DISCUSSION PAPER 3D Printing and Scanning Competencies September 2015
IBSA wishes to acknowledge the work of Ron Barrow of Nestor Consulting who has prepared this discussion paper. Members of the Project Team are: Steven Deer - Industry Manager - IBSA - steven.deer@ibsa.org.au Romn Barrow - Consultant - Nestor Consulting - ron@nestorconsulting.com.au For further information about this report or any other work being undertaken by Innovation & Business Skills Australia Ltd, please visit www.ibsa.org.au. Innovation & Business Skills Australia Ltd Level 11, 176 Wellington Parade East Melbourne, Victoria 3002 Tel: 0398157000, Fax: 0398157001 Email: reception@ibsa.org.au This work has been produced with the assistance of funding provided by the Commonwealth Government through the Department of Education and Training (DET). The views expressed in this work do not necessarily represent the views of DET. In addition, DET does not give warranty or accept any legal liability in relation to the content of this work.
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Contents 1. Project Overview... 6 2. Introduction to 3D... 6 2.1. The third dimension and the print industry... 6 2.2. The future of 3D... 7 3. 3D Scanning... 7 3.1. Types of Scanners... 8 3.1.1. Touch or contact scanners.... 8 3.1.2. Non-contact scanners... 8 4. 3D Printing... 9 4.1.1. Types of 3D Printers... 9 5. 3D printing and scanning services today... 10 6. Skills development... 11 6.1. Skills for Scanning... 11 6.1.1. Possible skills... 11 6.2. Skills in 3D printing... 12 6.2.1. Basic 3D Printers... 12 6.2.2. Precision 3D Printers... 13 6.2.3. 3D printer file management... 13 7. Existing competencies for 3D printing and 3D scanning... 14 8. Feedback and Input... 15 9. Appendix 1 Gartner tables for 2010 and 2012... 16
1. Project Overview 3D printing in the term's original sense refers to processes that sequentially deposit material onto a powder bed with inkjet printer heads. More recently the meaning of the term has expanded to encompass a wider variety of techniques such as extrusion and sintering based processes. Generally termed additive manufacturing, systems range from $2,000 to $500,000 in price and are employed in industries such as: aerospace, architecture, automotive, defence, and dental to name a few. This project looks at the required skills and knowledge at a unit of competency level for printers to add this process to their repertoire. In order to help stimulate and guide the discussion text boxes have been included throughout the paper. When you see this text box think about the questions and provide your opinion if you have one. 2. Introduction to 3D 2.1. The third dimension and the print industry The print industry has traditionally dealt with two dimensional (2D) printing with its beginnings with the first images imprinted and copied in caves in prehistoric times, through to more formal hand written reproduction of mostly religious texts and books by dedicated monks sometime in the 7 th century to the development of printing process in China in the 11 th Century. The culmination of this illustrious industry can be seen in the sophisticated and technological advances in digital printing of today. Computer technologies soon changed the way printed materials were produced with the development of initially of 2D graphics programs followed by three dimensional (3D) graphics starting with wire frame modelling and later with highly rendered realistic 3D imaging and modelling. While the initial development occurred in the engineering sphere it was soon adopted by most industries where 3D images would improve products and services. Apart from engineering some of the early adopters of 2D and 3D graphics technologies included: medical, architecture design, landscape design, municipal planning, aerospace, film and media. The technology no longer sat squarely in the realm of the engineer.
