Making its way into rudimentary manufacturing techniques as early as the 1950s, the field of robotics was slow to catch on. Throughout the years, as it became apparent that robots could take over many simple automated tasks previously performed by humans, 3D printed robotic arms were commonly built to replicate the human arm on the assembly line. 

A 3D printed robot can eliminate repetitive, tedious work for humans, leaving them available to do more complex and valuable work. Projected to grow into an industry worth $260 billion by 2030, robotics are now firmly ingrained in industrial manufacturing.

Additive Manufacturing for Robotics Boosts Iteration  

Advanced industrial engineers realize 3D printing as a robotic process in itself, with the capability to 3D print robots that can then make 3D printers too, perpetuating 3D printed parts into infinity. Just as important though is the ability to improve and accelerate part development of nearly any robotics design or product.  

The intensive journey any business embarks on when developing a new product or improving an existing one can be streamlined with rapid prototyping via 3D printing, and even more so in transforming robotics. Changes can be made quickly to any model or prototype, in comparison to traditional manufacturing where innovators may encounter long wait times, delayed feedback, and the inability to make desired changes. No matter how extensive or rigorous project requirements may be, rapid prototypes for parts like a 3D printed robotic arm can be sent back to designers and engineers with valuable suggestions and the option for unlimited iterations.

Shapeways customers may iterate over a hundred times while perfecting a complex part or product, working with different materials like like Nylon 11 [PA11(SLS)] or Nylon 12 [Versatile Plastic] and extremely adaptable technology like Selective Laser Sintering (SLS). Even in taking the time to create numerous models for testing and feedback, customers find that prototyping robotics with 3D printing is exponentially faster than with traditional manufacturing, harkening back to the technology’s original and continued use. The process is substantially less expensive, allowing for increased focus on product development.

From Uploading 3D Models to 3D Printing End-Use Robotics

Once a customer uploads a 3D robotics design to Shapeways, the model is analyzed for 3D printability; for example, while most 3D models are printable, others may have compatibility issues regarding materials and a complex geometry–or there may be other common issues with wall thickness, textures, engraving and fonts, and more. This process, supervised by the User Application team at Shapeways, ensures accuracy regardless of the scale of prototyping, and whether modeling full-size 3D printed robots or smaller operating 3D printed robotic arms. 

Customers like Flamingo Works use the same additive manufacturing materials and technology for prototypes as well as functional simulators and 3D printed robotic grippers. Materials like Nylon 12 [Versatile Plastic] and SLS 3D printing are repeat choices because of the unprecedented design freedom for prototyping and also for creating end-use parts for the mechanisms that train surgeons in robot-assisted surgeries. Nylon 12 [Versatile Plastic] also presents the adaptability required for prototyping and the durability necessary for parts that will be used repetitively with 3D printed medical training simulators.

Advanced 3D Printing Technology for Mass Customization and Reduced Assembly

SLS 3D printing allows for sizable robotic parts to be made in either large, singular pieces or substantially reduced assemblies. Structures can be made stronger, yet lighter in weight. SLS robotics 3D printing is versatile for any type of build, whether making small customized parts or complex systems with gripping and grabbing parts.

Mass customization is a critical benefit, along with 3D printing robotics on demand for manufacturers who may be tired of keeping large stores of inventory. The overall result, whether prototyping or manufacturing high-performance 3D printed robotics, is maximized efficiency, higher quality and optimization of parts, and less use of materials and energy. In partnering with Shapeways, the supply chain is streamlined and improved, offering robotics manufacturers more control over distribution.

About Shapeways

Enjoy the benefits of this advanced technology and a wide range of materials from Shapeways for 3D printing your creations with accuracy, complex detail, and no minimum or limits in terms of mass customization or single part orders. Shapeways has worked with over 1 million customers in 160 countries to 3D print over 21 million parts! Read about case studies, find out more about Shapeways additive manufacturing solutions, and get instant quotes here.

The post 3D Printed Robotics: Rapid Prototyping for Enhanced Product Development appeared first on Shapeways Blog.

A Little 3D Printing History

A revolutionary process that has made impacts in nearly every industrial application around the globe, 3D printed rapid prototyping was created by engineer Chuck Hull in 1983. In its original form, Stereolithography (SLA) was invented to solve a practical problem in speeding up product development. Tired of waiting to get down to business in making new parts, Hull worked in his lab for years to come up with a better solution. Initially inspired by the common practice of using multiple layers of coatings to strengthen products, Hull was curious to see if he could indeed make 3D objects with thousands of layers of resin material cured and hardened by a UV laser. 

While it may have taken decades for his invention to hit the mainstream market, 3D printing quickly played a continued role in success behind the scenes for innovative products being made by automotive companies thinking ahead of their time, along with organizations like NASA. Today however, without the services of 3D printing, many traditional manufacturers still remain stalled during prototyping, waiting for models to be produced by other methods which could hold projects up indefinitely and cost substantially more.

Fast Turnaround Leads to More Efficient Feedback 

Although additive manufacturing is being used for functional parts in important applications, manufacturers rely on 3D printed rapid prototyping services more than ever before. One important difference is that now they may use the same material and technology for both prototyping and functional use. This is made easier due to the ever growing selection of advanced 3D printing materials and technologies to choose from. 

No lead time is required, meaning that designers have the freedom to choose when they want to start prototyping. At Shapeways, the process is as easy as uploading a 3D model and getting an instant quote back along with file analysis to ensure quality 3D printing. While some customers may create 3D printed prototypes for displays or meetings, others may be iterating their way to perfection. 

The 3D printed rapid prototyping process could require a couple of different iterations before product development moves on to the final part, but there are some Shapeways customers who go through a much more intense process, prototyping, making changes after feedback, and then continuing to iterate over a hundred times. Stringent project requirements and design guidelines usually dictate how rigorous the prototyping process will be, but that is completely up to the customer.

Typical 3D Printing Materials & Technology for 3D Printed Rapid Prototyping

Freedom in design is key when prototyping which is why so many Shapeways customers choose materials like Nylon 12 [Versatile Plastic] and technology like Selective Laser Sintering for both prototyping and functional use. SLS 3D printing offers high accuracy, along with good mechanical properties for prototypes. Offered in an array of colors for dyeing, as well as finishes–from Natural to Smooth–Nylon 12 [Versatile Plastic] is extremely popular because it is strong, yet flexible too. This translates to stronger, thicker parts 3D printed with greater rigidity, while thinner parts result in more elasticity.

