Medical 3D Printing Reinvents the Wheelchair – and Orthosis

Medical 3D Printing: Smart Wheelchair

Medical 3D printing applications have dramatically improved accessibility to healthcare devices in recent years.

3D printing has made small, personalized prosthetics infinitely more affordable, accessible, and effective with on-demand personalized manufacturing. But larger medical devices - like wheelchairs and orthosis - have been limited by the small build volumes widely available.

Today, as large-format 3D printing has become increasingly accessible and reliable, the medical industry is making up for lost time. This past year has seen some incredible innovation in medical 3d printing made possible by large-format additive manufacturing with BigRep technology.

Two of BigRep's partners, Phoenix Instinct and 3Dit Medical, have proven especially noteworthy, having created inspiring innovations and earned the support they need to fully realize their life-changing designs.

Medical 3D Printing allows for a smart Wheelchair

Medial 3D Printing: Self Balancing WheelchairThe wheelchair has remained largely unchanged since the 1980s, said Andrew Slorance, CEO of Phoenix Instinct and a wheelchair user himself. “Wheelchair companies have been unable to stop thinking mechanical,” he says. “All the products around us are evolving – becoming smart. It doesn’t make any sense.”

With a vision to reinvent wheelchairs with smart technology, Slorance and Phoenix Instinct entered the Toyota Mobility Ultimate Challenge: a fund supporting the development of innovative mobility solutions worldwide. In the 18-month competition timeline, the company developed the Phoenix i: a revolutionary wheelchair with a smart center of gravity.

The Phoenix i is an ultra-lightweight carbon-fiber wheelchair with a unique smart weight distribution technology. The chair continually adjusts its center of gravity with user movements, making it easier to control in varied movement, terrain, and contexts while decreasing risks like backward falls. Other smart features like lightweight power assist and automatic breaking make inclines easier to traverse and eliminate most need for physical hand breaking.

The company’s BigRep large-format 3D printer made developing the chair in Toyota’s timeline possible, said Slorance. They reiterated constantly, printing full-scale frames to test on site – an accomplishment that simply wouldn’t be possible with traditional workflows. “My last carbon-fiber chair took about 4 years to develop,” he said. “We’re printing full sized wheelchair frames. It’s transformed the ability to develop a product.”

Now that the company has finished initial prototyping, they’re continuing to use their BigRep by 3D printing carbon fiber moulds used in manufacturing the chairs. There’s another 18 months of development to go, says Slorance, but with the million-dollar development fund the company won from the Toyota Mobility Ultimate Challenge and modern industrial resources like their BigRep industrial 3D printer, the future is bright for the Phoenix i.

3D Printing Orthosis: Personalised Scoliosis Braces

Medial 3D Printing - 3D Printing Prosthetics: Scoliosis BraceScoliosis affects approximately 3% of the world population, which means there are about 1 million scoliosis patients in Saudi Arabia, according to Dr. Ahmad Basalah, Vice President of 3Dit Corp.

Halting spinal degradation in scoliosis patients requires individually personalized body braces that are tremendously expensive and difficult to produce. But now 3Dit Medical – 3Dit Corp.’s medical arm – say they’ve found a new solution to not only build braces that halt spinal degradation but also show promising results in spinal correction.

With their BigRep ONE’s cubic-meter build volume, 3Dit Medical has already successfully 3D printed scoliosis body braces that show promising results in spinal correction. The braces are already 50% lighter than their traditional counterparts, cost a fraction, and are created in just three days instead of the previous three weeks. But thanks to the digital nature of additive manufacturing, they also allow for simple adjustments before printing that will apply pressure to precise points and help slowly correct a wearer’s spine.

“The practice of making a conventional scoliosis brace is humiliating,” says Dr. Wesam Alsabban, President of 3Dit Corp., as he described the process of measuring scoliosis patients which, before 3D printers, required them to hang naked from a ceiling while measurements are taken.

With 3Dit Medical’s new additive manufacturing process, patients only require a simple x-ray and 3D scan to gather measurements.

The groundbreaking application won third place in Saudi Arabia’s MIT Enterprise Forum. Excited by the potential, 3Dit Medical says they’ll continue developing the technology and think it will lead to even more valuable products in the future.

How could you change the world with an industrial 3D printer to streamline innovation and production?

INDUSTRIAL QUALITY MEETS  COST EFFICIENCY.
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The BigRep PRO is a 1 m³ powerhouse 3D printer, built to take you from prototyping to production. It provides a highly scalable solution to manufacture end-use parts, factory tooling or more with high-performance, engineering-grade materials. Compared with other manufacturing and FFF printing solutions, the PRO can produce full-scale, accurate parts faster and at lower production costs.

