I convinced a local plastics company to create a small batch of specialty filament that would work with this new type of 3D printer. “After the printer was built, raw materials became the next hurdle. There were no off-the-shelf machines or kits back then that could be purchased, so Webster took a leap of faith, and designed and fabricated his first 3D printer in his college dorm room. Webster wanted to make a difference so that 3D printing would be more accessible and thus became a part of the early group of pioneers in the personal 3D printing sector, working to lay a foundation for the industry. Great leaders do not set out to be a leader they set out to make a difference. “The parts were quite brittle, and if a change was needed, you were stuck waiting several more weeks before you could get a replacement.” Despite these constraints, watching a digital design come to life in a real physical part was a transformative experience, and he quickly started looking at ways to make this technology more accessible. “I remember having to pay $20 to use the machine and waiting about three weeks to receive the finished parts”, Webster recounted. Purdue offered a Computer Aided Design (CAD) course that allowed students to design digital models on their computers, and then fabricate those models using one of the SLA 3D printers at the university. At the time, 3D printers were very costly and were typically only accessible to skilled technicians. Nearly a decade ago, Webster was studying Engineering at Purdue University when he got his first taste of 3D printing. At present, Simplif圓D is trusted by users in over 120 countries to provide total control over the printing process and consistently deliver the best results. They strive to simplify the process and improve the results, thereby enabling more designers, inventors, and engineers to harness the power of additive manufacturing. The team at Simplif圓D is driven to empower innovation through 3D printing.
Acting as the brain of the 3D printer, the software precisely controls speed, temperature, cooling, extrusion, and positioning to ensure the highest quality of output. The software analyzes your digital 3D models to determine the best way to fabricate these parts through additive manufacturing. Today, Simplif圓D provides industry-leading 3D printing software that is trusted by professionals worldwide. Clayton Webster set out to tackle these software challenges by founding Simplif圓D in 2013. Truth be told, the potential for success exists for those who seize the opportunity before anyone else. The market was taking root, but a need for reliable software to make the most of this technology was rising as well. These new printers were smaller, more user-friendly, and could be purchased for a fraction of the cost. As desktop printers came into the picture, a much broader audience was able to experience the thrill of an object coming to life before their eyes. Industrial 3D printing had been in use for over three decades, but high-cost entry constrained it to be used by trained technicians in well-funded corporate environments. The desktop 3D printing segment is less than a decade old, with many of the most significant advancements occurring in the last 5 years. While desktop 3D printers were earlier used by hobbyists or for constrained utilization in the education sector, these printers are progressively discovering applications in different industries, for example, engineering, art, jewelry, product design, dentistry, architecture, biomedical and consumer products. This makes Additive Manufacturing an appropriate technology for new applications in more sectors.
A high rate of innovation has resulted in faster printing speeds, greater reliability, and the availability of unique new materials. Today’s desktop printers are significantly closer to the quality and features of industrial 3D printers. Some forward-thinking research groups have even begun working on creating 3D printed chocolate structures and human tissue. Machine reliability has increased dramatically, and new materials for printing are being introduced each day, with printers now being capable of delivering one-off prints in everything from plastic to metal. The popularity of 3D printers has expanded extraordinarily in the past couple of years.