3D printing is changing the way product design and manufacturing are done across many industries. 3D printers are bringing new life to the industry by introducing a whole new method to design products through digital modeling. With 3D Printing, designers no longer need to rely on traditional methods like hand carving or molding techniques. They can now create their own designs with the CAD software, which are then transformed into physical objects in minutes. The implications of this are huge. Not only does it allow companies to produce shapes that would be impossible using conventional manufacturing techniques, but it also allows them to do so faster than ever before.
While it has been used in prototyping for years, 3D printing product designs are now being used to create finished products. In addition, 3D printers can be a cost-effective solution for small businesses that want to produce a limited number of items quickly and cheaply without investing in tooling or molds.
This article will explore how 3D printing has changed the face of product design, what it means for manufacturers, and why you should consider this technology for your business.
Onshoring Manufacturing
For years, we have relied on countries like China and Vietnam to fulfill our supply needs that were mostly due to their low costs of manufacturing. However, with rising labor and production costs in East Asia, many companies are now onshoring their operations back to the United States or Europe, where 3D printers can be used for product design and prototyping. By doing so, they don’t have to depend on a third-party supplier that may lack quality control or experience. Above all, offshoring manufacturing has its own challenges. For starters, it’s hard to communicate with suppliers in a different time zone.
With 3D printing in product design, companies can now manufacture their products locally and at lower costs using state-of-the-art equipment that is available right on the factory floor. This not only helps them cut down on production and shipping times, but they also become more responsive to customer demands as well as able to better manage issues such as inventory control.
Moreover, another reason why manufacturers are bringing back operations from China or outsourcing it elsewhere is because of intellectual property concerns. In the past, Chinese manufacturers have been known to steal design blueprints and sell them off as their own. In recent years, this has been a growing problem that is causing companies to rethink where they source from or even choose not to manufacture at all if it means handing over precious trade secrets. With 3D printers on the factory floor, however, intellectual property concerns are no longer an issue because designs can be printed in-house without worrying about any leaks.
Lastly, 3D printing can also help companies reduce costs because they no longer have to rely on third-party suppliers. 3D printers manufacturers now offer their own services as part of the package, which allows them to produce parts and components in a cost-effective manner directly from their CAD software programs.
Expansion of Additive Manufacturing
Since 3D printing is a relatively new technology, we’re still in the early stages of its development and expansion. However, as more companies learn about its benefits or invest money into it for their operations, additive manufacturing will grow even further with time to improve speed and quality.
In addition to product design and prototyping, here are some other ways how 3D printers can be used:
- Sustainability: Using 3D printers helps manufacturers reduce waste by producing only what they need when they first receive an order instead of mass production first before shipping out later on. This not only saves on material costs but also reduces pollution from the factory and unnecessary transportation since products no longer have to travel far distances. Moreover, due to shorter lead times, 3D printers can also be used to produce parts that are still in the early stages of development. This is especially useful for companies that have a small team or even just one person working on it.
- Mass customization: With 3D printers, companies no longer have to come up with an idea and then manufacture thousands of them when they don’t know if people will like it or not. Instead, because designs can now be printed out directly from CAD software programs almost immediately without having to wait weeks or months for manufacturing overseas, businesses can easily create different variations based on consumer preferences before actually going into full production mode by printing only what’s necessary instead of making too many mistakes at once, which could cause problems down the road.
Conclusion
In a nutshell, product design and 3D printing are not just for prototyping anymore. With its many benefits and cost-saving measures, manufacturers are now using additive manufacturing to improve product design as well as reduce business costs with local production at the factory floor.
Are you looking for 3D printing services from creating 3D printable 3D models of your product?
Pentadesk provides 3D printing services in the USA. Apart from individual parts, we also provide complete prototyping of complete assemblies using 3D printing. Contact us now!
