Cover Story
The popularity of 3D printers has expanded extraordinarily in the past couple of years . 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 . Some forward-thinking research groups have even begun working on creating 3D printed chocolate structures and human tissue .
Today ’ s desktop printers are significantly closer to the quality and features of industrial 3D printers . A high rate of innovation has resulted in faster printing speeds , greater reliability , and the availability of unique new materials . This makes Additive Manufacturing an appropriate technology for new applications in more sectors . 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 .
The desktop 3D printing segment is less than a decade old , with many of the most significant advancements occurring in the last 5 years . 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 . 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 . These new printers were smaller , more user-friendly , and could be purchased for a fraction of the cost . The market was taking root , but a need for reliable software to make the most of this technology was rising as well .
Truth be told , the potential for success exists for those who seize the opportunity before anyone else . Clayton Webster set out to tackle these software challenges by founding Simplify3D in 2013 . Today , Simplify3D provides industryleading 3D printing software that is trusted by professionals worldwide . The software analyzes your digital 3D models to determine the best way to fabricate these parts through additive manufacturing . 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 team at Simplify3D is driven to empower innovation through 3D printing . They strive to simplify the process and improve the results , thereby enabling more designers , inventors , and engineers to harness the power of additive manufacturing . At present , Simplify3D is trusted by users in over 120 countries to provide total control over the printing process and consistently deliver the best results .
A Visionary Set Out to Make a Difference Nearly a decade ago , Webster was studying Engineering at Purdue University when he got his first taste of 3D printing . At the time , 3D printers were very costly and were typically only accessible to skilled technicians . 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 . “ I remember having to pay $ 20 to use the machine and waiting about three weeks to receive the finished parts ”, Webster recounted . “ 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 .
Great leaders do not set out to be a leader ; they set out to make a difference . 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 . 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 . “ After the printer was built , raw materials became the next hurdle . I convinced a local plastics company to create a small batch of specialty filament that would work with this new type of 3D printer . It was expensive , but it worked !”
The next two years were spent on electronics and control systems development . One of his largest contributions during this time was the development of the printer firmware that handles communication , motor control , sensors , and printer kinematics . He released the code to the open-source community , and many printers on the market today are still powered by a variant of this firmware . With an intimate knowledge of hardware , electronics , and