3D Printing or Additive Manufacturing Service

additive manufacturing components

3D Printing: Advanced Additive Manufacturing Technology

3D printing, also known as additive manufacturing, is an advanced rapid prototyping technology. It creates objects layer by layer using adhesive materials, such as powdered metal or plastic, based on CAD models or digital 3D designs. This process enables the production of complex geometries, customized solutions, and lightweight structures that are difficult to achieve with traditional manufacturing methods.

At TONGDA LINK, we provide comprehensive additive manufacturing services using cutting-edge 3D printing technologies, including:

  • Stereolithography (SLA): Ideal for high-resolution and detailed parts using photopolymer resins.
  • Selective Laser Sintering (SLS): Utilizes powdered materials to create durable and functional prototypes or end-use parts.
  • Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM): A cost-effective solution for rapid prototyping and low-volume production.
  • PolyJet Printing: Delivers precise, multi-material, and multi-color prototypes.
  • Direct Metal Laser Sintering (DMLS): Produces intricate metal components for demanding applications.

Our services cater to a wide range of industries, supporting not only prototyping but also the direct manufacturing of end-use products.

How Does 3D Printing Work?

3D printers work basically the same as traditional printers. The 3D printer mainly designs a complete three-dimensional three-dimensional model on the computer before printing, and then prints it out. 3D printing molding, like laser molding technology, uses layered processing and superimposed molding to complete 3D solid printing.
The 3D printing process of each layer of 3D printing(Additive Manufacturing) technology is divided into two steps. First, a layer of special glue is sprayed on the area to be formed. The glue droplet itself is small and difficult to spread. Then spray a uniform layer of powder, which will quickly solidify and bond when it encounters glue.
Whereas the areas without glue remain loose. In this way, under the alternation of one layer of glue and one layer of powder, the solid model will be “printed” and formed. After printing, just sweep away the loose powder to plan out the model, and the remaining powder can be recycled.

additive manufacturing SLS prototype

Selective Laser Sintering

SLS Printing, 3D-printed mechanical part

3D printing rapid prototyping

Metal 3D Printing

DMLS Printing, industrial use prototypes

additive manufacturing DMLS sample

Stereolithography Printing

SLA Printing, printed plastic craft product

3D PRINTING POST-PROCESSING

Cleaning and curing: After printing, the object is cleaned (such as removing support structures, uncured resin, etc.). Some technologies (such as SLA) also require secondary curing to improve mechanical properties.

Surface treatment: Including sanding, painting, coloring and other steps, aimed at improving the appearance and further improving the performance of the product.

3D PRINTING TO REMOVE SUPPORT STRUCTURES

3D printing to remove support structures
Sports car exhaust manifold made by 3D metal printing

3D metal printing application in the Sports car exhaust manifold parts prototyping

sport-car-exhaust-manifold-design
sports car manifold valve hydraulic 3D metal printing

3D metal printing application in the Sports car exhaust manifold valve parts prototyping

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3D PRINTING METAL MATERIALS

Main 3D Printing Metal Materials Metal 3D printing utilizes various materials, including titanium alloys, stainless steels, tool steels, aluminum alloys, and high-temperature alloys. These materials find widespread application across aerospace, automotive, medical, and mold manufacturing industries.

• Titanium Alloys (e.g., TA1, TC4, TA15): Valued for high strength, excellent corrosion resistance, and biocompatibility. Primarily used in aerospace components and medical implants.

• Stainless Steels (e.g., 316L, 17-4 PH, 304L): Offer strong corrosion resistance and are well-suited for producing complex parts in small batches.

• Tool Steels: Known for exceptional hardness and wear resistance. Commonly used in injection molds, tooling, and demanding aerospace components.

• Aluminum Alloys (e.g., AlSi10Mg, Al7075): Provide a favorable strength-to-weight ratio and good corrosion resistance. Widely applied in automotive and general industrial components.

