3D Printing is one of the hottest new technologies in the manufacturing and DIY markets. However, the history of 3D printing actually stretches back to the 1980s. The 3D-printing world started with an SLA (Stereolithography Apparatus), which uses ultraviolet light to cure a resin and ultimately result in your desired shape or part. Then came SLS (Selective Laser Sintering), which employed a laser as the main technology to provide the fine bonding between different layers to create more complex parts. Ultimately, FDM (Fused Deposition Modelling) came on the scene, which is a technology we all love, as it provided the market with entry-level 3D printers, making them much more affordable than the earlier versions. FDM technology consists of a plastic filament being placed layer by layer until a complete model is created. At Blue Ring Technologies, we utilize a professional-grade FDM printer with ultra-high resolution and ABS plastic filaments, which is the most common type of plastic that our clients use for Injection Molding. Unlike entry-level 3D printers, our professional-grade option has two essential advantages: repeatability and support material. By repeatability, we mean the ability to create an engineered plastic part with a .003-inch degree of accuracy many times over. Most entry-level 3D printers will create slightly distorted or even incorrectly sized parts, resulting in a major lack of consistency. Support material is the second crucial advantage, particularly when creating parts with overhanging features. This is simply something that entry-level 3D printers cannot deliver, whereas our cutting-edge printers masterfully shape these complicated elements. As a result of our innovative technology at Blue Ring Technologies, we provide clients with an engineering-level quality of rapid prototyping that is both timely and affordable. We can go through several iterations of a part within a single day to meet every one of our client’s specifications. Check out a few of our 3D printed projects that we have created for clients over the years: