3D Printing In Jewelry

3D printing is a very interesting form of manufacturing technology. This process allows for the creation of almost anything! It may actually change the way we produce jewelry in the near future. First off, before I even go into that – let me tell you what 3D printing is and how it works.

3D printing is the layer by layer assembly of products. It is a form of manufacturing that has been around since the late 1970’s, but is just now becoming efficient and popular. How does this process work? Well, this process involves laying down layers of material. These layers will be laid down at increments as small as .13 mm. That’s pretty detailed! There are various forms of laying down the material. Some processes involve using ultraviolet light to cure resin. Some forms of 3d printing involve melting material and stacking it. Others involve using binding materials. There are quite a few processes, but those are some of the common ones. How does this actually occur?

Before anything can actually happen, a design has to be developed on a computer. A designer, artist, engineer, or whatever you’d like to call it – will have to design a 3D model from a software. There is such a variety when it comes to choosing software, but regardless – it will be designed on the computer. 3D printing revolves around a CAM system, or a computer aided manufacturing system. What does this mean? What is a computer aided manufacturing system? A CAM system is basically a computer within the printer that tells the jets, lights, or binder where to go. It instructs the printer to manufacture a piece in accordance to the initial design. So basically, when a design is received by the printer, it will begin manufacturing the piece on its own as soon as the operator presses “go” essentially.

Let’s tie this into jewelry. How is jewelry relevant to 3D printing? First off, I want to say that pretty much anything can be manufactured from a printer. One thing that falls under “anything” is jewelry. Traditionally, molds and hand carving have been the main medians with jewelry design. 3D printing is a new one for sure, and it will definitely change the way it works in the near future. How does the jewelry manufacturing process work?

The basic process that this falls under is casting. A printer will actually manufacture the cast in a resin, or plastic. This product will then be sent to the caster. He or she will then put the casting piece into a cast, and the material will fill up the plastic piece, and it will result in the final piece. What’s significant about this process in comparison to regular jewelry processes?

3D printing allows for the creation of very intricate pieces. So? Well, machining, hand carving, and casting can’t create some of the models used in 3D printing. This means that this manufacturing technology will be able to create some models which can’t be produced through various types of manufacturing. Through 3D printing, we will be able to make more intricate jewelry.