Can 3d printers be used for mass production

Is 3D Printing expensive for mass production?

Unlike other methods, 3D Printing is more affordable for low volume production. It is also cheaper for high-volume production. Also, it does not require a start-up cost, unlike injection molding.

Is 3D Printing faster than manufacturing?

Yes, 3D Printing is faster than most traditional and rapid prototyping processes. For example, when compared to injection molding, there is no need to create injection molds which are important for the molding process.

Can 3D Printing be Used for Mass Production?

Yes, 3D printing is a suitable method for making products in mass. Its use can be based on its methods or based on helping designers use another rapid prototyping process effortlessly and less costly (e.g., it is suitable for making injection molds used in injection molding). 3D Printing mass production is now common in companies such as Adidas, Chanel, etc.

3D Small Batch Printing, Batch Printing 3D Printing Batch Printing

It goes without saying that 3D printing is a very efficient and precise way of making objects. Even an entry-level 3D printer (Fusion Deposition Printer) is a great and affordable design and prototyping tool that you can easily use in the privacy of your own home, so it's no surprise that these printers are growing in popularity every year.

However, 3D printing technology is still hardly used for the production of hot goods. Of course, some organizations are already showing a small production initiative (check out Shapeways, for example), and several large companies have moved to operate Stratasys industrial-grade 3D printers. However, the vast majority of plastic products are still made using the (age-old) injection molding methods that have become the gold standard for mass-produced plastic parts almost from the beginning of their introduction (since 1872).

Why? Most experts will answer that 3D printing technology is too expensive to compete properly with more established production methods. But is it really so? Recently, an official report was published claiming that 3D printers are theoretically capable of outperforming injection molding methods by a small margin.

Of course, this does not mean at all that your own desktop 3D printer is capable of competing with the mainstream industrial companies, as these promising results are only achieved under very specific conditions.

Volume is the key factor. To achieve the desired results, 3D printing farms are used: “production sites” consisting of numerous affordable and inexpensive 3D printers working in synchronous mode to produce plastic products in large volumes (up to 10,000 objects). Through efficient setup, smooth operation, and other specific conditions, these printers have proven to be able to outperform injection molding methods in terms of complexity, speed, and cost.

Thus, it is not without excitement to assume that this approach can lead to a new era in the production of plastic products. Just don't misunderstand this saying: there are still a lot of rough spots in 3D printing that need to be ironed out, but it can be noted that a new era of volumetric manufacturing is dawning, when products are customized to the desire of the user and customer.

This 3D printing truss has proven to be suitable for optimizing production performance for batch sizes up to 1000 units, a range traditionally considered problematic for industrial production. One of the basic laws in manufacturing is that the larger the batch, the lower the cost per unit, and this is especially true for plastic objects. Injection molding techniques require expensive investments, and iteration and innovation costs can become unacceptably high for small batches.

This is where the new 3D printing trusses come in handy. Not only are they able to produce objects at a fairly high speed (10-20 times faster), the investment in production is also significantly lower: you can buy about twenty 3D printers for the price of one injection molding system. This allows manufacturers not only to achieve higher rates of production growth and more efficient use of labor resources, but also provides more opportunities for innovation and improves resistance to bankruptcy.

The test was carried out on desktop 3D printers, which were theoretically originally developed for small production runs. The promise of 3D printing farms is based on the use of networking and wi-fi capabilities, high production volume and cost-effective modular design: when these aspects are combined together, they are a powerful combination.

All this is very interesting and promising, but, as the survey data show, at present the differences are minimal. The graphs below represent data that comes from a study of three different types of 3D printers, one external 3D printing service, and one type of injection molding production system. It is assumed that the machines have already been purchased (which is reflected in the price of each lot). The calculations are based on a sample of three different batches.

As shown in the graphs, the desktop printer (blue) can, under special conditions, outperform the injection molding system in all respects. Although the advantage is noticeable only in the lower range of production volumes, but, as expected, the differences, unfortunately, become minimal as batch sizes approach the 10,000th mark.

It's no surprise that 3D printing outperforms injection molding at volumes below 100 pieces. All classes of layering production are significantly more profitable in this range (when calculating the cost of one product) than injection molding methods. However, the much higher capital costs of such industrial-grade systems mean that they are no longer competitive (price) at 100 to 200 unit batches.

However, it is worth paying attention to the differences between the trends: blue - desktop 3D printer in special conditions and red - in normal conditions. After increasing production to 800 units, 3D printing is no longer able to compete under normal conditions. Only when twenty printers are running under the supervision of a single operator, during "unmanned" operation, can 3D printing theoretically continue to compete with traditional manufacturing methods. However, when the volume of production exceeds 10,000 units, even this advantage disappears (at the same time, it can be rightly expected that the largest industrial companies overcome this number with ease).

Even when operating under optimal conditions, 3D printing on a large production scale is clearly not able to unseat injection molding methods. But, nevertheless, the results are very impressive: they are much better than what was predicted by the majority.

And they become even more impressive when you take into account other advantages of 3D printing technology. Not only is it faster manufacturing speed, 3D printing with multiple printers increases customization and modification options. In injection molding, these aspects increase the cost of production dramatically. And, of course, 3D printing allows you to obtain products with a level of geometric accuracy that is very difficult to achieve using traditional production methods.

Finally, 3D printing technology is constantly improving: new innovations, optimization opportunities are offered monthly. In the coming years, this should give 3D printing technology additional benefits. This means that FDM printers are still too early to write off.

