The additive manufacturing capabilities of 3D printers are getting more is more important in the industrial world. The process which involves of use of digital 3D design data to deposit materials to build a product prototype or part. Additive manufacturing technologies vary in the techniques used for creating and bonding layers together, speed, layer thickness, the range of materials, accuracy, and cost.
With the globally rising competition in the manufacturing industry, it is crucial for manufacturers to get familiar with the 3D printing methods and processes. 3D printing refers to all the aspects in additive manufacturing, though it is universally regarded as the process of fabricating objects with the addition of layers using a print head, nozzle, and other printing technologies. Nowadays, top manufacturing companies are utilizing 3D printer in the environments along with several other Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning, and Cloud technologies. The manufacturing industry defines 3D printing as an additive manufacturing technology for making objects from 3D objects.
What is Additive Manufacturing?
Additive manufacturing technology which has been around for more than 30 years is often regarded by the manufacturers for its faster processing capability of 3D printing. BMW, the top car manufacturers company has been utilizing additive manufacturing since 1990 for manufacturing various parts for the manufacturing process. Additive manufacturing involves different other forms of additive manufacturing such as rapid prototyping direct digital manufacturing which are all of equal importance in various manufacturing industries. Latest advancements in 3D printer technologies have impacted exciting opportunities for future development in the product manufacturing process.
How 3D Printing Works
In contrast to the subtractive manufacturing in which end product will be made by taking material away, additive manufacturing technology adds layers to the build platform in order to create objects. In the traditional manufacturing process product prototyping involved of a material being shaped into the product envisioned by designers. Additive manufacturing does this in the opposite way by adding thousands of minute layers to form the final product. Additive manufacturing system needs just a computer and special CAD software which can send messages to the printer to enable precise and accurate printing.
Many manufacturers are approaching 3D printing in Mumbai for building prototypes, parts, and models of different material. There is additive manufacturing equipment available which can print with more than 40 different materials thus giving more flexibility and efficiency in product manufacturing lifecycle. The cartridge of these 3D printers can be loaded with desired material so that it gets printed into several uniform layers to form the desired shape and design. It prints several layers repeatedly and fuses together during the process for getting the shape complete.
Benefits for the Manufacturing Industry
Predominantly manufacturers were able to build several shapes and designs through conventional prototyping methods, but by adopting additive manufacturing in their environments enabled them to take the next level in product design and manufacturing. With this, a more advanced rapid prototyping technology, organizations in various industries are able to produce product parts, prototypes or concept models in whatever shape or design the need. This technology has been helped manufacturers and designers to obtain even the most complex designs that were impossible in the conventional means.
This advantage of additive manufacturing enables for stronger 3D objects that have no weak spots and cannot be compromised or stressed. In rapid prototyping, models are quickly built thus giving companies better flexibility in the product design and for reducing time and cost. The additive manufacturing process is comparative faster, other than the time taken by stakeholders, engineers, designers or manufacturers to decide and finalize on the product/concept design. Any changes can be made on the 3D design on the CAD software with a few clicks of the mouse.
Material Absorptance
The 3D printer enabled additive manufacturing processes commonly involve of a direct interaction of powdered material with a laser beam. The absorption capability of the powdered material is significantly important for the development of 3D objects. It enables manufacturers to choose the right technology that responds to the powder even with insufficient laser energy input or material evaporation due to excessive energy input.
Faster Processing
In the traditional method, there have been several production limitations that affected the design. Product designers had to ignore several innovative design ideas as its production wasn’t practical. With the introduction of this technology, several manufacturers, especially in the field of aerospace, automotive and healthcare devices, enable the design to drive their production.