Because SLS 3D printing operates as a subcategory of powder-based technology, supports are not required–resulting in much greater latitude in 3D modeling as any worries about designing for supports are eliminated, making the prototyping process even faster. Without support structures, the potential for damaging parts after 3D printing is also removed.

Materials like Multi Jet Fusion Plastic PA12 are also used in 3D printed rapid prototyping due to high strength and accuracy, and the same amount of design freedom offered through MJF with no need for support structures. Multi Jet Fusion technology is extremely well-adapted for prototyping due to precision in parts, as well as the excellence offered in surface quality and texture.

For prototypes that require finer details, designers often turn to SLA technology with materials like Accura 60, Accura Xtreme, and Accura Xtreme White 200. SLA 3D printing offers accuracy, good mechanical qualities, and also nice smooth surface finishes which make it a popular choice for designers making 3D printed rapid prototypes or end parts that require a more realistic look.

Find out more about rapid prototyping services with Shapeways here.

About Shapeways

Enjoy the benefits of this advanced technology and a wide range of materials from Shapeways for 3D printing your creations with accuracy, complex detail, and no minimum or limits in terms of mass customization or single part orders. Shapeways has worked with over 1 million customers in 160 countries to 3D print over 21 million parts! Read about case studies, find out more about Shapeways additive manufacturing solutions, and get instant quotes here.

The post 3D Printed Rapid Prototyping Streamlines Product Development appeared first on Shapeways Blog.

Nothing drives continued progress more than customer demand—and especially when it comes to recreation. The notion of playing games is as old as the human race itself, allowing individuals to connect, whether playing an ancient precursor to chess with hand carved pieces, or connecting in person to play a tabletop game, made all the more colorful with 3D printed characters. 

Spanning every culture, games offer a shared space for relaxing with family and friends. Gaming today offers infinite possibilities for exploring new digital realms, roaming make-believe worlds. This is especially true in role-playing games (RPGs) where players live vicariously through their characters, engaging in fascinating experiences and acting out scenarios that would not be possible in real life. 

Although games like Dungeons & Dragons originated in the 70s they are more popular than ever, experiencing a huge resurgence propelled by the ability to engage and meet online.

Rapid Prototypes for Quality Product Development

3D printing offers many important features, beginning with the ability to customize and design products that may never have been possible before with traditional manufacturing. The original intent of 3D printing, however, was in rapid prototyping–a process that can be highly beneficial in 3D printing for gaming. 

Although 3D printing technology has grown immensely, evolving into the use of additive manufacturing for high-performance parts in critical applications, the ability to create 3D printed models for testing and perfection still offers a great advantage. The process is economical and fast, allowing for fast changes and as many iterations as necessary for the product development process. Prototyping also allows for easier experimentation in terms of different materials for products associated with gaming, as well as choosing the most suitable type of technology for the design.

3D Printed Tabletop Characters and Miniatures

3D printing is a powerful element in the modern gaming world, where the need to connect with characters runs deeper than ever. Immersion into the character is a must for many tabletop gamers, increasing the excitement level further when everyone is using miniatures for better visualization and access into the heart of the story or journey. With the ability to customize to their heart’s content, gamers can bring their characters to life like never before, venturing forth in fantasy with 3D printed miniatures that match their characters precisely. Miniatures can also be created for durability and long-term gaming use, or as collectibles.

Previous to 3D printing, it was not uncommon for characters related to tabletop gaming to be produced via mass production or hand-sculpted from any variety of materials. Beyond that, many dedicated enthusiasts created miniatures by cutting and gluing different pieces and then hand-painted their characters too. While that type of work requires meticulous attention for quality pieces, up until recently many 3D printed characters were still hand-painted too. Such time-consuming work is no longer necessary with the ability to 3D print in exquisite color and detail. This includes exact color matching, and tools for shading and contrast.

Both the gaming industry and the 3D printing industry are accelerating at a rapid pace, and the intersection of the two leads to unprecedented efficiency and production. Shapeways continues to lead 3D printing for gaming solutions, bringing advanced materials and technology to the table for gamers and designers seeking durable products as well as more intense detail with materials like High Definition Full Color. 

With access to more than ten million colors, High Definition Full Color is 3D printed with Material Jetting 3D printing technology. This process offers speed and precision, along with a wide range of impressive hues and textures. Exceptional surface finishes can be achieved, along with fine detail.

Create Custom Game Pieces, Boards, and Accessories

An astonishing array of game pieces can be 3D printed too; for example, parts for checkers games are fun and easy to create and customize. Chess pieces are a popular item to 3D print as well, but can be found in much more complex and artistic designs. Game pieces may be simple, elegant, and even ergonomic.

Simple or complex gaming boards can be made too, in any number of configurations, whether featuring interlocking pieces to be assembled, or even embedded electronics. Gaming dice, puzzle pieces, and parts for consoles are common designs too.

Advanced material like Nylon 12 [Versatile Plastic] and Selective Laser Sintering are good choices for a wide range of pieces and accessories, whether prototyping, creating functional parts, or both. With the ability to customize via 3D printing, completely original parts can be prototyped and created for years of use, and even handed down to other generations. These can even be turned into great 3D printed gift ideas!

Explore Other Material Options

With over 90 materials and different finishes available, high-quality 3D printing materials are a tremendous source of pride at Shapeways. Great care is taken in choosing all resources, as well as reaching out to new manufacturing partners and suppliers. Each material offering is unique, bearing its own technical specifications too. 

To get the perfect look and feel for any 3D printed part, check out the material options that Shapeways offers. Each material listed notes the available finishing options to ensure that your aesthetic parts look good, and your functional parts perform how you need them to in the end. 

Upload your design and get an instant quote now!

About Shapeways

Enjoy the benefits of this advanced technology and a wide range of materials from Shapeways for 3D printing your creations with accuracy, complex detail, and no minimum or limits in terms of mass customization or single part orders. Shapeways has worked with over 1 million customers in 160 countries to 3D print over 21 million parts! Read about case studies, find out more about Shapeways solutions, and get instant quotes here.  

The post Gaming Accessories: The Best Things to 3D Print appeared first on Shapeways Blog.

