3D printing has its advantages. Here is a list of the top 15 advantages of 3D printing that will impact you.
Across the years gone by, 3D printing service has risen in popularity in the manufacturing industry. The benefits of 3D printing are immense, 3D printing applications are varied and not just professionals, but hobbyists use the 3D printing technology as well. Nowadays, 3D printer have become so economical that people have it at their homes.
The technology can safely be classified as a progressive technology, and with each passing year, we come across more advanced 3D printers that yield better 3D printing designs. Below we have discussed the advantages of 3D printing.
Table of Contents
ADVANTAGES OF 3D PRINTING
PRODUCTION IS FASTER
One of the most important advantages of 3D printing over traditional manufacturing is the speed at which 3D printers produce the models. Manufacturing processes are quick and easy. This encompasses all stages, starting from the blueprint, right through to the finished product. CAD delivers complicated designs that are used for printing. In a few hours, the process is complete. Though the printer takes some time to print but overall production time has been reduced.
LESS WORKFORCE REQUIRED
The key advantage of 3D printing is its automation because the cost of labor is also low as all the process is done by machines. This is in sharp contrast with conventional manufacturing, where the labor costs are much higher. Experienced machine operators are required for traditional manufacturing. So, the overall production depends directly on the workforce.
But, in 3D printing, an operator’s work is often limited to pushing a button. The remaining work is all automated. Hence it has reduced the dependence of people on labor.
PRODUCT QUALITY IS BETTER
Traditional manufacturing is complex and systematizing the production processes is difficult. But, in the case of additive manufacturing machines, this is a single-step process. The efficiency of the project is also higher in the latter case. This is possible because all the process is automated and done precisely via machines hence its quality is better.
Even without the aid of machine operators, one gets the desired results within a couple of hours. Dependence on manufacturing processes like painting and welding is similarly nullified.
LOWER RISK LEVELS
In traditional manufacturing, a faulty prototype is a financial loss. Before an investment is made towards an expensive molding tool, proper design verification is a must.
But, by using 3D printing technology, a prototype ready for production can be created before the actual production initiates. Prototype is designed and its functionality is seen even before it gets 3D printed via CAD software. This helps with checking the design. The prototyping process is hence risk-free in the 3D printing process.
CUSTOMIZATIONS AND CREATIVE DESIGNS ARE EASIER TO INDUCE
With 3D printing coming into prominence, designers can introduce many customizations and design creative models. At customer request, personal touches can also be conducted. The technology allows designers to experiment with complex geometries. In the case of 3D printing, a prototype can be physically tested for any drawbacks or errors, and designs reworked. One can easily get custom fit products according to their body shape, hearing aid is an example where people get it customize according to shape of their ear.
USING MIXED RAW MATERIALS
Using raw materials in a combination is expensive in the case of traditional manufacturing. Herein, the chemical and physical properties of all raw materials need to be considered.
But, 3D printing gives wings to a designer’s imagination. A range of raw materials can be used with the technology, including metal, wax, glass, biomaterial, rubber, ceramics, silver, and concrete. People use filaments as alloy if they want more flexibility they use elastomers similarly different materials have different advantages according to their usage.
SUSTAINABLE PRODUCTS
In any subtractive manufacturing method, waste material in substantial quantities has to be borne with. CNC milling is one such manufacturing method.
But, in 3D printing, only the materials that are needed for creating a part are used. This allows the materials to be recycled and reused for further processing. So, 3D printing is a financially lucrative arrangement. Most of the upcoming filaments are made from natural sources hence there are recyclable and biodegradable this helps the environment also
FLEXIBLE DESIGN
In the case of 3D printing, more complex designs can be created and printed as compared to traditional printing. The restrictions over traditional printing seldom apply to 3D printing. Just as an instance, using a mold is not called for in the case of 3D printing as even before the print complex designs are made on various CAD software the model is printed in layer by layer fashion.
NO NEED TO MANAGE INVENTORY
3D printing is an ideally suited service for managing a print-on-demand business. This way, businesses are not required to stock an inventory. So, this turns out to be a cost and space-saving arrangement. While it is not called for, there is no need to print in bulk.
3D files can easily store to any cloud database and can be accessed from anywhere and one can easily print their model without the need of actual inventory
CREATING LIGHTWEIGHT AND STRONG PARTS
In the vast majority of cases, plastic is the material used for 3D printing. This plastic material is now made with such a procedure that it can be recycled and is biodegradable. This empowers businesses to derive the maximum value from abs 3D printing advantages. But, some metals can also be used for the same.
The key advantage of using plastics for 3D printing is that they are lighter as compared to metals. This makes 3D printing remarkably important for aerospace and automotive industries, where lightweight is invariably an issue, in the terms of maneuverability, speed, and fuel efficiency.
Furthermore, in these industries, tailored materials can be used to create the parts. In general we cannot use 3D parts as regular components as functioning parts tend to wear out with use.
LOGISTICS COSTS ARE NEGLIGIBLE
The manufacturing industry, characteristically, calls for huge expenses to be made over logistics. We don’t require various tools and process for 3D printing. Hence in the 3D printing industry, the raw material used is lesser, and so the logistics costs are lower. In the same coin, costs associated with the maintenance of machinery are lower, because lesser equipment is used. So, there are several 3D printing benefits to businesses.
Due to this 3D printing is becoming popular in space projects also, because one never knows what product they might require. So they can simply print it as per their requirement moreover once they feel that tool is of no use they can recycle it and make another tool from it.
ADVANCED HEALTHCARE
3D printing benefits to society are widespread and multi-faceted, and it finds widespread applications across the healthcare sector. Nowadays, human organs such as hearts, kidneys, and livers are created by using 3D printing and help save lives. Prosthetics is 3D printing is bringing revolution to peoples life, one can use 3D printed limbs and can enable themselves to do things. 3D printing withholds an elaborate potential for the healthcare sector which will be tapped further in the future.
Also read: Enabling the Disabled: 3D printed Prosthetics Giving the Impaired a New Lease of Life
COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGE
Lower turnaround times in 3D printing production processes allow businesses to enhance and improve their products. One can easily make sample of their competitor and can judge the drawback of their product and learn from their mistakes and can improve it. The product quality is hence boosted at multiple levels, which is advantageous for businesses. Similarly, the communication gap between an investor and a business is bridged, because an investor can see the product and does not rely on imagination alone.
CONSISTENCY
In traditional manufacturing, the products are made by human interference procedures like molding which are less accurate. There is a high probability that these products are inconsistent.
But, in 3D printing, it is in succession that the parts are printed. With the monitoring of each successive part, errors can be singled out in real-time. This also reduces the overall cost as the scope of error is less as the products are consistent hence wastage is low.
ACCESSIBILITY
People are becoming more familiar with the technology every day and it is becoming user-friendly. 3D pens have nowadays produced that yield the same results as 3D printers. So, 3D printing is more accessible for entities such as companies and designers. 3D printers are used by hobbyist and vast production has made the technology economical.
CONCLUSION
As a new-age technology, 3D printing technology is better, faster, less expensive, and features additional flexibility and sustainability. Healthcare and food industry has added a new and untapped horizon for 3D printing industry. The new technology is environmentally friendly as well with biodegradable and reusable filament. In today’s world, people want all things quickly, and the advantages of 3D printing is immense for meeting our requirement