How are you using your commercial grade 3D Printer?
Here's a quick challenge: Take a couple seconds to search Google Images for "3D Printing" and see what comes back (go ahead, I'll wait).
Well, were you inspired? Not me. While you likely saw some very inspirational images of novel items that help individuals deal with their lives, those were more the exception than the rule.
I saw a ton of tchotchkes.
tchotch·ke?CH?CHk?/nouninformal
- 1.NORTH AMERICANa small object that is decorative rather than strictly functional; a trinket.
The vast majority of 3D printers in the world are small desktop hobby printers that individual consumers are using to print household or hobby items because they can. In most cases, these items serve an individual purpose and have little-to-no chance of reaching a commercialization stage in any quantity.
As a business development guy, I'm more interested in the commercial grade printers and how companies are using them to make their lives better. In the recent past, I've seen my clients expanding their use of printed parts by opening their minds to new and novel ideas. They are using their smaller and our larger printers to speed up time to market, increase production efficiency and help their customers understand how solutions will be delivered.
A lot of Design Engineers are quick to cast 3D Printing aside as not quite being ready for prime time, meaning the printers are not reliable enough nor are there enough materials available to create end-use products in them. In general, I'm not going to argue with that as the machines and materials have a long way to go to fully catch up to traditional manufacturing techniques such as injection molding, casting, CNC, milling, etc.
However, if you open your mind to the possible, you'll see that you can implement the benefits of 3D Printing TODAY by looking at your operations. Work holding, fixturing, check gauges and WIP packaging are just some of the areas where we've helped our clients solve their problems in production. And there are a ton more!
So, how have you used your commercial grade 3D Printer to improve your company's bottom line? I'd love to hear from you in the comments section!
Helping engineers solve their manufacturing challenges
9 年I agree; I continue to see FDMs being used exceedingly well on tooling and fixtures in engineering departments and on the manufacturing floor. Beyond their durability, printing time and price can often beat out traditionally machined tooling.
End-to-End Automation of Tool Building
9 年Hi Jim, We are using our 3D metal sintering machines to make better parts and tools... End of use production parts that have been produced the same way, and performed at the same level for 50 years are being transformed into ground breaking, innovative, parts that disrupt industries. We print tooling inserts that bring levels of innovation and change to injection molding that haven't been seen since Nylon came along. AM for production parts and AM for tooling is real, and has become a standard manufacturing process for some of the biggest companies in the world.
Sales Director | Creaform | 3D Scanning | 3D Printing | CMM | Geomagic
9 年Hydro-Form tooling - aircraft parts
How about titrating anti-seizure meds on your home 3D printer? The FDA just approved this technology this week: https://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/848971?nlid=85983_2981&src=wnl_edit_dail&uac=27818FV&impID=782354&faf=1
Vice President Sales New Business Development Sales Coach Servant Leader
9 年I've been blessed to see hundreds of customers use Stratasys systems for high value applications in functional prototyping, mfg tooling and end use parts. Two of my favorites are Scanmed in NE and Emerson in MN. I could tell you what they are doing, but then I'd have to kill you.