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How Walter Automobiltechnik Streamlines Quality Assurance with 3D Printed Automotive Production Tools

Integrating 3D printing into the automotive industry’s product development and prototyping workflows is now a widely accepted strategy to reduce costs and lead times. Despite the acceptance, later stages of industrial production remain ripe for additive manufacturing innovation. One recent area of rapid growth is in 3D printed production tools for use in serial production.

3D Printed Production Tools Reduce Workflows

Walter Automobiltechnik (WAT), a Berlin-based automotive manufacturer specializing in the production of vehicle frames, is dramatically improving workflows in their facilities with custom 3D printed tools. The production tools, created with WAT’s BigRep ONE industrial 3D printer, are implemented into quality assurance workflows, reducing time spent on control lines with simple jigs to help semi-automate quality assurance checks. The control systems have cut workflows in half, freeing employee time and reducing order fulfillment time.

“The customer expectation regarding the quality is one thing, the customer expectation regarding the project time to deliver parts is getting shorter and shorter,” said Martin Münch, WAT’s head of engineering. “Here especially, 3D printing and the BigRep ONE helps us a lot to reduce the cycle costs of the project.”

Cutting Costs for Custom Jigs with 3D Printers

By 3D printing jigs for their new control systems, WAT has sidestepped the significant costs traditionally associated with custom industrial tools. Rather than commission a machine shop to manually shape the jigs from aluminum or other metals, WATs BigRep ONE is used in house to innovate their workflows on demand.

“Because I can print one cubic meter, I can produce really large components – which you can see with these jigs,” said André Lenz, an engineer at WAT and the technician responsible for designing and printing useful parts for WAT’s Berlin facility. “If we had made them out of steel or aluminum, for example, it would have been incredibly expensive and above all heavy and made from multiple parts.”

Automotive-Quality-Assurance-Production-Tools-WAT
Automotive-Manufacturing-tools-WAT

Like many companies that add a large-format 3D printer to their roster of industrial equipment, the value for WAT hasn’t ended with their primary application. Lenz has been designing and printing helpful aids around the facility for everything from trays to sheaths for holding tools within easy reach.

 

For WAT, the decision to invest in a BigRep ONE for automotive 3D printing has been game changing. They’ve cut costs and reduced workflow on essential manufacturing processes to help deliver their product at the cost and within the time their customers expect. But quality assurance is just the beginning as WAT continuing to develop more additive manufacturing applications to create more efficient automotive manufacturing processes.

What is Vacuum Forming & Thermoforming? How to 3D Print Molds Easily

What is Vacuum Forming & Thermoforming?

Vacuum forming has been used for nearly a century to make many of the products we see and use daily. From grocery store items to car parts, vacuum formed components are all around us. But how are they made - and how is 3D printing making them better?

What is Vacuum Forming & Thermoforming?

Vacuum forming is a type of thermoforming: heat used to form a design. Thermoforming processes include vacuum forming, pressure forming, and twin sheet forming. Each of these processes uses a mold or molds to shape heated sheets of plastic into the desired form.

Pressure forming methods require that the plastic sheet be pressed between two molds and then heated to assume the shape. In twin sheet forming, two plastic sheets are heated and fused together to form double-walled or hollow parts.

Vacuum forming is the simplest of the thermoforming methods, using only one mold at a time. As the name might indicate, vacuum forming relies on a vacuum, as suction applied to the heated plastic sheet will draw it around the mold to create the appropriate contouring.

How Does Vacuum Forming Work?

The vacuum forming process comprises a few relatively straightforward steps:

  1. Clamp a plastic sheet in a frame
  2. Heat the plastic sheet to the point the plastic is workable - soft enough to take on a new shape, but not heated to the point of melting or losing its integrity.
  3. Apply vacuum to pull the plastic around the mold, shaping the heated sheet to the desired contours.
  4. Allow the plastic to cool before removing from the mold. This may be expedited for large pieces, using fans or cool mists.
  5. Trim excess plastic and smooth edges to final part quality.

See how the process works on a Formech vacuum forming machine:

Types of Plastic for Vacuum Forming

The ultimate result of a successful vacuum forming operation is creating a shaped plastic part. But what type of plastic should be used? That depends on what you want from the product; different plastics are applicable for different uses. For a clear plastic salad box, you wouldn’t need the same high impact strength as you would for an outdoor sign, for example, while a car bumper needs still more durability.