2.2. The future of 3D If one subscribes to the notion of predictive forcasting then the highly respected Gartner Hype Cycle 1 forcasts have shown that 3D printing has progressed from an unrealised immature technology in 2010 to a mature enterprise technology with second, and possibly third, generation applications in the 2014 forcasts. 3D printing as a consumer technology had a predicted maturity of 5 to 10 years in the 2014 forcasts. 3D scanning technologies while not ranked in the 2010 forcast was shown to mature within 5 to 10 years in Gartners 2012 forcasts. 3D scanning has progressed to mature applications in July 2014. If one looks at the growth and availability of consumer based and enterprise based 3D printers and scanners today the Gartner forcasts hold true and could even be seen as conservative. 3. 3D Scanning As 2D and 3D computer graphics technologies developed so too did the development of processes and technologies for capturing images. 2D scanners were already available before the development of mainstream graphics programs mainly for printing (for example photo copiers) but as 2D and 3D computer graphics technologies developed so too did the demand for more accurate 2D scanners and 3D scanners. Prior to 3D scanning technologies, computer aided design (CAD) programs were 1 The Gartner Hype Cycle is a branded graphical representation of the maturity, adoption and social application of information technologies developed by the research organisation Gartner. http://www.gartner.com/technology/home.jsp
used by designers to input the three dimensional image using vectors (X,Y,Z). Accurate 2D scans could eliminate the need to input the X and Y vectors but the Z vector still had to be drawn. The development of the 3D scanner and the relevant computer technologies and programs to manage the data changed the way designers and draftspersons worked as they could now scan a pre-existing assembly and convert to a 3D graphical image. Apart from the obvious uses in engineering and manufacturing for product design, reverse engineering and quality control, 3D scanners are used in many other industries. Medical and dental treatments have been greatly influenced by the development of 3D scanning Advances in architecture and civil engineering for the capture of spatial data, particularly when assessing existing buildings for retrofitting Classical arts for a non-invasive means of capturing images and textures of artworks and sculptures for research and preservation Entertainment for scanning models and converting to animations for virtual cinematography or video games Archaeology to capture spatial data on the location, texture and construction of archaeological finds, caves and structures Palaeontology to scan dinosaur bones and reverse engineer the arrangement, balance and locomotion of these long extinct animals through computer simulations. 3.1. Types of Scanners There are basically two types of 3D scanning technologies used today; contact and non-contact scanners. 3.1.1. Touch or contact scanners. As the title suggests the scanner scans the surface of the object by touch. Sensors with known coordinates move across the surface of the object to be scanned and return information to the computer which calculates the location in space and computes the shape of the object. This may occur with a carriage system, an articulated arm, or combination of both. Coordinate measuring or used frequently to check quality of manufactured goods are an example of a touch scanner. Contact scanners are limited by the size and complexity of the object to be scanned. 3.1.2. Non-contact scanners Non-contact 3D scanners use a range of radiated frequencies of sound or light technologies to determine the relative location of points on a surface to determine the shape of the object. Light, x- rays or ultrasonics are some commonly used technologies for 3D scanning. The size of the object to be scanned is limited only by the capability of the scanning technology (e.g. laser, x-ray, and ultrasound) and the capacity of the computer program to manage the data.
A significant application of the scanners is to create a duplicate digital representation of a solid object that may be manipulated using computer tools such as CAD or CAM. Once an object has been scanned and manipulated it is likely to require printing and the development of the 3D printer has ensured a seamless process in the three dimensions. 4. 3D Printing Two dimensional printing will remain the foundation technology for the print industry. However three dimension (3D) printing has begun to emerge as a complementary technology adopted to support the growing need for product development, modelling, and low print run niche consumer products. 3D modelling has been practiced in various sectors of industry for many years particularly in computer aided design (CAD) and computer aided manufacturing (CAM) sectors of engineering. The print industry supported these industries by providing 2D printing services for rendered graphics of a 3D image in the form of printed pictures and plans. While the principles of 3D printing are similar to those of 2D printing the techniques and technologies are quite different and call for separate unit/s of competency to build the necessary skills. 4.1.1. Types of 3D Printers The types of 3D printers available today include a number of processes: Table 1 3D printer processes Type Technologies Materials Extrusion Fused deposition modeling (FDM) or Fused Filament Fabrication (FFF) Thermoplastics, eutectic metals, edible materials, Rubbers, Modeling clay, Plasticine, Metal clay (including Precious Metal Clay) Light polymerised Powder Bed Robocasting or Direct Ink Writing (DIW) Stereolithography (SLA) Digital Light Processing (DLP) Powder bed and inkjet head 3D printing (3DP) Electron-beam melting (EBM) Selective laser melting (SLM) Ceramic materials, Metal alloy, cermet, metal matrix composite, ceramic matrix composite photopolymer photopolymer Almost any metal alloy, powdered polymers, Plaster Almost any metal alloy including Titanium alloys Titanium alloys, Cobalt Chrome alloys, Stainless Steel, Aluminium
