3D Printing Consulting
3D Printing is revolutionising our means of production.
Initially popular in prototyping offices, the technology has now started to mature and move onto the production floor.
But as with all new technologies, comes the need to understand it, and figure out how it could fit into and improve our production lines.
This is where our experience with 3D Printing can benefit you.
With our 3D Printing Consulting service, allow us to inspect and understand your production line, so we can advise you on whether 3D Printing can help you.
Without being affiliated to a specific brand, enables us to provide you with unbiased advise.
Even if if it turns out that 3D Printing is not suitable for your purpose.
How can 3D Printing benefit your production?
Prototyping & design revisions
Depending on the shape & size of a part, 3D Printers generally manufacture parts faster than traditional methods. They are also able to combine multiple manufacturing processes that might usually have required multiple machines. And they are able to build almost any shape without many of the previous constraints from traditional manufacturing methods. Additionally, multiple versions of a single part can be printed simultaneously.
Combined manufacturing processes
In many cases, 3D Printers are able to produce the manufacturing processes usually required by multiple machines. Like machining features into a part that was manufactured using injection molding. When the entire part with all its features can be 3D printed in one go. This increases efficiency and thereby reduces costs.
Final products
3D Printers and materials are now being produced at larger scales around the globe. This is helping to drive down their costs and increasing the feasibility of using them on the production line to manufacture the final products.
Complex shapes
The layer-by-layer method that 3D Printers use construct parts, allows them to build almost any shape possible. Because material can be accurately placed anywhere within the 3D dimensional build area. And equally left out where it is not required.
Reduced waste
Previous manufacturing methods like machining, required parts to be cut out from an original block of material. Also called Subtractive Manufacturing. The material that is removed, is wasted. 3D Printing falls under a branch of manufacturing called Additive Manufacturing, where only the material that will make up the final part it used to build it. Which reduces waste.
Supply chain efficiency and less inventory
Because 3D Printers can produce parts rapidly, and combine multiple manufacturing methods, they can be placed at any location to produce stock parts on demand. Thereby reducing the need for having much inventory on hand or transporting it between locations.
Low-volume production
Because of the comparably low startup times & costs, lack of tooling and efficient material usage, 3D Printers can be used for low volume production runs. And can even combine multiple orders within the same print run.
Production line tooling
3D Printers can cut down on production delays by rapidly producing any tools that may be required on a production line. Especially very customized shapes, because 3D Printers can build almost any complex shape required.
Freedom from traditional constraints
The tooling used with traditional manufacturing methods, is usually what constrains the designing process. But because 3D Printers make use of fine nozzles and light waves, there are no tools to constrain the design and manufacturing process. Material is just placed wherever it is needed.
Large range of materials, colours, transparency, hardness & flexibility
The now maturing 3D Printing industry has developed a large range of materials and printing methods, which are able to deliver parts with any colour, transparency, hardness and flexibility.
Non-uniform parts
With 3D Printers being able to accurately control the placement of material anywhere within a part, it is possible to control and vary the internal or surface composition of the part at every point from one side to the other.
Lightweight parts
3D Printers are able to print hollow or partially hollow parts. And they are also able to leave out material wherever it is not needed. This give them the capability of manufacturing parts that are much lighter than was possible before.
Parts with internal cooling channels
Because 3D Printers are able to control the internal composition of parts, it is possible to place cooling channels inside parts that were impossible to have before.