Understanding Customer Applications and Needs is Key

In a recent webinar, co-presented by Shapeways, Dr. Cary Baur, Manager of Polymer Material R&D explained that the EOS Additive Minds Team is focused on understanding manufacturing customers and partners. To increase productivity, the key is to see where AM technology can be applied to make a real difference. This means tailoring a solution through:

• Identifying relevant applications
• Developing applications to fit into the product portfolio
• Creating business value
• Increasing and certifying production

SLS 3D Printing Technology Opens the Door to Expanding Productivity

Shapeways and EOS have been long-time manufacturing partners, with a focus on delivering 3D printed materials via Selective Laser Sintering (SLS). The process begins as thin layers of polymer powder are dispersed over the build platform. A computer-controlled CO2 laser traces the cross-section of the 3D design on the powder. It then scans many fine layers, fusing them all together at a high temperature, just under the melting point,  until the 3D printed structure is complete. 

“In the end we’re able to build parts with very fine features and details,” said Baur. “For the most part, we use fairly common engineering plastics that tend to translate well to applications that are already out there and maybe being used via other methods too, like injection molding or CNC machining.”

Baur also points out that in looking at many 3D printed parts it becomes obvious how difficult it would be to manufacture such complex geometries any other way.

A great by-product of powder-bed fusion is unsintered powder surrounding and stabilizing parts during printing, acting as a natural support. In re-using powder while also preserving material integrity, Shapeways contributes to increased sustainability in manufacturing, lessening environmental impact. Without a need for supports, the benefits are triplefold. Much greater design freedom is afforded to the industrial engineer creating the 3D model, hundreds of parts may be included in one build through nesting, and the potential for damage during post-processing is greatly decreased.

SLS industrial 3D printers can range in build volume size; for example, smaller printers may have a build volume of 200 mm x 250 mm x 330 mm, but printers from EOS can range in build volume from 650 mm x 350 mm x 550 mm to 700 mm x 380 mm x 580 mm, with a layer thickness of 100 to 120 microns.  

“What this technology really does in terms of creating value is it allows you to take a digital file and implement it with what is essentially a ‘design freedom toolbox,’” said Baur. “This new freedom offers the ability to look at design and manufacturing in a whole new way, along with designing components to fit in with each other during printing and reducing the number of parts.”

Rapid Prototyping Accelerates Product Development

Initially rapid prototyping was the whole point of 3D printing; however, as the technology has evolved since the 1980’s, the ability to prototype and to create iterations on an as-needed basis has only become more enticing; in fact, a dedicated customer may order one or two–or a hundred prototypes–until deciding on the best form and fit for a high-performance, end product. 

Extremely helpful in the early phases of working on a project, rapid prototyping plays a prominent role in so many applications today, behind the development of everything from architectural pieces to fine jewelry. Designers and engineers often end up making end-use parts with the same material they were testing and refining products with. Nylon 12 [Versatile Plastic] 3D printed with SLS technology is a perfect example.

“Rapid prototyping allows you to dip your toes in the water in the sense that you can build geometries up front, investigate product failure, and integrate improvements into the products,” said Baur.

Customization and Functional Integration are Driving Change

The ability to customize is one of the most appealing benefits of 3D printing. It’s no longer a one-size-fits-all world, with customer demand motivating manufacturers to offer greater personalization. In terms of applications like medical 3D printing, products and devices can be tailored completely to an individual, changing the face of that particular industry forever with the ability to offer better and better patient-specific treatment–in and out of the operating room.

Mass customization also allows businesses to look further into their development process and consider how they can be more in tune with their customer base. This includes examining what types of products they want in a particular shape or size, and building them on-demand. With the ability to set up customized 3D printing as needed, whether in low-volume or mass production, businesses can say goodbye to the expense of buying their own equipment or storing inventory where it just gathers dust in a warehouse. Shapeways does all the work from the ordering process to product fulfillment and delivery. 

“There is a very strong business case for converting as many aging parts as possible to digital files, so they are available when needed–and without having these massive warehouses full of aging parts just sitting there,” said Baur.

With the ability to design nearly anything, manufacturers can use 3D printing to make custom parts that used to be very bulky but are now significantly reduced in mass, lighter in weight. Material inputs can be reduced dramatically too along the same lines. With functional integration, parts that used to have to be machined or molded separately and assembled with different processes can now be made in one large print build.

“You can actually make a real difference in how many components you’re using to make a functional part work,” said Baur.

With a focus on both metal and polymers, Shapeways and EOS are continuing a partnership that means bringing the most advanced materials and technology together for ongoing growth in product development–transforming manufacturing with a focus on reducing material waste, sustainability in processes, and opportunities for greater efficiency.

“A large part of our business is helping to identify the needs of our customers specific to an application,” said Baur. “If we don’t have a current material that meets customer needs, we often can make it, and often we will help enable our customers by working with Shapeway to then look at a material and a production process, with Shapeways filling the production need with the EOS material.”

 About Shapeways

Contact Shapeways now to enjoy the benefits of advanced technology and materials for manufacturing creations with accuracy, complex detail, and no minimum or limits in terms of mass customization or single part orders. Shapeways has worked with over 1 million customers in 160 countries to make over 21 million parts! Read about case studies, find out more about Shapeways additive manufacturing solutions, and get instant quotes here.

The post Increasing Your Production Power: Additive Manufacturing with EOS, Part 1 appeared first on Shapeways Blog.

• How 3D printed nylon thermoplastics allow Shapeways customers to achieve their vision.
• Why nylon thermoplastics are useful in both rapid prototyping and 3D printing functional parts.
• Why materials like Nylon 12 [Versatile Plastic] are suitable for so many applications.
• How Shapeways uses Selective Laser Sintering (SLS) and Multi Jet Fusion to 3D print popular, high-quality plastics.

Nylon Plastics Continue to Reign

The history of nylon plastics is a long one, and it begins with traditional manufacturing. Nylon 12 serves as an exemplary model of a polyamide discovered for use in processes like injection molding, with many identical advantages offered when it is used in 3D printing too. This includes durability, flexibility, and incredible versatility, along with more specific features like high tensile strength, abrasion resistance, and thermal stability.

Polyamides like nylon offer a high melting point, along with the ability to create flexible parts with thinner structures, but more rigid pieces with thicker parts. Other materials like PA 12 Glass Beads (PA12GB) are fortified to allow for even greater stiffness and product strength in flat or large parts that may be especially susceptible to warping.

Shapeways has been privileged over the years to collaborate with innovative customers involved in very impressive work. Highlighting materials like Nylon 12 [Versatile Plastic], companies like BeeHero have been able to streamline technology for beekeepers and farmers, 3D printing sensor housings for smart hives created to improve pollination. Companies like Verner Architects have used these materials for unique designs like a six-foot-long bathroom vanity meant to stand the test of time. Tilt Hydrometer has also used Nylon 12 [Versatile Plastic] for both prototyping and 3D printing end-use parts for monitoring the fermentation process in brewing craft beer.

