Beyond the Hype: 3D Printing is Improving Industrial Manufacturing According to the ExpertsApril 20, 2021April 20, 2021 | EssentiumShare For years, industry experts have been skeptical if 3D printing would ever reach its true potential. It grew in popularity, with the latest car, shoe, or other flashy consumer product hitting top news outlets. But beyond the hype, it was revolutionizing manufacturing processes, changing the way products are designed and built.What remains true is that 3D printing and additive manufacturing (AM) have been around for decades. And they continue to benefit manufacturers in ways previously thought impossible.Essentium recently commissioned a 3rd party report, Trends in 3D Printing at Scale, delves into more of how manufacturers are using 3D printing and the benefits they’re seeing for their business. To help uncover some of the biggest opportunities in the marketplace, we asked top industry experts to weigh in. Here are their tips.How 3D Printing Can Benefit Industrial ManufacturingDesign for Additive Manufacturing Creates EfficienciesTerry Wohlers Principal Consultant & President – Wohlers Associates, Inc.Follow Terry: Twitter | LinkedInThe biggest impact is the consolidation of two or more parts into one. This design for additive manufacturing (DfAM) methodology reduces part numbers, manufacturing processes, assembly, labor, inspection, inventory, and certification paperwork. AM can also be used to create more complex shapes and features and lightweight parts, which consume less material. By adopting DfAM within the product development process, parts can be created that are otherwise difficult and expensive to produce. Also, AM makes it easier to manufacture locally for some types of products.“By adopting DfAM within the product development process, parts can be created that are otherwise difficult and expensive to produce.” @terrywohlers3D Printing is Still the Best for Flexibility and AgilityNora ToureFounder, Women in 3D PrintingFollow Nora: Twitter | LinkedIn3D Printing is still the best-suited technology for small to medium production runs of parts needed in a short turnaround time. Enabling manufacturers to have this flexibility and agility in their production plans is the biggest impact we can have today.“3D Printing is still the best-suited technology for small to medium production runs of parts needed in a short turnaround time.” @nora3dpGet Immediate Benefit With Rapid Changeovers and& Product QualityPete Basiliere Managing Director – Monadnock InsightsFollow Pete: Twitter | LinkedInFor immediate benefit, 3D printing’s most significant impact is in producing tooling, jigs, and fixtures used within industrial manufacturing. Not only do these applications enable rapid changeovers and better product quality, but they can be implemented without the quality and certification requirements of, for example, 3D printed parts used in regulated finished goods.“For immediate benefit, 3D printing’s most significant impact is in producing tooling, jigs, and fixtures used within industrial manufacturing.” @petebasiliereMake What was Impossible to Manufacture, Possible Stacey DelVecchioPresident – StaceyD ConsultingFollow Stacey: Twitter | LinkedIn3D printing can enable new designs that could never have been made before. I’m not talking about just topology optimization, I’m talking about a part that was never manufacturable because maybe it was too heavy for the application; or maybe it would get too hot to survive the application. So, the additive process could remove weight or add cooling channels. These are just two examples but the broader subject here is to make what was impossible 20 years ago.On what 3D printing can enable: “New designs that could never have been made before. I’m not talking about just topology optimization. I’m talking about a part that was never manufacturable because maybe it was too heavy for the application; or maybe it would get too hot to survive the application.” @staceydelHype and Substance, 3D Printing is Here to Stay3D printing will continue to be a mainstay in manufacturing processes. To get the latest on how 3D printing is changing manufacturing, read the report Trends in 3D Printing at Scale. Thank you to our experts for sharing their thoughts. Now we’d like to hear yours. What are the biggest opportunities you see for 3D printing to improve industrial manufacturing?Essentium, Inc. provides industrial 3D printing solutions that are disrupting traditional manufacturing processes by bringing product strength and production speed together, at scale, with an open ecosystem and material set. Essentium manufactures and delivers innovative industrial 3D printers and materials enabling the world’s top manufacturers to bridge the gap between 3D printing and machining to embrace the future of additive manufacturing.Share
