Graphics Reference
In-Depth Information
The Material Issue
In the 10s 3D printing has become a hot topic, the key reason being the transition from proto-
typing to manufacturing, which leads to a much larger market for 3D printing technologies.
A big hurdle in this development is the materials currently used in 3D printing, which are
limited in choice and sometimes inferior to those used in traditional manufacturing. Anoth-
er limiting factor is that material costs are much higher in 3D printing than in traditional
manufacturing. After a part has gone through 3D printing processing, its material properties,
accuracy, repeatability and surface finish are often below par compared to traditional manu-
facturing.
3D printing market leaders like 3D Systems and Stratasys started out in the 80s and 90s with
“Rapid Prototyping”, where the 3D printing equipment and material was put on the market
to meet the needs of making prototypes for industry and other businesses. The 3D print-
ing market for manufacturing is still comparatively small and the leading companies still
depend on old business models to make profits. Maybe this is the reason why companies
like 3D Systems and Stratasys are guarding the supply of materials, much like 2D printing
companies do with ink cartridges, keeping prices high and trying to make the customers de-
pendent on their original material. Until now 3D printing materials have been 100s or even
1000s of percent more expensive than the same materials used in traditional printing. The
rep rap movement driven by hobbyists have tried to counter this by making everything “open
source” as much as possible. But the rep rap movement will not be able to make changes
that meet the requirements of professional manufacturers.
Another issue is the lack of industry standards for the performance of 3D printed materials.
This issue is being addressed by the “Support Action for Standardization in Additive Man-
ufacturing” (SASAM) in Europe and America Makes in the US, but the process will take
some time.
Manufacturers around the world, who are looking for a serious alternative to plastic injection
molding or metal casting, forging and CNC machining, want the same material options and
material prices they are used too. They want food safe plastics and to print in transparent
plastic, issues that for long time have been a problem in 3D printing. When they find that
the materials are not only limited but also expensive and that industrial standards or testing
might be lacking they usually hesitate to choose 3D printing as their production method.
The key for a successful development of 3D printing is the transition from prototyping to
manufacturing. A key factor in this transition is material varieties, properties and costs. Ma-
terial varieties and properties can improve a lot and it is feasible that they will come close