When choosing a plastic, considerations that should come into play include:

  • Strength
    • Rigidity
    • Chemical/impact/UV resistance
  • Specific gravity
  • Formability
  • Colours
  • Hygroscopicity
  • Temperature range for pliability
  • Availability/cost

Further, you’ll need to take into account the look and feel of the plastic for the end-use application you have in mind. A strong plastic may not be usable if it offgasses volatile organic compounds (VOCs) when subjected to high temperatures, for instance.

Among the most popular plastics used in vacuum forming are:

  • ABS - acrylonitrile butadiene styrene)
  • Acrylic - PMMA - Poly(methyl methacrylate)
  • HDPE - high density polyethylene
  • HIPS - high impact polystyrene
  • PC - polycarbonate
  • PET - polyethylene terephthalate
  • PETG - polyethylene terephthalate glycol
  • PP - polypropylene
  • PS - polystyrene
  • PVC - polyvinyl chloride

Each option has its pros and cons. As with any end-use material choice, you’ll need to weigh the cost and ease-of-working of a given material with its strength and performance.

How to Create Molds for Vacuum Forming

The molds used for vacuum forming are critical to the process: they form the basis of the actual shape for the end product. How you choose to create your molds will depend on the precision, complexity, and timing of your project.

While wood, aluminium, and structural foam are among the conventional options for mold making, 3D printed molds are becoming more popular. These newer options enable more complex geometries to be made and can significantly speed up the process of mold making.

3D Printed Molds

The benefits of 3D printing are many. 3D printing can reduce the time and costs needed to make items like vacuum forming molds, as well as improve the geometric complexities possible. Faster turnaround and lower costs can be a major incentive when it comes to adopting a new way to create molds, forms, and rapid tooling.

In-house 3D printing can substantially shorten timelines when it comes to producing new molds and tooling. Without the need to outsource mold production, wait for turnaround is limited only to how fast a 3D printer can bring a CAD design to life - which can be as short as a matter of hours. Only the material needed to produce a given design need be used, eliminating waste and additional material costs. Furthermore, small features - think textures or even text - can be added without increasing the cost of a design. Customization and rapid prototyping of designs are also big benefits, getting unique designs to customers who need them quickly and for lower cost.

Working with the right 3D printing equipment is of course key to producing the best results. Industrial equipment offers professional quality, as well as the opportunity to work with heat-resistant materials like carbon fiber 3D printing filament. Furthermore, large-format 3D printers enable faster production of either large parts or several small parts in a single build job.

3D Printed Mold for Vacuum Forming or Thermoforming
3D Printed Mold for Vacuum Forming

Wood, Aluminium and Structural Foam Molds

Traditional vacuum forming molds are formed by subtractive processes, such as carved wood or structural foam, or by metal casting processes. While each of these processes when leveraged appropriately will produce workable molds, their use is subject to the wait times of casting and high costs of milling.

Wooden molds are well-known to be durable for vacuum forming. Strong wood choices can lead to molds that can be used for hundreds, if not thousands, of vacuum forming runs. Eventually, though, most wood molds will splinter or warp. The best usage of wooden molds is when little detail is required or a thicker mold is desirable.

Cast aluminum molds are among the most durable types, best-suited for scale production of 100,000+ parts. Costs of both material and production -- which can take up to a few months -- make aluminum molds infeasible for shorter production runs.

Structural foam molds are durable and can also be used for larger production runs. These molds are lightweight yet extremely durable, and are often a lower-cost alternative to aluminum options. Many plastics are viable, as a chemical blowing agent is used to makes the plastic’s internal walls thicker for longer-lasting molds.

Applications for Vacuum Forming

Vacuum forming is often used to create parts we interact with every day. Lightweight packaging, securely fit coffee cup lids, and car parts are just a few of the places we often encounter vacuum formed parts.

Aerospace

Aerospace applications for vacuum forming can range from specialty packaging to keep tools in one place to massive parts. Cabin components like large bulkhead dividers and seating needs like arm rests, footwell trays, seat backs, and tray tables are increasingly produced via vacuum forming.

Thermoforming Application: Aircraft Interior

Automotive

In the automotive industry, both internal and external components are often vacuum formed. From relatively small cabin structures like the grate on an air conditioning vent to a full bumper, shaped plastics help to shape our automotive experiences.

Thermoforming Application: Automotive - Car Interior

Packaging

Salad containers or sushi boxes, razor packaging, and sterilized medical device packages are just a few of the packaging uses for vacuum forming. The plastic sheets used in this process can be shaped to precisely house a premium product or made more generally to hold whatever we need to carry.

