best 3d printers
Note: Our best 3D printers round-up has been fully updated. This feature was first published in May 2015.
3D printers print 3D models, in a process called Additive Manufacturing or AM. This process uses computer control to lay successive layers of material to build a 3D model.
ABS (Acrylonitrile butadiene styrene) and the more eco friendly PLA (Polylactic acid or polylactide) both plastics, are the most common materials used, but increasingly almost any material can be printed, from food to metal, just not necessarily at home.
The most widely adopted 3D print file format is .stl which can be exported from most 3D modelling and scanning applications. As well as creating 3D models yourself you can download a huge selection from sites such as makerbot’s Thingiverse.com.
As with conventional 2D printers resolution and size is all important. A high resolution will produce a higher quality print than a low one, and a large print bed may be more convenient enabling you to print your objects in one go rather than splitting the print over several parts.
If you’re in the market for a home 3D printer then there’s a lot to consider: single colour, dual or more, do you need a 3D …read more
Source:: techradar.com – Computing Components
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