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3d printing

Chinmay Rathi
In 3d printing

Traditional Manufacturing Vs 3d Printing – A Cost Analysis

Traditional manufacturing vs 3d printing

Traditional manufacturing vs 3d printing

3d printing is a computer-driven additive manufacturing technology used for producing the final product from a digital model by laying down successive layers of materials. It saves on energy by 40 to 60 percent as it eliminates shipping and other logistics activities. Also, it enables users to produce objects with lesser material. 3d printing service cost has cut up to 70% savings due to prototyping costs. Whereas, traditional manufacturing involves high cost of manufacturing and shipping. Below is the traditional manufacturing vs 3d printing cost analysis.

Comparison of technologies

Traditional manufacturing vs 3d printing

Traditional manufacturing

3d printing technology

3d printing

The traditional manufacturing includes the process of injection moulding, machining, forming, and joining which increases the cost of the product. Also, the traditional method involves putting a big sum of money in the process of manufacturing and shipping which further adds up to the final cost. Whereas 3d printing uses processes like Selective Laser Sintering (SLS), Binder Jetting, Stereolithography (SLA), Poly-Jet, Fused Deposition Modelling/Fused Filament Fabrication (FDM/FFF) which is mostly digitally dependent and hence results in producing objects of lesser cost. Even though the initial setup costs are higher, 3d printing has become cheaper than cheap labour in third world countries. Additionally, the costs of 3d printing are still decreasing, with the potential of 3d printers in homes in the near future. Furthermore, the costs of customized products are the same for mass production products.

Traditional manufacturing vs 3d printing- Cost-effectiveness

Traditional manufacturing like injection moulding requires mass production to even out the overhead cost of tooling, labour for assembly, and production. Whereas, with additive manufacturing, the cost of manufacturing of one item stays the same no matter what the quantity is, making it cheaper when the quantity is small.

More customizable, more adaptable

Because the cost is the same for each added unit, it is possible to make an unlimited amount of changes to the product. It can be used for prototyping: you’d use 3d printing to make a prototype and update the prototype until satisfaction. This is a crucial step before getting the product to mass production. It can also be used during the rest of the manufacturing process, to create unique pieces that can be more responsive to your needs, progress in conception and consumers feedback.

No added cost for complexity:

Creating complex mechanical constructions via traditional manufacturing requires precision and skills, especially for the assembly of complex parts, which means that price increases with complexity. It is not the case with 3d printing, which creates an entire piece in one process, instead of creating each component before assembling. Therefore, there is no added cost for complexity.

Traditional manufacturing vs 3d printing- Advantages

Rapid Prototyping

Products can more quickly go from just a design to an actual prototype.

Manufacturing Speed

Just like the previous advantage, the manufacturing speed for a large number of final products is equally fast.

Reduced Costs

When 3d printers were first invented, there were a very limited amount of printers being produced. But now, there are printing companies forming all over the world, creating more 3d printers. The cheapest 3d printer is currently called the PEACHY PRINTER. It is made by Rylan Grayston from Rinnovated Designs in Canada. His printer is primarily used for small craft models.

Warehousing

With traditional manufacturing technologies, it is much faster and cheaper to manufacture additional products that you probably know that you will eventually need. However, with 3d printing, only products that are sold need to be manufactured, thus warehousing of excess inventory is significantly less needed.

3d Printers can produce just about anything

If you have a craving for chocolate or if you are in need of an organ transplant, you’re in luck. 3d printing companies originally sold plastic ink cartridges. But now, they have ink made out of sugar, chocolate, sand, ceramic, metal materials, and even living cells to manufacture an infinite amount of creations.

3d printers are the future of manufacturing businesses

Some jobs can be easily cut because of the  3d printers. 3d printers are not only more productive but are also more environmentally friendly. When you build something, you usually have scraps leftover.  A 3d printer knows the mould and design and builds only what is needed. That makes 3d printers more economical and earth-friendly. 3d printers also have the advantage of becoming a productive manufacturing tool. With the purchase of a commercial 3d printer, higher production volumes can be achieved and larger products can be designed.