Thermoforming Application: Food Packaging

Consumer Goods

Toys, musical instrument cases, helmets, luggage, barware -- you name it and the plastics we use every day often come about through vacuum forming. From the outer housing on a bicycle helmet to the body of an RC car, vacuum formed products keep us all rolling.

Thermoforming Application: Luggage

Conclusion

When it comes to vacuum forming, the sky is the limit. Heated plastic can be exactly shaped to match a custom mold for one or thousands of parts. When the molds are 3D printed, they can be made with more complexity, more detail, more options -- and less cost.

GRADUATE FROM DESKTOP. GET INDUSTRIAL.

The BigRep STUDIO G2 gets 3D printing off your desk and takes it to the next level. Operating with the same ease as a desktop 3D printer and with 10 times the build volume, the STUDIO G2 provides large-scale industrial manufacturing capabilities in a compact “fits everywhere” build.

Explore the STUDIO

GRADUATE FROM DESKTOP. GET INDUSTRIAL.

The BigRep STUDIO G2 gets 3D printing off your desk and takes it to the next level. Operating with the same ease as a desktop 3D printer and with 10 times the build volume, the STUDIO G2 provides large-scale industrial manufacturing capabilities in a compact “fits everywhere” build.

Explore the STUDIO

Vacuum Forming and Thermoforming FAQs

About the author:

Dominik Stürzer <a style="color: #0077b5" href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/dominik-stuerzer/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><i class="fab fa-linkedin"></i></a>

Dominik Stürzer

Head of Growth Marketing

Dominik is a mechanical engineer whose passion to share knowledge turned him to content creation. His first 3D prints started in university. Back then the 3D printers were big on the outside and small on the inside. With BigRep the machines are finally big in their possibilities.

Nikola Motor Invests in a BigRep PRO to Help Lead the Future of Sustainable Heavy-Duty Trucking

Nikola Corporation, a technology disruptor and integrator working to develop innovative energy and transportation solutions, has invested in the BigRep PRO, a large-format FFF additive manufacturing system, to streamline the design and manufacturing processes of their zero-emission battery-electric and hydrogen fuel-cell electric vehicles, electric vehicle drivetrains, vehicle components, energy storage systems, and hydrogen station infrastructure.

BigRep, the global leader in large-format additive manufacturing (AM) technology and solutions (FFF segment) is renowned for developing next-generation, German-engineered AM systems like the BigRep PRO. Specializing in industrial solutions for innovative manufacturers like Nikola and advanced AM applications, BigRep and Nikola are an ideal match based on their reputation for delivering innovative technologies.

The BigRep PRO is changing how industry leaders like Nikola consider additive manufacturing.  Integrating AM into design and manufacturing processes opens the door for process improvements, product design optimization and modern operation efficiencies. As with Nikola, who acquired their PRO through California-based reseller Saratech, AM is now able to play a key role in developing the future of freight transport, supported by BigRep’s unique technology and portfolio of high-quality engineering-grade materials – developed through BigRep’s close relationship with BASF.

“At Nikola Corporation, our vision is to become a global leader in zero-emissions transportation – and innovation plays a significant role in making that happen. We selected the BigRep PRO for its large-format build volume, third-party filament compatibility, and state-of-the-art Bosch-Rexroth CNC control systems,” said Technical Operations Manager of Nikola Corporation, Riley Gillman. “The first prints that we ran lasted 17 days. Since then, we have been pretty much running the PRO non-stop to help us print parts and components using its large capacity of printing, high resolution and accuracy throughout the entire process.”

Nikola Motors BigRep PRO Tre Print Left Bumper
Nikola Tre close-up on left bumper

Nikola relies on the BigRep PRO to 3D print assembly, weld, and Coordinate Measuring Machine (CMM) inspection fixtures, which all require a high level of precision. In addition, the PRO is producing test components for fit checks on the company’s vehicles, and manufacturing some end-use parts.

“We are excited to be working with Nikola Corporation by providing both BigRep industrial 3D printing systems and our expertise in innovative applications,” says Frank Marangell, BigRep CBO and President of BigRep America. “The variety of applications Nikola  is printing illustrates the PRO’s flexibility and high-performance potential in demanding industries like automotive. Nikola has joined a roster of other automotive industry leaders who benefit from our flagship system’s unprecedented speed, precision and reliability that make it the perfect choice for cutting-edge AM applications.”

