What do you do if your organization's 3D Printing innovation is stagnant?

In the last years working with the emerging additive manufacturing technologies, I often encountered the situation that series parts were manufactured by 3D printing just because the technology was available or because there was the wish to do it by additive manufacturing - beyond evaluating whether additive manufacturing can bring a valuable benefit for the desired application. In my opinion, there should always be a profound evaluation on the possible benefts of an additively manufactured solution: using the cost-intensive additive manufacturing when a unique functionality can be achieved just with an AM design, but conventional molding, milling, etc. when AM does not offer a benefit.

To revitalize stagnant 3D printing innovation: assess current practices; research industry trends; foster collaboration; provide training; experiment with new materials; gather feedback; pilot new projects; engage external partners; and establish an innovation culture.

In general, most of the people have an opinion that 3D printing will be used only for prototype, but it is beyond. However, people are utilizing 3D printing for production support (Jigs, Fixtures, soft molds & bending tools), low volume end use parts and MRO applications (specific to metal AM). I believe people are not utilizing 3D printing to its full potential because lack of knowledge and fear to face failures. Further, blindly going 3D printing for every application or part is not recommended need to identify the part/application which adds value to that compare to existing process. Finally, integration of 3D printing with conventional process also helps in most of the application (mostly post-processing)

Assessing the current situation should also include the question "Do I need 3D printing innovation?" This is twofold: - Maybe I do not need 3D-printing. Not even for my future business opportunities. - Even if I need 3D-printing for my business opportunities for most manufacturers a mature manufacturing environment is more valuable than one that is continuously changing (e.g. innovated).

It is essential to conduct a comprehensive assessment of the organization's 3D printing capabilities. For instance, in my previous workplace, we operated a series of industrial-grade Flashforge FDM printers to create manufacturable models. Despite having cutting-edge technology, we identified that 40% of our processes lacked optimization, leading to production inefficiencies, particularly during peak periods when students utilised them for their final year projects. Through a SWOT analysis, we recognized the necessity to optimize our 3D printing processes and so we took the following steps: 1. Process Mapping and Analysis 2. Implementation of Lean Principles 3. Continuous Monitoring and Improvement

Goal setting in medical 3D printing is vital for guiding innovation and achieving desired outcomes. Establishing clear objectives, such as enhancing surgical precision or accelerating prosthetic production, can focus your printing efforts more effectively. Setting specific, measurable, and time-bound goals ensures accountability throughout the process. Ultimately, strategic goal setting in medical 3D printing drives advancements that can revolutionize patient care and treatment options.

Find out grey dots in your 3D Printing business First and foremost keep some investment in research and development. Take a deep driven depth on analysis on cost optimization of market Expand your reach and target your audience reach by effective tools like digital marketing and affiliate marketing. Build a strategic business approach with stake holders and target increase ROI Invest in agressive talents who has the great talent and very tough minds to rise the business. Invest in Agressive mindset & attitude automatically results on the above bar. Experiment everyday Take tough self critical review and check on your quality of the products before you offering to any one Above all one solution R&D will beat the everything.

Innovation for the organization should come from the business needs and not from technology evolution. To that end, please define your business goals and can any of that goals be achieved faster/better/cheaper by using 3D Printing than current paths. If yes, then it is easier to convince management to consider 3DPrinting. Tie a business goal to 3D Priniting and just tying it, it has to show advantage vs current methods. If you want to do 3D printing innovation for the sake of innovation; businesses are not interested in the current economic conditions.

Define what’s the end in mind - manufacturability, cost, technology differentiation etc., Is Additive Manufacturing an augmentation or replacement?

SMART Goals should be present for every segment of a business. What most people fail to process is how an individual goal directly relates to the larger, big picture goals of the business. Do not skip this. You will end up pursuing goals that are valid and worthwhile, in and of themselves, but do not bring you any closer to the organizational goals. Furthermore, establishing Go/No Go criteria for milestones in the process is important. Far too many companies push forward on goals that, looking back, were simply not worth the cost for the perceived benefit. This is a HARD lesson for businesses to learn. Not every goal is worth reaching, at least not at the cost.

