Book 3d printing

and you understand the value and uniqueness of

our country similar knowledge and skills.

Introduction

Have you heard that 3D printing is

the technology of the new millennium and promises huge benefits

to those who use it?

Is it true?

In what areas is its use justified, and where

is not? Is it true that this technology can replace

classical manufacturing techniques?

Find answers to these and other questions in this

book.

In order not to be unfounded, I will give you examples

of practical use in the work of many small businesses

.

I would really like 3D printing in Russia

to develop rapidly. I believe that thanks to

to us, this will happen faster and better.

Opportunities and niches for 3D printing

More and more information is coming in about the introduction of 3D printing into all areas of our

life.

Is everything so simple and easy?

How can we apply 3D printing to reality?

Let's start with the fact that this technology is not a magic wand

for all problems.

No, is a VERSATILE tool.

In

first

for

manufacturing

non-standard/small series

products

made of

plastic/resin/plaster etc. The

technology itself is of interest to a not very large group of people,

present here.

Other people are interested in solving their problems.

Can we solve their problems with 3D printing?

Many yes!

Everything that we will tell further will be

refers to the use of a printer that prints using FDM-

technology. Technology of layer-by-layer deposition of plastic.

This is the most versatile and budget option for

starting a business. The main thing is to come to an understanding that a 3D printer

is a universal machine for manufacturing

small non-standard plastic parts.

And you have to “dance” from this.

The main areas of application in which

3D printing is mainly used are:

Modeling of architectural, engineering projects.

Design.

Manufacture of various artistic creations

Decoration, bijouterie.

If you are engaged in one of these areas,

you still yesterday needed to purchase a printer and bring your work to a new level

.

In addition to the customers in the above areas, there are

many more niches for 3D printing applications.

In the CIS countries, a unique situation has developed due to

which the use of 3D printing can be used in

many areas.

What are these factors?

1. The exchange rate of local currencies to world currencies, resulting in

the price of the printer, positions it as equipment ,

and not a toy for printing gnomes.

2. The same exchange rate makes many plastic

things/parts vehicles/equipment from abroad

have a fairly high cost , which allows

much more expensive 3D printing technology

compete with cast parts.

3. Destroyed or built inefficiently

economic relations of enterprises of the former USSR

led to the fact that there is a demand for the manufacture of

plastic parts. Production of parts by casting

is theoretically cheaper, but it is economically justified for large batches

. In the field of small business

injection molding technology ultimately fails

justify.

4. At

West

Problems

small

companies-

manufacturers

decides

large

number

engineering companies . In the countries of the former USSR

this niche is practically not developed . For various

reasons.

What do we get? 3D printing services are in demand. This,

is exactly the niche of engineering firms that

are needed in the field of small-scale production of

plastic parts.

They are also in demand in the public services sector . But

here I have to warn you that it is very difficult to promote such services

directly against the backdrop of the current informational

noise.

It is much easier to communicate this to future customers through

companies that already provide services or

sell consumer goods. For it to be

economically justified, it is necessary to focus on

the execution of small-scale orders from various organizations

. Such as car repair shops, household appliances repair shops or clubs

for people who are engaged in some kind of hobby.

In general, at the moment there is still

the opportunity to enter the market from scratch with the offer of 3D printing services and

work on third-party orders.

Many do not yet see 3D printing in their workflow

or are not financially ready to implement this

equipment. The purpose of this book is to convey the full benefits of

3D printers in the manufacturing and service industries.

Some misconceptions

Unfortunately, one of the factors hindering the introduction of

3D printing into business is the incorrect positioning of equipment

. That is, we all hear

that the scope of application is huge, but in fact at exhibitions and from

TV screens we see only "gnomes".

Yes, they can look spectacular, but a person, unfortunately,

does not perceive such presentation of information. He

does not want to think out how he can implement this

technology into his work.

A person does not want to draw an analogy between a

printed dog with an engine on its back and a banal

plastic gear that he uses in his

equipment.

You can understand the manufacturers and sellers - such

products look quite impressive at exhibitions, but they

attract a limited audience of designers and

artists.

Such pictures are empty words for an engineer. I'm not

trying to prove here that the artistic use of 3D printing is not correct

. It's just one of the many

facets of technology application.

And just a huge mistake would be to drive all the 3D-

Printing in narrow frames for the production of decorative items.

