The main focus areas of application of 3D Printing are Automobile industries, Aerospace and Defence sector, Architectural and Interior, Investment Casting and Sand Casting units, Prosthetics, Dental and Surgical implants, Eyewear industry, Toys and Gifts.
We even hear and are glad to serve Customized Prototyping orders from Fire Fighter equipment manufacturers, Construction and Earth Moving equipment makers, Food Processing units and Electronics, IoT, Electrical, Valves and Switchgear manufacturers and other General Engineering firms.
The 3D Printing technology has given rise to spectacular achievements in the automotive industry, starting from the possibility of rapid prototyping, through a more and more widespread production of final car parts, and ending with 3D manufacturing of nearly the whole cars.
Nobody should be surprised with a growing interest in 3D printing on the part of large companies, such as many Fire trucks manufacturers and Electric racing car developers, which see a serious and profitable business in using FDM or FFF printing technology in the automotive sector.
3D printing can be used to make molds and thermoforming tools, rapid manufacturing of grips, jigs, and fixtures. This allows automakers to produce samples and tools at low costs and to eliminate future losses in production when investing in high-cost tooling.
Car components produced with the FDM technology are lighter, which results in a reduction of the vehicle weight, better performance and lower energy consumption.
One of the first industries to invest in large scale 3D printing was the aerospace industry. Aerospace – the branch of technology and industry concerned with both aviation and space flight – adopting since early 1980s.
Due to the typically short runs of aircraft parts, the aerospace industry uses additive manufacturing for a great deal of its production. The technology can produce intricate parts that are more resilient and lightweight compared to those made using traditional techniques, which is an obvious bonus. By cutting fuel and limiting emissions, 3D printing can subsequently help to minimize the environmental impact of air travel.
Four Main areas in which 3D Printing is used in aerospace industry are - Jigs & fixtures, Mounting Brackets, Surrogates and Prototypes.
3D printing is also being used to make lighter and more efficient engines and turbine parts, lighter plane seats and even drones.
3D printing allows architects to make their ideas more tangible. A 3D printed scale model will give employees and clients a better understanding of your ideas instead of a visualization. Architects can use 3D printing to make show and conceptual models which helps with the visualization of projects.
Even Interior designers use this for the purpose of showing their intricate and attractive designs before placing a bulk order to some manufacturer or for clients' demo proposal. A 3D printed scale will give end consumers a great understanding of their ideas instead of just making them visualize.
Smaller decorative items can be prototyped quickly and without wasting expensive materials or human labor. Lately, some builders have begun letting customers pick and choose from a catalog of ready-to-print designs and finishes.
Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM) provides an alternative method for producing investment casting patterns that can provide dramatic time and cost savings. FDM makes it possible for the foundry to produce a pattern that can also serve as a prototype for form and fit evaluation. In one day, the foundry can provide the customer with a prototype that provides a perfect match to the casting that would be produced if it becomes the pattern. The strength of the materials used in the FDM process makes it possible to put that component into an assembly and perform testing. If any problems are discovered, the foundry can usually make the changes requested by the customer and build a new pattern in less than 24 hours.
As soon as the customer approves the prototype, the foundry can move into production by using the FDM parts as patterns for investment casting. Since FDM is an additive process, the pattern can be complex but without any impact on cost, as injection molding increases pattern complexity & requires a more complex and more expensive tool.
Other advantages of FDM patterns are that they have greater strength, toughness and accuracy than wax or other additive manufacturing technologies. This durability is important because it prevents damage that often occurs in the transportation and handling of patterns made of wax or other materials.
Three-dimensional printing of models for preoperative planning enhances the 3D perception of the planned operation, either as a visual-tactile aid or for performing mock surgeries. It allows for preadaptation of surgical instruments such as fixation plates and thus shortens the operation and improves precision.
Three-dimensional printed PSI allows for accurate reconstruction of anatomic relations as well as efficiently restoring function. A PSI spares the need for adaptation in the operating theater, thus resulting in highly resistant implants which can easily withstand physiological forces. The application of PSI is expanding rapidly, and we will see many more innovative treatment modalities in the near future based on this technology.
Surgeons are increasingly planning their operations by producing and reviewing 3D printed prototypes of the physical problem being operated on. Using this method of preparation, surgeons can get a better idea of what the surgery entails – reducing the possibility of error.
Printed models are also a more cost effective way for medical students to study human anatomy. Prosthetic limbs are increasingly being developed by way of 3D printing – bringing the latest cutting edge technology in functional prosthetics to entire communities of people that would otherwise not be able to afford or access the care they need.
3D printed prototypes in the Optical or Eyewear sector is on the rise, as it is complex to design a spectacle frame and get it all done in the first try, so it is advisable to go for a 3D printing prototype and then finalize the shape and size.
Before launching a new product into the market, a number of steps are required to transform a concept or idea into the final, physical product. Prototyping is a vital stage in this process, giving designers important insights as to how a toy will look and function. To this end, 3D printing is the ideal prototyping method for creating functional, visual prototypes rapidly and cost-effectively.
Toy designers can use 3D printing to create functional models to test and validate among potential users and distributors. This helps to determine the requirements for the final product. Importantly, 3D printing enables designers to produce multiple prototypes in a very short period time – meaning that extensive feedback can be used to formulate the final requirements. The iterative potential of 3D printing therefore enables greater experimentation, leading to greater product innovation, and ultimately better toys.
3D printing opens up the opportunity for toymakers to interact with their customers and build a stronger relationship within their customer community. As the toy industry welcomes the increase of "STEM toys", 3D printing may find another good use in the sector. The term refers to toys designed with a pedagogical approach in mind, helping children to develop skills in the core areas of science, technology, engineering and mathematics. Hence the potential is vast - the ability to sell child-friendly 3D printers that allow children to design, print and create their own toys – a good way of introducing them to the world of engineering and technology.