quote

Compare The Following Capabilities Of SLA And SLS To Choose The Right 3D Printing Service

Material Properties

SLS 3D printing is rich in materials and can be made of plastic, metal, ceramic, or glass powders with good performance. JX machines can produce parts in white Nylon-12 PA650, PA 625-MF (Mineral Filled) or PA615-GF (Glass Filled). However, SLA 3D printing can only be a liquid photosensitive polymer, and its performance is not as good as thermoplastic plastic.

Surface finish

The surface of the prototype by SLS 3D printing is loose and rough, while SLA 3D printing provides high-definition to make the surface of the parts smoother and the details clearer.

Glue Bonding Strength

The SLS 3D printing binding strength is better than that of SLA 3D printing, for which there are many pores on the surface of SLS binding that contribute to the infiltration of viscose.

Master Patterns

SLA 3D printing is suitable for the reproduction of the prototype master pattern because it has a smooth surface, good dimensional stability, and fine features.

Resistance to the Environment

The resistance of SLS 3d printing prototypes to the environment (temperature, humidity, and chemical corrosion) is similar to that of thermoplastic materials; SLA 3d printing prototypes are susceptible to moisture and chemical erosion, and in more than 38 ℃ environments they will become soft and deform.

Mechanical Processing Performance

SLS 3D printing uses actual thermoplastic materials to produce parts with good mechanical properties. SLS is more easily processed, and can be easily milled, drilling, and tapped while machining SLA 3D printing should be handled with care in case the part is broken.

Dimensional Accuracy

For SLA 3D printing, Minimum Wall Thickness = 0.02” (0.5mm); Tolerances = ±0.006” (0.15mm) to ± 0.002” (0.05mm). For SLS 3D printing, Minimum Wall Thickness = 0.04” (1.0mm); Tolerances = ± 0.008” (0.20mm) to ± 0.004” (0.10mm). SLA 3D printing can build in high resolution with a finer laser beam diameter and finer layer slices to improve details and accuracy.

3D Printing Vs CNC Machining: Which Is Right For Your Prototype And Production?

Subtractive & Additive Manufacturing

3D printing is also known as additive manufacturing, which builds parts through layers of materials. It has many advantages over traditional manufacturing processes however it has its problems. CNC machining is a fairly common subtractive technique used for parts manufacturing, which creates parts by cutting off the blank.

Materials & Availability

The 3D printing process involves parts being created layer by layer using materials such as liquid photopolymer resins (SLA), drops of photopolymer (PolyJet), plastic or metal powders (SLS/DMLS), and plastic filaments (FDM). So it produces less waste compared with CNC process. CNC machining is to cut from a whole piece of material, so the utilization rate of the material is relatively low. The advantage is that almost all materials can be CNC machined, including production-grade engineering plastics and various metal materials. This means that CNC machining may be the most viable technique for prototypes and end-use mass-produced parts that require high functionality and special performance.

Accuracy, Surface Quality & Geometric Complexity

3D printing can create parts with highly complex geometries even hollow shapes that cannot be done by CNC machining, such as jewelry, crafts, etc. CNC machining offers greater dimensional accuracy (±0.005mm) and much better surface finishes (Ra 0.1μm). The advanced 5-axis CNC milling machines can perform high-precision machining of more complex parts that will help you meet your most difficult manufacturing challenges.

Cost, Quantity & Delivery Time

3D printing typically produces low quantities of parts without tooling, and without human intervention, so that fast turnaround and low cost are possible. The manufacturing cost of 3D printing is priced based on the number of materials, which means that the larger parts or more quantities cost more. The process of CNC machining is complex, it requires specially trained engineers to pre-program the processing parameters and processing path of parts, and then machining according to the programs. Manufacturing costs are therefore quoted taking the extra labor into account. However, CNC machines can continuously run without human supervision, making them perfect for larger volumes.