3D printing technology has been around for longer than you might think,and it has come so far.People are 3D-printing houses and even organs as we speak.But do you really know what this technology is all about?

Tanaruz Boats are 3D-printed boats from recyclable materials.Now,you might not have heard of the term 3D printing.Or,you have heard of the term but don't quite understand how a boat can be printed out. In this blog, we will walk you through what 3D printing technology is and how it works.

What is 3D printing?

3D printing, also known as additive manufacturing, was invented in the 1980s. Back then, it was said to only be suitable for producing functional or aesthetic prototypes.

3D printing, in the simplest way, is creating a three-dimensional object from a digital design. It uses the principles of additive processes, which means stacking layers on layers to create the physical object. Nowadays, 3D printing technology is applied across various industries such as construction, consumer products, transportation, and even medicine.

One of the advantages of 3D printing is that it has a high precision level, which increases its ability to work with detailed and complex designs. 3D printing technology can replicate even the most minor details, creating space for the maximum level of creativity.

In terms of materials, 3D printing technology works with quite a wide range, from nylon, resin, PET to titanium, stainless steel, ceramics, and even gold or silver. Each material has its own advantages and disadvantages. Depending on the product's characteristics,the suitable material can then be decided.

3D-printed Eurovision 2021 Cup in front of Rotterdam Central Station

How does it work?

3D printing can be done in three steps:Designing,Slicing,Printing.

• Designing:

Every product starts from the designing process.At the moment,there is various software that aids the designing process.The initial designing process can be done in two-dimensional forms and non-digital.But the final design needs to be made into a three-dimensional digital file.For example,the design can be drawn on paper,then transferred onto a software to be adjusted to a three-dimensional form.

• Slicing:

Once the design is finished,it can be sliced to reveal the layers.The software is now used again to cut into the digital model,showing and analyzing the layers for the next step.

• Printing:

Now the exciting part,printing!Similar to how a normal inkjet printer works,a 3D printer has a nozzle that moves while dispensing the material,such as polymer layer by layer.Working from the bottom up,this nozzle dispenses the material into each layer,stacking them up until the final object is revealed.Depending on the complexity and size of your model,it will take a few hundreds or thousands of layers for the object to be fully printed.

With these three basic steps,the sky is your limit.Objects from simple to complex,small to big,can all be created using 3D printing technology.For bigger products,such as a house,or a boat,big robot arms are used to dispense the printing material.

In relation to Tanaruz Boats

For Tanaruz Boats,we choose to work with polypropylene(PP)with 30%of glass enforcement.This specific material meets the strength requirement that we look for.Additionally,we aim to help solve the ongoing plastic pollution problem with Tanaruz Boats,which is why PP is our chosen material.PP is used in a significant number of applications that you might be familiar with.For example,chairs,flip-top bottles,laboratory items.Its popularity means there is a huge amount of this specific material being wasted every single day.So,we collect PP from industrial sites and turn them into the most sustainable motorised boats around.Plus,the 30%glass enforcement creates a diverse color selection for Tanaruz Boats.

For our printers,we trust ABB to provide us with the robot arms and the Dutch company Xtrution to manufacture the extruders.The printer is 12 meters in length and has a capacity of up to 50kg.

Conclusion

In recent years,3D printing has gained a certain level of popularity.Step by step,this innovative technology has been proving how efficient it can be,from everyday items such as sunglasses to boats and houses.

We believe that with Tanaruz Boats,we are creating the future of the maritime industry at this very moment.