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Six trends to consider about additive manufacturing

3D printing can strengthen the supply chain and make manufacturing more sustainable

Mutually beneficial relationships are a main enabler for scaling industrial production.

The past year has shown that additive manufacturing (AM), or 3D printing, is becoming a serious and mature manufacturing technology—one suitable for making small to medium-sized series of parts and not just prototyping.

Following are six trends that we at Replique think will have a major impact on those using AM technology in 2022 and beyond.

1. Bigger, Faster, and Cheaper Equipment.

3D printing technologies are evolving quickly, spurring the introduction of more capable, less expensive printers. At the same time, rising demand for specialized materials that can fulfill the required properties of end parts will continue to drive development of new materials.

An important feature of the new-generation printers, especially industrial-grade models, is their ability to handle a broader range of advanced materials. This opens the door for more businesses to benefit from AM than ever before.

Although machine costs remain high, higher printing speeds are pushing the price of parts down. And thanks to features such as dual-extrusion printheads, the versatility of AM is growing. We predict an uptick in the use of 3D printing across a wider range of industries.

Another trend likely to drive growth is the ability to print parts without support structures, which, again, broadens the range of applications AM can handle and yields cost and time savings.

For a more resilient supply chain, 3D printing could be part of a holistic and secure platform in which individual steps are combined into a single process—from product concept to materials to digital inventory to production and delivery.

2. The Growth of AM’s Role in the Supply Chain.

To maximize AM’s benefits, manufacturers need access to a wide range of printers and materials, and they need to form connections with other industry professionals.

Furthermore, interoperability between different systems has become important to maximizing the potential of 3D printing. Automated production and postprocessing and integrated usability will become increasingly important in 2022 and beyond.

3d printers

Additive provides a solution for supply chain disruptions like those occurring now because of recent global events. Replique

AM can help establish a new approach to supply chains. 3D printing would be part of a holistic and secure platform in which individual steps are combined into a single process—from product concept to materials to digital inventory to production and delivery. Establishment and use of these platforms will help drive the change to digital manufacturing and adoption of Industry 4.0.

3. Establishment of a Manufacturing Ecosystem.

Partnerships foster mutual benefits and synergies that lead to a better product for end customers. Such synergies help make possible the scaling of industrial production.

However, we see the need for a more holistic approach. Industrywide, standards must be developed, printers and postprocessing systems need to work together, and access to collected production data could lead to better printers and materials.

Close collaboration is essential to achieving the best outcomes for all involved. An ecosystem where service providers, material producers, and print farms worldwide are connected is the next step to improving AM.

4. Quality Assurance and Security Concerns.

Additive continues to transform manufacturing as companies adopt the technology for more of their parts-production needs. For industrial production, companies must have assurances that their 3D-printed parts meet specified quality requirements. It’s critical that companies carefully select production partners, check their capabilities, and ensure repeatable fit-for-purpose parts.

Concerns about the ownership of data also are being voiced. We believe that questions about intellectual property and data management will be huge topics moving forward. Further steps are required to ensure design data remains with the rightful owner.

5. The Need to Create a More Resilient Supply Chain.

There were ongoing discussions about the industrial supply chain throughout 2020 and 2021. COVID-19, geopolitical issues like cross-border trade disputes, and even unforeseen events like a ship getting stuck in the Suez Canal have shown the vulnerability of global supply chains.

We feel that supply chain disruptions will continue through 2022 and likely beyond.

Physical inventory is the weak link in any supply chain. But the fact that part designs can be housed digitally minimizes physical inventory and transportation costs. With a digital warehouse, once a part is ordered it can be automatically sent to the best AM production partner, based on the partner’s location, capabilities, and capacity.

3d printing

With digital inventory, parts are safely stored, managed, and produced on-demand. Replique

And because parts can be produced anywhere at any time, this approach reduces transportation-related CO₂ emissions while fortifying the supply chain’s resiliency.

6. Adoption of Sustainable Manufacturing Practices.

Whether to meet the demands of end customers, comply with official regulations, or fulfill a moral duty, creating sustainable production and supply chains is becoming increasingly important. Sustainability includes 3D printing, which can—in the right applications—reduce waste generated during parts production.

By specifically designing a part for 3D printing, the manufacturer can dramatically decrease the weight of the end part. This reduces the material consumed to make parts.

When using additive manufacturing as part of an on-demand, decentralized digital warehouse, it reduces inventoried parts, associated waste material, and CO2 emissions.

Moreover, as mentioned earlier, when using 3D printing as part of an on-demand, decentralized digital warehouse, AM reduces the number of inventoried parts, the associated waste material, and CO2 emissions generated during transport.

Looking ahead, Replique envisions the use of 3D printing to grow as companies seek to meet their sustainability goals. However, the energy consumed during production must be reduced. We are seeing huge improvements in this area, including growth of sustainable 3D printing materials such as recycled, reusable, and biodegradable plastics.