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How much do we really know about 3D printing? Sure, there's
been plenty of hype - and also some concern. Day
after day, eager authors claim that 3D printing will revolutionize industry. Additive
manufacturing, as this production process is also known, will change the way we
process plastics, metals, concrete, human tissue, and even food. Are there any
limits to this technology of the future?
Meet Chuck Hull
Before we look ahead, let's consider where we are now and
how we got here in the first place. 3D printing was born in
1984, when an inventor named Charles W. Hull pioneered a process for
creating three-dimensional objects using digital data. Known as
stereolithography, Hull's patented process made solid objects by "printing"
successive layers of curable, ultraviolet material on top of each other.
There's more to the story than this simple explanation, of
course, but you can find all
of the details here, right in Chuck Hull's U.S. Patent application
(#4575330A). So let's fast forward to today - or at least until earlier this
year. Last April, Lux Research Inc. released the results of an in-depth study
about 3D printing and predicted an $8.4 billion market by 2025 with 18%
annual growth.
Manufacturing Applications
How will 3D printing affect manufacturing? According to the
independent research and advisory firm, three industries - automotive, medical,
and aerospace - will account for 84% of the growth. As the co-founder and
co-owner of a growing company that serves all three industries, I can't help
but wonder what 3D printing could mean for our own custom
fabrication capabilities.
"3D printing has
potential to reshape the manufacturing ecosystem," says Anthony Vicari, the
lead author of the Lux Research study. "It will have the most impact in the
near term," he adds, "for products that are made in small volumes, require high
customization, and are more cost-tolerant." If these predictions are accurate,
do you expect to see a 3D printer on your factory floor sometime soon?
Progress, Not Perfection
Today, some of the hype surrounding 3D printing involves potential
consumer applications. For example, Microsoft recently released a free 3D
Builder app for Windows 8.1. Users can print stock 3D objects, but there's
little room for customization. 3D printers are available at Radio Shack and
Staples, too, and there are some cool
things you can do if you're a hobbyist. But a model of a robot can't weld
or pick products.
What might additive manufacturing mean for the automotive,
medical, aerospace industries then? Although 3D printing is now used mainly for
prototyping, small-volume production of jet
engines and auto
parts could grow the market from $1 million in 2012 to $1.1 billion in
2025. Lux Research also predicts the medical market for 3D printing will grow
from $11 million in 2012 to $1.9 billion in 2025.
Growth Rates and Quality Standards
These growth rates are impressive, but they depend upon a
decline in price of 3D printers, scanners, and materials. Will technological
improvements and the startups of new suppliers help to drive down costs? It's a
good bet that they will, at least if the history of computers is any guide. As
some CR4 members will recall, the computers of
the 1960s were too expensive for most small companies to afford.
There's something else to consider, too, at least when it
comes to 3D printed auto parts, aerospace components, and medical products. The
automotive, aerospace, and medical industries are highly regulated and must
meet strict standards for quality. Will 3D printers be able to produce parts
that meet U.S. FDA requirements? How about AS-900 standards? What about specifications
for flammability, such as UL-94,
or sanitary standards for food equipment from NSF
International?
Join the Conversation
How much do we really know about 3D printing - beyond the hype,
the hope, and the history? Will additive manufacturing, a technology that some
observers call "disruptive", disrupt your company's business model or provide growth
opportunities? As engineers and technical professionals, how could 3D printing
affect your own careers? I hope you'll comment on this blog entry. Thanks for
reading.
About the
Author: Doug Sharpe is the President of Elasto Proxy, Inc. (Boisbriand, Quebec, Canada), supplier of sealing
solutions and custom-fabricated rubber and plastic parts to a variety of
industries, including automotive, medical, and aerospace.
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Re: 3D Printing – Hype, Hope, and History