The BigRep PRO is specially designed for 3D printing both large-format and low-yield production parts required in high-performance applications across the automotive, aerospace and other industries. The BigRep PRO features a build envelope of almost one full cubic meter and is equipped with a state-of-the-art Bosch Rexroth CNC motion control system delivering IoT connectivity to fully integrate with Industry 4.0. To create the perfect balance of speed and resolution, BigRep offers two varieties of extruder for the PRO, the Advanced Capability Extruder (ACE) and the BigRep MXT®, its proprietary Metering Extruder Technology. A large, airtight filament chamber allows for continuous printing with engineering-grade filaments like PA6/66, ABS, ASA, fiber-filled and more. The PRO operates using BigRep’s BLADE slicer software, which provides accurate printing time and material use calculations for optimized productivity, as well as simple tools for easy batch and mirror printing.

A truly industrial 3D printing experience

A large-format 3D printer designed for high productivity in industrial manufacturing environments. It's an additive manufacturing system with the speed and reliability to supercharge your production with high-quality industrial parts.

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3D Printed Car Parts for Solar-Electric Vehicles

3D Printed Solar Powered Car Prototype

3D printed car parts are helping engineers to rapidly prototype solar-powered cars, accelerating research into fossil fuel alternatives for consumer vehicles.

The explosively growing trend of electric vehicles (EVs) is clearing the way for new methods of fuel-creation – away from finite, expensive, and environmentally hazardous resources. Since electricity is still largely produced by fossil fuels and other major pollutants, energy production is bottlenecking the reduced carbon footprint of EVs.

Fortunately, ongoing research into cars with integrated solar power cells promises new horizons of environmental responsibility, energy independence and unfettered access to power and mobility across the world.

3D Printed Car Parts - Solar Car
A concept rendering of Futuro Solare's Archimede solar car as a consumer vehicle.

Spurred by global events like Australia’s international solar-car race, the Bridgestone World Solar Challenge, Researchers are already working towards vehicles with integrated solar panels.

BigRep and other corporate sponsors provide researchers with the means to construct and test vehicles with local solar power that participate in these races. The vehicles and their construction process, while sponsored and constructed for these publicized events, are used to advance research into solar vehicles and how we might work towards developing the technology for everyday consumers.

For some groups, BigRep’s large-format 3D printers have played a major role in advancing research. Lack of access to expensive traditional manufacturing technologies is a large barrier for the small teams working on solar vehicles. Fortunately, additive manufacturing easily fills in for the production of functional fixtures, prototypes and more 3D printed car parts.

3D Printed Car Parts: Heat-Resistant Battery Fixtures for Futuro Solare

At Futuro Solare, an Italian-Sicilian team of volunteer engineers and solar-vehicle enthusiasts, they’re dedicated to the mission of eliminating fossil fuels from everyday life. Like many other institutions, developing solar-powered vehicles is how they work towards their goal.

3D Printed Car Parts: Solar Race Car
Archimede 1 is the solar racecar designed by the team of Futuro Solare.

When the group needed several end-use fixtures for their solar-car’s battery block they were stuck in a complicated acquisition dilemma. Since their racecar is entirely custom there isn’t a readily available solution on the market. Worse yet, since the prototype vehicle is always changing there’s a good chance the team will soon need another iteration of the fixture: taking expensive custom milled fixtures off the table entirely. The team needed a custom solution that was affordable, lightweight and, most importantly, able to resist any heat the battery block or other components might give off.

Futuro Solare approached NOWLAB, BigRep’s consultancy for engineered solutions, to 3D print suitable fixtures with a heat-resistant material that would meet their needs. BigRep’s HI-TEMP filament – an affordable bio-polymer able to withstand heat up to 115 ˚C – was the perfect solution. The part was printed and installed in their current solar-car and has since been quickly and easily updated to fit with their ever-evolving design.

3D Printed Car Parts: Battery Frame
Battery holder for Archimede von Futuro Solare are 3D printed.

Wind Tunnel Testing with Team Sonnenwagen

Team Sonnenwagen, a solar race team out of Germany’s Aachen University, was preparing for their second year participating in the World Solar Challenge. Having learned from their previous experience in 2017, they knew it was important to carefully check the aerodynamics of their solar-racecar before the race began. Unfortunately, the university’s wind tunnel was too small to test their full-sized vehicle. Team Sonnenwagen turned to BigRep for an additive manufacturing solution.

It was important for Team Sonnenwagen to understand how their vehicle will behave faced with the variety of forces present in a race. After all, they would be putting one of their own team in the driver’s seat to race at 140 km/h through the Australian outback. BigRep sponsored Team Sonnenwagen and, taking advantage of 3D PARTLAB, our 3D printing service bureau.