Read more:

3d Printer Speed: Time Taken To Print A 3d Model

3d Printed Jewelry- Transforming The Jewelry Designs

Chinmay Rathi
In 3d printing

3d Printing Technology – A Revolution

3d printing technology

What is 3d printing technology?

3d printing service or additive manufacturing is a method of making three dimensional solid objects from a digital file. The creation of a 3d printed object is achieved using additive processes. In an additive process, an object is created by laying down successive layers of material until the object is created. Each of these layers can be seen as a thinly sliced horizontal cross-section of the eventual object.

3d printing technology

3d printing technology

Steps involved in the 3d printing technology

The various steps involved in 3d printing are as follows:-

CAD File Development

In order to produce a 3d object you first have to have its virtual design.

CAD File Conversions

The CAD file is converted into the specific file formats after it is developed. The file formats are specified based on the technology of printing being employed by that particular 3d printer.

STL File Manipulation

Now that the STL format file is ready for you, all your computer now needs is a 3d printer which can print using the stereolithography technique.

Preparing the Printer

Now that everything about the digital file is ready, one needs to make sure the 3d printer is ready. This means installing properly the polymers, binders and other material which are necessary to perform a print operation.

The Building Up

Once the process has started, it is now all about patience. These printers aren’t as faster as the 2d printers. Based on the complexity of the object to be printed, the span of printing varies. Simply all that one has to do is wait and perform random checks to make sure everything is being done flawlessly.

Post Processing Stuff

Once the entire process is done and the object is ready, the object is to be handled carefully. Any actions in haste could prove to be costly.

Working of 3d printing technology

One starts by designing a 3d object on an ordinary home PC, connect it to a 3d printer, press ‘print’ and then sit back and watch. The process is a bit like making a loaf of sliced bread but in reverse. Imagine baking each individual slice of bread and then gluing them together into a whole loaf (as opposed to making a whole loaf and then slicing it, like a baker does). That’s basically what a 3d printer does.

The 3d printing process turns a whole object into thousands of tiny little slices, then makes it from the bottom-up, slice by slice. Those tiny layers stick together to form a solid object. Each layer can be very complex, meaning 3d printers can create moving parts like hinges and wheels as part of the same object. One could print a whole bike – handlebars, saddle, frame, wheels, brakes, pedals, and chain – ready assembled, without using any tools. It’s just a question of leaving gaps in the right places.

3d printing technology vs Traditional manufacturing

Saves Time

By utilizing additive manufacturing, one can get to market quicker by avoiding wasting valuable time waiting for retooling. If reworking the design is necessary, adjustments can simply be made to the CAD file and programmed into the 3d printer.

Conserve Money

Because retooling is unnecessary, one avoids having to pay for the costly changes to an assembly line that retooling can require. This means that one can order a single 3d prototype at a fraction of what it would cost using traditional manufacturing.

Reduce Waste

Unlike traditional manufacturing methods which can result in lots of waste that may not be correctly recycled, the only material that is consumed via additive manufacturing is the actual material used for the end-product.

Product Innovation

With additive manufacturing, one gains the ability to make parts that simply can’t be produced by traditional means. Parts can be printed with multiple integrated components, made to perfectly fit together with other 3d printed projects, and include gradients of color. Advances in 3d printable materials mean that the industry can now print in countless new materials. The result is that beautiful, complex, and durable end products can be produced through industrial additive manufacturing.

Future of 3d printing technology

Ultimately, when we look at the potential of 3d printing technology, it’s clear that mass manufacturing will not be completely eradicated. Its efficiency and scale have clear benefits for specific product categories. Nonetheless, 3d printing has the potential to create a whole new powerful product category. It eliminates the need for complex supply chains and excessive waste while decentralizing production, wealth and knowledge.

In the long run, 3d printing can help create a “decentralized, rural-based, self-reliant economy,” where production and consumption are once again reunited.

Read more:

3d printing in automotive industry

3d printing in the medical field