3D Printing is a form of additive manufacturing where a 3-dimensional object is created by laying down multiple layers of a material. In contrast to traditional manufacturing, additive manufacturing refers to any process that adds on layers instead of cutting them away. Additive manufacturing has been used for decades for ‘rapid-prototyping’, but had always been prohibitively expensive. Only the largest corporations could afford these machines.
However, in the past decade, with the advent of 3D-printers, the creation of 3D objects has become much more accessible – now even hobbyists, artists and small businesses can afford their own machines.
Designers and engineers continue pushing the limits of 3D printing. 3D Printers are still mainly used for rapid prototyping, but with vast improvements in speed, accuracy and pricing, it’s becoming increasingly common to see them used for final products. Industry experts expect this trend to continue growing, and foresee widespread personal and small business adoption.
With 3D Printing, almost anything can be produced. But some of the most common items include sculpture, machine parts, jewelry, furniture, medical casts (dental crowns), recreational goods (snowboards) and even clothing (body armor).
The future looks bright for 3D Printers. Use-cases are spreading throughout geographies, professions and industries. A team at Loughborough University, for example, is using 3D printing to design a whole concrete building –part by part. Some are even attempting to construct whole airplanes through 3D Printing.
There are 2 ways to make your 3D design into a reality: either you can purchase your own printer, or alternatively, you can contract out the job to a 3D Printing Service’.
3D Printers range anywhere from $1,000 to $200,000 –depending on their capacity for detail, their compatible materials and the maximum build size. The cheapest 3D-Printers are quite limited on the above dimensions. They produce very low detail, single material, small-sized products –appealing only to beginner hobbyists. For small businesses, professional designers & inventors, a good 3D Printer will cost at least $6,000 -$15000. For the most advanced printers, educational institutions, manufacturers and engineering firms will pay anywhere from $40,000 to $200,000 per machine.
3D Printing Services are a great option for all end-users –from the lone hobbyist to the massive engineering firm. If you don’t plan on printing regularly, it’s much cheaper to contract someone else to print your design. For many individual inventors and designers, 3D Printing services provide access to technology that the hobbyists themselves could never afford. Even large companies contract out their work. (It’s not worth buying a $200,000 printer if it’s only used a few times per year). And last but not least, hiring out allows you to learn and experiment with the technology, with little risk attached. You’ll get a better sense of the technology’s limitations, different materials and other production trade-offs.
At the end of the day, you need to ask yourself a few questions. How often will I be using this machine? What are my product requirements? (level of detail, material, and size). How much am I willing to pay? Just do as much research as possible before making any purchase decision.
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