How 3D printing drives manufacturing

3D printing How 3D printing drives manufacturing

3D printing is a versatile technology that has many advantages. Read about the application methods that 3D printing can use to support the workflow of businesses in the future.

At least since the pandemic, 3D printing has finally emerged from its shadowy existence. Respirators components that could not be quickly found were printed by 3D printers. Technology has made a valuable contribution to the fight against the epidemic. Frank Gerwarth, Product Manager for IT, 3D Printing, Imagery, and Smart Lighting at Reichelt Elektronik provides information on other possible uses.

3D printing can also help in times of need in manufacturing companies. 76 percent of German companies consider 3D printing a reasonable way to bridge supply chain problems. However, additive manufacturing is already being used by many companies to develop prototypes. So technology is on its way to finally establishing itself in industrial manufacturing and changing industrial work flows.

Digital spare parts reduce downtime

A defect in a small component could shut down a machine or even entire production lines. Each minute of downtime causes losses in the three to four digit range. Therefore, having a spare part readily available is of utmost importance. But this is exactly where problems often arise – especially in times of volatile supply chains. On the other hand, it is not very cost-effective to keep every part of a machine or system in stock in one warehouse.

3D printing offers a fast and efficient solution to this very issue: spare parts are stored in digital form by companies. In emergency situations, a suitable spare part can be produced from this digital model using 3D printing. This production is done locally and therefore can be delivered in the shortest possible time. Old machine parts don’t block out unnecessary physical storage. In this way, companies benefit from maximum flexibility.

Intelligent optimization with 3D printing over the entire lifecycle

Using 3D printing, components can be adapted and improved quickly and with minimal effort. This is already established in many companies when creating prototypes. But the additive manufacturing method can also make a valuable contribution to small-chain production – for example, when molds are created for injection molding using 3D printing. In this way, individual requirements can be dealt with quickly.

3D printing can be used for maintenance: technical personnel who have known their machines for a long time have special knowledge and can provide ideas on how to improve parts so that they are less subject to wear.

However, intelligent assessments of machine data can also be gained with a new impetus for improvement – for example when sensor data detects increased stress on certain parts of the machine, resulting in faster wear. AI-powered software for 3D printing, for example, provides predictions about whether an object is at all suitable for 3D printing or gives a quality prediction.

In this way, the improvement of the device does not stop after the prototype stage, but extends to the operational stage. When human intelligence and artificial intelligence work side by side, machines perform their tasks more efficiently, with fewer errors and longer life cycles.

Frank Giroart: “In the future we will also see how 3D-printed parts conquer the fourth dimension: time.”

Show in the future

3D printing already has great potential to change production workflows in the long run. This is supported by the development of new threads. Initially, it was only possible to print with certain types of plastic, but today it is possible to print with an abundance of filament and even with hard metals, concrete and carbon. This greatly expands the application areas of 3D printing.

In the future, we’ll also see 3D-printed parts conquer the fourth dimension: time. We already have the first filaments that will change shape once they are completed, for example at a certain temperature. Other areas of application such as medical technology can be opened in this way: for example, an implant that only unfolds after it is inserted into the body, thus reducing the amount of surgical intervention in the body.

One thing is for sure: 3D printing does indeed provide valuable opportunities to create enhanced value in businesses. With the advancement of technology, we can still expect a wealth of innovative solutions for modern production.

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