You're leading the transition to 3D printing technology. How can you ensure a seamless shift for your team?

In my opinion, factors such as thorough training, infrastructure upgrades, and design adaptations are essential. Integrating 3D printing into existing workflows, establishing robust quality control, and effectively managing change are crucial. Pilot projects and prototype building help build confidence and refine processes. Continuous data collection and analysis regarding tolerances, different support structures, etc optimize operations. By focusing on these areas, teams can harness the full potential of 3D printing while minimizing disruptions.

I never realized how beneficial 3D printing can be until I started my latest internship at GSA. I have a lot of experience with 3-D modeling but this was my first extensive experience with 3-D printing. At first, I thought that it was a gimmick, but if you frequently need to come up with solutions or prototypes it is super useful. But before you chose to invest, you and your team, should learn the skills to model in a CAD software. I would advise taking a course at your local community college, but at a minimum get familiar with a software like Onshape and become proficient at it. One you do, you may be ready to get a 3-D printer.

Form a clear and concise understanding of Additive manufacturing technology. This can be provided through a Training period that can enable the team to get used and design for 3D printing also known as DFAM Through that start by assignments and projects and watch the team get their design to life only through trial and error well they move forward and take a leap.

A implementa??o bem-sucedida da impress?o 3D depende de uma equipe bem preparada e capacitada, n?o apenas em habilidades técnicas, mas também em criatividade e solu??o de problemas. Investir em treinamento e avaliar as necessidades e lacunas de habilidades desde o início é essencial para garantir uma transi??o eficiente, promover inova??o e permitir que a equipe aproveite ao máximo as oportunidades oferecidas pela impress?o 3D.

For the first steps I would like to educate the team on available materials for 3D printing and the avaliable 3D printing systems in the market. Through this procedure I would let the Team try and analyze what the business needs in order to be successful. Mostly focusing on rapid prototyping with low cost and acceptable physical and not only properties that can be tailored to each individual product in the design phase.

One thing I found helpful was learning both sides of its extream uses, what ways to properly print and what ways not too. There can be a fine line between printablility and not, so having the ability to know where that line is will be extremely helpful in the end. But don't be afraid to push that line. Orientation, shape of the parts all play a big roll in it. Sometime even simple parts can be difficult to print, but with some experimentation you can find a way to make it work. Having that simple knowledge beforehand will save time when needing to experiment.

An A4-sized printer plate with key examples (e.g., maximum overhang angles, wall thicknesses, radii, fits, resolutions, etc.) can be beneficial for engineers. It is recommended to keep such samples at workstations or in display cases, where they are visible daily and continuously reinforce familiarity with the technology (out of sight, out of mind). Departments should be sensitized gradually, step by step, until the knowledge is widespread. Expert groups can play a vital role in facilitating this process.

Best training programs switch between theory and practical. First start with theory with software skills and then do hands-on skills. It makes the training more interesting and a holistic experience.

Una vez identificadas las necesidades de su equipo, el siguiente paso clave es dise?ar un plan de formación integral y adaptado a los diferentes roles. Este plan debe combinar conocimientos teóricos sobre los principios de la impresión 3D con experiencia práctica directa. Es crucial que todos, desde dise?adores hasta operadores de máquinas, comprendan cómo esta tecnología impactará su trabajo diario. Un programa de formación bien estructurado no solo eleva la confianza del equipo, sino que también impulsa la innovación y la experimentación, facilitando una adopción efectiva de la tecnología y maximizando su potencial dentro de la empresa.

Research, research, research. All printers are different and all have different quirks so it's worth doing a fair amount of research before setting out with your prints. Join communities that talk about 3D printing and seek advice where needed on different methods and techniques. I found this really helpful when starting out and the advice out there was really beneficial.

The main reason I have seen transitions to 3D printing fail is a lack of realistic expectations. You can't blame sales people for selling. You need an individual in your company who's knowledgeable about the technology and what it can do. Will the 3D technology you pick deliver parts that need no post-processing, will post-processing be required? How much capital/time would that add? Are you expecting the 3D printing technology to fully replace your conventional workflow? If so, have you researched whether the 3D printing technology can deliver parts for not only the bulk of your work but also for edge cases?

One method we have been following is by giving the participants limitations. The limitations are time for printing and volume of the print so that they can limit it in 1-2 hrs. This way, they can plan for a small realistic product and they can also print it in a short time. Also we encourage you to print it without reaching the final stage where there might be failure but they will see it themselves and learn from them. If it is a final product beyond workshop, we ask them to test partial main components or assembly section and only move with the large bigger full print so that the rist if failure is reduced.

