The recent proliferation of low-cost, robust 3D printers is revolutionizing how some companies design products. The result, they say, is a faster design process, better-looking products, more design collaboration, and higher-quality products.
"3D printing gives our designers the opportunity to make a lot more iterations of the design, and they take full advantage of that," John Reed, master prototype specialist at Stanley Black & Decker, told Design News. "Previously, we would want to make sure we had a design that was close to what we wanted before going to the time and expense of making a prototype. Previously, it took 40 man hours. Our 3D printer from Z Corp. requires about four man hours."
3D printers produce physical models of computer-aided designs much as document printers print word-processing files. The technology dates to 1986 when Chuck Hull invented the stereolithography (SLA) process and founded 3D Systems, which is now based in Rock Hill, S.C. Stereolithography machines produce parts as a laser hardens photopolymers in tiny layers. Those systems are expensive and require costly materials. Systems unveiled in recent years use new, less expensive technology.
Cisco engineers say their goal is to make networking products such as the wireless router simple and beautiful, as well as functional.
For example, in the Z Corp. printers used by Stanley Black & Decker, an inkjet-like printing head moves across a bed of powder, selectively depositing a liquid binding material in the shape of the designed section. A fresh layer of powder is spread across the top of the model, and the process continues. Parts can be built on a ZPrinter at a rate of approximately one vertical inch per hour. The process is licensed from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Last year, Z Corp. introduced a printer that builds functional prototypes out of a plastic-like material, using a high-resolution Digital Light Processing (DLP) projector.
The Z Corp. machines can print parts in full color by varying the color of the binding liquid applied by the printing head at various locations.
"Color is very important," Reed says. "The models display fine detail in high resolution and accuracy, including logos, labels, and tiny LED control lights. This saves us from having to mask and paint our models, which would be expensive and time-consuming, and produce a second-rate model. We can ZPrint a model overnight and have a great-looking, multicolored concept prototype the next morning. The process would take a week or more if we did it the old way, via CNC and hand-painting."
There are four 3D printing machines in Reed's shop serving the Power Tool Division industrial design department in Towson, Md. Two are from Z Corp. and two are from Objet Geometries.
"We develop the initial design with the ZPrinters and then do the final shape with the Objet's," says Reed. "We sand, polish, and paint models, and make them picture ready."
Great working examples of how 3D printers are being used in companies to faciliate design and as a more cost-effective means of prototyping.
Seeing that image of all of those plastic, 3D printed parts, though, makes me think about disposal issues related to all this content that will be generated. A reader raised that issue in a comments on another 3D printer story and that image really brings the concern to light.
Beth, thanks for corroborating my concerns about recycling 3d printed parts. Yes, that photo with the caption "... generate a mountain of throwaway prototypes..." is concerning in our society's semi-enlightened path of renewal ability and recycling. I'm an avid fan and user of FDM 3d printing for prototype parts. To my knowledge, SLA material cannot be recycled unlike 3d printers that extrude ABS (which we recycle after the parts are tested). I'm not sure about Objet or ZCorp parts. Doug, can you speak to this?
P.S. Tape Wrangler tolerances of some parts are 1/250,000 of an inch. Really???
On i.materialize, the first search result from above, they lay out 4 possible solutions. While they may not work for everyone and every 3D printer, they are atleast bringing some interesting and valid means or reusing unwanted printed objects.
Thanks for raising the issue, SoCalPE, and thanks Jason, for the link to a resource for suggestions on plastic part disposal. I'm sure we'll be hearing a lot more people raising concerns about this issue as 3D printer use becomes more prevelant and as more organizations more widely integrate the technology as part of their prototyping and product development workflows.
Every RP article implies that faster design processes are better. Here the author even argues that more iterations leads to better outcomes. This may sound obvious, but anyone involved in design will tell you: faster doesn't always mean better. Here is a hint: it really depends on the design methods that you use and how far in the decision making process you are. Sadly, the last 10 yrs have shown me that most RP are not actual improvements to the quality and originality of products. Some times faster just means faster, and this only means producing crap designs faster than before.
Thomas Edison, probably the most polific inventor, found over a 1000 ways how NOT to make a light bulb. Working day and night to eliminate the wrong guesses, he finally succeeded.
Cheaper/Faster 3D printers aught to help with the 99% prespiration he talks about.
Artists are different - the journey is more important/fun than getting to the destination.
Inspired by the hooks a parasitic worm uses to penetrate its host's intestines, the Karp Lab has invented a flexible adhesive patch covered with microneedles that adheres well to wet, soft tissues, but doesn't cause damage when removed.
Engineers at the University of California, San Diego are designing a robotic arm that takes inspiration from the loose, flexible, yet very strong structure of the armored plates on a seahorse's tail.
Researchers at the Missouri University of Science & Technology have designed a new nanoscale material that can transmit light faster than the 186,000 miles per second it usually takes to travel through air.
It has often been said that as California goes, so goes the nation. This spring, the state's wind power is setting energy generation records and solar energy generation is expected to rise sharply during the second half of 2013.
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A quick look into the merger of two powerhouse 3D printing OEMs and the new leader in rapid prototyping solutions, Stratasys. The industrial revolution is now led by 3D printing and engineers are given the opportunity to fully maximize their design capabilities, reduce their time-to-market and functionally test prototypes cheaper, faster and easier. Bruce Bradshaw, Director of Marketing in North America, will explore the large product offering and variety of materials that will help CAD designers articulate their product design with actual, physical prototypes. This broadcast will dive deep into technical information including application specific stories from real world customers and their experiences with 3D printing. 3D Printing is
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