Additive Manufacturing is Changing the Landscape

Since 3-D printers hit the market, experts have speculated about the ways these machines may change the industry landscape. Many companies have moved beyond supposition to action, proving that the technology has the legs to revolutionize production. Slowly but surely, additive manufacturing is becoming a driving force in the future of the manufacturing industry.

In the biomedical industry, additive manufacturing is changing the way doctors approach risky procedures. With 3-D printers, companies are now able to print exact replicas of internal patient systems to provide accurate practice models for surgeons. The company EnvisionTEC produces a printer called the 3D Bioplotter, which has been in use by medical researchers and practitioners since 2000. In 2014, it released a streamlined version geared specifically toward tissue engineers; the machine uses organic materials to print soft tissue. It is also in use as a rapid prototyping tool for bone models and metal parts.

Additive manufacturing is also a reality in the aerospace industry, where 3-D printers have been in use for years. One company, Pratt & Whitney, has focused its efforts on creating 3-D-printed parts for airplane engines. The parts will go into use in 2015 in the PurePower PW1500G engine. Other companies have been printing small, non-essential aerospace components for years. As additive manufacturing technology becomes more sophisticated, it will be able to provide parts that meet the industry's exacting standards for accuracy and safety.

Some of the most apparent uses of additive manufacturing are happening in the production of small consumer goods. Enterprising manufacturers are using 3-D printers to create everything from phone cases to children's toys. On the Shapeways marketplace, community members offer a dizzying array of products, each made on a 3-D printer. Shoppers can by intricate belt buckles, jewelry and even sculptures. Other people have taken popular Internet memes and turned the main characters into three-dimensional pieces of art. Many people using the printers have been introduced to the concept in collage, where 3-D printing is changing manufacturing education.

On the more complex end of the manufacturing spectrum, researchers are working quickly to develop sophisticated additive technology that will permanently change the landscape of the manufacturing industry. Industry leader Siemens is investing in the 3-D machines that will enable them to reduce turbine-blade manufacturing to two days — a dramatic reduction from the current 16-week timeline. When the technology is complete, it will require reduced use of tooling and heavy equipment, which translates to an estimated price reduction of 30 percent. Similar cost savings in manufacturing applications across the industry are expected to lead to savings for end users.

As additive manufacturing becomes a more powerful force in industry, development companies are racing to create more complex and capable machines. Given current applications and innovations, there's no doubt about it — additive technology is here to stay.

Image courtesy of Stuart Miles at FreeDigitalPhotos.net