Establecer metas claras es esencial para una implementación exitosa de la impresión 3D. Comienza definiendo objetivos realistas y medibles que integren esta tecnología en tus flujos de trabajo. Estos objetivos deben abarcar tanto hitos a corto plazo como la visión a largo plazo de cómo la impresión 3D mejorará tus operaciones. Involucra a tu equipo en el proceso, alentándolos a aportar ideas y a fijar metas individuales que se alineen con la estrategia general. Este enfoque colaborativo no solo clarifica las expectativas, sino que también fortalece el sentido de pertenencia y compromiso entre los miembros del equipo.

Establecer metas claras es esencial para una implementación exitosa de la impresión 3D. Comienza definiendo objetivos realistas y medibles que integren esta tecnología en tus flujos de trabajo. Estos objetivos deben abarcar tanto hitos a corto plazo como la visión a largo plazo de cómo la impresión 3D mejorará tus operaciones. Involucra a tu equipo en el proceso, alentándolos a aportar ideas y a fijar metas individuales que se alineen con la estrategia general. Este enfoque colaborativo no solo clarifica las expectativas, sino que también fortalece el sentido de pertenencia y compromiso entre los miembros del equipo.

I think a realistic outlook is needed when you start printing. There will be print failures, things won't go to plan, and prints won't look how they're intended. But this is all part of the process and learning curve. It's a very intricate technology with lots of different factors that affect the final print outcome so it will take some practice and some failed prints to get the results you're looking for.

Every individual is learning in some way or another via internet or training or peer to peer. Is the sharing and learning and attitude towards learning which fosters this. Being open towards learning is important

When we get a new 3d printing machine, first task we do is test the machine for its accuracy. We do some tolerance test, overhand test, support test to find the limitations of the machine and put in the documentation. In this way the learning and handling of the new machines is accelerated leading to a better print quality.

One of the best ways to encourage adaptability is to give machine time and resources to the team for unrelated projects. For example, encouraging members to make prints for in-house fixtures or prototypes will allow acceptable mistakes and encourage innovation in machine use. The more team members use the machines, the more opportunities they will tend to find.

I think the best thing to do when learning this technology for the first time is have some practice. Run some non-important projects on it, test different prints out and see what works and what doesn't and don't be afraid for them to fail. If you're training new members of the team, allow them the time to get to know the different techniques that go into a successful print and allow them to fail too. A lot of what is learnt about 3D printing comes from past failures so the process of print failures is just as important as the successful ones.

As you move from individual items to production. Monitoring the quality is crucial especially when 3d printing takes longer than other methods. If there are rejected piece due to minor error in gcode or design then it will be a huge loss. We had a case of 3d printing 100 parts and all the parts were rejected piece. To solve this, we made sure to remove support for one piece from the whole build plate to cross-check that part before printing the next build plate. Sometimes the support hides the defect which we learned the hard way.

Share your processes that work so that others can benefit. If you have a preset that works for certain model types, share it with the team so that everyone can benefit from it. If something went wrong, make sure to pass that knowledge on so the team understand why and how to avoid similar mistakes in the future.

We follow the principle "do good and talk about it." Implementing and establishing new technology is challenging, but when the right team members are empowered to drive progress, success stories almost write themselves. In our case, expert groups emerged internally, comprising specialists from various departments. Their goal is to disseminate knowledge and integrate it into daily routines. We actively track internal orders, processing times, material types, consumption, and applied technologies. This helps with accurate cost accounting and provides data to strengthen resource requests. The best arguments are based on solid facts and data.

If you want to iterate quickly adoption of 3D printing 1. Check thoroughly technical feasibility, because all the parts are not suitable for 3D printing 2. Understand more about application (Utilize DfAM if it add value to process & product) 3. Choose the appropriate technology, methodology and material 4. Use DOE for developing optimum process parameters 5. Use the simulation tools to evaluate the performance 6. Print the part & test it. If it is successful, certify the same otherwise alter the process by selecting better options ( technology, methodology and material) based on the deviation I believe this process definitely helps in fostering a culture of innovation

Cultura de experimenta??o, promover um ambiente livre para testar materiais e equipamentos promovendo mais alcance e autoridade sobre a tecnologia.

Iterating quickly is beneficial, but it only becomes truly effective when combined with hands-on practice and constructive feedback. It’s essential to learn from past projects—understanding what worked well and what didn’t. A common challenge is designing components that are suitable for manufacturing. 3D printing is unlike milling, turning, or sheet metal fabrication; it comes with its own set of limitations and possibilities that must be recognized first. In our organization, successes and failures are documented, such as our internal guidelines for additive manufacturing, which all engineers can access.