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| Ford's assembly line |
A third industrial revolution is something we've always fancied and have vaguely conjured in our minds with no real notion of what would be at the helm of it. Could 3d printing be the vanguard we have so desperately sought to lead us into this new era?
Additive manufacturing has been around since the late 1900s. Gradually Morphing into what we have popularly come to know as 3D printing. The concept really began to gain momentum in the 2000s when it's potential as a viable means of manufacturing began to show. Steady, it rose to prominence in the 2010s with printers finding their way into hospital laboratories, onto office desks, into corner stores and even our very homes.
Because 3D printing technology is so versatile, the applications of it are vast and decisive.
3D printing definitely has the potential to disrupt industries. We have seen it do so in biotechnology, aerosopace, construction and architecture among many others. Manufacturing nevertheless, is the one industry 3D printing has had trouble penetrating.
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| A 3D printed model of a metropolis |
Whether the technology has the potential to dominate the manufacturing industry has been the bone of contention among researchers for the longest time. Some critics like Matthias Howleg; professor at Oxford University and a Harvard Business Review columnist find that
"the economics of 3D printing now and for the foreseeable future make it an unfeasible way to produce the vast majority of parts manufactured today." He attributes this to the costs involved in the pre and post 3D manufacturing process, arguing that "it is unlikely to replace traditional manufacturing. Instead, we should see it as a complement ..."The concept behind 3D printing is simple. Essentially, the printing process involves a tool-head sequentially depositing or building layer upon layer of material (depending on the form of the technology being employed) in a three dimensional workspace or buildroom under automated control. Being able to build parts layer by layer gives 3D printing an edge over conventional methods. How so? One may ask. Well, for one, it makes possible the printing of objects with multiple components or movable parts at the push of a button ruling out the need for assembly. Also, it makes possible the manufacture of parts so complex in geometry producing them any way else would be impossible. Additionally, being an additive process which it is, the capacity if any for wastage is minimal compared to subtractive methods like machining which are designed to reduce a mass of raw material to a desired shape using special machinery.
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| 3D printed dodecahedron |
Mass customization is another characteristic that is intrinsic to 3D printing. What this means is that, one has the liberty to tailor the product to one's exact needs or requirements unhindered by the complexity of the design. As such, industries like that of Aerospace have taken advantage of the technology's capacity to grow parts of relatively intricate geometry which are light yet retain their structural integrity.
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| Jambo jet engine with 3D printed parts |
Most important perhaps is it's simplicity. A lot of traditional manufacturing methods require highly customized Heavy duty equipment setup in the most intricate manner to produce standard parts. This means that when customized products are required, modifications to equipment or even a complete redesign of the system will be demanded. 3D printing eliminates all of those inefficiencies. It is unencumbered with the need for bulky equipment especially where customization and assembly are concerned. Most if not all the work leading up to a finished product at times, happens within the confines of a three dimensional workspace otherwise known as a build chamber. This translates into efficiencies regarding waste and energy as well as a significant reduction in carbon emissions making it profoundly more environmentally sound than most traditional means.
There are a few but potentially grave issues that hamper the growth of Additive manufacturing. For instance, at present, the range of materials available to 3d printing are not nearly as vast as those available to conventional means of manufacturing. In its early stages, 3D printing was mainly associated with polymers and some metal alloys. It's only recently that more materials have been incorporated into the process. To compete as a manufacturing process 3D printing has widen it's 3D printable material spectrum.
Also, Given that the technology is a work in progress, there are some issues that require attention. Depending on the form of Additive Manufacturing process being used, flaws in the part being printed may be present in one form or another. Some processes print strong complex parts but with a grainy surface finish as is the case with selective laser sintering or SLS while some maintain a finely detailed surface finish but produce relatively weak parts as is the case with Stereolithography.
In many people's mind's however, what surfaces as the biggest threat to 3D printing's bid to dominate the manufacturing industry is cost effectiveness or the lack thereof. It's a well known fact that 3D printing excels at manufacturing parts that require customization, mechanical precision and are intricate in structure in the littlest time. It however, gfalters when production on a large scale is required of it. While Additive manufacturing is cheaper, more flexible and more efficient in smaller batches of production, it becomes substantially more expensive producing massive quantities of finished goods than say, injection-molding, casting or machining which experience economies of scale as volumes increase.
This of course matters very little seeing as 3D printing requires very little startup capital. In essence, this will put the power of manufacturing back in the hands of the masses. Much of manufacturing would be championed by local businesses producing parts on demand. Creating something of a monopolistically competitive market and effectively decentralizing or localizing the manufacturing industry depending on your perspective. Senior lecturer Neil Hopkinson, talking about 3D printing emphasised that
"It could make off-shore manufacturing half way round the world far less cost effective than doing it at home, if users can get the part they need printed off just round the corner at a 3D print shop on the high street."
"Rather than stockpile spare parts and components in locations all over the world," he argues, "the designs could be costlessly stored in virtual computer warehouses waiting to be printed locally when required."The obstacles that Additive manufacturing faces might be profound but they are not insurmountable. Most reassuring to fanatics and prospectors alike is the rate at which the technology is being improved upon and the domino effect it's seems have on said obstacles. What started as simple stereolithography grew into over ten different additive processes in less than a decade. In the decade of the 2000s AM gained widespread popularity, businesses emerged, people got excited, contracts were drawn, orders were made. Following 2010, printers that were previously priced north of $20,000 are now selling at well below $2,000. Today, 3D printing is a household name, a leader in rapid prototyping and rapid manufacturing, cutting across diverse sectors. Be it in aerospace, architecture, Biotechnology, Robotics, fashion or even food, 3D printing is paving the way for cutting edge advances in technology never before feasible.
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| 3D printed transplantable ear developed from living tissue |
New 3D printable material is added to the already extensive Additive manufacturing catalog almost everyday. Most recent generation of printers can even print several materials at the same time in a variety of colours.
Then perhaps the real issue here isn't costs, perhaps it's apprehension, perhaps it's conservatism. When all is said and done and the last domino falls whatever it may be, then the idea of 3D printing at the helm of a 3rd industrial revolution will no longer be just a fantasy but a realistic end.
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