What are the Advantages and Disadvantages of 3D Printing?

This production process offers a range of advantages compared to traditional manufacturing methods. These advantages include those related to design, time and cost, amongst others.

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3D printing allows for the design and print of more complex designs than traditional manufacturing processes. More traditional processes have design restrictions which no longer apply with the use of 3D printing.

3D printing can manufacture parts within hours, which speeds up the prototyping process. This allows for each stage to complete faster. When compared to machining prototypes, 3D printing is inexpensive and quicker at creating parts as the part can be finished in hours, allowing for each design modification to be completed at a much more efficient rate.

Print on demand is another advantage as it doesn&#;t need a lot of space to stock inventory, unlike traditional manufacturing processes. This saves space and costs as there is no need to print in bulk unless required.

The 3D design files are all stored in a virtual library as they are printed using a 3D model as either a CAD or STL file, this means they can be located and printed when needed. Edits to designs can be made at very low costs by editing individual files without wastage of out of date inventory and investing in tools.

The main 3D printing material used is plastic, although some metals can also be used for 3D printing. However, plastics offer advantages as they are lighter than their metal equivalents. This is particularly important in industries such as automotive and aerospace where light-weighting is an issue and can deliver greater fuel efficiency.

Also, parts can be created from tailored materials to provide specific properties such as heat resistance, higher strength or water repellency.

Depending on a part&#;s design and complexity, 3D printing can print objects within hours, which is much faster than moulded or machined parts. It is not only the manufacture of the part that can offer time savings through 3D printing but also the design process can be very quick by creating STL or CAD files ready to be printed.

The production of parts only requires the materials needed for the part itself, with little or no wastage as compared to alternative methods which are cut from large chunks of non-recyclable materials. Not only does the process save on resources but it also reduces the cost of the materials being used.

As a single step manufacturing process, 3D printing saves time and therefore costs associated with using different machines for manufacture. 3D printers can also be set up and left to get on with the job, meaning that there is no need for operators to be present the entire time. As mentioned above, this manufacturing process can also reduce costs on materials as it only uses the amount of material required for the part itself, with little or no wastage. While 3D printing equipment can be expensive to buy, you can even avoid this cost by outsourcing your project to a 3D printing service company.

3D printers are becoming more and more accessible with more local service providers offering outsourcing services for manufacturing work. This saves time and doesn&#;t require expensive transport costs compared to more traditional manufacturing processes produced abroad in countries such as China.

As this technology reduces the amount of material wastage used this process is inherently environmentally friendly. However, the environmental benefits are extended when you consider factors such as improved fuel efficiency from using lightweight 3D printed parts.

3D printing is being used in the medical sector to help save lives by printing organs for the human body such as livers, kidneys and hearts. Further advances and uses are being developed in the healthcare sector providing some of the biggest advances from using the technology.

Like with almost any other process there are also drawbacks of 3D printing technology which should be considered before opting to use this process.

While 3D Printing can create items in a selection of plastics and metals the available selection of raw materials is not exhaustive. This is due to the fact that not all metals or plastics can be temperature controlled enough to allow 3D printing. In addition, many of these printable materials cannot be recycled and very few are food safe.

3D printers currently have small print chambers which restrict the size of parts that can be printed. Anything bigger will need to be printed in separate parts and joined together after production. This can increase costs and time for larger parts due to the printer needing to print more parts before manual labour is used to join the parts together.

Although large parts require post-processing, as mentioned above, most 3D printed parts need some form of cleaning up to remove support material from the build and to smooth the surface to achieve the required finish. Post processing methods used include waterjetting, sanding, a chemical soak and rinse, air or heat drying, assembly and others. The amount of post processing required depends on factors including the size of the part being produced, the intended application and the type of 3D printing technology used for production. So, while 3D printing allows for the fast production of parts, the speed of manufacture can be slowed by post processing.

3D printing is a static cost unlike more conventional techniques like injection moulding, where large volumes may be more cost effective to produce. While the initial investment for 3D printing may be lower than other manufacturing methods, once scaled up to produce large volumes for mass production, the cost per unit does not reduce as it would with injection moulding.

With 3D printing (also known as Additive Manufacturing) parts are produced layer-by-layer. Although these layers adhere together it also means that they can delaminate under certain stresses or orientations. This problem is more significant when producing items using fused deposition modelling (FDM), while polyjet and multijet parts also tend to be more brittle. In certain cases it may be better to use injection moulding as it creates homogenous parts that will not separate and break.

Another of the disadvantages of 3D technology is the potential reduction in human labour, since most of the production is automated and done by printers. However, many third world countries rely on low skill jobs to keep their economies running, and this technology could put these manufacturing jobs at risk by cutting out the need for production abroad.

Another potential problem with 3D printing is directly related to the type of machine or process used, with some printers having lower tolerances, meaning that final parts may differ from the original design. This can be fixed in post processing, but it must be considered that this will further increase the time and cost of production. 

