Top 10 Applications of 3D Printing

Rapid prototyping was the foundation for the development of 3D printing technology. The process of creating an early-stage model, sample, or testing version of the actual product to be developed is known as prototyping. Prototyping aids in the product development process and ensures the best possible output of the final product. One of the most common applications of 3D printing is prototyping.

 

Since its inception in niche car parts in the early 1990s, 3D printing has grown to impact nearly every major industry worldwide in some capacity. Most people are unaware of how diverse 3D printing applications are in today's society.

 

What is 3D Printing?

 

3D printing was invented in the 1980s and was originally known as 'rapid prototyping.' It allowed businesses to create prototypes more quickly and accurately than other methods. After more than 30 years of development, its applications are far more diverse today.

 

Manufacturers, engineers, designers, educators, doctors, and hobbyists all use the technology in a variety of ways. 3D printing, also known as additive manufacturing, is a method of creating three-dimensional solid objects from a digital file.

 

The production of a 3D-printed object is accomplished through the use of additive processes. An object is created in an additive process by laying down successive layers of material until the object is complete. Each of these layers is a thinly sliced cross-section of the object.

 

3D printing is the inverse of subtractive manufacturing, which involves cutting or hollowing out a piece of metal or plastic with a milling machine, for example. 3D printing makes it possible to create complex shapes with less material than traditional manufacturing methods.

 

The healthcare industry is also being shaken by 3D printing. The COVID-19 pandemic overwhelmed hospitals in 2020, increasing the demand for personal protective equipment. Many healthcare facilities used 3D printing to provide their employees with much-needed protective equipment as well as parts to repair their ventilators. 

 

Large corporations, startups, and even high school students equipped with 3D printers stepped forward to answer the call. Not only will 3D printing change the way we make PPE and medical equipment, but it will also streamline prosthetics and implants.

 

Also Read | 3D Printing Technology: Advantages and Disadvantages

 

Why is 3D Printing Important?

 

3D printers are a promising tool for the future of manufacturing due to their flexibility, accuracy, and speed. Many 3D printers are now used for what is known as rapid prototyping.

 

Companies all over the world are now using 3D printers to create prototypes in hours rather than months and potentially millions of dollars in research and development. Some companies claim that 3D printers make prototyping 10 times faster and 5 times cheaper than traditional R&D processes.

 

3D printers can play a role in almost every industry. They are not only used for prototyping. Many 3D printers are being used to print finished goods. This futuristic printing method is being used by the construction industry to print entire homes. 

 

3D printers are being used in schools all over the world to bring hands-on learning into the classroom by printing three-dimensional dinosaur bones and robotics pieces. Because of its adaptability and flexibility, 3D printing technology is a game changer in any industry.

 

What can be printed with 3D printers is extremely versatile. Plastics, for example, can be used to print rigid materials such as sunglasses. They can also use hybrid rubber and plastic powder to create flexible objects such as phone cases and bike handles. Some 3D printers can even print with carbon fiber and metallic powders to create extremely strong industrial products. Here are a few examples of common 3D printing applications.

 

Applications of 3D Printing:

 

Prototyping necessitated improvements in existing processes and material usage, which resulted in technological advancements. As a result, the possibilities for 3D printing have expanded. These advancements cut across all industry sectors. The following is a comprehensive list of 3D printing applications:

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Applications of 3D printing

 

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1. Aviation:

 

The aerospace and aviation industries were early adopters of 3D printing technology. It is no secret that the aerospace industry is a serious research-intensive industry, with complex systems of critical importance. 

 

As a result, the companies collaborated with research institutions to create efficient and sophisticated processes to supplement the use of 3D printing technology. Numerous 3D-printed aircraft components are now successfully manufactured, tested, and used in the industry. Global corporations such as Boeing, Dassault Aviation, and Airbus, among others, are already putting this technology to use in research and manufacturing.

 

2. Dental: 

 

3D printing is another application area for 3D printing. Dentures are now 3D printed, and dental crowns are molded with castable resins to ensure a perfect fit. Retainers and aligners are also made using 3D printing.

 

Most dental mold techniques necessitate biting into blocks, which some people find invasive and unpleasant. Accurate mouth models can be created without biting down on anything using a 3D scanner, and these models are then used to create your aligner, denture, or crown mold. Dental implants and models can also be printed in-house during your appointment at a much lower cost, saving you weeks of waiting time.

