3D Printing, Computer Aided Design (CAD) and G-Code Basics
The basics of G-code help us understand manufacturing practices that are used in a variety of industry.Copyright 2018 Pixel B, CC-BY-SA-2.0, Shutterstock, https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/cnc-machine-nc-data-scene-use-599144864
Students learn how 3D printing, also known as additive manufacturing, is revolutionizing the manufacturing process. First, students learn what considerations to make in the engineering design process to print an object with quality and to scale. Students learn the basic principles of how a computer-aided design (CAD) model is converted to a series of data points then turned into a program that operates the 3D printer. The activity takes students through a step-by-step process on how a computer can control a manufacturing process through defined data points. Within this activity, students also learn how to program using basic G-code to create a wireframe 3D shapes that can be read by a 3D printer or computer numerical control (CNC) machine.
Advances in manufacturing incorporate various technologies that operate the machining processes that produce various products. These technologies allow engineers to design products that can be manufactured at a faster rate and at an unprecedented scale. The successful implementation of CNC machining in the subtractive manufacturing realm has led engineers to apply the same concepts to 3D printing, also known as additive manufacturing. These advancements improve the prototyping process and make it faster and less costly for engineers to design and test a part. 3D printing has also allowed engineers to create complex geometry that traditional machining methods would not allow because of machine constraints.
After this activity, students should be able to:
- Discuss how the 3D printing process works as well as the various types of 3D printing that are currently used in the manufacturing industry.
- Calculate distance and convert distance into x, y, z coordinate points.
- Write G-code to program a wireframe model.
- Explain how a 3D printer uses x, y, z coordinate points to create an object from a CAD model.