Advanced Technology for Advanced Materials

SLS materials are produced using EOS machines and Multi Jet Fusion materials are produced using HP machines. While the material properties are similar, they are each slightly different, making each more suited for one specific application over another.   

Nylon 3D Printed with Selective Laser Sintering

One of the original 3D printing processes, Selective Laser Sintering (SLS) was created in the ‘80s by Dr. Carl Deckard and Dr. Joe Beaman, associated with both University of Texas at Austin and the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA). And although the 3D printing industry has continued to evolve at a rapid pace—and into an industry valued in the billions—SLS technology still prevails, at the top of the additive manufacturing hierarchy as one of the most powerful processes.  

Shapeways relies on Selective Laser Sintering (SLS) technology to 3D print the following materials:

• Nylon 12 [Versatile Plastic]
• Nylon 11 [PA11(SLS)]
• Nylon 6 Mineral Filled (PA6 MF)

Nylon 12 [Versatile Plastic] is the most widely used 3D printed plastic due to its balanced property profile. These balanced properties, including high strength and good chemical resistance, make it a great multipurpose material suitable for a wide range of functional applications. Machines producing SLS PA12 have the largest build platform, allowing larger parts to be printed.

Several finishes are also available:

• Natural: This finish has a slightly rough surface and a matte finish.
• Processed: This finish removes some material to create a smoother surface.
• Premium: This is a smooth finish with good scratch resistance.
• Smooth: This finish has a smooth surface and slight shine, created using a physio-chemical vapor process.

Colors: Versatile Plastic is naturally white. Shapeways also offer Black, Pink, Red, Orange, Yellow, Green, Blue, and Purple. Note: Colors other than White are dyed and will wear through over time with handling.

Nylon 11 [PA11(SLS)] is the most flexible nylon material due to its much higher elongation at break. It also has slightly higher strength than the other materials. This combination of high strength and good elongation at break makes it the most impact-resistant material of the four choices. Popular applications include sports equipment, orthotics and prosthetics, and hinges, where high ductility is important. PA11 also has higher temperature resistance and is based on renewable resources, therefore making it more environmentally friendly.

A natural white finish is available for this material.

Nylon 6 Mineral Filled (PA6 MF) is a unique material, used in applications requiring high stiffness, strength, and heat stability. Mineral-filled reinforcement offers properties similar to injection molded parts—but without the added time and expense required in using that technology. This material is suitable for applications like automotive, including structural parts and functional prototypes.

Parts printed with Nylon 6 Mineral Filled (PA6 MF) are available in the natural black finish.

Nylon 3D Printed with Multi Jet Fusion

Multi Jet Fusion falls into the powder-based category, but uses an inkjet array to move back and forth depositing adhesive agents onto the powder bed, where the nylon powder particles are then melted with thermal heat.

HP released Multi Jet Fusion technology in 2016 with great fanfare. Previous to the much-awaited release, there was tremendous buzz about a powerful new 3D printer on the horizon, and one capable of exponentially faster production than anything currently on the market at the time. HP did not miss the mark at all either, bringing forth a printer that took processes like Selective Laser Sintering (SLS) and Binder Jetting one step further, doing away with lasers and binders, and using two different types of liquid agents during the printing process for jobs requiring higher detail and better surface finish.

Shapeways relies on Multi Jet Fusion to 3D print the following materials:

Nylon 12 [MJF Plastic PA12] has very similar properties to Nylon 12 [Versatile Plastic] produced with SLS; however, due to a slightly different printing technology, it has more consistent, isotropic properties throughout parts. MJF PA12 also has a slightly higher elongation at break. Increased elasticity makes this material more resistant to breakages and as a result, it is suitable for 3D printing parts with thinner wires and wall features are able to be produced.

Multi Jet Fusion is printed at a lower layer thickness over SLS PA12 providing better resolution of small details too. Several finishes are available:

• Gray: Medium gray with a matte and slightly grainy surface finish.
• Black: Dyed black with a matte and slightly grainy surface finish.
• Black Smooth: Dyed black with a smooth and slightly glossy surface finish.

Nylon 12 Glass Beads [MJF Plastic PA12GB] is filled with 40% glass bead particles and as a result, is a much stiffer material.  The higher rigidity makes this well-suited for structural parts and housings that will remain stiff and strong over time.  It will hold up better over time, specifically for applications that may be exposed to friction and wear, such as tooling and molds. The following finishes are available:

• Gray: Natural gray finish, blasted with oxide beads and air.
• Dark Gray: Blasted with oxide beads and air, finished with a dark gray color.

With such an abundance of 3D printing materials available today, the key is to recognize the advantages of suitable products and finishes for specific project requirements, and become informed on how different additive manufacturing technology measures up too.

About Shapeways

Shapeways has worked with over 1 million customers in 160 countries to make over 21 million parts! Read about case studies, find out more about Shapeways solutions, and get instant quotes here.

Contact Shapeways now to enjoy the benefits of advanced technology and materials for 3D printing with accuracy, complex detail, and no limits in terms of mass customization or single part orders.

The post 3D Printing Materials: A Quick Guide to Nylon Plastics appeared first on Shapeways Blog.

To meet the growing need for businesses to quickly get to market, regardless of their industries, Shapeways has a wide variety of materials leveraging industrial 3D printing technology. Selective laser sintering (SLS) is one of many technologies that are perfect for prototyping.

What is SLS?

SLS is an additive manufacturing (AM) technology that uses a laser to sinter powdered plastic material into a solid structure based on a 3D model. SLS 3D printing has been a popular choice for engineers in product design for decades. It is both low cost and highly productive making it the ideal technology for rapid prototyping.

In the past, SLS rapid prototyping was limited to a small handful of large high-tech companies. Shapeways’ unique advances in machinery, materials, and software have revolutionized SLS making it now accessible to a wider range of businesses. This now enables a more diverse cross section of companies to access the many advantages industrial 3D printing has to offer!

Developing Product Concepts with Rapid Prototyping

Product changes occur frequently during the earlier phases of product design. In an ideal situation, designers can take their time designing and refining new product to meet their company’s needs while still hitting key metrics such as cost, consumer value and functionality.

It is not uncommon for time to be the most critical factor during the design phase. The need to have a functioning prototype in hand quickly (and affordably) often becomes the priority of the project.

For example, when pitching for new business the ability to quickly create 3D models of your proposed product concept can be the difference between a winning pitch and lost business. New client pitches often occur with little notice or prep time. That is exactly why having access to an industrial 3D printers to design and create a physical model is key.

