3D printing is a broad category of manufacturing methods that build components layer by layer. The methods used by each of these technologies to produce metal and plastic components vary, as can features like cost, speed of manufacturing, durability, surface polish, and material choice.
The best 3D printing procedure for your particular application will depend on how well you comprehend the advantages and disadvantages of each technique and how well these fit your needs for product creation.
Before delving into the many varieties of 3D printing technology and their individual benefits, let's examine how 3D printing fits into the product development cycle.
What Is 3D Printing?
3D printing, also called additive manufacturing, is a way to make 3D objects from a computer file. It works like this: a 3D printer builds the object one tiny layer at a time until it's finished.
Unlike traditional methods that cut away material from a big block (like carving from wood), 3D printing builds up an object without the need for molds or huge material blocks. 3D Printer also helps to create light weight parts for automotive and aerospace manufacturing businesses. This method is fast, doesn't require expensive equipment upfront, and allows for creating complex shapes using various materials. It's a bit like magic for making cool things!
What are the Benefits of Having a 3D Printer?
Cost Efficiency: 3D printing offers significant cost savings for various applications, such as educational model creation, displays, or prototype development. By utilizing your own materials and equipment, you can achieve these objectives at a lower cost compared to traditional methods.
Accelerated Development: In addition to cost savings, 3D printing enables rapid design iteration. For instance, if you're an educator looking to illustrate a 3D model of the heart, you can produce one within hours instead of waiting for a delivery.
Prototyping: For those involved in product development and sales, 3D printing facilitates quick prototyping. You can swiftly produce prototypes and assess their appearance and functionality, reducing the time and expenses associated with ordering prototypes externally.
Enhanced Manufacturing Efficiency: On a larger scale, 3D printing can improve manufacturing efficiency. It allows you to optimize components or entire products, streamlining the production process. This results in faster delivery to customers and better control over production costs.
Types of 3D Printing
It's reasonable to argue that prototyping is the main use of 3D printing. Its speedy single-component production allows product creators to inexpensively validate and exchange ideas. The best 3D printing technology will be selected based on the intended use of your prototype. A wide variety of prototypes can be produced using additive manufacturing, from basic physical representations to components for functional testing.
Stereolithography (SLA) - A Specific 3D Printing Method
Stereolithography, or SLA, is a pioneering industrial 3D printing process. SLA printers excel in producing highly detailed parts with smooth surfaces and precise tolerances. The superior surface finish on SLA parts not only enhances aesthetics but also contributes to the part's functionality, such as testing assembly fit. SLA finds extensive use in the medical industry, with applications including anatomical models and microfluidics. We employ Vipers, ProJets, and iPros 3D printers manufactured by 3D Systems for SLA parts.
Selective Laser Sintering (SLS) - A Different Approach
Selective laser sintering (SLS) melds nylon-based powders into solid plastic components. Since SLS parts are made from real thermoplastic materials, they are durable, suitable for functional testing, and can accommodate living hinges and snap-fits. Although SLS parts are stronger, their surface finish is rougher compared to SLA. One notable advantage is that SLS doesn't necessitate support structures, allowing the utilization of the entire build platform for multiple parts in a single build. Many SLS parts serve as prototypes for designs that will eventually undergo injection molding. We use sPro140 machines developed by 3D Systems for our SLS printers.
PolyJet - Versatility in 3D Printing
PolyJet is another plastic 3D printing process but with a unique twist. It can fabricate parts with diverse properties, such as colors and materials. Designers can leverage this technology for prototyping elastomeric or overmolded parts. For single, rigid plastic designs, SLA or SLS is more cost-effective. However, when prototyping overmolded or silicone rubber designs, PolyJet eliminates the need for early tooling investment, expediting design iterations and cost savings.
Digital Light Processing (DLP) - Speedy 3D Printing
Digital light processing is akin to SLA as it cures liquid resin using light. The primary distinction is the use of a digital light projector screen instead of a UV laser. DLP 3D printers can image an entire build layer at once, resulting in faster production. While often used for rapid prototyping, the higher throughput of DLP printing makes it suitable for low-volume production runs of plastic components.
Metal 3D Printing Options
Direct Metal Laser Sintering (DMLS) is our choice for 3D printing metal components, expanding design possibilities. DMLS is ideal for creating single-component metal parts or lightweight components with internal channels or hollowed-out features. It is suitable for both prototyping and production, as DMLS-produced parts match the density of traditionally manufactured metal parts, such as machining or casting. The ability to craft metal components with complex geometries is especially advantageous in medical applications where part design must mimic organic structures.
Electron Beam Melting (EBM) - Another Metal Printing Approach
Electron beam melting employs an electron beam controlled by electromagnetic coils to melt metal powder. The build occurs in a heated, vacuum environment, with the temperature depending on the material in use.
If you want to learn more about each type along with its use case, checkout our latest video that shows each type of 3D Printer along with how it can be used in manufacturing.
The Future of 3D Printing in Manufacturing
3D printing is ushering in a new era for companies like Gerhard Schubert GmbH, transforming the way they operate by creating "digital warehouses" of parts and tools that can be produced on demand, serving both manufacturing organizations and their customers. Furthermore, the expanding range of 3D printing materials enables the fabrication of parts with properties like heat and chemical resistance, flame-retardancy, and ESD-safety.
A survey reveals that a remarkable 87% of companies anticipate a significant increase in their use of 3D printing technology, with nearly 40% expecting usage to surge by five times or more. As additive manufacturing becomes more prevalent, companies will reduce batch sizes, expedite new product introduction (NPI) and development, and, at the intersection of cost-efficiency, use it as a primary tool for serial production. This foundation lays the groundwork for distributed manufacturing, fostering innovation, enhancing user experiences, and ultimately leading to improved outcomes for patients. It's evident that the future of 3D printing is promising and full of possibilities.
Interested to explore selection of 3D printing solutions designed to empower innovation and efficiency? Visit our 3D Printing Solutions Category page to discover products that align with your business needs and help you harness the full potential of 3D printing!