Five Industries benefits from 3D Printing

The global 3D printing market size was valued at USD 13.78 billion in 2020 and is expected to expand at a compound annual growth rate of 21.0% from 2021 to 2028. With an ever-rising number of industries adopting 3D printing technologies in their regular design and development cycle, it is now apparent that 3D printing and other additive manufacturing techniques are no more just a prototyping technology but are a significant standard manufacturing technique. We now know that 3D printing and its services, directly or indirectly affect almost all scopes of manufacturing. In this article, we will cover five out of the multiple industries benefiting from the advantages of additive manufacturing. 

5 Industries Advantages from 3D Printing

Aeronautical Industry

To achieve a state of the art efficiency, it is essential to manage the weight and the structural strength of the different components used during the building process of the aircraft. In recent times 3D printing has been a boon to the aeronautical industries, for example, Boeing industries have been using 3D printing technologies for its Dreamliner 787 aircraft. This is not only more cost-effective but also increases the structural strength of the aircraft wings by more than 35%. 3D printing can be scaled to any size as per the requirement.

Healthcare Industry

The medical industry is undoubtedly one of the most pricey and important industries.  3D printing not only helps to reduce the cost but also improves the services being provided. With the adoption of additive manufacturing techniques in sectors like dentistry, prosthetics, and organ,  it has proven to be the most effective alternative to its former counterparts. This is because the development or ‘manufacturing’ of these organs can be controlled scientifically in a lab-like environment making it more hygienic. The most widely used 3D printing technology in the healthcare industry are FDM and SLA printing.

Food Industry

As manufacturing technologies improve, older machines become obsolete because of the unavailability of spare parts. A machine might use hundreds of parts. It is infeasible to stock replacements of every spare needed to keep a machine operational. 3D printing solves this problem by being able to 3D print any spare as and when needed.  Materials can be tweaked as per the constraints of the environment in which it is being used.  Materials such as PEEK can be used under a direct flame, while other materials such as carbon fiber and nylon can be used in corrosive environments. ThinkRobotics offers many certified exotic materials which can be used in extreme environments without any problems.

Spare Parts Industry

As manufacturing technologies improve, older machines become obsolete because of the unavailability of spare parts. A machine might use hundreds of parts. It is infeasible to stock replacements of every spare needed to keep a machine operational. 3D printing solves this problem by being able to 3D print any spare as and when needed.  Materials can be tweaked as per the constraints of the environment in which it is being used.  Materials such as PEEK can be used under a direct flame, while other materials such as carbon fiber and nylon can be used in corrosive environments. ThinkRobotics offers many certified exotic materials which can be used in extreme environments without any problems.

Space Industry

Space Industries was one of the earliest adopters of 3D printing. The most attractive feature of additive manufacturing was its ability to produce parts of any shape from a vast array of materials. 3D printing was the most suitable process for proofs-of-concept of experimental polymers. In recent times 3D printing has also been used to print jet engines used in rockets. These engines can withstand the harsh conditions of space while reducing the costs significantly. This process helps the organization become vertically integrated and reduces the time of assembly hence increasing return on investment.