There are several fundamental printer technologies, each optimized for specific materials and desired outcomes. Fortunately, Creo makes it easy to 3D print to a wide variety of brands and types of printers.
Thermal energy from an electron laser beam fuses layers from a powdered material bed. For both polymers and metals, power bed fusion (PBF) is ideal for precise, functional parts.
Material filament is extruded through a nozzle and deposited in layers. This produces inexpensive physical models using polymer, metal, and composite materials.
A bonding agent joins thin layers of powdered materials. Metal and composite materials can be used to produce low-cost, high-volume parts.
Layers of liquid polymer are cured by a light or heat source. This process produces a high-quality surface finish, ideal for prototypes.
Metal is melted, deposited, and fused in place. This print technology is perfect for large metal products.
You can seamlessly design, optimize, validate, and run a print check, all within the same environment. With no more of the time-consuming, error-ridden hassle of multiple software packages, you can reduce time to market, improve part performance, and accelerate innovation, whether you’re looking at prototyping or final part production. The new extensions feature enhanced lattice capabilities with the addition of stochastic lattices based on the Delaunay algorithm, hard-edge definition, and the ability to create lattice structures using custom cells, thereby enabling highly complex parts that cannot be produced using traditional manufacturing.
With Creo’s capabilities, you can design for additive manufacturing and optimize parts for production with ease. Explore how to:
Create parametrically controlled lattice structures and fully detailed parts with accurate mass properties.
Identify printability issues in your design
Scale, position, and show a clipped view of the model and probable support material on the tray
Automatically optimize the position of the model in the tray for printing
Define profiles for multiple supported printers
Modify, manage, and save print tray assemblies
Assign materials and colors, calculate build and material consumption, and print directly from Creo to supported 3D printers
Connect directly to service bureaus—such as i.materialise—for access to more than 100 materials
With variability control, you can reinforce the lattices how you wish (requires extension)