3D Printed Plastics: The New Age of Functional Prototyping

Why use 3D Printing in Plastics Today?

- Reduced production costs and lead times: 3D printing reduces the number of steps in the production process, which can result in reduced costs. It also shortens the lead times, because designers can make changes in the CAD file and reprint the parts immediately.

- Design freedom: The design freedom of 3D printing allows designers to create unique shapes that would be difficult or impossible to make with traditional manufacturing processes. - Sustainable manufacturing: This technology offers opportunities to create products that are more environmentally friendly and sustainable.

- Improved precision: The ability to create parts at an extremely high level of accuracy makes it possible to manufacture high-quality products that are difficult to produce using traditional manufacturing.

- Rapid prototyping: 3D printing can be used for rapid prototyping, which is essential for designers and engineers who want to test their products before investing in large-scale production.

Benefits of 3D Printing in the Manufacturing Process

- Reduced lead times: The process of 3D printing can take less time than other manufacturing processes, and it doesn’t require the same level of tooling and setup.

- Lower investment in equipment: The upfront costs for 3D printers are less than for traditional manufacturing equipment.

- Reduced waste: 3D printers can produce fewer defective parts than other manufacturing processes.

 - Environmentally friendly: 3D printing can be conducted in an environmentally friendly manner.

 - Fewer design constraints: The design freedom of 3D printing opens up opportunities to create unique shapes that would otherwise be impossible.

 - Reduced design costs: 3D printing is a quick way to produce models, prototypes, and small-batch quantities of parts, which reduces design costs.

 - Fewer quality issues: 3D printed parts are generally better than the drawings because they are the drawings.

Limitations of 3D Printed Plastics

- Available materials: Many manufacturers who use 3D printers today only use the machines to create parts from synthetic plastics. This can make it difficult to create products that require materials with different physical properties, such as certain metals or fibres.

- Slow production rate: 3D printers have a slower production rate than other manufacturing processes.

 - Lack of precision: 3D printers have a tendency to create parts that are not as precise as parts made with other manufacturing processes.

 - High-end materials: High-end materials, such as fibres, metals, and other substances, are not currently widely available for 3D printed parts.

- Complex parts: 3D printing is not as effective for producing complex parts, such as gears and other parts with internal moving parts.

Business Strategies with 3D Printing in Plastic

As 3D printing becomes more accessible to manufacturers and designers, the technology will become an essential part of the design process. Designers can use 3D printing to create parts for their products, test their fit and function, and make adjustments before investing in the design for large-scale production.

For designers, 3D printing will become as essential as sketching and drafting on paper. It may seem like an overstatement, but the implications of this technology are truly revolutionary. The ability to create fully formed parts from digital designs in a matter of hours opens up a whole new world of design freedom.

- Build prototypes - If you’re designing a new product, you’ll need to build prototypes. This allows you to test your design and get feedback from potential customers. Prototype parts can be made using 3D printing, which is a quick, cost-effective way to make functional parts.

 - Create a product sample - If you’re producing a new product, you’ll need a sample of your design. This can be created using 3D printing as a cost-effective way to produce fully formed parts.

 - Test new designs - You may want to test out new designs before creating a whole new product. Designs can be created using computer software and printed using 3D printing.

Final Words

The 3D printing technology has grown in popularity over the last decade and is widely used for production applications.

It is expected to grow at a CAGR of 19.58% from 2018 to 2023 and become a $50.11 billion industry by the end of 2023.

This technology has opened up new opportunities for businesses to create parts that are not yet available on the market. 3D printing is expected to have a huge impact on the manufacturing and production industry by making it much easier to produce prototypes and small batches of products.



References: 1. “3D Printing Market by Technology (Laser Sintering, Electron Beam Melting, Selective Laser Sintering), Application (Aerospace & Defense, Healthcare, Consumer Goods), and Geography - Global Forecast to 2023.” MarketsandMarkets™ , 2018. Accessed March 2019. https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/Market-Reports/3d-printing-market-234788188.html . 2. “3D Printing Market - Global Industry Analysis, Size, Share, Growth Analysis and Forecast 2018 - 2023 | Technavio” Technavio , 2018. https://www2.technavio.com/report/global-3d-printing-market . 3. “Global 3D Printing Materials Market Research Report 2018” MarketsandMarkets™ , 2018. Accessed March 2019 http://www.marketsandmarkets.com/Market-Reports/3d-printing-materials-market-234788173 . 4. “Global 3D Printing Equipment Market Research Report 2018” MarketsandMarkets™ , 2018 http://www2.technavio .com / report / global - 3d - printing - equipment - market - 256191 . 5 . “Global Bioprinting Market Size By Technology (Stereolithography, Laser Beam Direct Write and Inkjet Bioprinting),