With our industrial 3D printers’ massive one-cubic-meter build volume, we created a perfect 1:2.5 scale model of the vehicle. Reasonably scaled down, the team could fit their design in Aachen University’s wind tunnel and undergo the tests to prepare them for their race. Because of the model they were able to validate the vehicle’s downforce lift, confirm its sail, and view a variety of other aerodynamic and force tests that helped the team compete and stay safe.

3D Printed Prototype for Wind Tunnel Tests
Das Team Sonnenwagen verwendet Rauch an seinem skalierten Solar-Rennwagen, um die Aerodynamik zu überprüfen

3D Printed Car Parts Bring Solar-Powered Cars Closer to Reality

Additive manufacturing plays an ever-increasing role in the development of bleeding-edge technology. Solar-powered vehicles are just one example of a technology that benefits from short rapid prototyping cycles, affordable scaled models, and on-demand engineering-quality solutions for spare parts and fixtures.

Because of the opportunities afforded by large-format additive manufacturing, like BigRep’s industrial 3D printers, innovative researchers like Futuro Solare and Team Sonnenwagen have resources never previously accessible at their scale. With them, accelerated research into integrated renewable power has been possible – inching the world closer to reliable solar-powered vehicles for new heights of environmental responsibility and energy independence around the world.

Learn more about Additive Manufacturing

GUIDE TO INTEGRATE LARGE-FORMAT ADDITIVE MANUFACTURING

3D printing a large part all at once means less time is spent designing around multiple print jobs or assembling multiple parts, and more time getting those parts to work for you.

LARGE-FORMAT 3D PRINTERS FOR EDUCATION AND RESEARCH

Learn how Kingston University, Helmut Schmidt University and more are using BigRep 3D printers for their classrooms and research.

Rapid Prototyping: A Comprehensive Guide

Rapid Prototyping - Better Engineering

In the competitive arena of product development, rapid prototyping is the cornerstone of innovation. 3D printing is at the forefront of this process, transforming ideas into tangible realities with unprecedented speed and precision. This synergy of technology and creativity not only enhances the design process, it redefines it.

Engineers and designers now have a powerful ally in 3D printing that streamlines the path from concept to prototype.

Find out how this rapid prototyping not only accelerates development cycles, but opens up new ways to design and excel.

Understanding Rapid Prototyping

Before delving into the benefits and challenges of rapid prototyping, it is important to first define what it is. Rapid prototyping is a methodology that involves creating physical models of designs or concepts using computer-aided design (CAD) software and usually 3D printing. The goal is to produce a tangible representation of an idea that can be tested and refined before committing to large-scale production.

What is Rapid Prototyping?

Rapid prototyping, also known as additive manufacturing or 3D printing, is a process that builds up layers of material to create a three-dimensional object. It has revolutionized the product development cycle by significantly reducing the time and cost traditionally associated with creating prototypes.

Is Rapid Prototyping the Same as 3D Printing?

When the technology was first developed, 3D printing was so synonymous with rapid prototyping that the two terms were interchangeable. Whether referencing “3D printing,” “rapid prototyping,” or “RP,” the conversation generally all referred to the same thing. Today, 3D printing has developed into end-use production capabilities as well and is more commonly synonymous with “additive manufacturing.”

Still, rapid prototyping was the first and remains the largest application for 3D printing. Iterations from proof-of-concept through to functional prototype can all be 3D printed. Whether outsourced or in-house, using 3D printers speeds up the rapid prototyping significantly through removing traditional bottlenecks in tooling and/or shipping. Rapid prototyping can also increasingly be done using the same 3D printing technology as will be used for the final product.

Rapid Prototyping and 3D Printing

The Importance of Rapid Prototyping in Innovation

One of the main reasons why rapid prototyping is vital in the innovation process is its ability to accelerate the design cycle. In the past, creating physical prototypes required specialized equipment and often took weeks or even months to complete. With rapid prototyping, businesses can quickly produce multiple iterations of a design and test their feasibility in a matter of days.

Rapid prototyping not only speeds up the design process but also allows for more creativity and experimentation. Designers and engineers can easily explore different ideas and concepts by quickly producing physical prototypes. This iterative approach encourages innovation and pushes the boundaries of what is possible.

Also, rapid prototyping enables effective communication and collaboration among team members. Instead of relying solely on 2D drawings or verbal descriptions, stakeholders can interact with a physical prototype, providing valuable feedback and insights. This enhances the decision-making process and ensures that everyone involved is on the same page.

