The concept of 3D printing

The chapter discusses the basic principles of design for additive manufacturing (AM). It explains the concept of a digital model and introduces the reader to modeling software and the process of preparing a design for AM with respect to the chosen technology. In addition, the chapter discusses in detail the design limitations that occur for the most commonly used AM techniques, and also highlights the requirements in the finishing processes applied after printing. Besides, the study defines the principles of preparing files for AM. Moreover, it points out the importance of the orientation of the model in the machine during the printing process for various AM technologies and the influence of the orientation on the properties of the finished 3D object.