In the book you will learn about some practical niches

How 3D printing is changing the world. Chapter from the book "3D Printing" by Christopher Barnatt (translation) / Books, comics / iXBT Live

I have long wanted to delve into the topic of 3D printing, but I did not find a suitable introductory material. All articles went into a detailed technical analysis.
I learned about Barnatt's work when he became interested in single-board computers. Christopher reviewed almost all single-payers on his YouTube channel. From there, I realized that with the advent of 5-6 generations of devices, the dream of a silent workplace will finally come true. Also on his channel I got acquainted with video tours of exhibitions TCT Show 2017-2019 showcasing the latest developments in 3D printing. And with the release of the book, I was able to get a basic understanding of the technology.
Simplified some "boring" parts in the process of translation. For example, where the author provides graphs and diagrams with a detailed description of statistics, he left only conclusions. Also acted with the cash reports of large manufacturers. Everything else remains unchanged and I suggest you familiarize yourself with the result of my work.

Contents

A new era of technological revolution

Every year 3D printing becomes more and more mainstream. According to the CONTEXT research group, the 500,000th 3D printer was shipped in 2015, and by 2017, about a million devices had been sold. 3D printing is already being introduced as a manufacturing technology. For example, in 2016 company General Electric began selling aircraft engines with 3D printed fuel injectors. Atlas-5 rockets with parts printed with the same technology were launched into space. Brands Under Armor and New Balance launched small batches of partially 3D printed athletic shoes, while Organovo launched commercial bioprinting of human kidney tissue.

So far, this is just the foundation. Throughout the history of mankind, there have been many technological revolutions, each of which went through three phases. The first is "9"0452 conceptualization "when visions and ideas are formed that determine the future path. Then " implementation ", during which previously seemingly impossible plans begin to be partially realized. And the third phase is " mass commercialization of ", when enterprises master the production and application of new technology.

And what phase is 3D printing in? The use of a 3D printer to turn a digital file into a physical object is already widespread. For example, in such areas as engineering, law, economics, business, geography and art. There is already debate about the implications of exchanging digital objects over the internet to immediately print out their physical version on a printer (let's say a firearm). Clearly, we are far from the day when personal 3D printers put an end to capitalism by placing production in the hands of the majority. However, there is no doubt that the 3D printing revolution has reached its second phase, implementation.

By this time, enough methods have been invented to make solid objects by printing them in many thin successive layers. In fact, the most common 3D printing technologies have been around for decades.

Although the technology continues to evolve, I will assume that the last revolutionary phase - mass commercialization - is about ten years away. The pioneers of 3D printing are already using it to make a wide variety of things. However, this market is still niche and limited in commercial applications. In particular, these are companies that are engaged in small-scale, piece production or goods that cannot be manufactured using traditional methods.

Notwithstanding the above, we must remember that ten years ago, no industry sector reported selling products entirely or partially made with a 3D printer. Therefore, what is happening now is impressive. As 3D printing techniques evolve and new ones emerge, and old processes become faster and cheaper, we can expect 3D printing to move closer to a mass commercialization phase in the late 2020s or early 2030s. Innovators in the field plan to take advantage of the technology long before that.

3D printing technology

How does 3D printing work? To a large extent, it is an evolution of 2D printing, already used ubiquitously in offices and homes.

Most of us are familiar with inkjet or laser printers that allow you to print documents or photos. They create them by controlling the application of ink or toner to the surface of a sheet of paper. Similarly, 3D printers produce objects by controlling the placement and adhesion of successive layers of "building material" in 3D space. For this reason, 3D printing is also known as Additive Layer Manufacturing (ALM).0452 additive manufacturing "( AP or AM - Additive Manufacturing).

To print an object on this printer, you need a digital model on your computer. It can be created using a computer-aided design (CAD) application or other 3D modeling software. Also, a digital model can be captured by scanning a real object with a 3D scanner and processing with CAD or other programs.

The model must then be run through yet another "slicing" program that will cut the digital object into multiple cross-sectional layers - typically about 0.1mm thick. These digital ribbons are sent to a 3D printer, which makes them one on top of the other until a real object is formed.

How a 3D printer renders an object one layer at a time depends on the technology it is built on. There are many 3D printing methods and they can be divided into 4 categories.