For years, industry experts have been skeptical if 3D printing would ever reach its true potential. It grew in popularity, with the latest car, shoe, or other flashy consumer product hitting top news outlets. But beyond the hype, it was revolutionizing manufacturing processes, changing the way products are designed and built.What remains true is that 3D printing and additive manufacturing (AM) have been around for decades. And they continue to benefit manufacturers in ways previously thought impossible.Essentium recently commissioned a 3rd party report, Trends in 3D Printing at Scale, delves into more of how manufacturers are using 3D printing and the benefits they’re seeing for their business. To help uncover some of the biggest opportunities in the marketplace, we asked top industry experts to weigh in. Here are their tips.How 3D Printing Can Benefit Industrial ManufacturingDesign for Additive Manufacturing Creates EfficienciesTerry Wohlers Principal Consultant & President – Wohlers Associates, Inc.Follow Terry: Twitter | LinkedInThe biggest impact is the consolidation of two or more parts into one. This design for additive manufacturing (DfAM) methodology reduces part numbers, manufacturing processes, assembly, labor, inspection, inventory, and certification paperwork. AM can also be used to create more complex shapes and features and lightweight parts, which consume less material. By adopting DfAM within the product development process, parts can be created that are otherwise difficult and expensive to produce. Also, AM makes it easier to manufacture locally for some types of products.“By adopting DfAM within the product development process, parts can be created that are otherwise difficult and expensive to produce.” @terrywohlers3D Printing is Still the Best for Flexibility and AgilityNora ToureFounder, Women in 3D PrintingFollow Nora: Twitter | LinkedIn3D Printing is still the best-suited technology for small to medium production runs of parts needed in a short turnaround time. Enabling manufacturers to have this flexibility and agility in their production plans is the biggest impact we can have today.“3D Printing is still the best-suited technology for small to medium production runs of parts needed in a short turnaround time.” @nora3dpGet Immediate Benefit With Rapid Changeovers and& Product QualityPete Basiliere Managing Director – Monadnock InsightsFollow Pete: Twitter | LinkedInFor immediate benefit, 3D printing’s most significant impact is in producing tooling, jigs, and fixtures used within industrial manufacturing. Not only do these applications enable rapid changeovers and better product quality, but they can be implemented without the quality and certification requirements of, for example, 3D printed parts used in regulated finished goods.“For immediate benefit, 3D printing’s most significant impact is in producing tooling, jigs, and fixtures used within industrial manufacturing.” @petebasiliereMake What was Impossible to Manufacture, Possible Stacey DelVecchioPresident – StaceyD ConsultingFollow Stacey: Twitter | LinkedIn3D printing can enable new designs that could never have been made before. I’m not talking about just topology optimization, I’m talking about a part that was never manufacturable because maybe it was too heavy for the application; or maybe it would get too hot to survive the application. So, the additive process could remove weight or add cooling channels. These are just two examples but the broader subject here is to make what was impossible 20 years ago.On what 3D printing can enable: “New designs that could never have been made before. I’m not talking about just topology optimization. I’m talking about a part that was never manufacturable because maybe it was too heavy for the application; or maybe it would get too hot to survive the application.” @staceydelHype and Substance, 3D Printing is Here to Stay3D printing will continue to be a mainstay in manufacturing processes. To get the latest on how 3D printing is changing manufacturing, read the report Trends in 3D Printing at Scale. Thank you to our experts for sharing their thoughts. Now we’d like to hear yours. What are the biggest opportunities you see for 3D printing to improve industrial manufacturing?Essentium, Inc. provides industrial 3D printing solutions that are disrupting traditional manufacturing processes by bringing product strength and production speed together, at scale, with an open ecosystem and material set. Essentium manufactures and delivers innovative industrial 3D printers and materials enabling the world’s top manufacturers to bridge the gap between 3D printing and machining to embrace the future of additive manufacturing.
June 15, 2022June 17, 2022 | The Essentium TeamPrinting Large Jigs and Fixtures in One PieceIn the mass manufacturing world, 3D printing is usually not used to make a finished piece. Rather, it is an enabling technology. Additive manufacturing is used to help other machines, robots and workers do their jobs better by creating lightweight yet durable jigs and fixtures that securely hold a tool or an unfinished part in […] Read More
June 1, 2022May 31, 2022 | The Essentium Team3D Scanning for Optimal 3D Printing Results: How Additive Manufacturing Can Step in to Print Emergency Replacement PartsTechnological innovation in the U.S. military revolutionizes defense, response to natural disasters, and so much more but also creates unique challenges. Learn how 3D scanning combined with additive manufacturing can step in to print emergency replacement parts. Read More
April 29, 2022June 15, 2022 | The Essentium Team9+ Materials for 3D Printed Fixtures and JigsJigs and fixtures are used in all kinds of manufacturing environments to make repeatable assembly processes more accurate, faster, and safer. Specialized tools like gauges, drill guides, masking templates, and cradles have been traditionally machined from metal. While materials like aluminum provides all the necessary qualities of strength, heat, and chemical resistance, it makes the […] Read More