Global manufacturing leaders move beyond prototyping to fully embrace 3D printing for series production. Printers are getting faster, can produce bigger parts and create reproducible qualities. What are the latest developments?

 .

3D printing refers to a process in which a component is built up layer by layer on the basis of digital 3D design data by depositing material. It’s a production process which differs clearly from conventional, ablative production methods. For example, instead of milling a workpiece out of a solid block, additive manufacturing builds up components layer by layer from materials that are available as fine powder. Various metals, plastics and composites are available as materials.

 .

In mould and tool making this manufacturing method is used in rapid prototyping — the construction of visual and functional prototypes. Product development and market launch can thus be significantly shortened. Additive Manufacturing is also used for rapid tooling, i.e. the method of producing a tool using additive manufacturing. This is especially useful when the tool is used to produce small series. Particularly in toolmaking, there are many other possible applications of 3D printing. While the aforementioned applications describe the direct production of either finished part […]

Click here to view original web page at www.etmm-online.com