Prototyping for Product Assembly and Functionality

The benefits of additive manufacturing is not at all limited to just the concept phase. SLS machines can produce parts that not only delivered quickly, but are also highly durable; making them ideal to review assembly and functionality.

As design and parts evolve, quickly creating iterative design changes to physically evaluate the assembly can reduce the time getting from concept to final product.

Whether you are working with simple moveable parts, or more advanced product like robotics and drones, 3D printing provides replicas of any single piece in a highly durable material. As you test out assembly, the ability to quickly produce durable 3D samples of newly modified parts gives companies a huge competitive advantage.

Rapid Prototyping Assists with Final Product Fit and Form

An additional benefit to rapid prototyping is the benefit it provides in terms of final fit and form. This can be seen across multiple industry disciplines such as medical diagnostic machines, drones, and robotics. Assuring a functional part fits within a medical diagnostic machine, such as a cooling fan, is critical to ensuring the machine works consistently. In addition, with drones and robotics, combining multiple parts into one by leveraging 3D printing can make the final product lighter in weight. However, if the complex geometry of the additive manufactured part doesn’t fit the final product, the issue of weight is irrelevant.

Additionally, rapid prototyping has other advantages for product fit. 3D models can be created to physically analyze final sizing without needing all internal components to be finalized. This is done by designing a hollowed out “shell” of the products exact form and size to verify fit. This size replica of your design is ideal for testing fit without creating a full model. The results are the same, but the speed and benefits are greatly improved.

Keeping Up with the Speed of Business

The ability to use 3D printing has revolutionized business.

The innovative SLS process to give any business the capabilities that were once limited to large high-tech firms. The advantages of additive manufacturing quickly allows companies to customize concepts, make changes for assembly, and ensure a perfect fit for final product assembly.

Shapeways can partner with you throughout the prototype phase to quickly get your concept to a final product. Understanding the different material characteristics with various 3D printers is what our team takes pride in. To find out more, contact our 3D printing experts and have Shapeways help with your next prototype.

The post Leveraging Rapid Prototyping – from Concept to Final Product appeared first on Shapeways Blog.

What is rapid prototyping?

Rapid prototyping, to put it simply, takes you from napkin sketch to final product rapidly. A major bottleneck in the product development cycle is in prototyping. Traditional prototyping workflows often include outsourcing the creation of each prototype, waiting weeks — and spending significantly — for every new iteration, however tweaked or overhauled design changes may be. With rapid prototyping, those weeks between iterations may become days, taking months or years for standard prototyping cycles down to weeks, and getting your new product to market in a much more agreeable timespan.

What Is 3D Printing / Additive Manufacturing / Rapid Prototyping?

Rapid prototyping today often means bringing in 3D printing technologies — or are they rapid prototyping processes, or is that additive manufacturing? It may help to understand just what additive manufacturing is (and Shapeways has a guide for that!) and how these technologies fit into the prototyping workflow.

What Is Additive Manufacturing?

Additive manufacturing (AM) is a digital manufacturing process in which a CAD model is used to create a solid object. A variety of technologies are defined as being additive, as these processes add material over the course of the build, rather than subtracting it as seen in many traditional manufacturing methods (e.g., CNC milling). Materials are deposited, often in a layer-by-layer process, using a 3D printer to build up the geometry of the model in three dimensions. AM processes can handle a variety of metals, from simple plastics to various metal alloys, from food pastes to biomaterials.

What’s The Difference Between 3D Printing, Additive Manufacturing, and Rapid Prototyping?

There are several ways of referring to these technologies, most commonly “3D printing” or “additive manufacturing,” though “rapid prototyping” is also used. For a fuller explanation, we dive into technology terminology in this article, but in short:

3D printing and additive manufacturing are often used interchangeably to refer to effectively the same processes. Additive manufacturing is recognized as a more industrial term, and tends to encompass expensive professional machinery being used in applications from prototyping to end-use product production. 3D printing can refer to the process of layer-by-layer building of an object, or more generally to refer to any usage of this technology, from hobbyists using inexpensive desktop systems to professionals using industrial equipment. Rapid prototyping was one of the first terms used for these technologies, which in the 1980s were geared toward the rapid production of prototypes and for a few decades so dominated usage that this application was synonymous with the tech itself.

For the purposes of this guide, 3D printing is a technology suite used for the application of rapid prototyping.

Rapid Prototyping Materials

Now that we know what rapid prototyping is, a good follow-up question is straightforward: What are some of the material options for rapid prototyping with 3D printing?

When using 3D printing from prototype to production, the same technology can be used throughout the product development cycle. That does not, however, mean that the same materials are necessarily the best choice at every step. Early stages of prototyping may focus more on speed and rough idea than on a “final look” quality, so inexpensive plastics are often the best fit here, when several iterations may be made in fairly quick succession. Each refinement in prototype may call for a better-quality material, and staging material selections can help cut costs, keeping the finer-detail options for only later-stage planning.

During initial prototyping stages, a low-cost material can be used with low infill and thicker layers, lowering material costs and speeding print time to create a rough-and-ready first look at a new design. Whether plastic or metal, 3D printing can quickly fabricate a product that will come to look and feel just like the desired end result.

By starting with a low-cost plastic material and moving after a few iterations to metal, for example, a product that will eventually be conventionally fabricated using metal can come to market much more quickly than would be the case by machining each iteration — a traditional pathway that ultimately costs much more in terms of time, money, and labor.

Material options in additive manufacturing may not run the full gamut available in traditional technologies, but new formulations are becoming available all the time.

Among Shapeways’ broad 3D printing materials portfolio, the most commonly used for rapid prototyping is Nylon 12 (Versatile Plastic). This material is a durable nylon plastic that can be used for a wide range of applications, both for prototyping and for end products. The SLS material can be 3D printed thin for flexibility — think hinges and springs — or thicker to build up structural components. Nylon 12 is affordable, has the fastest lead time (shipping as quickly as three business days from order), and is available in a wide range of colors. It can also be bonded with other materials, electroplated, or otherwise adaptable to your specific application’s needs.

Other well-suited offerings for rapid prototyping include Multi Jet Fusion Plastic materials (PA12 and PA12 Glass Beads) for added stiffness and durability, and SLA (Accura 60, Accura Xtreme, Accura Xtreme White 200) for fine details.

For more in-depth information on any of these materials, see Shapeways’ Materials Guide (pdf).