• High-Temperature Alloys (e.g., Nickel-based: GH4169/Inconel 718; Cobalt-based): Engineered to withstand extreme heat and stress. Essential for critical parts in jet engines, turbines, and other high-temperature environments.

METAL 3D PRINTING:

Metal 3D printing, a form of additive manufacturing (AM), constructs metal objects layer by layer from digital models.

APPLICATIONS:

Metal 3D printing excels in industries requiring complex, lightweight, or customized components:

Aerospace:
  • Turbine blades, fuel nozzles (e.g., GE’s LEAP engine), and lightweight brackets.
  • Benefits: Weight reduction, improved fuel efficiency, and part consolidation.
Medical:
  • Custom implants (e.g., orthopedic, cranial) and prosthetics.
  • Dental devices (crowns, bridges) with patient-specific designs.
Automotive:
  • Lightweight components (e.g., engine parts, heat exchangers) for electric vehicles.
  • Prototyping and high-performance racing parts.
Tooling & Manufacturing:
  • Molds with conformal cooling channels for faster production cycles.
  • Or, if the mold cavity/core is hard to machine, metal 3D printing is essential.
  • Custom jigs and fixtures for assembly lines.
Energy:
  • Turbine components, heat exchangers, and nuclear reactor parts.
  • Enables complex geometries for efficient energy systems.
Defense:
  • Durable, lightweight components for military vehicles and aerospace.
  • On-demand spare parts in remote locations.
Consumer Goods:
  • High-end custom jewelry and luxury items.
  • Performance gear (e.g., bicycle frames, sporting equipment).

TONGDA LINK`s ACHIEVEMENTS

SLA, HP Nylon (PA12) SLS, METAL 3D PRINTING

Available 3D Printing Materials

Below are our available materials for 3D printing. TONGDA LINK will choose suitable materials according to different 3D printing technologies.

Additive Manufacturing Materials

Metals

Aluminum

Stainless Steel (17-4, 316L)

Titanium

Inconel

Cobalt Chrome

Copper

Plastics

ABS

PA (Nylon)

Polycarbonate

Polypropylene

PPSF/PPSU

ASA

Elastomer

Digital photopolymer

TPU

Silicone

Surface Finishing Options for 3D-Printed Parts

Below surface finish for additive manufacturing parts and prototypes, to boost the strength, clarity, and appearance of the 3D-printed parts.

Custom Finishing

Coating

Coating is most applied to ABS and PC materials parts for cosmetic finish.

Painting

TONGDA LINK provides with automotive-grade paint and soft-touch painting according to pantone code.

Plating

Electroless nickel plating can be used to achieve parts that are similar to cast aluminum or magnesium.

Dyeing

Dyeing is another method for adding color to 3D prints. Compare with painting, cost lower.

Decaling

Decaling can be used to add a logo or other graphics to boost cosmetics or function.

Polishing

Polish parts to a mirror-like finish or other grade according to customer`s requirement.

Machining

CNC machine metal 3D prints to achieve exceptional tight tolerances or good surface.

Post-Processing Capabilities for Metal 3D-Printed Parts

Below post-processing for 3D printing parts to improve strength, dimensional accuracy, and cosmetic appearance of final 3D-printed components.

Post-Processing

Surface Finishing

Heat Treatments

Mechanical Testing

Powder Analysis

  • 3- and 5-axis CNC milling
  • Stress relief
  • Tensile
  • Traceability
  • CNC Turning
  • NADCAP heat treatment
  • Rockwell Hardness
  • Particle size analysis
  • Polish (Mirror or Brushed)
  • Hot isostatic pressing (HIP)
  • Chemistry
  • Passivation
  • Solution annealing
  • Distribution analysis
  • Wire EDM
  • Aging
  • Tapping and reaming

3D Printing Make new things possible

When the mechanical design or industrial design cannot be made by traditional manufacturing processes, for example injection molding, die casting, CNC machining. Or it is very expensive to manufacture by traditional manufacturing processes, then 3D printing will help you make the impossible possible. Additive manufacturing can create shapes that traditional production techniques cannot, allowing people to more efficiently design products with unique features or functions for industry use.

