We live in a world so technologically advanced that things we could only imagine or saw in science fiction films in the past, today are real and they exist to facilitate our way of living. One of these revolutionary concepts is 3D printing. It is a technique which creates parts by building one layer at a time via a printer. It is also known as additive manufacturing which refers to the process of producing a 3D solid object from a computer 3D file which is sent to a 3D printer by a simple command.
There are certain spheres in the manufacturing industry where 3D printing products have a larger plethora of benefits in comparison to the traditional CNC machining manufacturing techniques. For example, in the medical field, the 3D printing surgical tools are much cheaper than their stainless steel counterparts. In addition, the concept of 3D printing is widely spread so, every manufacturing business should buy 3D printing materials because of the many advantages 3D has to offer. Here are the most important ones.
Speed
The speed at which the parts can be produced compared to traditional manufacturing methods is one of the greatest advantages of 3D printing. The velocity of the development of complex design ideas is what places 3D printing above all manufacturing methods. In the past, for example, it may have taken days or weeks to design a prototype whereas, with the 3D printing, you can have it in a few hours.
Cost-effective
Another advantage is the cost-effectiveness. When a product is produced a lot of costs are made in order to have the perfect finished product. When it comes to 3D printing, machine operation costs are typically the lowest of all as most 3D printers use the same amount of power as a laptop. The 3D printers used for industrial purposes consume a higher amount of energy, but due to their ability to produce complex geometries in a single step, the costs are reasonable.
The material costs refer to the filament coils that can have different prices depending on the type of material and printer. Therefore, before you buy 3D printing materials you need to check whether they are appropriate for the type of printer you have or intend to purchase. These costs are the biggest contributor to the cost of the part so you need to explore your options before you make the purchase.
Finally, the labour costs are the lowest ones as 3D printer require just a push of a button to operate. The whole process is automated so the cost is almost zero compared to traditional manufacturing where in order for the machine to work you need highly professionals that need to be paid.
Risk mitigation
If a prototype is faulty, that is a waste of time and money. Additionally, the smallest changes in the fabrication may have a large financial impact. However, with the 3D printing, the prototype can be ready in just a few hours and can be easily verified before buying expensive manufacturing equipment.
Creativity and Personalization
Another great advantage of 3D printing is that you can personalise, customise and create unique designs that will fit the needs of different individuals. Also, you can 3D print everything you can imagine after having a virtual design of the product. The fact that in a relatively short time you can have one of your ideas transformed into a concept and then into a finished product is unbelievable but very real.
Less Waste
Finally, traditional manufacturing methods result in a lot of wasted resources which is not the case with 3D printing. 3D printing works in a way which only uses material that is needed to create a prototype part. Also, you can even reuse the materials form a 3D print product. This will also save the business a lot of money.
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