Benefits Of Rapid Prototyping

That’s all well and good, but when it comes down to it, is there an actual business case for prototyping with 3D printing?

This question gets a resounding YES! Using 3D printing from product concept to creation can help reduce the time and costs needed to get your new idea to market and into the hands of your eager customers.

In broad strokes, the product development cycle includes the need for physical prototypes at several stages of design including:

• Concept
• Assembly / Fit
• Functional
• Life Test
• Regulatory

3D printing these different iterations offers the benefits of digital manufacturing — think speed, agility, and lowered costs for one-off production — to every stage of product development.

Taking a 3D model directly to a 3D printer for fabrication speeds the process of prototyping. Digital models can be made quite quickly using a variety of 3D printing technologies, removing the needs for many steps in other, more traditional fabrication technologies. No tooling is needed, for example, nor is there a waiting period while molds are made and filled. It’s also much faster and more precise than hand-fabricating.

Following review of each prototype for the parameters necessary, subsequent versions can be made quickly to get to just the right look and fit before moving into more finessed prototypes. Tweaking a digital file to adjust for better look, fit, appropriate scale, or other needs can be done quickly, with a next iteration 3D printed potentially same-day.

Some 3D printing options, like HP and Carbon, enable the capability of prototyping and producing on the same system or family, as different materials and parameters can move ever closer to a market-ready product. By iterating on the same system that will be used for the final product, quality control can be kept in-hand every step of the way, meaning there are no surprises when the first end-use production begins.

When working with a service bureau like Shapeways, additional expertise and access to different technology suites comes into play for a high-quality experience every step of the way.

Shapeways’ rapid prototyping services offer:

• Fast Turnaround
• Variety of Materials
• Reliable Quality

We go over the full business case for 3D printing prototypes in this article for more depth.

Rapid Prototyping Pricing

Once the decision has been made to rapid prototype using 3D printing by engaging a service bureau, one large question remains: pricing.

Shapeways lays out clearly its pricing structuring, from engaging a designer to simply uploading a model for an instant quote.

Among the considerations for our pricing are:

• Materials:
  • Material Volume
  • Machine Space
  • Number of parts
  • Production
  • Bounding Box Volume
  • Support Volume
• Manufacturing Speed:
  • Priority
  • Economy
  • Rush
• Shipping cost
• Taxes

Bulk pricing is also available for large orders. For full details, see our pricing overview here.

Customer examples

As popular wisdom holds that “show, don’t tell” is the best way to prove a point, we’d like to share some examples of customer rapid prototyping achieved through the Shapeways platform.

Just a few of our customer successes include:

Atlas Games

Innovative tabletop gaming mainstay Atlas Games has plenty of decades of experience in creating card games, board games, and roleplaying games. The company turned to Shapeways to bring its new dice-based game to fruition for a release through Kickstarter, creating a realizable visual of Dice Miner for potential backers to see prior to sale. The 3D printed prototypes of game pieces helped carry the new game from early design through a playable final product.

Jeff Tidball, Chief Operating Officer of Atlas Games, says of working with Shapeways: “Dice Miner’s Deluxe Edition will have a plastic PVC mountain, so we used Shapeways to prepare early prototypes of that component. We used Shapeways for two purposes. First, to playtest using components as close as possible to the final version, to make sure they performed as we expected at the table. Second, to evaluate their producibility while holding physical objects, as opposed to needing to evaluate them only on screen, or in our imaginations.”

LuminoGO

Using 3D printing to prototype a comfortable, reusable new face mask helped the LUMINO team quickly respond to pandemic needs. Developing the LuminoGo mask for full facial visibility as well as wearer safety features including UVC light or an integrated filter to sterilize breathing air was no mean feat, requiring significant prototyping — and the team turned to Shapeways to 3D print almost every part of the mask to get it all ready for safe wearing on the market.

LUMINO CTO Bernhard Neuwirth says: “Almost all parts are 3D printed. The main reasons for us have been fast prototyping, fast production, choice of materials and colours, which is important for branding and personalization. The big difference with competitors is that we have already working prototypes.” And: “Shapeways was helpful in every way from early on in the project. I especially liked the very fast production options, the choice of materials and the amazing quality of the product. Traditional production methods would be injection moulding. We will certainly do that in the future. Meanwhile we produce already, while optimising the product. We use 3D-print as a production method.”

SNOOZ

Working with Shapeways to 3D print dozens (and dozens and dozens) of designs to reach the ideal sound system, the SNOOZ team cut substantial time and costs in their production process by rapidly prototyping. The savings over traditional machining was major enough that this Las Vegas-based startup has now been working with Shapeways for more than five years — and still has more product work with us in the pipeline for the next devices.

SNOOZ CTO and Co-Founder Eli Lazar explains: “Without 3D printing, I am not sure we could have ever developed a viable product, or at least one that people actually liked. Our fan blade is entirely custom, and small details make a huge difference. A 1-degree extra twist in the blades or 1mm extra length or width of the blades, and it generates a whole different set of tones. You can use software to simulate the acoustics for a fan blade design, and we did do quite a bit of this. However, these simulations can take up to a few weeks to run, and they are really not accurate enough to predict the subtleties that we were interested in. The best way I can explain this is that a stringed piano is always acoustically superior to a digital keyboard, because the timbre (perceived sound quality) of real sound is just better than any digital replica. With that said, we had to make actual parts. Having parts machined was always an option too, but from our experience, that is 10-25x higher cost, and perhaps 10x slower, which was just not an option for us.”

Please contact us today to learn more about our offerings and how we can help you every step of the way for your next project.

The post What is Rapid Prototyping? – A Complete Guide appeared first on Shapeways Blog.

Their latest endeavor Dice Miner is a dice-based game that was pre-sold through a Kickstarter campaign. Because of the high expectations Kickstarter funders have, an early visual of the product was necessary to show off the new game to potential backers.

In order to create these visual components, Atlas Games sought out our 3D printing services to prototype the game pieces they needed, and were able to utilize 3D printing for fast and cost-effective solutions from early prototyping to final-stage designs.

Jeff Tidball, Chief Operating Officer of Atlas Games, has a deep passion for games. For a look behind the scenes at Atlas Games’ newest creation, we interviewed Jeff to find out how the advantages of 3D prototyping was critical for Dice Miner’s Kickstarter success.

Could you give us a quick summary about Atlas Games as well as your latest game, Dice Miner?