 

3. Automotive:

 

This is yet another industry where rapid prototyping is critical before product manufacturing and implementation. Rapid prototyping and 3D printing, it should go without saying, almost always go hand in hand. And, like the aerospace industry, the automobile industry enthusiastically embraced 3D technology. 

 

3D products were tested and used in real-world applications while working alongside research teams and incorporating new technology. The automobile industry has been and will continue to be one of the most significant beneficiaries of 3D printing technology. Ford, Mercedes, Honda, Lamborghini, Porsche, and General Motors are among the early adopters in the automotive industry.

 

4. Construction of Bridges:

 

Concrete 3D printers offer super fast, cheap, and automated house buildings amid a global housing shortage. An entire concrete house chassis can be built in a single day, which is critical for creating basic shelters for those who have lost their homes due to natural disasters such as earthquakes.

 

House 3D printers do not require skilled builders because they operate on digital CAD files. This has advantages in areas where there are few skilled builders, with non-profits such as New Story using 3D house printing to build thousands of houses and shelters throughout the developing world.

 

5. Jewelry: 

 

While not visible at the time of its inception, 3D printing is now finding elaborate applications in the creation of jewelry. The main advantage is that 3D printing can create a wide range of jewelry designs that are a perfect match for buyers' preferences. 

 

3D printing has also bridged the gap between the buyer and the seller; now, people can see the jewelry artist's creative designs before purchasing the final product. Project turnaround times are short, product prices are low, and the products are refined and sophisticated. Using 3D printing, one can create antique jewelry or jewelry made of gold and silver.

 

6. Sculpture:

 

Designers can experiment with their ideas more easily and frequently now that they have multiple methods and material options. The time it takes to generate and implement ideas has been greatly reduced, which has benefited not only designers but also customers and consumers of art. Specialized software is also being developed to help these designers express themselves more freely.

 

The 3D printing revolution has brought fame to many 3D artists, including Joshua Harker, a well-known American artist who is considered a pioneer and visionary in 3D printed art and sculptures. Such designers are emerging from all walks of life and challenging design norms.

 

7. Clothing:

 

Though it is still in its early stages, 3D-printed clothing and even high fashion are becoming increasingly popular. Intricate, custom clothes, such as those designed by Danit Peleg and Julia Daviy, can be created using flexible filaments such as TPU.

 

At the moment, these garments take so long to make that prices remain high, but with future innovations, 3D-printed clothes will offer customization and new designs never seen before. Clothing is a lesser-known application of 3D printing, but it has the potential to impact most people of any use — after all, we all need to wear clothes.

 

8. Prototyping in a Hurry:

 

The most common application of 3D printers in engineering, design, and manufacturing is rapid prototyping. Iterating was a time-consuming process before 3D printers; testing designs took a long time, and creating new prototypes could take days or weeks. Then, using 3D CAD design and 3D printing, new prototypes could be printed in hours, tested for efficacy, and then changed and improved based on the results many times per day.

 

Perfect products could now be manufactured at breakneck speeds, accelerating innovation and bringing better parts to market. Rapid prototyping is the primary application of 3D printing and is widely used in the automotive, engineering, aerospace, and architecture industries.

 

9. Food: 

 

For a long time, this field was overlooked in terms of 3D printing and only recently has some research and development in this area been successful. One example is the well-known and successful NASA-funded research into printing pizza in space. This groundbreaking research will enable many companies to develop 3D printers shortly. Though not yet widely used commercially, 3D printing applications are not far from practical use in industries.

 

10. Prosthetic Limbs:

 

An amputation is a life-changing event. However, advances in prosthetics allow people to regain much of their previous functionality and resume fulfilling activities. This 3D printing application has a lot of potentials.

 

Singaporean researchers, for example, used 3D printing to assist patients undergoing upper limb forequarter amputations, which involve the entire arm and scapula. It is common for them to require custom-made prosthetics. 

 

However, these are costly and are frequently underutilized because people find them inconvenient. The team devised an alternative that is 20% less expensive and more comfortable for the patient to wear. A digital scanning process used during development also allows for precise replication of the person's lost limb's geometries.

 

Conclusion:

 

3D printing has evolved and has many applications. It enables the production of high-end products at a lower cost in a faster and more efficient manner. 3D printing services help to reduce material waste, and risk and are highly sustainable. Manufacturers and engineers can design more complex designs using additive manufacturing, which is not possible with traditional manufacturing methods. It is widely used in the medical and dental fields, as well as the automotive, aerospace, education, and manufacturing industries.