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3D Printing
3D Printing Forum What function of 3D printing is more valuable to you: prototyping or rapid manufacturing?
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Forum Thread Details
  • State Not Answered
  • Replies 9 replies
  • Subscribers 332 subscribers
  • Views 1104 views
  • Users 0 members are here
  • 3d printer
  • additive+manufacturing
  • 3D Printing
  • advanced manufacturing
  • additive_manufacturing
  • prototyping
  • rapid manufacturing
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What function of 3D printing is more valuable to you: prototyping or rapid manufacturing?

dymaxexpert
dymaxexpert over 9 years ago

As 3D printing in the manufacturing space continues to evolve, where do you see the most value? Is it in creating and examining prototypes and custom parts, or manufacturing in bulk? Whether you use 3D printing for work or as a hobby, I'm interested to hear your opinions!

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Top Replies

  • danielw
    danielw over 9 years ago +1
    We use 3d printing mainly for prototyping, assembly fixtures, and even installation tools. However for bespoke customer demos, and short trials we've also manufactured parts on the 3D printer (CEL ROBOX…
  • dougw
    dougw over 8 years ago +1
    Most of what I print is for final use, so although I may only make one of particular design, you could say they are (very low volume, non-profit) production prints. I hate to waste plastic, so I always…
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  • dorbar
    0 dorbar over 8 years ago

    Prototyping is by far the first thing you might think of using a 3D printer for. Although there are some fields that 3D printing is a must. One being investment casting in sand. No other technique makes possible the intricate geometry that can be done with 3D printing (voxeljet ). Then there are several multijet full color printers, that can make a product as real as possible (Stratasys ObjetXX). But still not for real life and mass production. A part from the new Clip technology which prints a smooth un-layered structure every other 3D printing technique produce this unaesthetic layered structure that is not suitable for mass market.

    Not to mention the slow process of printing/manufacturing by layers and material limitations.Actually 3D printing is a unfortunate word chosing, since all 3D printers use 2,5D process. Basically they print in on layer XY and than jump one up. This is know in CNC as a 2,5D. The real 3D printing would be moving an extruder in all three directions (check this image).

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  • dorbar
    0 dorbar over 8 years ago

    Prototyping is by far the first thing you might think of using a 3D printer for. Although there are some fields that 3D printing is a must. One being investment casting in sand. No other technique makes possible the intricate geometry that can be done with 3D printing (voxeljet ). Then there are several multijet full color printers, that can make a product as real as possible (Stratasys ObjetXX). But still not for real life and mass production. A part from the new Clip technology which prints a smooth un-layered structure every other 3D printing technique produce this unaesthetic layered structure that is not suitable for mass market.

    Not to mention the slow process of printing/manufacturing by layers and material limitations.Actually 3D printing is a unfortunate word chosing, since all 3D printers use 2,5D process. Basically they print in on layer XY and than jump one up. This is know in CNC as a 2,5D. The real 3D printing would be moving an extruder in all three directions (check this image).

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