Atlas Games is a tabletop game publisher with a 30-year history and deep catalog of board, card, and roleplaying games. We’re best known for card games like Gloom and Once Upon a Time. Dice Miner is a dice drafting game with 60 custom dice and a unique mountain component that organizes the dice across each game’s three rounds, showing which dice are available to choose at any given time as the game unfolds.

What was the purpose of using Shapeways to make prototypes for Dice Miner?

Dice Miner’s Deluxe Edition will have a plastic PVC mountain, so we used Shapeways to prepare early prototypes of that component. We used Shapeways for two purposes. First, to playtest using components as close as possible to the final version, to make sure they performed as we expected at the table. Second, to evaluate their producibility while holding physical objects, as opposed to needing to evaluate them only on screen, or in our imaginations. 

How did you come to the decision to use 3D printing instead of other manufacturing methods?

Other manufacturing methods, to produce only one or two copies of a component like Dice Miner’s Deluxe Edition mountain, simply do not exist. (Maybe we could have hired someone to hand-sculpt one? I don’t even know.)

Did you already have technical knowledge in 3D printing? If not, was there a learning curve to getting into this technology?

Prior to Dice Miner, I had done very little 3D printing for a previous game’s miniatures prototype, also with Shapeways. However, we had the help of a consultant we had hired to create our plastic components, so we were able to use his model directly to produce the prototypes we used. So there was not much of a learning curve, but that’s because we had hired folks to help us already.

What material(s) do you print in and why?

We went with [Versatile Plastic, which are] cheap and fast for our game components. We were looking solely at form and function, rather than having any particular materials requirements.

How much time and/or cost were you able to save by prototyping with Shapeways versus using another method?

I don’t really have anything like that [to compare], since the other options don’t really exist. I suppose you could think about the complete disaster that would arise if a $3,500 mold was created wrong — having a physical prototype can help avoid that instance. Although it’s a small change, spending one or two hundred dollars to hedge against that downside seems pretty reasonable. Creating early prototypes also helped us get an advanced copy to an outside previewer, which helped illustrate to potential campaign backers how the game is played. Waiting for copies of the game from the production line would have simply been impossible. Without a preview of the game, I suspect fewer backers would have been comfortable joining the Kickstarter. Again, no hard-and-fast metrics, but I suspect we’d have left money on the table without being able to preview the game in that way.

Not only was Atlas Games able to succeed on Kickstarter, but they surpassed their goal by almost $80,000. Our 3D prototyping solutions were instrumental in this process by providing a simple and cost-effective means to creating a visual preview of the game.

And more importantly, game fans would now be able to “draft the dice” in Dice Miner with the empowerment that they helped make the game happen by supporting it on Kickstarter!

Are you creating a new game or product for an upcoming Kickstarter campaign? Find out how Shapeways can help with your rapid prototyping needs today.

The post How 3D Printing Helped Atlas Games Achieve Kickstarter Success appeared first on Shapeways Blog.

Want to learn more? Here are 10 ways rapid prototyping with 3D printing streamlines the design process:

1. Optimize The Design Using 3D Software

By creating the blueprints for the prototypes and final design in 3D software, any edits or improvements to that design are reflected accurately and promptly. The design can be visualized enough at this initial stage to reduce any errors of communication and to make early improvements that will save substantial time during the prototyping and production stages. If the product or part requires customization, this design can be revisited and expanded upon at any time.

2. Take Advantage of Form Freedom

3D design allows for the creation of complex geometries that might not be as attainable in other processes. This allows for expanded freedom in the design and the final shape of the product can only be limited by the designer’s imagination. This flexibility makes it possible to produce a professional proof of concept of innovative and original pieces without sacrificing additional time or costs in the development process.

3. Save Time in Prototype Production

In traditional prototyping, the product designer or engineer would use materials such as cardboard, styrofoam or wood to create initial prototypes, then move on to creating functional prototypes using manufacturing processes typically used for finished products. This is often a costly and time-consuming process, and often not a practical use of resources when the product is still in the developing stages. With 3D printing, a prototype at any stage of the design process can be printed quickly and provide the exact information needed in that stage whether it is a proof of concept or a functional prototype. When developing a part, being able to reiterate quickly and affordably is crucial, and 3D printing facilitates that need for all stages of prototyping.

4. Save on or Eliminate Tooling Costs

3D Printing acts as an all-in-one production method for low-volume production and for rapid prototyping. The technology eliminates the need to gather other manufacturing components or machines. Manufacturing methods like injection molding are much more costly to set up, especially for small quantities, and make creating custom prototypes very expensive and time consuming.

5. Create More Time for Designing and Customizing

Instead of having to wait weeks for a prototype to be constructed by hand or for a mold to be made, prototypes can be 3D printed in a matter of hours or days depending on its size. It allows for mistakes to be fixed more quickly and for the design to evolve at a much higher rate, leaving more time for further innovation, customization or moving on to the next design.

6. Save Time Communicating Ideas and Information

When a product or part is being developed, it is extremely important to be able to communicate without misinterpretation and to leave as little to the imagination as possible when discussing with a client or any other involved parties. 3D printed prototypes look more professional and can communicate details better than a 2D drawing. This enables more viable and specific feedback for revisions to be made quickly and efficiently. The better the level of information in prototyping stages, the better the final product.

7. Choose from a Wide Range of Materials Depending on Each Iteration’s Purpose

Different materials can be used based on different prototyping stages to illustrate or explore the integrity of the design. Early iterations can be printed in more affordable plastics such as our Versatile Plastic, while later, more refined versions can be printed in different materials to fit the specific needs or testing requirements of the product. Many of our materials are end-use ready, saving you the need to look for a manufacturer once the product is market ready.

8. Minimize Material Usage Where Possible

In initial stages of prototyping different printing methods can be used to save on materials. If a version of a prototype is meant to show the shape alone, for example, it can be scaled down and hollowed out. Lattice or honeycomb designs can be used for surfaces to cut down on materials and costs while still communicating key information about the part or product. The on-demand nature of 3D printing eliminates material waste during the prototyping stages.

9. Use 3D Printing Services for Prototyping

You can save a lot of money on equipment start-up costs by working with 3D printing services like Shapeways. By printing with a specialized service you do not need to own any printers or materials, your model will be reviewed by engineers before they are printed, eliminating trials and errors encountered when using your own machine. You are guaranteed a high level of quality control, the use of industrial-grade printers and should you need technical assistance, your inquiries will be answered by experts in the 3D printing space.

10. Use Realistic Prototypes for Marketing and Sales Needs

Once the final design has been revised and refined to satisfaction, realistic prototypes can be used to get a head start on marketing and sales promotions. A visual model of the product can be used before money is spent on manufacturing to test with potential customers, for use on a sales floor or to send your products to beta testers to help validate the design.

