3D printing is one of those technologies that seemed unimaginable years ago. However, thanks to technological advances, it is not a crazy idea to incorporate this incredible tool into your company. We tell you how to get the most out of it!
To know the birth of 3D printing, we only have to go back about 40 years, when Charles Hull 1983 created the first device capable of reproducing small objects using ultraviolet light that hardened a liquid polymer according to a series of digital data.
These printers have not reached the general public since their price was quite high, and their maintenance was complicated for the domestic market. However, over the years, new models that democratized access to this new technology arrived on the market. The new 3D printers no longer used liquids, so their maintenance was greatly simplified. The new printing system used coils with polymer threads as “ink” that was melted to create three-dimensional objects. This model we mentioned previously is the one that you may recognize if you have previously heard about 3D printing.
Nowadays, this technology has become so cheap that even many curious citizens have incorporated it into their homes.
The 3D printing industry was also affected by the Covid-19 health crisis. However, it became stronger during confinement and the closure of international trade. Many local producers who owned a 3D printer joined forces to meet the demand for healthcare components, such as respirators made entirely from 3D printed components.
This new technology has proven to be very useful in producing all types of components, not only sanitary components but also prototyping for industrial design, or even, with the latest advances, in the food industry. But what advantages does it have for my SME?
Benefits Of 3d Printing
3D printing is already a reality for a large number of companies. And it has been shown that this technology represents a benefit for companies and a leap in innovation.
Among the main benefits that 3D printing brings to companies, I would like to highlight the following:
Production
Unlike traditional manufacturing methods, 3D printing offers the possibility of manufacturing a low volume of products (even batches of a single unit) at a very low cost.
Customer Adaptation
A great virtue of 3D printing is the design freedom it offers. This way, we can manufacture personalized parts in favorable economic conditions for the manufacturing company and the end customer.
Use Of Material.
3D printing starts from a 3D model, and without needing molds or other accessories, we create our part or product by laying down layers of the material we are printing on. We call this additive printing.
Unlike machining, in additive manufacturing, we only use the material we need to print the part. In machining, we eliminate material until we obtain our product.
Sustainability
By reducing design and manufacturing times, 3D printing significantly reduces the energy consumption necessary for manufacturing compared to more traditional methods.
Furthermore, in some very specific processes, using parts created with additive manufacturing helps reduce energy consumption since, generally, parts manufactured by 3D printing weigh less, meaning that they require less energy to operate.
Flexibility
Any 3D printer can make any product you can imagine if it is within its printing volume. Traditional manufacturing methods require new tools, molds, or jigs to make something new or modify something already created.
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