In addition to its role in the design and development phase, rapid prototyping also plays a crucial role in marketing and sales. By creating realistic and visually appealing prototypes, businesses can showcase their products to potential investors, customers, and partners. This helps in securing funding, generating interest, and gaining a competitive edge in the market.

Rapid prototyping allows for early detection of design flaws and technical issues. By physically testing a prototype, engineers can identify and address any potential problems before moving forward with production. This saves time, resources, and prevents costly mistakes down the line.

Another advantage of rapid prototyping is its ability to facilitate customization and personalization. With the flexibility of additive manufacturing, products can be easily tailored to meet individual customer requirements. This opens up new opportunities for mass customization and niche markets.

Overall, rapid prototyping is a game-changer in the world of product development. Its speed, cost-effectiveness, and ability to foster innovation make it an indispensable tool for businesses across various industries. By embracing rapid prototyping, companies can stay ahead of the competition, deliver better products, and drive continuous improvement.

The Process of Rapid Prototyping

Now that we understand the concept of rapid prototyping, let's explore the steps involved in the process and the tools and techniques used to bring ideas to life.

Steps Involved in Rapid Prototyping

Rapid prototyping typically involves the following steps:

  1. Design: The first step is to create a digital 3D model of the idea using CAD software. This model serves as the blueprint for the physical prototype.
  2. Printing: Once the design is finalized, it is sent to a 3D printer. The printer uses a variety of materials, such as plastic or metal, to build up the prototype layer by layer.
  3. Post-processing: After the printing process is complete, the prototype may require some post-processing, such as sanding or polishing, to achieve the desired finish.
  4. Testing and Iteration: The final step involves testing the prototype to evaluate its functionality and gather feedback. Based on the results, the design can be refined and further prototypes can be created.

Design is a crucial step in the rapid prototyping process. It involves translating an idea into a digital 3D model using computer-aided design (CAD) software. This step requires careful consideration of the desired functionality, aesthetics, and manufacturability of the prototype. Designers must ensure that the model accurately represents the intended product, allowing for a realistic evaluation of its feasibility and potential improvements.

Once the design is complete, the next step is printing the prototype. This is where the magic happens! The digital model is sent to a 3D printer, which brings it to life layer by layer. The 3D printer uses various materials, such as plastic or metal, depending on the requirements of the prototype. The choice of material can greatly impact the final product's strength, durability, and appearance.

After the printing process is finished, the prototype may undergo post-processing. This step involves refining the prototype's surface finish and texture to achieve the desired look and feel. Techniques such as sanding, polishing, or applying a protective coating may be employed to enhance the prototype's aesthetics and functionality. Post-processing is crucial for creating prototypes that closely resemble the final product, allowing for a more accurate evaluation and feedback.

Testing and iteration are vital components of the rapid prototyping process. Once the prototype is complete, it is subjected to rigorous testing to evaluate its functionality, performance, and user experience. This step helps identify any design flaws or areas for improvement. Feedback from testing is then used to refine the design and create further iterations of the prototype. This iterative process allows for continuous improvement and optimization of the product, ensuring that it meets the desired requirements and objectives.

What is Rapid Prototyping

Tools and Techniques for Rapid Prototyping

Several tools and techniques are used in rapid prototyping, each with its own advantages and limitations. Some of the most commonly used methods include:

  • Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM): This technique involves extruding thermoplastic material through a heated nozzle to build up the prototype layer by layer. FDM is known for its affordability and versatility. It is widely used in various industries, including product development, engineering, and architecture.
  • Stereolithography (SLA): SLA uses a laser to solidify liquid resin, creating the prototype layer by layer. This method provides high levels of detail and accuracy, making it suitable for creating intricate and complex prototypes. SLA is commonly used in industries such as jewelry, dentistry, and automotive.
  • Selective Laser Sintering (SLS): SLS utilizes a laser to fuse powdered material together to form the prototype. This technique is particularly suitable for creating prototypes with complex geometries and functional parts. SLS is widely used in industries such as aerospace, automotive, and medical.

There are various other tools and technologies available for prototyping, such as CNC machining, vacuum casting, and laser cutting, but rapid prototyping always refers to 3D printing. The choice of tool or technique depends on factors such as the desired material properties, level of detail required, and budget constraints.

Rapid prototyping has revolutionized the product development process, enabling faster and more efficient iteration and innovation. By allowing designers and engineers to quickly transform ideas into tangible prototypes, it accelerates the development timeline and reduces the risk of costly errors. With the continuous advancements in technology and materials, the possibilities for rapid prototyping are expanding, opening up new avenues for creativity and problem-solving.