The first category includes printers that create objects by extruding molten semi-liquid material from a print head nozzle. Most often it is thermoplastic that quickly hardens when it leaves the print head. Other extrusion-based 3D printers produce objects by extruding molten metal or chocolate icing (for printing culinary creations). There are also printers that use concrete, ceramic paste or clay.

The second category of 3D printers creates layers of objects by selectively curing a liquid resin known as " photopolymer " that cures when exposed to a laser or other light source. Some of these machines create layers of objects inside a reservoir of liquid. Others release a layer of resin from the print head and use UV light to cure it before applying the next layer. There are devices that mix several different photopolymers in one print job, which allows them to output color objects made from several materials. In particular, one of these printers is J750 from Stratasys - offers a palette of 360 thousand shades and can make objects from a mixture of different materials.

The third and most common category of equipment is layering by selectively bonding very fine powder granules. This "bonding of granular materials" is achieved by applying adhesive to layers of powder or by melting the granules with a laser or other heat source. There are many types of powder adhesion based on various materials. These include nylon, wax, bronze, stainless steel, cobalt chromium and titanium.

The latest category of 3D printers is built on lamination . Successive layers of cut paper, metal, or plastic are glued together to form a solid object. If sheets of paper are used as a building material, they are cut with a blade or laser, then glued together. They can be sprayed with ink during the printing process to create inexpensive, full-color 3D objects.

Market and application

3D printing is used for prototyping, mold making, digital direct manufacturing and custom manufacturing. Suppliers of 3D printing hardware, software and materials are already serving the needs of various market sectors. And now we will look at these applications to understand how 3D printing technology is developing.

Rapid Prototyping

Most often, 3D printers are used for rapid prototyping (RP - Rapid Prototyping). This includes concepts and functional prototypes . Concepts are fairly simple, non-functional "drafts" of product design (such as a bottle without a removable cap) and are intended to allow artists to recreate their ideas in a physical format. Functional prototypes, on the other hand, are more complex and allow you to evaluate the form, fit, and function of each part of a product before putting it into production.

Functional prototypes and concepts were created before the advent of 3D printers using laborious methods and tools. Therefore, their production often takes many days, weeks or even months, and the cost is thousands or tens of thousands of dollars. 3D printers can create concepts and functional prototypes in days or even hours, and at a fraction of the cost of traditional fabrication methods. Examples of this industry include the production of concept cars for Formula 1.

In addition to saving time and money, printing prototypes allows improved products to be brought to market as designs typically go through many iterations. Thermos, a thermos maker, for example, uses Stratasys 3D printers to produce prototypes in hours, not days, at a fifth of the cost of production from an external supplier. Because their designers can now “create as many prototypes as needed,” the company has been able to fine-tune product features such as lid retention and ease of pouring.

3D printing technology in color in various materials and metals continues to evolve, so the range and quality of products, including their components that can be quickly prototyped, continues to increase. So the company Nano Dimension demonstrated a desktop 3D printer - DragonFly 2020, which can produce functional PCB prototypes. This equipment uses inkjet technology to output highly conductive "nano-ink" and can produce multi-layer boards, including all connections between layers. While many companies wait days or weeks to get a prototype board from an outside vendor, the machine will print it in a matter of hours.

Molds and other production tools

In addition to prototypes, 3D printers are used to make molds and other fixtures for production equipment. A mold is needed in order to cast metals or plastics in it. Like prototypes, molds have traditionally been made by hand. Therefore, the use of 3D printers can save time and money for large manufacturers. For example, using Stratasys' Fortus printers, Lyon, France-based automotive giant Volvo Trucks has reduced the time it takes to manufacture some engine components from 36 days to 2.

In August 2016, the American Oak Ridge National Laboratory 3D printed a 5. 34 x 1.34 x 0.46 m trimming and drilling tool for Boeing. It is used in the construction of passenger aircraft, and was printed from carbon fiber reinforced plastic in about 30 hours. Previously, the production of such a part would take three months. As Boeing's Leo Christodoulou explained, “Additive manufacturing tools like the wing trim tool will save energy, time, labor and manufacturing costs. They are also part of our strategy to apply 3D printing technology to manufacturing areas.”

Another promising application is the production of molds used for casting metals. 3D printers are able to directly produce the required shapes, as well as any additional cores needed to be placed inside them, by applying thin layers of foundry sand that are held together with a binder. The resulting 3D printed molds are sent to the foundry, where molten metal is poured into them to produce the finished product.