3D printing is a crucial tool for designers to facilitate a more efficient prototyping process. It saves time and money and also generates a higher level of design freedom, and improves communication with clients and prospective customers. By making the prototyping process faster and without sacrificing on quality, this helps design innovation maintain a competitive edge.

Ready to start prototyping your next idea, part or product with Shapeways? Upload your design now or get in touch with our team to discuss your unique innovation.

The post 10 Reasons Product Designers Prototype With 3D Printing appeared first on Shapeways Blog.

This question comes up all the time when talking about manufacturing processes used today, especially those newer to shop floors like 3D printing. (Or is that additive manufacturing…or rapid prototyping?)

Let’s start at the beginning. This technology suite traces its current roots back to the 1980s when processes like stereolithography (SLA) and fused deposition modeling (FDM) were being developed. These technologies found their initial usage in prototyping applications, achieving faster results than traditional processes. As these and other layer-by-layer approaches developed and matured over the last few decades, applications evolved as well, including into end-use production.

Throughout this briefly laid out history, we see several stages of evolution in both process and usage. At each stage, a different name has been appropriate, growing along with the fledgling industry surrounding these technologies. Now that we’re in 2020, though, and have four decades of experience in this maturing manufacturing area, we’re able to take a step back and look at what the best terminology is to use today.

3D Printing or Additive Manufacturing?

A question that comes up a lot is simple: “What’s the difference between 3D printing and additive manufacturing?”

At the simplest level of response, these terms are often used interchangeably. Use either phrasing and anyone in the industry will understand what you mean. But of course, there are ways to be more accurate in discussing these processes, and more precise in nomenclature.

3D printing is the process of actually building up a part, as a step in the overall additive manufacturing workflow. Additive manufacturing itself can be seen to encompass the total process: CAD design to slicing to 3D printing to post-processing to finished product. Rapid prototyping would then be an application, rather than referring to the process itself.

That’s one way of looking at it, and understanding what is meant when any of these terms are bandied about.

Another way is in terms of the user. Additive manufacturing is recognized as a more industrial term, and tends to encompass expensive professional machinery being used in applications from prototyping to end-use product production. 3D printing can refer to the process of layer-by-layer building of an object, or more generally to refer to any usage of this technology, from hobbyists using inexpensive desktop systems to professionals using industrial equipment. Rapid prototyping was one of the first terms used for these technologies, which in the 1980s were geared toward the rapid production of prototypes and for a few decades so dominated usage that this application was synonymous with the tech itself.

These conversations are ongoing, and opinions among experts are still fairly varied. When, for example, in working to understand viewpoints on the terminology of technology, I turned to industry professionals, responses extended from ease of understanding to familiarity of phrasing.

That conversation was perhaps best summed up by industry veteran Rachel Park, long-time journalist and currently a principal at PYL Associates, who said of 3D printing (3DP) and additive manufacturing (AM):

“3DP versus AM will not be resolved any time soon, and like many others here, I often use them interchangeably depending on application, audience and process being used. On that – I have noticed that process names (re the 7 categories identified by ASTM) are being used more frequently, to differentiate capabilities and applications for manufacturing / production.”

3D Printing Technologies

That leads into an important conversation in its own right, as the different 3D printing processes each have their own terminology to take into account.

Industry expert Terry Wohlers, Founder of independent consulting firm Wohlers Associates, which puts out the annual Wohlers Report, recently discussed the importance of terminology through the lens of industry standard phrasing. He brings up several key points in this Wohlers Talk piece, chief among them the very availability of industry standards.

ASTM International, which defines standards in a number of industries including additive manufacturing, has been publishing terms for AM to serve as recognized standards. The first version, as Wohlers points out, was published in 2009 as the ASTM F2792 Standard Terminology for Additive Manufacturing Technologies defined 26 terms. That work was foundational for the current ISO/ASTM 52900 Standard Terminology for Additive Manufacturing.

As laid out from that standard in Wohlers Talk, the presently recognized seven AM processes include:

• Material extrusion—an additive manufacturing process in which material is selectively dispensed through a nozzle or orifice
• Material jetting—an additive manufacturing process in which droplets of build material are selectively deposited
• Binder jetting—an additive manufacturing process in which a liquid bonding agent is selectively deposited to join powder materials
• Sheet lamination—an additive manufacturing process in which sheets of material are bonded to form a part
• Vat photopolymerization—an additive manufacturing process in which liquid photopolymer in a vat is selectively cured by light-activated polymerization
• Powder bed fusion—an additive manufacturing process in which thermal energy selectively fuses regions of a powder bed
• Directed energy deposition—an additive manufacturing process in which focused thermal energy is used to fuse materials by melting as they are being deposited

Different companies, of course, refer to technologies that fall under these umbrellas by proprietary names. Think of the ongoing conversation regarding FFF v. FDM (that is, the common term Fused Filament Fabrication versus the trademarked Fused Deposition Modeling), both of which effectively refer to the same process and are in fact classified as material extrusion.

Seeking to differentiate may lead many a company to brand copiously; why say the standard “material extrusion” when they could tout FFF, which as an acronym may sound more intriguing — or, if that branding is from Stratasys, why not further herald FDM, which is trademarked and is one of the original 3D printing technologies invented decades ago. There’s certainly something to be said for standing apart from the crowd by owning a process name.

Still, it absolutely comes across clearly to everyone what sort of process is up for discussion when the term is universal; material extrusion will convey just what’s meant quite neatly, and without any potential confusion.

Naturally we must include a disclaimer that while these seven ISO/ASTM recognized processes cover most of what we see in 3D printing, they do not cover every technology. Significant R&D is ongoing around the world, with efforts to create wholly new 3D printing technologies abounding. Most of even these new processes will still fall generally under one of these categories, but some will be new unto themselves. This is why standards creation is so important, as these experts regularly discuss and evaluate new processes that may need to be added.

What’s In A Name?

So ultimately, what is in a name?

Everything, when it comes to clarity, legality, and precision. Certainly it never hurts to be precise when sharing information about industrial technologies.

At the same time, if you say “additive manufacturing” to someone unfamiliar with today’s advanced production processes, it’s perfectly fine to clarify that you mean “3D printing”, which may be more easily understood. There’s a time and place for full accuracy, but as always the most important part of communication is establishing understanding.

The post What’s In A Technology Name? appeared first on Shapeways Blog.