Adopting 3D printing can make a small company more competitive

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Following is an edited excerpt from a blog that was posted to the website of NIST’s Manufacturing Extension Partnership.

“I’ve heard additive manufacturing is key to driving innovation in our industry, but how does it really deliver value?”

“We’ve looked at some additive manufacturing machines, but how can we justify the expense when we’re trying to eliminate our capital expenditures?”

“Is additive manufacturing worth the investment?”

I field questions like those whenever I host or attend additive manufacturing (AM) conferences for small and medium-sized manufacturers (SMMs) through the MEP National Network. As the senior product development engineer at MAGNET, part of the Ohio Manufacturing Extension Partnership, my goal is to educate SMMs and other MEP centers on how AM can help small businesses compete against larger industrial players.

So, what’s the big deal about AM? It is the next step for those already familiar with 3D CAD, which is foundational to utilizing additive. Once you’ve mastered the core competencies of 3D CAD, you’re ready to transition to AM.

AM Benefits

Additive can provide significant ROI to SMMs by helping them:

• Improve their industrial tooling processes.

• Produce more high-value, low-run parts.

• Create highly customized products for their industry and customers.

The technology also empowers manufacturers to conduct more cost-effective prototyping for R&D processes. AM can quickly and efficiently distill user experiences into a mockup, so manufacturers can produce and evaluate a 3D-printed prototype. Repeated feedback cycles can yield more ideas for more value-added parts.

Q&A Session

Most SMMs have a lot of questions about how the technology will deliver value in the short- and long-term. Here are some of the most common questions, along with my answers:

What specific applications can benefit from additive manufacturing?

Injection molding, for one. Additive allows cooling channels to be designed and built to contour to the mold, improving cooling performance. This process extends the life of the mold and reduces waste.

The technology is also more efficient for lightweighting, with more material options available, such as lightweight plastics and composites. The process also uses less material while improving part performance.

If you’re currently using metal castings, you can use AM to print sand molds and cores from a CAD design without the need for a pattern or core box.

Can additive cut lead times and production costs?

AM lets users print customized, just-in-time parts. It reduces tool development time and costs while consuming less material and lowering waste. Potential uses include holding, guiding, aligning, locating, and clamping parts, as well as simple go/no-go gauges to check the fit and quality of components.

The precise nature of AM means it dramatically increases time savings for the production of fixture-making for first-article inspections. As a result, machine tools, jigs, fixtures, and gauges can be produced more quickly and with fewer defects.

Can AM help repair high-value parts cost-effectively?

Do you have high-value metal parts that are costly to replace? Direct energy deposition (DED) is a specific additive manufacturing process that can repair and extend the life of turbine blades and other high-end parts and equipment by rapidly depositing material on them. This technology can also be combined with existing CNC equipment. The DED machinery builds the part, and then the CNC equipment mills the part down to the right size and smoothness.

Tap AM Resources

There are numerous hands-on opportunities for SMMs to learn more about AM and how the technology can help them compete in today’s 3D-driven industrial landscape.

I suggest starting with learning events hosted by the Additive Manufacturing Users Group and the RAPID + TCT conference and exhibition. The National Institute of Standards and Technology also offers multiple educational resources through its additive manufacturing database, including information about workshops for metal and polymer-based applications.

Additionally, MAGNET is currently working with MIT to develop an online training curriculum for about 60 MEP center personnel. The goal of the program is to help all MEP centers develop a successful interface between SMMs and their customers by taking full advantage of available AM resources.

Together, we’re building a competency and capabilities relationship among the MEP national network, SMMs, and their customers. The aim is for SMMs to be able to use additive manufacturing to stay competitive not just for one year, but for five years, 10 years, and beyond.