ExOne is one of the companies specializing in the production of 3D printers for additive manufacturing using foundry sand. By 3D printing molds and foundry sand cores, manufacturers can not only save time and reduce costs, but also improve accuracy and mold more complex parts, the company says. This is because 3D-printed shapes and rods do not require post-processing, which could damage them.

Bi-Link , based in Bloomingdale, Illinois, 3D prints low-volume injection molds. It manufactures parts for electronics and medical device manufacturers around the world. 3D Systems' ProJet 3500 HD Max printer creates a form in hours instead of weeks. As Director of Research and Development Frank Sieberna said: “Customers are delighted with this service. Previously, you had to wait two or three weeks to get just the tools, not to mention the test parts. With the ProJet 3500 HD Max, you can produce four different part designs for one customer in six days, sending them 10-12 parts for each iteration overnight.”

The two unknowns are the speed at which 3D printing technology will advance and the willingness of consumers to accept custom fabrication. If technology advances slowly and consumers don't start 3D printing at home, then we'll see a quiet revolution " with gradual changes.

There is also an alternative: technology is developing slowly, but consumers want to become producers - then we will see a " production revolution " when more and more necessary things will be made by small entrepreneurs.

Another option is that 3D printing technology will make a breakthrough, but consumers will leave it behind - then such printing will become the main technology in industrial production, and will not have a big impact on the consumer market.

And the last turn of events: 3D printing is developing rapidly, and consumers are actively using it, then we will witness “ rethinking consumption ”. This means merchants large and small offering 3D printed products at your request. There will also be a lot of people "printing" in their homes, garages, kitchens or offices and hangars.

My guess is that consumer engagement with 3D printing will grow as technology improves, but at a slower pace. This means that over the next few decades, we will gradually move from a “quiet revolution” to a “manufacturing revolution” and then to a “consumer rethinking”.

The development of the 3D printing industry

It is important to understand not only the existence of different market segments, but also that they are at different stages of development. Although the very first 3D printers began making prototypes in the late 1980s, the use of printing to create molds did not begin until a few years after that. Even before the early 2000s, the first finished products and works of art printed using this technology appeared. Finally, customization only became possible in 2007 with the introduction of the first "open source" 3D printers that private individuals could afford.

I believe that by the middle of the next decade, the traditional rapid prototyping 3D printing market will be saturated. Therefore, half of all prototypes will be made on a 3D printer by 2025. 3D printing is not the only rapid prototyping technology. There are cases where traditional methods are better suited for prototyping. It is inconceivable that inventors would stop sculpting things out of clay, wood, paper, metal, and everything else that is available in their kitchens, studios, labs, workshops, and sheds.

In terms of 3D printing of molds and manufacturing tools, this market currently lags behind rapid prototyping, but will very soon become the mainstay of additive manufacturing. I assume that it will take decades to saturate it. After talking with manufacturers of industrial 3D printers, I was convinced of this. In most industries, 3D printing of molds and other tools represents the biggest market opportunity.

In digital direct manufacturing, this is just starting to happen, although it is currently a very niche activity. However, in the next ten years or so, many industries, primarily aerospace, automotive, healthcare, fashion, footwear and designer goods, will use 3D printing as one of their core manufacturing technologies. This will allow you to create completely new types of products and attract media attention. And even so, in 10 or 20 years, the vast majority of objects in our lives will still be produced by traditional methods.

Likewise, for decades to come personal items will be a niche market in both the 3D printing industry and global manufacturing. Currently, no more than 10% of the 3D printing industry's revenue comes from the sale of personal printers. Many of these machines are sold to companies rather than individuals. But this does not mean that the sale of personal equipment for home use does not represent a market opportunity.

It can be argued that home production will not be the driving force behind the 3D printing revolution - and many in the industry agree. However, I will look forward to 3D printers in 9$9 that will be able to make small plastic items based on a model sent from a tablet or smartphone.

Making new products in new ways

Like the internet revolution that preceded it, 3D printing is enabling companies and individuals to achieve the previously impossible. And the reason is not only in the creation of prototypes and old things in new ways. It does so in line with new business models. Let's outline these key benefits.

