Nowadays there is limited number of industry which exploits the advantages of 3D printing. The increased option of materials that is able to use with 3D machine opens the door for many industry to come in. Currently 3D printing is used mostly in industry that regularly produce mock up sample such as automobile, aerospace, construction, medical and military.
3D printing may revolutionize automobile industry. Metal prototyping is generated by 3D printing for customer. Moreover testing tool, auto part are also produced. Not only benefit from create the prototype but 3D printing also let designer to create the miniature model for testing every function then produced the real scale once approval. This saves cost for company a lot. Furthermore engineer can also design suitable tool for using in operation line. The advantage of 3D printing to produce customized product is beneficial for manufacturing low volume car as well. For example, the order of electrical vehicles is still low. With 3D printers, company can produce this type of car which requires unique components. (Stratasys, Inc.,2018)
In aerospace industry, 3D printing helps to produce special tooling and part by reducing the number of part of final product from numerous pieces to be only single completed one. In united states of America, there is the crucial project to build a rocket from 3D printing for sending to orbit which will be launched in 2021. The built rocket uses less material but is stronger than the previous process. It also discards the assembly process which supports cost saving for the company quite a lot. Without machining process, company can save cost from scraps which normally are left over around 90%. The other example of product used in satellite system is a large container for keeping the fuel. It is also made by 3D printing which uses less lead time from 2 years to be only 2 months. (PM Network, 2018)
Construction industry also takes advantages from this technology. “Office of the future” is initiated and constructed by enormous 3D printer as the headquarter for the Dubai Futures Foundation. It is the first fully functional 3D printed building served as a role model for the construction industry. Lower cost, time saving and the reduced number of injuries gained from this technology push it forward to all industry. The building is able to be built within a week. Furthermore it is not limited only simple design, the complex geometry is also able to build with this technology.
Lacking of the organ donation leads to the increasing number of the death. 3D printing helps to resolve this problem by producing cell, bionic tissue, organ and the light weight implant material which are used for clinical treatment. Also they are used as a medium for communication and surgical planning and analysis. 3D printer can print more complex medical implant than traditional technology can do. Moreover it also has higher accuracy with shorter production cycle. 3D personalized Scaffold is able to be printed by this technology too. It helps to cure specific symptom of each patients. (Yan, Dong, Su, Han, Song, Wei and Shi, 2018) Now this technology used for medical purpose is still in its infancy but their consequences are very beneficial. This brings about the great effort to overcome related barriers for fully utilizing the advantages of this technology in the future
The future of 3D printing does not stop at printing three dimensional object. 4D printing is introduced later. It is the new technology that developed on top of 3D printing by using smart material for printing with 3D printer. 4D printing technology lets the final product able to transform shape follow the external catalyst such as heat, moisture, pH and light. (Mitchell, Holynsaka and Semprimoschnig, 2018) It is widely used in many industries.
From above, it is found that 3D printing is the innovative technology that cannot refuse to embrace. There is the expanding number of the deployment of this technology because of its advantages. The pace of 3D printing development is still unstoppable. The technology itself is evolved to be more value-added 4D printing by using smart material. Although there are many challenges are still waiting to cope with, it will be overcome sooner. It looks like a long way to go but it may transform the manufacturing process, supply chain of entire industry in the near future. The received benefits are the crucial driver to move this technology forward to the whole industry.
References
Ben-ner, A. & Siemsen, E. (2017). Decentralization and Localization of Production : The organizational and Economic Consequences of Additive Manufacturing ( 3D Printing). California Management Review. 59(2), 5-23.
Long, Y., Pan, J., Zhang, Q. & Hao, Y. (2017). 3D printing technology and its impact on Chinese manufacturing. International Journal of Production Research. 55(5), 1488-1497.
Wang, Q., Sun, X., Cobb, S., Lawson, G. & Sharples, S. (2016). 3D printing system : an innovation for small-scale manufacturing in home settings?-early adopter of 3D printing systems in China. International Journal of Production Research. 54(20), 6017-6032.
PM Network. (2018). 3D Printing takes to the sky. The Edge.
Mitchell, A. ,Holynsaka, M. & Semprimoschnig, C. (2018). Additive Manufacturing-A review of 4D printing and future applications. Additive Manufacturing. 24, 606-626.
Schniederjans, D. G. (2017). Adoption of 3D printing technologies in manufacturing: A survey analysis. International Journal Production Economics. 183, 287-298.
Stratasys, Inc. (2018) Five ways 3D Printing Is Transforming the Automotive Industry. Techdirections. 18-20.
Yan, Q., Dong, H., Su, J., Han, J., Song, B., Wei Q. & Shi, Y. ( 2018). A Review of 3D Printing Technology for Medical Applications. Engineering. 4(5), 729-742.