What Is 3D Printing?
Three-dimensional (3D) printing is an additive manufacturing technique that turns a digital design into a physical thing. The method involves spreading down thin layers of material, such as liquid or powdered plastic, metal, or cement, and then fusing them together.
Hearing aid manufacturers, airline manufacturers, and car manufacturers, for example, use custom scans to create prototypes and mass produce their products using 3D printing. While 3D printing technology is currently too slow to be used in mass production, it is still evolving and has the potential to significantly disrupt the manufacturing logistics and inventory management industries.
3D printing technology has already enhanced industry productivity since its introduction. It has the potential to completely disrupt the manufacturing, logistics, and inventory management industries in the long run, particularly if it can be properly integrated into mass production processes.
At the moment, 3D printing speeds are too slow for mass production. The technique, on the other hand, has been utilized to shorten the time it takes to build prototypes of components and devices, as well as the tooling required to make them. This is extremely useful to small-scale producers since it cuts their expenses and time to market, or the time it takes for a product to get from conception to sale.
3D printing uses less material than subtractive manufacturing procedures like drilling, welding, injection moulding, and other processes to make elaborate and complex designs. Faster, easier, and less expensive prototypes enable for greater creativity, experimentation, and product-based startups.
3D printing processes
3D printing uses less material than subtractive manufacturing procedures like drilling, welding, injection moulding, and other processes to make elaborate and complex designs. Faster, easier, and less expensive prototypes enable for greater creativity, experimentation, and product-based startups.
In additive manufacturing, a range of procedures, equipment, and materials are employed to create a three-dimensional object. Because 3D printing is also known as additive manufacturing, the many different 3D printing processes are additive in nature, with a few fundamental distinctions in the technologies and materials employed.
Melt extrusion, light polymerization, continuous liquid interface production, and sintering are some of the numerous types of physical transformations employed in 3D printing.
Types of 3D printing processes
- Vat photopolymerization
- Inkjet Technology
- Binder jetting
- Powder bed fusion
- Material extrusion
- Directed energy deposition
- Sheet lamination
Each technique and piece of equipment has advantages and disadvantages. These usually include things like speed, cost, feedstock variety, geometrical constraints and tolerances, as well as mechanical and aesthetic attributes of the products like strength, texture, and colour.
Amateurs and professionals alike can benefit from the diversity of procedures and equipment available. Some are better suited to industrial applications (in this instance, the term Additive Manufacturing is favoured), while others make 3D printing more accessible to the general public. Some printers can manufacture buildings, while others focus on micro and nanoscale items, and many various technologies can be used to physically produce the specified structures in general.
Industrial Uses of 3D printing
Automobile and aircraft manufacturers have led the way in 3D printing, transforming unibody and fuselage design and production, as well as powertrain design and production. Boeing’s 787 Dreamliner airliner uses 3D-printed titanium elements in its manufacturing. 1 In 2017, General Electric produced a helicopter engine with only 16 parts instead of 900, demonstrating the potential influence of 3D printing on supply chains.
3D printing is being utilized to customise implants in the medical field. Organs and body parts may be made utilising 3D printing techniques in the future. Nike, Adidas, and New Balance are among the fashion brands that use 3D printing to make their footwear.
45 Companies all over the world are breaking new ground in the construction sector by 3D printing the materials needed to create homes. Homes can be erected in 24 hours using layers of concrete, which are stronger than normal cinder blocks and cost a fraction of the price.
3D printing is becoming commonplace in the production of hearing aids. The use of 3D printing speeds up the manufacturing process and allows manufacturers to create personalized hearing aids. Audiologists can employ 3D scanners to produce a custom prototype based on the scan’s reference points. Manufacturers can put the scan into a 3D printer and produce the full hearing aid after fine-tuning the materials and ear shapes.
Indian 3D printing companies
Stratasys India
The Stratasys 3D Printing Experience Center, which opened in April 2015, is the Indian arm of Stratasys global. Both FDM and Polyjet technologies are used.
The Centre “exhibits Stratasys’ entire spectrum of 3D printing materials – Polyjet photopolymers and FDM thermoplastics,” according to the company’s website. Their mission is to assist in the testing of new items as well as the design of finished products.
Honda, Siemens, Airbus, Volvo, Lockheed Martin, and Audi are among their clients.
Imaginarium
Imaginarium India Pvt Ltd claims to be the largest 3D printing company in India. And given that it has 20 Industrial 3D printers to select from, that doesn’t sound exaggerated. They take satisfaction in the fact that their product has an impact on medicine, engineering, jewelry, and other fields.
They only require a CAD design to turn an idea into a prototype reality, as their facility comprises SLA, SLS, VC, CNC, Injection Molding, and Scanning.
There are 140 different materials to choose from. They currently produce around 1,600 3D printed things every month and consume roughly 150 kg (330 lb) of metal cast.
They’ve added Imaginarium Precious, a division that caters to the jewelry industry. It accepts your ideas online and ships the things to you once the order is complete. Imaginarium Precious currently has product runs ranging from 10-1,000.
Ador Fontech
Ador Fontech is based out of Bangalore and serving clients in recommending and implementing value-added reclamation, fusion, surfacing, spraying and environmental solutions. Ador Fontech is into 3D Printing as well which is a future high-growth sector.
•Few years back company entered into 3D Printing arena which is having High Scope of Expansion in the Dental, Toys, Real Estate sector. 30% Increase in Revenue achieved in this subsidiary. 3D Printed houses are new realities to foresee in the next 5 years. Coupled with the Welding Acumen, Equipment Manufacturing these 3D Product Mixes will give a cutting-edge over the competitors in future.