Graphics Reference
In-Depth Information
Figure 1.6
Melted plastic exits the extruder as a thin string of plastic.
Have you ever seen someone write Happy Birthday with icing on top of a birthday
cake? The decorator squeezes the icing and moves his or her hands and, hopefully,
out comes “Happy Birthday, Mom!” and not “Hopop Diaddap, Nom!”
Hold that thought. A 3D printer works in a similar manner, but without the shaky
hands. The cooling plastic is applied to a flat surface, but the plastic is placed on
the surface in such a way that when it cools and hardens, its shape has changed
from the original loop of plastic filament (seen back in
Figure 1.5
).
But how does a 3D printer apply the plastic on the flat surface? Most printers don't
have hands, right? Well, it turns out that 3D printers don't need hands—they have
something much better.
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