So back to the original question: does 3D printing technology constitute a viable and affordable alternative to injection molding methods? The answer, as suggested by this study, is almost yes. While traditional fabrication methods are still the best option for mass production, fused deposition 3D printers are quite capable of competing or even surpassing them in small batches (1000 objects).

Why mass 3D printing is still not a trend However, personification has not yet become a popular phenomenon. Is this idea promising for business development?

When there was an acute shortage of personal protective equipment (PPE) for doctors, the owners of 3D printers united in the volunteer movement #3Dfor doctors. They began to print adapters, which made it possible to connect diving masks with virus-bacterial filters. Manufacturers were able to quickly develop and release adapters in various configurations for popular types of masks found in stores, quickly covered burning needs and saved many lives - and then began to make full-fledged protective masks and shields.

Adapters for masks - example of a customized product (made to order. - RBC Trends ), that is, adapted to different types of masks. How quickly manufacturers were able to design and release a new product with unique characteristics demonstrates the main advantages of 3D printing.

3D printing allows you to create products based on the preferences or personal characteristics of the buyer - personalized goods. This idea arose in the early 2000s, but so far, contrary to forecasts and the rapid development of additive technologies, has not become a mass phenomenon.

Personalization Challenges

Since 2012, Nike and Adidas have been experimenting with 3D printing in the production of sneakers. The goal is to create sports shoes in the presence of the buyer according to the individual characteristics of his foot. For example, Adidas announced in 2015 that a consumer could walk into a store, spend a couple of minutes on the treadmill, and immediately receive a printed pair of running shoes that take into account the contours of the foot and pressure points while running. At the same time, Nike announced the possibility of printing shoes directly at the customer's home. To do this, you just need to download the file with the parameters of the sneakers and the characteristics of the foot from the corporation's website to your home 3D printer.

However, by 2020, these opportunities remained unrealized. In practice, everything turned out to be more difficult.

The point is the high cost of such products: the consumer is not ready to pay for customized sneakers many times more expensive when you can choose the right model from thousands of more affordable options.

Customization does not take root among automakers either. For example, in 2017, BMW launched the MINI Yours Customized service, which allows you to customize a new or previously purchased MINI car using decorative elements printed on a 3D printer. For example, it was possible to order individual side body inserts, trim parts, LED door sills and LED door projectors. However, the service is currently unavailable.

Where personification has taken root

So far, 3D printing is most actively used in medicine, where it is vital to take into account the individual characteristics of a person. First of all, the technology is useful in orthopedics and dentistry for the manufacture of prostheses and implants. Customization is especially in demand in the production of prosthetic limbs. With the help of 3D scanning, the parameters of the patient are determined, a digital model of the prosthesis is created, which is printed on a 3D printer. In this case, you can create a unique design of the artificial limb. For example, they produce children's prostheses stylized as favorite movie characters.

Another area where 3D printing is being used to customize products is in the jewelry and fashion jewelry industry. There are enterprises that produce mass products using 3D printing, for example, the American brands LACE, Nervous System and others. Customization is carried out, first of all, by small studios and workshops offering exclusive jewelry. They print digital models created according to customer sketches or cast them from precious materials using 3D printed molds.

Economics of innovation Living hand: who creates bionic prostheses in Russia

As for the majority of goods, the price works here in 99% of cases. Especially when the share of online sales is growing. You type in Google "buy a fountain pen is the cheapest" - and no matter where you are, you buy this fountain pen cheaper. This is where mass production wins.

You can think of many products that could be customized. But you need to be clear about who you will sell them to. Are there enough people willing to overpay for customization to keep your business alive? “In your calculations, you need to take into account real consumer demand, and not the desire to make money on hype,” says Vlasov. “The conclusion is simple: personalized production is possible when it will give approximately the same price as mass production.”

Denis Alekseev, Head of Development and Production at ROBBO JSC (educational robotics, Skolkovo resident), is confident that personalized production will become a popular trend of the future. But in order to attract the mass consumer to this segment, it is necessary to overcome a number of technical and organizational issues. For the end user, the process of ordering a customized product should be as simple as possible: with a few steps, order what he wants, while receiving the finished product quickly and conveniently. The cost of individual products may be higher, but this increase must be of value to the customer.

Main disadvantages of 3D printing:

• low production rate;

• often low quality products;

• high cost of the product when trying to mass production.

How to reduce the cost of a customized product?

The cost of the finished product primarily depends on the materials for 3D printing. One way to cut costs is to produce consumables yourself.

Another option to reduce the cost of consumables is possible with the development of additive technologies and the development of new materials for printing.

The main question is: who will buy it?

Entrepreneurs who will find the answer to the question: who will buy them will be able to develop the production of personalized goods? Businesses that already operate in a particular market and feel the needs of their audience can feel the demand. It is almost impossible to guess - you need to be sure of the demand.

Artur Gerasimov notes that small-scale production is promising for business development using additive technologies. One of the areas of work of his company Innovax is the production of parts and mechanisms by order of industrial enterprises from the automotive industry, instrument making, and the aerospace industry.

The customization boom will occur when a customer can get a personalized product at the same price and as quickly as a mass product.

Learn more

• 
  Scan model for 3d printing
• 
  Python opencv 3d scanner
• 
  Isense 3d scanner price
• 
  Envision one 3d printer
• 
  Trimble tx5 3d laser scanner price
• 
  3D printed falcon heavy
• 
  3D body scanner for measurements price
• 
  3D printer house design
• 
  Ksu 3d printing
• 
  3D printer vacuum cleaner
• 
  3D printer project files