Selective heat sintering (SHS)[24] Thermoplastic powder Selective laser sintering (SLS) Thermoplastics, metal powders, ceramic powders Direct metal laser sintering (DMLS) Almost any metal alloy Laminated Laminated object manufacturing (LOM) Paper, metal foil, plastic film Wire Electron Beam Freeform Fabrication (EBF3) Almost any metal alloy 2 In the engineering industry there is likely to be further developments in additive manufacturing and rapid prototyping the process of using 3D printers to manufacture small run high precision products in durable polymers and alloys for industrial application in aerospace and automotive. As the 3D printer develops and becomes mainstream, the print industry is likely to experience an increase in demand for 3D printing services particularly in the consumer market for low cost polymer based products. 5. 3D printing and scanning services today With the availability of construction materials used in 3D printing there is a great deal of scope for their application. From the cheaper materials like card and paper used in laminated 3D printing to high end titanium alloys used in EBM and SLM printers to print specialist parts for automotive or aerospace industries. Research shows a dramatic increase in 3D printing and scanning services and it appears to be on the rise. Services that are being offered include: Low volume specialist manufacture Prototype modelling 3 Dimensional art Architecture and construction modelling Medical research and treatments Consumer electronics Reverse engineering Civil engineering surveys Mould and die making Consumer novelty products With all the hype in 3D print technologies, there has grown a home industry for the enthusiast in 3D printers. An open source education program called RepRap, short for Replication Rapid 2 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/3d_printing
prototype, is a concept born in a UK university to further the research in 3D printing and selfreplicating machines. 3D printers and 3D scanners are now well within the budget of small businesses and the enthusiast and while they may be able to produce small models, the need for experienced printing services, like the conventional printing service of today, is likely to be in greater demand to service this growth. 6. Skills development As these new technologies in 3D scanning and 3D printing have developed, so too has a skills gap that needs to meet the growing demand for the service. Training courses advertised and promoted by manufacturers and suppliers on their websites show that training is essential to get the most out of the printers they market. These vendor training courses are not linked to any nationally endorsed training and as such the graduates have no formal qualification following completion. Likewise no nationally endorsed competency standards currently exist for the specific skills relating to 3D printing and 3D scanning. 6.1. Skills for Scanning The end use of the scanned image is usually for some practical use or application, either as a computer image to be manipulated into a graphical representation such as animation which may be outputted as a two dimensional image onto paper or video. The second and more recent application for scanned images is for manufacturing and 3D printing and modelling. Data captured by the 3D scanner is converted to specific data file types and used to input into computers for computer aided manufacturing (CAM) or three dimensional printing. The operator of the scanner requires a thorough understanding of the technologies used to scan the 3D object, develop the digital image, and the data file format that the scan creates. These attributes are affected by the type and operation of the 3D scanner and the application to which the resulting image is going to be put. 6.1.1. Possible skills Scanning 3D images requires an operator to: know how to operate the equipment safely understand scanners and there application capture the scanned image process the captured images output the image in an appropriate file format.
These skills, for the printing industry would, in most situations be limited to basic scanner types rather than the more complex and highly specialised units such as those using x-rays and ultrasound for the medical sector. WOULD THE PRINTING INDUSTRY BENEFIT FROM A UNIT OF COMPETENCY IN 3D SCANNING? ARE THERE SIGNIFICANT DIFFERENCES IN TYPES OF 3D SCANNERS THAT WOULD RESULT IN TWO LEVELS OF UNIT OF COMPETENCY, A BASIC LEVEL AND AN ADVANCED LEVEL? DO THE SKILLS LISTED ABOVE CAPTURE THOSE GENERALLY REQUIRED TO OPERATE A 3D SCANNER? 6.2. Skills in 3D printing While 3D printing is a relatively new concept the operation of a 3D printer appears to be not unlike that of an inkjet or laser printers. From a process point of view, the key differences are in the types of materials used and the obvious technologies that deposit, sinter or solidify the materials, particularly for the printers that use fused deposition modelling (FDM)(or fused filament fabrication (FFF)), laminated object manufacturing (LOM) and some of the lower technology powder bed and inkjet 3D printers (3DP). 6.2.1. Basic 3D Printers There appears to be a need for a unit of competency for the basic operation of general mass production 3D printers, designed for the consumer market, where the technologies are relatively simple and are designed for the general consumer, high volume, low precision printing applications. What level of responsibility, independence, and technical capabilities are there when operating the printers? Basic 3D Printing may require an operator to: know how to operate the 3D printer safely (e.g. FFF, FDM, SLA) understand printers, there capability and application manipulate and upload basic printer data files print the 3D model clean and prepare the printed model
