3D Printing Bringing Revolutionary Changes to the World

3D printing or additive manufacturing is a process of making 3D solid objects from a digital file. The creation of a 3D-printed object is achieved using additive processes. In an additive process, an object is created by laying down successive layers of material until the object is created. Each of these layers can be seen as a thinly sliced cross-section of the object.

3D printing is the opposite of subtractive manufacturing which is cutting out / hollowing out a piece of metal or plastic with for instance a milling machine. 3D printing enables you to produce complex shapes using less material than traditional manufacturing methods. It all starts with a 3D model. You can opt to create one from the ground up or download it from a 3D library. 3D printing continues to make waves in a huge range of industries from healthcare to art to science. Although 3D printing feels intensely futuristic, initial versions of this technology date back to the 1980s. The early days consisted of many rejections and failures since patents and inventions often failed to get the funding necessary to take off.

Today, it’s a sophisticated process that has gained popularity for its speed and relatively low cost. It’s particularly promising for smaller companies that can take advantage of quick manufacturing at a lower price to compete with bigger companies. 3D printingis, quite literally, changing the world, print by print.Manufacturers like HP are leading the way with revolutionary 3D printing technologies, such as the HP Metal Jet industrial printer, which help to vastly increase production volumes and expedite time to market. View our below infographic for more details on how 3D printing is advancing in commercial and educational applications, as also its environmental impact and e-waste.3D Printing Impacts: As you might imagine, 3D printing has transformed the world and it’s nowhere near reaching its full potential. Many companies, universities, and industries are benefiting from 3D printing.

Commercial Impacts of 3D Printing: 3D printing helps companies differentiate their businesses in terms of quality, speed, and customization. 93% of companies that use 3D printingreduce time-to-market which means that companies can enjoy a faster turnaround from concept to product launch.This is especially important for smaller companies that need to quickly bring in revenue after spending capital developing a product. This quick turnaround allows these small businesses to compete with larger ones.

In addition, 3D printing limits overhead costs requires less labor than traditional manufacturing methods, and boost overall production efficiency. If a product goes to market and needs a replacement part, there is no bottleneck or slow down. You can simply print and replace the component.Across the globe, various 3D printing materials are being sourced to feed the growing demand for 3D-printed parts and objects.3D printing continues to make waves in a huge range of industries from healthcare to art to science. Although 3D printing feels intensely futuristic, initial versions of this technology date back to the 1980s. The early days consisted of many rejections and failures since patents and inventions often failed to get the funding necessary to take off.

Today, it’s a sophisticated process that has gained popularity for its speed and relatively low cost. It’s particularly promising for smaller companies that can take advantage of quick manufacturing at a lower price to compete with bigger companies. 3D printing is, quite literally, changing the world, print by print.Manufacturers like HP® are leading the way with revolutionary 3D printing technologies, such as the HP Metal Jet industrial printer, which help to vastly increase production volumes and expedite time to market.View our below infographic for more details on how 3D printing is advancing in commercial and educational applications, as also its environmental impact and e-waste.

Environmental Impacts of 3D Printing: Thanks to 3D printing, production can benefit the environment in several ways: 3D-printed products are up to 50% lighter than those produced with standard methods, meaning they require less energy to transport. In manufacturing, 3D printers use only the amount of material necessary for the product, reducing overall waste. Some 3D printers only accept recycled materials. It’s not all good news: One study found that 3D printers utilizing heat or lasers use 50 to 100 times more electricity than traditional production methods.

Automotive and Aviation Industry Impacts of 3D Printing: Both the automotive and aviation industry benefit from 3D printing because this method of manufacturing means that parts can be lighter, less expensive to transport, and easily tweaked via additional parts or replacement parts post-production. Manufacturers are also using 3D printing to develop aircraft. GE, for instance, used 3D printing to create a new turboprop engine called the GE Catalyst. Engine designers combined 855 separate parts into just 12 using 3D printing which means the engine weight is 5% less and improves fuel consumption by 1%. While these may seem like incremental improvements, they make a huge difference across large fleets.

Healthcare Impacts of 3D Printing: The healthcare industry benefits from 3D printing which can be used for bioprinting to create organs for transplant patients. Labs have also been leveraging 3D printing to create prosthetics that cost under $100; much cheaper than traditionally-made prosthetics. While it sounds like science fiction, there have been many real-life examples where medical 3D printing has proven its worth. A mouse with 3D-printed ovaries gave birth to healthy pups,for example. And scientists are still looking at its potential to ameliorate other medical issues.

Customization: 3D printers can create objects of any shape or size, which means you can use them to create customized products designed to meet individual consumers’ needs. This level of customization was previously only available to those who could afford to commission custom-made products from artisans or manufacturers. However, 3D printing has made it possible for anyone to create customized products, whether it’s a pair of shoes that are made to fit perfectly or a prosthetic limb that is tailored to the individual’s unique physiology. This ability to create personalized products has the potential to revolutionize the way we manufacture and consumer goods.

Educational Impacts of 3D Printing: Thanks to 3D printing, children are now learning about: 3D design; Computer-aided design (CAD): using computers to create, modify, analyze, or optimize the design; Programming; Manufacturing processes; 3D printing can be used to produce tactile models for teaching purposes; 3D printing has been used to create Braille picture books for blind or low-vision students.

Examples of 3D Printing: 3D printing encompasses many forms of technologies and materials as 3D printing is being used in almost all industries you could think of. It’s important to see it as a cluster of diverse industries with a myriad of different applications.

A few examples:

– consumer products (eyewear, footwear, design, furniture)

– industrial products (manufacturing tools, prototypes, functional end-use parts)

– dental products

– prosthetics

– architectural scale models &marquette

– reconstructing fossils

– replicating ancient artifacts

– reconstructing evidence in forensic pathology

– movie props

There are a variety of 3D printing materials, including thermoplastics such as acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS), metals (including powders), resins, and ceramics.

Takeaways: 3D printing into the future

Although 3D printing uses significant amounts of electricity, still 3D-printed products are up to 50% lighter than those produced with standard methods, meaning they require less energy to transport. In manufacturing, 3D printers use only the amount of material necessary for the product, reducing overall waste. HP® is leading the path with the HP Metal Jet and other technology ready to help businesses grow faster and better. Learn more about 3D printers, including HP®’s industrial metal printer, and how 3D printers work on HP® Tech Takes.

3D Printing Industry: The adoption of 3D printing has reached critical mass as those who have yet to integrate additive manufacturing somewhere in their supply chain are now part of an ever-shrinking minority. Where 3D printing was only suitable for prototyping and one-off manufacturing in the early stages, it is now rapidly transforming into a production technology. Most of the current demand for 3D printing is industrial in nature. Acumen Research and Consulting forecasts the global 3D printing market to reach $41 billion by 2026. As it evolves, 3D printing technology is destined to transform almost every major industry and change the way we live, work, and play in the future

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