Do You Think 3D Printing is the Future？

The future of 3D Printing Technology is bright and is an increasingly important pillar in the manufacturing renaissance. With the increased usage of 3D printing technology, conversations about additive manufacturing are a lot more tangible than they were just two years ago. Now, there are growing numbers of use-cases and demonstrable business benefits proving that 3D printing can be used as a mainstream manufacturing technology. What can be done with 3D printing isn’t theoretical anymore; it’s fact. But what does the future of 3D printing hold?

 

Several industries—including healthcare, automotive and aerospace and defense—have been experiencing impactful production and business transformations within key areas of their business given the maturation of additive technologies and material supply-chains. For instance, interior aircraft parts like ducting, vents and airflow systems created with additive manufacturing permit designers to trim weight, reduce the number of components in assemblies, and conform to tight cabin interiors. In addition, additive provides design freedom to experiment with more effective and efficient part shapes, with fewer potential points of failure. These give manufacturers more flexibility in creating their products all while keeping pace with contracting production cycles.

 

There is a ton of excitement building over just what 3D printers can currently do, and what they’ll be capable of in the near future. It has been suggested by some advocates of additive manufacturing that 3D printers will completely revolutionise the nature of the manufacturing industry. Innovators will now be able to manufacture their own products, rather than having to contract with plants and factories all over the world.

 

It’s already possible for 3D printers to print in different colours and materials (including brass, steel, and ceramic) to create fully-functional objects. Indeed, just recently the first 3D-printed aircraft and car were created, signaling a significant step forward in the technology’s continued evolution. 3D printing also allows the production of objects with such intricate and complex designs that it’s simply impossible to recreate using any other technology.

 

3D printing also has a number of uses and applications in a wide range of industries. For example, 3D bioprinting will allow doctors and researchers to print organs and human tissue. Already, many 3D printers on the market are able to print at such high resolutions: necessary when dealing with the human body. The food industry can also benefit through this emerging technology. Edible objects can be created by printing objects using edible materials.

 

Finally, two of the key tenets to 3D printing are sustainability and conservation. One of the intrinsic benefits is that scrap material is reduced, if not eliminated. As Simon Ford and Mélanie Despeisse point out in their essay, “Additive Manufacturing and Sustainability: An Exploratory Study of the Advantages and Challenges,” additive manufacturing mimics biological processes by creating objects layer by layer, rather than produce a hulking item that must be whittled and chunks carved out to achieve the desired shape. “It is inherently less wasteful than traditional subtractive methods of production and holds the potential to decouple social and economic value creation from the environmental impact of business activities,” they write. 

 

Aside from reducing waste, 3D Printing  also conserves energy. The Metal Powder Industries Federation did a study that listed 17 steps required to produce a truck gear using subtractive manufacturing versus the six steps it takes to accomplish the same task with additive manufacturing. With 3D printing, the same product took less than half the energy. Additionally, by bringing products closer to the customer, 3D Printing  reduces the need for transporting products and materials, thereby positively affecting the quantity of carbon poured into the atmosphere. Therefore, the future of 3D Printing  will lead to a more sustainable future overall.

 

This is a pivotal time for the manufacturing industry. We’re standing at an epicenter where we don’t have a fully mature technology, both in the physical representation and the printers and how we want to manage everything on the digital side. But additive manufacturing is demonstrating its transformative nature and has already begun to reshape businesses.