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As 3D printing is becoming more popular and accessible there is a greater possibility for people to create fake and counterfeit products and it will almost be impossible to tell the difference. This has evident issues around copyright as well as for quality control.

Get Further Advice On 3D Printing

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Reliable projections show that in the next six years, the U.S. welding industry will require tens of thousands more welders to cope with industry growth. The growing demand for welders stretches across a variety of industries, including agriculture, mining, construction, transportation, plant maintenance, and the fast-growing shale gas sector. Additionally, as the nation&#;s infrastructure continues to age, those trained in welding and related fields will be needed to help rebuild highways, bridges, and buildings.

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the job outlook for welders, brazers, cutters, and solderers is rising at 6 percent, &#;as fast as average.&#; Welding currently is said to be one of the fastest-growing professions in the country as a whole. Reportedly, starting pay is above average, benefits are good, and the future appears bright for welders.

But the challenge isn&#;t just to fill this growing demand; it also is to ensure that skills and equipment enable welders to produce top-quality work.

Welders and the Skills They Offer

The BLS shows the median pay for welders in May that year was $40,240 per year and $19.35 per hour. Based on employment projections from to , the industry has the capacity to employ 404,800 welders, brazers, cutters, and solderers to do a range of jobs that involve using hand-held or remote-controlled equipment (including robots) for joining or cutting metal. The occupation also involves filling seams, indentations, and holes in metal products.

While many welders work in factories and shops, others work in uncomfortable, confined areas and in awkward positions, and often outdoors in inclement weather.

The typical education required to get an entry-level job in this industry is said to be a high school diploma or equivalent. Work experience is considered unnecessary for these positions. However, the caveat is that unless welders enter the industry with thorough training and skills, they won&#;t earn anywhere near the median income.

The National Association of Manufacturers (NAM) warns that about 60 percent of all manufacturers reject job applications from those in the welding field because of a lack of training and skills. NAM also reports that close to 81 percent of manufacturers in the U.S. are unable to find sufficiently skilled welders to meet their needs. Those with the appropriate skills often earn a starting pay that is considerably higher than the national average.

Generally, it is advisable for those seeking good-paying welding jobs to opt for training that achieves an American Welding Society certification. Courses usually include important basic subjects, such as the principles of metallurgy, OSHA-approved construction site and workshop safety, and welding tool and equipment usage.

Cutting-edge Tools and Equipment for Welding

Welders and welding companies benefit from investing in the best tools and equipment. This enables them to produce the best possible results and gives them an edge against their competitors. By maximizing efficiency, cutting-edge tools and equipment inevitably make any business more profitable. But it is essential to choose equipment carefully to ensure it is best-suited to the welding jobs undertaken and maximizes productivity.

Tools and equipment to consider include:

• Welding tables
• Turntables and lift tables
• Welding jigs and fixtures

A welding table is a must for streamlining operations in factories and workshops. A state-of-the-art, modular, 3D welding table with clamping options is an excellent choice, particularly if it has movable rails and T-slots that support clamps and stops.

The best 3D welding tables may be used in combination with horizontal rotary tables, as well as vertical turntables and lift tables. Together, they enable welders to create their own truly custom welding setup.

Various options, including pivoting welding tables that have hydraulic lift and turning functions, are available. Those that can rotate 360 degrees are ideal for ergonomic welding, allowing welders to be considerably more efficient.

The surface material is also important. Traditional welding tables made from mild steel inevitably end up with spatter from several welding processes. It is time-consuming, if not expensive, to remove. A cast iron surface that is spatterproof offers a distinct advantage for those working with carbon steel.

Welders working with stainless steel prefer a welding table surface made from an aluminum/copper (AlCu) alloy that has a higher tensile strength than carbon steel and won&#;t cause ferritic scratches or pitting.

But it isn&#;t just the surface that counts. Traditionally, the welder&#;s best-kept secret was his jig. Today numerous ingenious devices can be used with top-of-the-range welding tables. These include angles and supports, stop elements, and numerous high-end equipment sets that are available for different types of welding, from universal manufacturing to rack and frame or tube manufacturing.

The welder gets what he or she needs to create ingenious custom jigs in minutes without additional welding procedures to make the jig a reality. Used with high-tech clamping elements, including columns and arms, just about anything is possible.

Also available are special fixtures that can reduce welding time by half for railing and fence production using carbon steel, aluminum, or more expensive stainless steel.

Additionally, T-slot tables may be used with 3D clamping systems as a simple alternative to traditional clamps and stops. They can be used at different angles, even right angles. Easy to use with both flat metal and tubing, this type of system allows access to the workpiece from all sides and angles.

Ultimately, if a welding business is using cutting-edge equipment and employing well-trained staff who are committed to quality, safety, and the best interests of the company as a whole, the all-important bottom line benefits.

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