FEATURE ADDITIVE MANUFACTURING/ 3D PRINTING
3D PRINTING: THE BENEFITS I
Ultimaker takes a look at five areas in which 3D printing can improve productivity, reduce turnaround times, and give a business the competitive edge
ntegrating a desktop 3D printer into your workflow means concepts and prototypes can be printed in a matter of hours, multiple iterations
produced quickly and cheaply, and complex ideas conveyed through a physical model that team-members and stakeholders can see and touch. So what areas are benefiting from this powerful technology?
1. PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT When getting new products to market as quickly as possible, a 3D printer lets you test iterations in a fast, cost- effective manner, adjust designs at almost no additional cost, and fine-tune your product in a matter of hours. Benefits include:
parts. This means businesses can run small batches of parts without the risks involved when manufacturing a larger batch. There’s also scope for ‘printing on the spot’, and creating products for the customer while they wait. Benefits include:
• Create customised one-off parts • With a desktop 3D printer in-house, it’s simple to print replacement parts
• Runs can be created cheaply and easily, without the risks associated with manufacturing in greater quantities
• Decentralised manufacturing. Take the product to the customer by printing end-use products where they are, providing immediate access to the product they require.
3D printed and metal cast prototypes
• Better decision-making. 3D print a range of concepts and select the best option during the early design stages
• Check shape and form. 3D printing a basic model makes it easy to assess the shaping, size and overall proportions
• Functional prototyping. Test your prototype in real conditions to check functionality, fit and manufacturability
• Check appearance. Visual appearance can be appraised easily by designers, manufacturers and stakeholders.
MANUFACTURING AIDS 3D printed wheel protector at Volkswagen Autoeuropa plant Benefits include:
• Better quality assurance. Test the accuracy and quality of your manufactured parts with precise gauges
• Tools on demand. Whenever you need jigs, fixtures or other tooling, you can 3D print them quickly, streamlining the production process
• Better tool organisation. 3D printed organisers are cheap and fast to make, and promote better organisation in the workspace
• Custom-made moulds and patterns. It’s easy to make low-run injection moulds or lost PLA casting to integrate into your workflow.
END-USE PARTS 3D printing can also be used to produce low-volume, customised end-use
24 NOVEMBER 2018 | DESIGN SOLUTIONS
3D printing makes it easy to produce jigs, fixtures and other tooling in a short space of time. This results in less variation during assembly and fitting, faster machine setups, and a smoother production process.
MEDICAL 3D models mean that medical professionals can bring patient scans to life; identifying exactly what is required prior to performing a procedure. This results in less time under anesthetic for the patient, and reduced costs involved with the operation. Benefits include:
• Improved surgical planning. Surgeons are well prepared prior to surgery, which impacts overall results
• A 3D model means that patients gain better understanding of the procedure – providing them with something they can see and touch
• Medical and research devices can be prototyped quickly and easily, and tools can be printed when required
3D models can improve surgical planning
• Effective clinical training. By 3D printing anatomical models, students gain better understanding of anatomy and surgical procedures.
ARCHITECTURE Conveying complex architectural concepts to clients can be a challenge. 3D printing means that early designs can be evaluated, complicated ideas communicated, and striking architectural concepts showcased with ease. Model-making times shrink from months to days, and even complex geometries can be printed, offering architects even greater creative scope. Benefits include:
• Easy production of concept models. Rough models can be printed quickly to establish the project’s direction in the early stages
• Architects can view a building in its context, then scale up the model with modular 3D printed parts
• 3D printed to-scale models result in a more impressive client presentation
• Master plan creation. 3D printing not only offers fine detail, but large volume for planning scale models.
Ultimaker
https://ultimaker.com
/ DESIGNSOLUTIONS
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