Single and small batch production

With traditional methods, single and small batch production is expensive and often prohibitive. When things are printed on a printer, there is practically no difference in cost per unit - that is, it does not matter if 1, 100 or 1000 copies are required, since there are no costs for tools and workers. Therefore, in many situations where a few hundred or fewer components are needed, 3D printing will be the most economical way. It is for this reason that 3D printing is so widely used in rapid prototyping and is increasingly used in the production of molds and other tools.

Jay Leno, who enjoys collecting cars, is already using 3D printing for one-off production. As an example, when a rare EcoJet concept car needed to have some broken air vents replaced, it turned to 3D Systems. The company scanned the broken parts, digitally repaired them using a CAD program, and sent the resulting data to service provider Quickparts. There, the new vents were 3D printed from a lightweight, fiber-filled nylon material called DuraForm HST. The result is a reliable replacement part with a better strength-to-weight ratio than the original.

3D printing is being used to make props for TV shows, movies and theatrical productions. With this technology, SpaceX is printing the engine chambers of the Crew Dragon spacecraft, and NASA has printed about 70 parts for the rover.

Customization and personalization

In addition to facilitating the small-scale production of identical items, 3D printing allows products to be customized according to the tastes of the buyer and his physical needs. For example, company Robot Bike Co. uses technology to make a custom R160 mountain bike frame. It is created from carbon fiber passing between titanium ridges, which are printed on Renishaw 3D printers. On the Robotbike.co website, the buyer enters his height, leg size and arm span, which allows him to get a frame individually for him.

The R160 is a great example of a real product that combines 3D printed parts with other standard components. This makes it possible to offer a product according to individual requests in an economical way. I am sure that, over time, many companies will realize the potential of "custom-made" by 3D printing certain parts.

Design and build optimization

Another key benefit of 3D printing is that it removes the limitations of traditional manufacturing methods. Although a designer can come up with any design for a product, if its components cannot be molded, machined, and assembled, the product will never hit the market. And in the “brave new world” of 3D printing, you can create things that were previously impossible to make. For example, such a printer can produce a chain or necklace made up of links that do not have breaks and therefore will never come apart.

The TransFIORmers motorcycle racing team used a Renishaw metal 3D printer to produce a new optimized suspension design. The original version was handcrafted from steel, and at the same time, twelve parts were required for assembly, which must be welded together. But with the help of 3D printing, the team was able to combine the structure into a single titanium component that required no assembly, resulting in a 40% weight reduction, a critical feature for racing.

Using plastic or polymer materials, some printers can create working, pre-assembled, composite mechanisms such as a gearbox. Traditionally, the production of multi-component products includes a final assembly step. But when things are printed on a 3D printer, this is not necessary.

Free access to the market

In addition to improving product performance, 3D printing will enable many more people to become manufacturers. This is because the cost of prototypes and production tools will no longer be prohibitive, so 3D printing is making small-scale production increasingly viable. But more importantly, the availability of 3D printing services will allow almost any talented artist or designer to find a market for their creations.

Today, it is very difficult for an individual or even a small company to bring a product to the market, let alone on a global scale. One of the few exceptions is book publishing, where an author can create and distribute a print-on-demand product. For example, residents of the UK can order a printed book through Amazon and receive a book printed in the corporation's warehouse within eight hours. This innovation allows authors to sell books without pre-printing and distribution.

Similarly, 3D printing allows individual designers to bring products to market without investing in equipment and prefabricated copies. For example, more than 8 thousand designers have already opened online stores on the site of a 3D printing service provider - Shapeways . As an example, consider the store of the famous bot creator Kidmechano. His creation is Modibot, which is an ever-expanding line of 3D printed action figures with an articulated design. You can compare Modibot with Lego or Transformers.

Kidmechano uses the Shapeways platform to sell over 400 different ModiBot figures and accessories, including armor and weapons. Prices start at a few dollars, and when an order is placed, Shapeways prints whatever is required, sending the finished product to the customer, and Kidmechano his share of the proceeds.

Digital storage and transportation

In addition to enabling small-scale production, cost-effectiveness and democratization of market access, 3D printing will facilitate the storage and transportation of digital objects. This means that in the future there will be two options for sending a parcel. The first is to send the physical product by courier or mail, and the second is to transfer the digital file over the Internet for 3D printing on site by the recipient.

Many people regularly post texts, photos and videos on the Internet, and thanks to 3D printing, digital objects will soon be added to social networks. Thus, by making digital storage and transport possible, 3D printing will do to things what computers and the Internet have already done to store and transmit information.

