3D Printing
3D printing is an innovative technology that is quickly gaining more and more ground as the technology becomes more affordable is more widely adopted within the world’s industries. The technology itself has been around since the 1980s, but recent developments in metal printing, in particular, have increased the range and capabilities available.
The process of additive manufacturing is especially useful in the 3D printing industry, due to its ability to precisely lay layer upon layer of a material down to create a sturdy and robust final product. Due to this, the process is being used in an increased number of industries, including the medical and semiconductor sectors.
3D printing applications across industries
In this article we take a look at the ways in which 3D printing is used from one industry to another, as well as some “general” uses of 3D printing, which pervade all industries:
Main applications
Listed below are some of the main applications of additive manufacturing:
-
- Parts – the 3D printing of parts is commonplace across all industries, these can be mass-produced quickly, reducing the need for stockholding and eliminating supply chain dependencies and lead-times
- Rapid Prototyping – this can be used in numerous ways and is a favourite research and development task including:
- Country variants – tweaks of mainstream models to vary for country/regional differences
- One-offs / patient-specific – 3D laser printing of one-off items, this particularly suits patient-specific parts, e.g. for medical and dental use
- Proof of concepts – 3D laser printing of moulds, casts and proof of concepts to try and gain “buy-in” for a wider-scale roll-out
- Small batches and limited editions – 3D printing make small batches and limited editions much speedier and more economical to produce than was traditionally feasible
- Repairs – instead of replacement a concept of repair can be used with parts and tool damaged areas being 3D printed instead of an entire new equivalent being purchased
- Tooling – various tools can be 3D printed, this enables speedy tool replenishment and creation of tools for one-off purposes
Industry uses
Additive manufacturing is particularly used throughout the following industries, which SPI Lasers have extensive involvement:
- Aerospace – items such as air conditioning, belt buckles, cockpit equipment, fuel systems, heating elements and turbines can all be 3D printed. Aerospace particularly likes 3D printing as it enables the printing of “hollow” parts, which is ideal for producing lightweight parts
- Automotive – 3D printing is used extensively in this industry, particularly for parts & components production as well as exhausts, seating and fabrics, tyres, suspension items, vehicle frames, doors, etc.
- Batteries – the 3D printing of porous electrodes for lithium-ion batteries is just one 3D printing use
- Dental – parts required for dental patients, e.g. bridges, crowns, dentures, teeth can be 3D printed to a patient’s exact size/specification, this industry also extensively benefits from tool printing
- E-mobility – 3D printing is extensively used in the creation of electric vehicles in similar ways to how aerospace and automotive uses this technology
- Electronics and semiconductors – the 3D printing of many electronic items such as conductors, resistors, semiconductors, etc.
- Jewellery – 3D printing of wax/resin moulds as well as the printing of often complex/unusual shapes, which would be difficult to manufacture using traditional techniques
- Medical – the printing of prosthetics is ideal as these are one-off and embrace rapid prototyping principles – in addition, human parts such as bones, cartilage and skin can all be 3D printed. Tools and implantable medical devices (e.g. pacemakers) are also routinely 3D printed
Watch our video – Additive Manufacturing Revolutionising Industry: SPI Lasers Infographic
SPI Lasers and 3D laser printing
SPI Lasers range of Continuous Wave (CW) is ideal for the delivery of 3D printed metal projects.
It’s important also to remember that an investment in an SPI laser also brings other functionality too. If you need to mark or re-shape your materials then cutting, drilling, engraving and marking are all ideal add-ons once your 3D printed product is available.
If your materials need cleaning pre 3D printing or perhaps post-processing then ablation and cleaning are ideal for tidying up. It’s worth saying though, that the contactless process won’t cause any contamination in itself.
Finally, completed 3D parts and products can utilise welding to merge the newly created part into larger structures, all with invisible seams and with no injury risk to human laser operatives!
Contacting SPI Lasers for Advice
We are always here for input, advice and guidance about our range of fiber lasers and 3D laser printing. Call us today on +44 (0)1489 779 696 for a friendly and informal chat. We will also call you back when you complete our web contact form. Regular updates are available when you subscribe through this link.
Understanding the world of 3D laser printing can be tricky, so we have created the application insights and postcards below to give you every chance of learning the role that fiber lasers have to play in this market.
How can 3D Printing Techniques be used in Veterinary Medical settings?
Application InsightPosted on 24/03/2019
A recent article in the online veterinary blog summed up developments in 3D printing for vets quite nicely, with the article entitled “3d printing is changing surgery”. Of course, this is true, we now discuss advances in this technology in our... read more >
What is Laser Metal Deposition?
Application InsightPosted on 19/07/2018
Laser metal deposition (LMD) is an additive production process that uses a laser beam to form a pool of melted metal (a melt pool) on the surface of a metallic substrate into which metal powder is injected using a gas stream. The absorbed metal... read more >
Additive Manufacturing in the Semiconductor Industry
Application InsightPosted on 25/11/2015
The technology to use additive manufacturing has been around for more than three decades, but it’s only quite recently that it’s been possible to explore this in more depths. A number of different industries have benefitted from this... read more >
Additive Manufacturing in the Medical Industry
Posted on 25/11/2015The medical industry is an arena where mistakes simply aren’t tolerable; the equipment that makes it to market must perform consistently and predictably and be able to deliver the expected results. But because every person is a unique... read more >
Additive Manufacturing in the Electronics Industry
Posted on 25/11/2015Although the technology for additive manufacturing has been around for much longer than many people realise, it’s an industry which is still relatively in its infancy. Additive manufacturing is now being used in a number of different... read more >
Metal Rapid Prototyping
Application InsightPosted on 25/11/2015
The very latest technologies are bringing massive cost and lead time benefits to prototyping. Infact very few technologies have offered as much as 3D rapid prototyping technology (RPT) has in the last 5... read more >
Sustainability in 3D Printing
Posted on 20/11/2015From kids toys to vehicle parts, 3D printing is set to revolutionise the world of manufacturing, giving consumers the chance to create the products they need from the comfort of their own homes. But in a world where resources are rapidly running... read more >
Additive Manufacturing – a definition
Application InsightPosted on 19/11/2015
Often referred to as 3D printing, additive manufacturing is in fact a technology which has been around for at least three... read more >
Direct Metal Laser Sintering & Selective Laser Melting
Application InsightPosted on 17/11/2015
3D printing, or additive manufacturing to use an alternative term, is a type of technology which has been around for a surprising amount of time – the 1970’s infact. In the past 10-15 years, the technology has started to evolve more rapidly... read more >
3D Metal Printing – An Overview
Application InsightPosted on 17/11/2015
3D printing is a technology which has captured the headlines, with stories about the increasingly sophisticated projects that can be built. Although it may seem relatively new, the technology has been around for some time having first emerged... read more >
Metal Additive Manufacturing
Posted on 17/11/2015Recently there has been huge growth and interest in the whole area of additive manufacturing or 3D printing. In 3D printing, polymer based parts are made on simple devices using internal movements and controls similar to desktop printers. But... read more >
3D Printing of Intricate / Delicate Designs
Posted on 06/11/2015When combined with the appropriate 3D printer our Lasers are the perfect choice for creating delicate, yet extremely strong designs out of an array of powdered... read more >
Removal of metal & ceramic material
Posted on 06/11/2015The need to produce 3D embossed/engraved metal and ceramic surfaces for the printing Industry is increasing; demanding a high level of detail, fine features and high quality. Our G4 short pulsed Lasers enable fast removal of material (20mm... read more >