QUESTION 18
GS3
5 marks
How does 3D printing technology work? List advantages and disadvantages of the technology.
WRITE IN
4 min
100 words
What the examiner wants
Explain how 3D printing works and list its advantages and disadvantages.
How; ListAnswer exactly what the question asks.
Demand-wise check
- 1Working: CAD model sliced into layers; printer adds material layer by layer (additive), unlike cutting away (subtractive)≈15 words
- 2Methods: fused deposition (plastic filament), stereolithography (resin cured by UV), laser sintering (metal/polymer powder)≈15 words
- 3Advantages: customisation (implants, prosthetics), rapid prototyping, less waste, complex shapes, local manufacturing≈15 words
- 4Disadvantages: slow and costly at scale, limited materials, IP piracy, printable guns, quality certification≈15 words
Open in about 20 words and close in about 20.
Answer plan
PrincipleProcess stepsTypesAdvantagesDisadvantages
Where marks usually go
- Not mentioning the additive, layer-by-layer principle
- Advantages only
Draw this
- Flow: CAD design → slicing → layer deposition → finished object
Value addition
- EventThe 'Liberator', a 3D-printed handgun design, was released online in 2013.Defense Distributed, 2013
- PolicyNational Strategy for Additive Manufacturing (2022) aims to build India's 3D printing ecosystem.MeitY, 2022
Next: plan for one minute, write it in 4 minutes, then get it checked.