The origin of 3D printers is very early. There are various technologies, and there is no specific person who invented them. But the first industrial 3D printer was invented by Charles W. Hull in 1986.
In the early 1980s, Alan J. Herbert of 3M Company in the United States, Hideo Kodama of Nagoya City Industrial Research Institute of Japan, Charles W. Hull of UVP Company of the United States, Osaka Industrial Research Institute of Japan Yoji Marutani of the Institute of Technology, four researchers independently proposed the technical idea of ??rapid prototyping. The materials and methods used are different, but they are all multi-layered and solidified to form objects.
Body.
In 1984, Michael Feygin proposed Laminated Object Manufacturing (LOM), which uses sheet materials, lasers, and hot-melt glue to make objects. In 1985, Helisys Company was established. Around 1990
Developed the first commercial model LOM-1015
In 1986, Selective Laser Sintering (SLS) ) technology was developed and patented by Dr. Carl Deckard (founder of DTM Company) of the University of Texas at Austin. This technology uses high-intensity laser to bake powder materials. until formed. This technology is characterized by a wide range of materials, such as nylon, wax, ABS, metal and ceramic powder, etc. can be used as raw materials. In 1992, a commercial molding machine with SLS technology was developed.
In 1986, the stereolithography technology
(StereoLithography, SLA) invented by Charles W. Hull (founder of 3D System Company) was granted a patent. This technology uses ultraviolet laser to scan the liquid resin point by point, causing a polymerization reaction in the scanned thin resin layer, gradually forming lines from points, and finally forming an overall model of the part. And launched
the first industrial 3D printing equipment.