6.2.2. Precision 3D Printers Where higher levels of precision are specified more advanced 3D printing technologies would seem appropriate. These higher level precision 3D printers are likely to apply sintering technologies using heat, lasers or electron beams as the source of energy to melt metals and their alloys, ceramics and other highly specialised materials. The technologies are more likely to require advanced trouble shooting and operational skills due to the higher risks of operation, complexity of the equipment and cost of materials associated with the printer. This advanced level of printing is likely to be used for rapid prototyping and specialist low volume high precision printing activities such as is found in engineering, medical and research and development applications. Advanced 3D Printing may require an operator to: know how to operate an advanced 3D printer safely (e.g. EBM, SLS, SLM) understand the complexity of advanced printers and there application manipulate and upload complex printer data files operate the 3D printer to output high precision 3D models clean and prepare the printed model 6.2.3. 3D printer file management A further difference that exists between conventional printing and 3D printing is in the complexity of the data files used. 3D printing uses quite specific file formats that are often converted from traditional CAD files to a 3D format. The basic level 3D print requirements might expect customers and clients to provide file formats ready for printing or a basic file format that could be converted by the printer software. However for the more advanced levels of 3D printing, there is a requirement for an accurate and precise data file conversion process in order to prepare the CAD file formats for precision modelling with exacting tolerances. This conversion requires highly skilled operators to rectify faults in the files generated during the conversion process from CAD to printer file formats. 3D Printer file management may require an operator to: recognise the difference between low and high precision 3D printer applications determine specific file formats and their capacity for file conversion use specialist software convert files and rectify faults created during the conversion
output files in a format suitable for specified 3D printing THE DISCUSSION TENDS TO INDICATE THAT THERE MIGHT BE 3 SETS OF SKILLS FOR 3D PRINTING IN THE PRINTING INDUSTRY. BASE LEVEL (CONSUMER PRINTED PRODUCTS) ADVANCED LEVEL (PRECISION PRODUCTS) 3D SCANNER/PRINTER FILE MANAGEMENT DOES THIS SEEM APPROPRIATE OR ARE THERE OTHER LEVELS THAT HAVE NOT YET BEEN CONSIDERED? 7. Existing competencies for 3D printing and 3D scannings There are four existing units of competency that relate to either 3D scanning or 3D printing. ICPPRP286 - Scan images for reproduction - This unit of competency describes the skills and knowledge required to scan line images. (https://training.gov.au/training/details/icpprp286) This existing AQF Level 2 unit of competency from the ICP Printing and Graphic Design Training Package would appear too basic compared to the higher level 3D scanners used today. Flatbed scanner operation requires fewer technical skills than those required for the operation of a 3D scanner due to the additional third dimension, file types and output applications for the scanned image. MEM234020A - Coordinate small lot manufacture using rapid manufacture processes - This unit of competency covers the coordination of rapid manufacture (RM), rapid prototyping (RP) and rapid tooling (RT) processes for single or small lot production. It includes choice of materials, machinery and processes, generation of data and post-processing. (https://training.gov.au/training/details/mem234020a) MEM23132A - Evaluate rapid manufacturing processes - This unit of competency covers evaluation of rapid manufacturing based on additive, spray deposition and casting processes and includes evaluating the processes for their applicability, market competitiveness and sustainability. The unit requires consideration of product manufacturability, materials, systems and processes maintainability, plant and tooling requirements.
(https://training.gov.au/training/details/mem23132a) These two units of competency identified from the MEM05 - Metal and Engineering Training Package are very much manufacturing oriented. MEM234020A - Coordinate small lot manufacture using rapid manufacture processes is a unit of competency that focusses on preparation and direction (coordination) of a rapid manufacturing process. It does not provide for the operation of a rapid manufacturing machine. MEM23132A - Evaluate rapid manufacturing processes is also a non-operational unit of competency that is based on evaluation of a rapid manufacturing process rather than the operation of a rapid manufacturing machine (3D printer). VU21706 - Create products using 3D printing - This unit of competency provides the skills and knowledge to utilise a 3D printer to produce a range of items. It encompasses relevant safety procedures and the use of integrated technologies. (http://www.education.vic.gov.au/training/providers/rto/pages/courses.aspx#link28) This unit of competency has been sourced from a Victorian qualification 22289VIC Certificate II in Integrated Technologies which is not a Nationally Endorsed Training Package. The program has been developed for use in the secondary education sector and provides an introduction to 3D printing technologies. In the absence of existing units to import from another training package it is recommended to develop specific units of competency aligned to the printing industry. These units of competency would be quite applicable as imported units of competency to other training packages where the technology has been adopted. 8. Feedback and Input The purpose of this paper has been to stimulate discussion on the need to develop new competencies for the developing technologies in 3D scanning and 3D printing for the Printing and Graphic Arts Training Package. The outcome of the paper is to prepare and have endorsed units of competency fit for purpose for these technologies. IBSA needs your feedback in order to progress this work and seeks your advice and input. As we work with industry we will commence the development of units of competency. These will be available on the IBSA feedback hub https://www.ibsa.org.au/ibsa-feedback-hub. Please log in and provide your comments. If you would like to contribute to the discussion please contact: Industry Manager Steven Deer steven.deer@ibsa.org.au Consultant Ron Barrow, Nestor Consulting ron@nestorconsulting.com.au If you would like to be kept up to date with this project, please subscribe to IBSA s mailing list (https://www.ibsa.org.au/subscribe) and select Printing and Graphic Arts as an area of interest.
9. Appendix 1 Gartner tables for 2010 and 2012