Nahezu jeder spricht darüber: 3D-Druck – auch additive Fertigung genannt. Fakt ist, die additiven Fertigungsverfahren haben sich in den letzten Jahren stark entwickelt. Doch was sind die Gründe für den rasanten Erfolg?
A key advantage of 3D printing over traditional manufacturing processes is the cost and time savings it offers for low-volume production. With no tooling or special setup required throughout the manufacturing process and consistently low material costs, the cost of 3D printing is stable even at a low quantity production level, with almost no material waste. This allows production from batch size 1, which is exactly where 3D printing comes in.
The advantage of being able to produce just a single piece can be perfectly combined with on-demand production. Does the customer need a special spare part? Does the development department want to make a first prototype? No problem. With the help of additive manufacturing processes, individual parts can be produced without any problems. In all imaginable forms.
3D printing makes it possible to print parts with a high geometric complexity which would have been impossible using traditional methods. The technical limitations of a manufacturing tool to construct a 3D model no longer play a role. As a result, designers and engineers have limitless possibilities. Modern manufacturing processes do not require more time for more complex products than for less complex ones.
The change in speed is noticeable throughout the entire manufacturing process. Although the printing of a part can take a few hours to several days, a company can reduce the product development process from a months to a weeks. 3D printing can be used to quickly design and test different variations of a prototype. A trend known as "rapid manufacturing" or "rapid prototyping”.
3D printing is becoming an industry trend in virtually every sector. From architectural models for the construction industry to prostheses & orthotics in the medical industry to components for the automotive and aerospace industry.
It is exciting to see how additive manufacturing processes will evolve over the next few years. We at SCIO Technology already offer you a broad portfolio in prototyping and 3D printing. We offer on a wide variety of printing processes and a constantly growing range of production materials.
Have a look at www.scio-prototyping.com.