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TONGDA LINK supports customers to lower part costs with short lead time and good parts quality.

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WHY USE 3D PRINTING?

Compared with traditional manufacturing processes, the advantages of 3D printing make more and more people choose to use 3D printing.

Benefits

  • Manufacturing complex items does not add cost.
  • Product diversification does not increase costs.
  • No assembly required, zero time delivery.
  • Unlimited combinations of materials, reducing waste by-products.
  • Shorten product development cycle, improve productivity and reduce production costs.

Challenges

  • Limitation of materials, 3D printing cannot support the various materials.
  • 3D printer has high requirements and has a certain complexity.
  • The quality and precision are low, 3D printed parts be used only as prototype parts.
  • Post-processing is essential, which slow down manufacturing.
  • 3D printing is mass-produced, the unit cost will not be reduced as much as plastic injection molding.

TONGDA LINK Additive Manufacturing Technology

TONGDA LINK supports 3D-printed prototypes and production parts with additive manufacturing technologies like PolyJet, FDM, DMLS, SLM, SLS,

LOM, SLA, DLP, MJF, carbon DLS and etc. Learn more about our manufacturing capabilities.

Stereolithography (SLA)

Stereolithography is a computer-controlled laser beam, through the design data provided by the CAD system, using the beam to solidify the liquid photosensitive resin layer by layer. Movement is combined to create three-dimensional objects.

Selective Laser Sintering (SLS)

The laser beam is selectively sintered according to the layered section information under the control of the computer. After one layer is completed, the next layer is sintered. After all the sintering is completed, the excess powder is removed, and a sintered part can be obtained.

Direct Metal Laser Sintering (DMLS)

By using a high-energy laser beam controlled by the 3D model data to locally melt the metal matrix, while sintering solidifies the powder metal material and automatically layer-by-layer stacking, the dense geometry of the solid part is generated.

Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM)

The FDM process melts and extrudes plastic wires through a high-temperature nozzle. The wires are stacked, cooled, and solidified on the platform or processed products, and the solid is obtained layer by layer.

Multiple Jet Fusion (MJF)

The way the technology works is interesting: a layer of powder is applied, then a flux is sprayed, and a detailing agent is sprayed at the same time to keep the edges of the printed object fine, and then a heat source is applied on top. This layer is complete. And so on until the 3D object is complete.

Digital Light Processing (DLP)

The principle is to pass the light source emitted by the light through the condensing lens to homogenize the light, and then pass through a color wheel (Color Wheel) to divide the light into RGB three colors (or more colors), and then project the color on the DND by the lens. , and finally through the projection lens projection imaging.

Inkjet Technology (PolyJet 3D)

Each layer of photopolymer material is solidified with ultraviolet light immediately after being sprayed, resulting in a fully solidified model that can be transported and used immediately without subsequent solidification. The gel-like support material specially designed to support complex geometries can be easily removed by hand or by a water spray.

Digital Light Synthesis (DLS)

DLS is a proprietary resin-based 3D printing process developed by Carbon. With UV-curable resin continuously flows through a “dead space” above the oxygen-permeable membrane, a UV image representing the cross-section of the part is projected onto the oxygen-permeable window to cure the resin. When the build platform is raised from the resin vat, the parts are upside down.

Explore more additive manufacturing news and industry updates

Find industry news, resources, insight into the 3D printing process, and more, on the TONGDA LINK blog:

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TONGDA LINK Manufacturing Capabilities

At TONGDA LINK, we are your premier partner for comprehensive plastic injection mold engineering, design, and manufacturing solutions. With a commitment to excellence and innovation, we specialize in delivering high-quality molds tailored to meet the unique demands of various industries.