3D printing offers tons of benefits in the fields of medicine, engineering and business. This page will help you understand and appreciate the different 3D printing applications.
What to make with a 3d printer? What can you print with a 3d printer? Have you asked yourself these questions?
If you are really wondering what this technology can deliver, then this page is for you. We will give you an idea what to print with a 3D printer.
3D printing capabilities and 3D printer uses are unlimited. It is used in the packaging industry, automotive industry, aircraft and health care. To better understand the power of 3D printing, here’s a list of the benefits of 3D printing.
#1 More Affordable
The traditional ways of prototyping injection mold tools and production runs are expensive. The best 3D printer offers more affordable options to create parts and tools through additive manufacturing at rates much cheaper than traditional machining.
Take for example, in the medical field, 3D printing surgical tools like clamps, forceps, hemostats and scalpel handles are much cheaper than buying the stainless steel counterpart.
In addition, 3D printing prosthetics are low-cost compared to the traditional ones. Prosthetic for certain parts of the body like hands are subject to so much wear and tear that producing it may reach up to $ 10,000, which is quite expensive.
For young children, who can outgrow their prosthetic limbs in just a few months, the traditional method is costly and not practical.
#2 Mitigate Risk
If you are building a project, you can 3D print a test prototype first before investing in an expensive molding tool. In this way, you can redesign it or alter the existing mold if necessary.
#3 Quick Production
Traditional prototype manufacturing requires tooling and machining. You have to pay individuals for their labor and have to purchase expensive equipment.
The whole process may take weeks. The worse part, your first prototype is never your last, you have to redesign it and experience the same struggle again.
It is difficult to build a good business with traditional prototyping because so much time is wasted. Everyone from CEO to the client gets frustrated every time he waits for the designs to be prototyped.
However, 3D printing will only take hours. If you build it at the end of the day, you can expect it the next morning.
When the designer is done with the design, you can convert it to a file readable by the printer and print it. The process needs no intervention.
No one will be waiting and products can be marketed faster. Also redesigning your prototypes can be done quickly. The whole process will not even take a week.
#4 Easy to Customize
Industries use mass-production to manufacture their products. This means that all products use the same mold and will come out with similar shape and design from the assembly line, which makes it difficult for one to be unique.
However, with 3D printing, you can personalize anything by tweaking a part of the prototype, so it can cater your needs. For instance, customizing 3D prints are used in medical and dental industries.
#5 Tool-less
This is one of the benefits that most manufacturers are taking advantage.
#6 Producing New Shapes And Structure Is Easy
The traditional manufacturing method relies on mold and cutting technologies to produce the shape they desired. Before, adding holes that change direction, unrealistic overhangs or square interior cavities are difficult to achieve.
With 3D printing, the possibilities are endless. The only limitation is one’s imagination.
#7 Diverse Material
Mixing raw materials is not ideal for mass-production methods because it can be costly. In addition, the physical and chemical properties are difficult to combine in the traditional methods.
With various materials at hand, you can achieve anything you have in mind.
#8 Better Quality
If you bake a cake and follow the recipe accurately, you will end up with a delicious cake. However, if you are new to baking, your cake may taste amazing, but it may have unwanted air bubbles, a different texture, and thickness.
Getting rid of the mass manufacturing faults will produce better quality products. While this may not sound profitable to manufacturers, it’s a major advantage to the end consumer.
#9 Environmentally Friendly
The 3D printed object is 60 percent lighter but solid and sturdy. The lesser the waste, the lower the impact on the environment.
#10 Accessibility
More and more people are getting access to 3D printing. In fact, there are 3D printing pens that can produce the same results as that of the 3D printer, only which, the user will have to maneuver the nozzle with his own hands.
With this progress, many will be able to create the product they need, when they need it and wherever they are. This scenario can surely shake up the current consumerism ideology.
Conclusion
This page should answer your question “what can I print with a 3d printer?” 3D printing is so powerful that it can create almost anything. From food, clothing, houses to organ tissues and cells.
Moreover, 3D printing technology is better, cheaper, faster, more flexible, more sustainable and more environment-friendly. You can expect this technology to be more popular in the coming years.
If you wish to learn more about 3D printing, check our homepage.