In industries where 3D printing isn't primary, its versatility remains invaluable. Despite focusing elsewhere, rapid prototyping with 3D printing expedites development. Custom tools, swiftly fabricated, enhance operations. Organizational efficiency benefits from tailored storage solutions, maximizing space and accessibility. Furthermore, 3D printing fosters innovation and experimentation, sparking creativity. Its eco-friendly nature aligns with sustainability goals, minimizing waste. Integrating 3D printing into workflows, even tangentially, boosts efficiency, innovation, and sustainability. Let's harness its potential to complement and elevate our practices.

After carefully analyzing possible parts and optimizing assembly sets, it is time to use advanced engineering resources, such as part remodeling, consolidation of assembly sets and generative design, making the manufacturing of 3D printed parts a competitive differentiator for the company, where parts inventories may be reduced, expensive injection molds will no longer be needed, components and assembly hours will no longer be needed.

3D printing requires a multifaceted approach that integrates innovation, collaboration, and experimentation. Researching new developments in the 3D printing field can feed ideas for use cases. Strategies such as rapid ideation, brainwriting, and starbursting have proven effective for fostering innovation at my institution. Maintaining an environment that encourages risk-taking and iteration allows for the rapid testing and refinement of ideas, paving the way for groundbreaking advancements.

3D printing is a technology that enables novel part construction that would be impossible in days past. Do not print in single material, unless the part serves a purely mechanical function. Flexibility, chemical resistance, strength/weight ratio , electrical conductivity, heat resistance, etc. are some examples of different characteristics of different FDM materials. Design your parts to make the most of them.

3D printing is a complex field and hence collaboration across stakeholders is one of the requisite activity to develop the field and to take it forward

Um die 3D-Druck-Innovation wieder anzukurbeln, ist es entscheidend, die Mitarbeiter weiterzubilden und zu schulen. Durch Schulungen k?nnen sie ihr Wissen über die neuesten Entwicklungen im Bereich des 3D-Drucks vertiefen und neue Anwendungsm?glichkeiten entdecken. Dies kann dazu beitragen, dass die Mitarbeiter motivierter sind, die Technologie zu nutzen und innovative L?sungen zu entwickeln.

Getting new eyes on a problem or a project will give you a new perspective. The additive manufacturing industry is such a collaborative space that it should be pretty easy to find someone to help. Get the conversation going with some good old-fashioned teamwork. Brainstorm ideas, swap stories, and see what everyone is thinking. You can ask customers for feedback on what you can be doing better and/or talk to other team members who are typically not involved in these kinds of conversations. Like the old adage says "if you want to go fast go alone, but if you want to go far go together". You can tap into an endless source of new ideas to foster innovation by incorporating more collaboration.

You have to try to integrate as many stakeholders as possible into the process. And that means inspiring and involving them. So-called lighthouse projects help, but more needs to be done: Simple communication and the opportunity for everyone to participate in the technology. All of this combined with a direct exchange with individual stakeholders - a lot of work, but it's worth it! Lets give it a try!

Creating a team of early adopters from interdisciplinary teams fosters diverse perspectives and enables identification of novel 3D printing applications. The more people involved, the more ideas you can generate! One of the most common bottlenecks for 3D printing is solo ideation.

Optimizing 3D Printing is largely specific to individual geometric designs and materials. So, print a lot. Print a lot of variety. Print individual pieces followed by multiples. Learn from the printer. Each printer model has its strengths and weaknesses. Likewise, each type of geometry prints better in different orientations. The optimization comes down to weighing the factors of improved print quality vs cost of material and time. You can quantify print quality by 3D Scanning/CMM your print to compare against the original CAD. You can also quantify with loads applied, such as simple tensile tests. Increasing print density does NOT always equal a higher quality print. Start printing!

Para mensurar e aprimorar as solu??es de impress?o 3D, adote uma abordagem data-driven. Utilize dados, como feedback do cliente e resultados de testes técnicos, para identificar áreas de otimiza??o, como qualidade do produto e eficiência do processo. Planeje e execute a implementa??o de melhorias, considerando novos materiais, tecnologias e processos. Monitore o progresso e me?a o impacto das mudan?as através de avalia??es periódicas. Envolver as partes interessadas, incluindo clientes e parceiros, é crucial para alinhar as solu??es com as demandas do mercado, garantindo sua relevancia e competitividade contínuas.