In some industries, digital object storage is already starting to make a difference. For example, most dentists have traditionally had to store huge amounts of plaster casts taken from patients' mouths. Although they were only used once, there was no way to predict if they would be needed in the future, which led to archives with boxes and cabinets littered with plaster models. But now dentists are moving to digital technologies: 3D scanners and 3D printers are replacing alginate molds and plaster casting. This allows you to save impressions of the patient's oral cavity in digital form, for future 3D printing if necessary.

Material savings and environmental impacts

In addition to the benefits mentioned above, 3D printing saves materials for manufacturers, which is especially important for sustainable development. Today, factories begin production with a block of metal or other raw material and then cut it: lathe it, file it, drill it, or otherwise, to form the final product. In contrast, 3D printing is an additive activity that takes as much material as the finished product. Therefore, we get significant savings in raw materials if we make things using this technology.

In addition, 3D printed products can have an internal structure optimized to use the minimum amount of materials. For example, plastic or metal parts printed on printers can be produced with internal cavities or an open grid - something that is almost impossible to achieve using most traditional technologies. Again, this results in material savings as well as lighter parts, which, for example, will reduce the fuel consumption of aircraft and other vehicles.

More broadly, 3D printing could be the cornerstone of the future transition to " Local Digital Manufacturing " ( LDM - Local Digital Manufacturing). Today, most of the production is carried out in factories remote from their customers. As a result, huge amounts of oil and other resources are being spent on storage and transportation. Given declining natural resource stocks and climate action within a decade or two, these modes of transportation and storage may not be feasible or culturally appropriate. Thus, environmental protection may be a force to stimulate the mass adoption of 3D printing to facilitate the production of goods in local industries.

Difficulties can be overcome!

Like any new technology, 3D printing can have both negative and positive effects. For example, there are fears that its further development will reduce jobs. And this is quite possible for some professions. Especially for those who produce prototypes, molds and tools using traditional methods.

It is possible that employment in countries that prepare products for export will decline as the technology is absorbed by local industries. In his 2013 State of the Union address, President Obama cited 3D printing as a technology that "has the potential to revolutionize everything we do" and thereby bring jobs back from Asia back to the US. In other words, the global economic impact of the development of 3D printing has been recognized at the government level as one of the largest economies in the world.

Obviously, 3D printing will also help create new jobs. It will be a long time before we can 3D print finished products without the help of a skilled technician. As technology spreads, new jobs will emerge, and such employment will be evenly distributed across the region—not typical of the industrial revolutions of the past.

Some industries could also benefit from the spread of 3D printing. Last but not least, the logistics sector is already aware of these opportunities. For example, in July 2014, a US Postal Service publication noted that a service operator could "benefit enormously" from the spread of 3D printing due to an expected increase in small package deliveries. In particular, it was predicted that the technology could lead to an increase in the revenue of the local parcel delivery service by $486 million per year. The forecast was based on the assumption that most 3D printed goods will be made in local service bureaus, from where they will need to be delivered to people's homes.

In addition to the impact on employment, there are two other problems: infringement of intellectual property rights and the use of 3D printing for criminal purposes. It is already possible to use consumer equipment to scan an object, such as a model of Mickey Mouse, and then print a plastic copy of it. Similar to the impact that mp3 music and the internet have had on the music industry, 3D printing can also impact intellectual property rights.

Even more disturbing, it is already possible to 3D print firearms. Currently, a $230 personal 3D printer can only make a disposable plastic gun. But when the ability to print from metal becomes affordable, we will have serious problems.

The final minefield with 3D printing and personal effects is health and safety. Today, almost all the products we buy meet certain standards and are tested. However, manufacturers are responsible for any accidents and injuries that may occur as a result of their failure or malfunction. But who will be responsible if, for example, your child downloads a free toy from the site, prints it out and gives it to the younger one - and he swallows a piece broken off from it and suffocates? Will the fault lie with the person who developed the object; the website through which it was published; 3D printer manufacturer, consumable supplier, or even you, the parent who let it happen? Now there is no answer to this question. And pretty soon, we won't be able to ignore it.

In a world of pioneers

The 3D printing revolution, like any other technological revolution, is the product of the action, energy and vision of those people who are brave enough to make it happen. Over the past few years, I have had the pleasure of interviewing many of the pioneers of 3D printing. And since my goal is to capture your imagination and not focus on details and technical details, so I asked them the fundamental question: “Why did you choose this particular technology?”.

