3D Printing - Where are we now?

In our previous post, we looked at how 3D printing originated as rapid prototyping (RP) and took root across industry for product development and manufacturing applications.

While the ‘concept’ of 3D printing continues to seep into the wider public consciousness today, the reality is that the technologies are still mostly used in an industrial context for prototyping and tooling applications.

In this second part of our series of articles lifting the lid on 3D Printing we ask…

“Where is 3D printing today?”

Across the board, 3D printing processes have seen huge improvements in capabilities and output since their origins in the late 1980s. The processes have got faster and typically produce stronger, more accurate parts in a much, much wider range of materials with improved properties.

However, the holy grail of perfection is still far from with us (more on this later).

Aerospace, automotive and medical applications still dominate 3D printing output. It is these industries that use 3D printing technologies to reduce their product development lead times and produce quality products more cost-effectively.

This is because 3D printing technologies are ideal for producing complex geometries with little or no additional costs compared with traditional methods such as injection moulding and machining.

Furthermore, for the final production of complex products and parts 3D printing can offer weight reduction and improved strength advantages that are not possible with any other methods.

As process improve, many more industrial sectors are reporting big benefits from adopting 3D printing in their processes. Notable among these are the jewellery, consumer goods, architectural design and security sectors.

The cost of investing in industrial grade 3D printing technology is still proving to be prohibitive for many organisations, particularly small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs).

Furthermore, the different technologies offer strengths in different areas and there is still a trade-off in terms of requirements — as we mentioned earlier, there is yet no holy grail.

While accuracy has improved greatly across the board, the highest resolution still comes from stereolithography (SLA) 3D printing systems, which process resin materials, however strength and durability in terms of the printed parts can still be an issue here.

For strength, laser sintering (LS) and FDM are generally considered to be the processes of choice, but the trade-off here comes with surface finish. Additional finishing processes (which come at a premium) can resolve these issues but the main point to note is that there is no perfect, ‘one-process-fits-all’ solution.

Very few companies can afford to invest in a suite of industrial grade 3D printing technologies to cover every eventuality in their product development processes.

Currently, outsourcing the prototyping process to a specialist service provider is by far the most prudent option for many companies, and is likely to remain so for the foreseeable future, particularly considering the current prices of service contracts and consumables.

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