Hier ist es auch sinnvoll Experten im Bereich des 3D Drucks zu konsultieren die dann ihr Know How einbringen k?nnen um die Drucker m?glichst effizient einzustellen.

Don't just innovate, iterate! Use data and feedback to continuously refine your 3D printing solutions. Consider tools like lean startup and agile methodologies to optimize your processes. Partner with experts to ensure optimal printer settings for maximum efficiency and quality.

Optimization and scaling are fundamental pillars of 3D printing, shaping its impact across various industries. Optimization involves refining printing processes, materials, and designs to maximize efficiency and quality while minimizing waste and production time. By fine-tuning these elements, businesses can enhance productivity and cost-effectiveness, unlocking new resources for innovation. Scaling up 3D printing operations allows for mass production of customized parts and products, meeting growing demands and expanding your market reach. Whether in manufacturing, aerospace, automotive, or consumer goods, optimization and scale drive the widespread adoption of 3D printing technologies.

The journey in 3D printing innovation is taking a new turn, and you're invited to be part of it. Recognizing the need for continuous improvement, it is important to embark on a thorough review and renewal process. Fostering a culture of collaboration and creativity to optimize your current innovations and processes. From gathering insights to benchmarking against industry standards, you'll leave no stone unturned. Stay tuned as you embark on this journey of revitalizing your 3D printing initiatives, pushing boundaries, and delivering excellence.

First thing to ask before 3D printing is; What’s your organization’s philosophy. Are they beta testers, early adopters or laggards in terms of tech adoption. If your organization is an innovation encouraging, then, explore why 3DP innovation is stagnant based on previous projects. Identify commonalities among them and propose a new project with a clear business need/goal which rectifies the issues with previous 3DP projects. If your organization doesn’t support innovation in the first place, you might need to work on generally getting management to think innovation and show how that can drive business goals. So, begin at the root level.

Hay que tener en cuenta que una de las características básicas en el aprendizaje de impresión 3D es el ensayo-error. Probar y probar, y así, descubrir.

Revisitar o propósito, volte para o básico e pergunte. Porque estamos usando impress?o 3D? A impress?o 3D pode ser muito útil como um programa inova??o aberta dentro da organiza??o. Para desenvolvimento de pesquisas, colabora??o, parcerias, capacita??o treinamento e desenvolvimento de novos produtos, prototipando e testando possibilidades.

This can be a bit tricky and may depend a lot on who you work for and your conviction. Find an application, make it work, show the people that need convincing, take any criticism as a challenge, get it right, show them again. I was once told by one of the most respected people in Formula 1 that SLA had no place in a wind tunnel. Now I am the proud recipient of an AMUG Dino award for making it the industry standard. I may be in a better position to take that sort of risk than some

Lo realmente complicado es llegar a personas/empresas con poca o nada de noción de aditiva. Como usuario/proveedor se ven ventajas y oportunidades, pero es complejo de mostrar en un post, en una conversación o en un muestrario. ?Cómo dar ese primer paso y pasar de las palabras a una demo?

Une possibilité peu exploitée pour repousser les limites d'une industrie stagnante est de faire appel à des artistes. Une collaboration artistique permet parfois d'avoir une autre approche et de pousser la recherche et développement dans une direction inattendue. Il arrive ainsi parfois qu'une vision moins "classique" permette de repousser les limites atteintes. Il en est de même avec une personne tout à fait néophyte: n'ayant aucun a priori technique il se se peut que la demande générée par une telle personne représente un réel défi qui, jusque là ne s'est jamais présenté.

When an organization’s 3D printing innovation hits a plateau, it’s crucial to reignite the creative spark. Here is a strategy to consider: Revisit the Vision: Remind your team of the core vision that drives your 3D printing projects. What impact do you aim to have? Realigning with the bigger picture can renew purpose and motivation.

May I remind you that much of what you may have heard about 3D printing is already obsolete, is misunderstood, misrepresented or just a myth. If you are not satisfied with your progress using 3D printing, you are not alone. Please keep in mind that the developers and manufacturers of 3D printing systems and materials are NEVER satisfied with their equipment and technology. Check in with your equipment and material suppliers as often as possible. This technology is changing very rapidly. The aspects that you are not happy with may have been recently solved by others. As a group, the 3D printing developers need to share what they know in order for this technology to advance.