One of the first people I spoke to was Anssi Mustonen , the head of the Finnish 3D printing and design company AMD-TEC . According to Anssi, 3D printing makes it possible to provide customers with a quality level of service:

“We live in a hectic world, but thanks to this technology, it is possible to provide customers with quality services. As for prototypes: I don't have time to code and send orders to external vendors for details. 3D printing is not the only way to fabricate, but it is faster at creating complex shapes and configurations than traditional methods.”

Konstantin Ivanov , co-founder and CEO of 3DPrintus.ru , told me how technology allows us to offer new types of products and services:

“3D printing provides solutions that are at the intersection of manufacturing and digital technologies of the Internet . Our customers have discovered an easy way to create and produce just about anything. I'm sure the main advantage for them is the ability to use a simple interface to get their product."

Gary Miller , Managing Director of Print Services 3D Print Bureau in the UK, told a similar story, albeit with caution in the predictions:

order and almost any geometry is available! I started with the Objet printer over ten years ago when there was only one material. Years have passed, and now there are about 2 thousand materials for printing. Just imagine where we will be in ten years! True, no matter how much raw material you have, you need to transfer it to reliable hands. You need experience in your industry to understand where this technology is suitable, and where it will only increase the cost. Previously, I was skeptical that 3D printing would go into production, but in the first half of 2016, we saw progress and an increase in orders. It's great to see how 3D printing develops and new materials emerge."

One of the most interesting conversations was with John Cobb , EVP Corporate Affairs of 3D printing giant Stratasys in the US. Shortly after starting the conversation, John focused on the technology's potential to redesign and distribute products:

“In 3D printing, there is a lot of focus on adapting it to traditional manufacturing processes. The fundamentals of design are changing, allowing for a change in the way products are made and then methods of distribution. Imagine there is a problem with the plumbing. You take a picture of it with your smartphone and send it to the Home Depot And after an hour or two, you assemble the pipeline - replacing a non-standard part. It may take another five years, but we are already moving in this direction.”

Miranda Bastins , director of the Belgian 3D printing service i. materialise , focused on new market opportunities from a different perspective:

“3D printing helps create a world where products meet our expectations or individual style , and where everyone has the opportunity to own something unique. Things not only better meet the needs and interests of consumers, but it also becomes possible to sell their own goods to others. For example, a jewelry designer might propose a new ring to a global audience and test the demand for the design. If there are no orders, this is no longer a problem (printing only on demand) - and if there are, then the rings will be printed, delivered to the customer, and the creator will receive his share of the proceeds.

Lucy Beard , founder of Feetz , also recognizes the potential of 3D printing to create "better fit" products. Feetz is a "digital shoemaker" that uses 3D printers to make custom shoes. As Lucy told me:

“This technology is changing the way we produce and consume things. We can make personalized products with fewer resources, and it will be much easier to recycle them.”

Mark Saunders is Director of the Global Solutions Centers at Renishaw , a 3D printer manufacturer. He also focused on the opportunities the technology offers manufacturers:

“More and more companies are looking to use the potential of 3D printing to improve product performance, making it more efficient and better adapted to the application. The unique ability to create complex geometries from high-quality materials opens up huge potential for innovation in both product design and business models. We expect additive manufacturing to play a key role in further developing processes and improving products.”

Finally, Sylvain Premont - Founder of iMakr 3D printer shops and My Mini Factory website dedicated to 3D content - noted how technology unleashes the imagination:

we will be able to invent, design and manufacture almost everything - in the shortest possible time and at a low cost. You will also be able to download content that is ready to print and easily adaptable to your own needs. The next generation will ask their parents: How did you get along without a 3D printer before?

A new frontier

As you can see from the interview, 3D printing continues to generate interest among its pioneers. And many large manufacturers using traditional technologies are already changing direction towards this technology.

Nobody can predict the future of 3D printing. However, there is good reason to believe that the technology will have a drastic impact on many manufacturing sectors. Currently, most 3D printers are still printing prototypes. But in less than ten years, that will change. It is possible that in the future, tens of millions of people will fly airplanes with printed components, dental offices will be equipped with 3D printed equipment, and we will wear shoes with printed parts.

This is only the first chapter of Christopher Barnatt's book " 3D Printing ".

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