Using 3D Printing to its Fullest Potential

Sometimes called additive manufacturing, 3-D printing has been the cause of much hyperbole and optimism, but this relatively new technology is starting to become more practical for the everyday consumer. It's been around for over 30 years, having initially been patented in 1984, and has been described as heralding the dawn of a third Industrial Revolution. Whether this is true remains to be seen, but 3-D printing now offers a lot more than mere prototyping.

The initial problem with 3-D printing was that it could only be used with plastics, which limited its applications. Although you can make a lot with extruded polymers, most polymers do not have the longevity and durability to be used in engines, machines and certain electronics — in many cases, metals are required. As the technology developed, it became possible to use metal wire in the same way that older printers used plastics — the wire was melted and extruded. Other techniques developed include powder bed methods, which deposit powder and melt it using a laser, allowing the use of most metal alloys.

In addition, machines have become bigger, allowing the creation of larger objects. This brought 3-D printing into the range of manufacturers that required outstanding precision but were previously unable to utilize 3-D printing because the machines were physically too small. As a result, BMW is now an enthusiastic adopter of 3-D printing for its Rolls-Royce engines, and Siemens is actively seeking to implement 3-D printing in its production systems.

In a similar vein, Lockheed Martin is attempting to develop a form of 3-D printer that utilizes a big area additive manufacturing process, sometimes called BAAM. This technology allows the three-dimensional printing of objects up to 100 feet long for use in aerospace manufacturing. This lowers individual error rates caused by physically cutting materials and reduces the amount of waste produced.

Elon Musk's SpaceX SuperDraco rocket chamber was first 3-D printed in 2013, and the full flight-qualified version of the entire engine was created in May 2014 using the same 3-D printing technology.

Overall, 3-D printing has grown 25.9 percent in 2015. This has been spurred by the significant reduction in price of 3-D printers. For example, a typical consumer printer that used to cost $20,000 in the late 2000 can now be purchased for less than $1,000. This printing process technology is still aimed at early adopters and printing enthusiasts, but the massive reduction in price as well as the increase in availability means that 3-D printing is now within the average person's price range.

It's now even easier than ever before to utilize 3-D printing, and the growth is currently predominantly focused on customized or one-off parts. While it may take another decade for 3-D printing to fully reach its potential both on the manufacturing and consumer level, it's well on the path to that point.

Photo courtesy of SomeDriftwood at Flickr.com