BigRep-PRO-ACE-Extruder

The Benefits of Rapid Prototyping for Businesses

Rapid prototyping offers numerous benefits that contribute to accelerated innovation. Let's take a closer look at two key advantages: time and cost efficiency, and enhanced design and functionality.

Time and Cost Efficiency

In traditional product development cycles, creating physical prototypes can be time-consuming and expensive. The process typically involves multiple iterations, which can lead to delays and increased costs. However, with rapid prototyping, businesses can significantly reduce both the time and cost associated with developing new products.

One of the main reasons for the time and cost efficiency of rapid prototyping is the ability to quickly iterate and test designs. Unlike traditional methods, where each iteration requires significant time and resources, rapid prototyping allows for rapid design changes and modifications. Designers can quickly create a new prototype, test it, and make necessary adjustments in a matter of hours or days, rather than weeks or months.

This accelerated iteration process not only saves time but also reduces costs. By identifying and addressing any potential issues early in the process, companies can avoid costly mistakes and rework later on. This proactive approach helps streamline the overall product development cycle, leading to faster time-to-market and increased competitiveness in the industry.

Decrease Time to Market

The time it takes an idea to move from concept to deliverable should be as short as possible. Replacing months or years of traditional wait times in the iterative prototyping process with days or weeks is an easily apparent benefit of rapid prototyping. A 3D printer can precisely create the next iteration from a slightly tweaked design file much faster than could any traditional tooling-based prototyping process. Speeding the design cycle inherently improves time-to-market for a new product.

Enhancing Design and Functionality

Rapid prototyping enables designers and engineers to explore complex designs and functionalities that may be difficult or costly to achieve with traditional manufacturing methods. By creating physical prototypes, they can test the design's functionality, ergonomics, and aesthetics, and make necessary improvements before moving forward with production.

With rapid prototyping, designers have the freedom to experiment and push the boundaries of what is possible. They can easily create multiple iterations of a design, allowing them to explore different concepts and variations. This flexibility not only leads to better design outcomes but also encourages innovation and creativity.

Furthermore, rapid prototyping allows for a more iterative and collaborative design process. Designers can share physical prototypes with stakeholders, such as clients, investors, or end-users, to gather feedback and make informed design decisions. This iterative feedback loop ensures that the final product meets the needs and expectations of all stakeholders, resulting in a more successful and marketable product.

In addition to design improvements, rapid prototyping also enables the testing of functionality. Engineers can simulate real-world conditions and evaluate how the product performs under different scenarios. This testing phase helps identify any flaws or limitations in the design, allowing for necessary adjustments and refinements.

Improve Effective Communication

The fast turnaround of rapid prototyping eases communication gaps by opening up the conversation. It’s much easier if every engineer on your team has the same understanding of a process, and quickly getting a next physical prototype in hand offers a clear point of reference. As each prototype becomes closer to the feel and performance of the final design, small tweaks and large adjustments both become easier to understand for your entire team.

Overall, rapid prototyping enhances both the design and functionality of products. It empowers designers and engineers to create innovative and user-centric solutions, while also reducing the risk of costly design errors and production issues.

Rapid Prototyping - Ford MegaBox

How to Use Rapid Prototyping in the Engineering Process

Rapid prototyping sounds great, but where can it be used in the engineering process? The answer may not be wholly surprising at this point: from initial proof-of-concept to final-look-and-feel prototype, rapid prototyping can come into play across the entire process.

Concept Prototypes

The earliest prototypes are often conceptual. Proof-of-concept prototypes serve as physical validation of the ideas that may have emerged as a sketch on a napkin. Taking an idea into the three-dimensional real world is the best way to prove viability. Getting hands-on with a concept model can help your engineering team understand their next steps at the same time as it may encourage management to simply move forward with a project.

These early prototypes are often the roughest, as they are the lowest-risk representations made in the rapid prototyping cycle. These prototypes are made quickly and generally in different materials and colors than later-stage prototypes, much less final designs.

Rapid Prototyping - LOCI PodCar

Aesthetic or Industrial Design Prototypes

Once a design is validated in its roughest form, it moves next into an aesthetic or industrial design step. These next prototypes begin to hone in on how the design should look and feel, with the thought process beginning to turn toward usability and functionality -- without necessarily being fully functional quite yet. To ensure a new part will fit into a greater whole, or a new product will fit with your brand’s existing aesthetic or functional line, these prototypes more accurately look like something that is moving toward a final design. These prototypes also enable engineers to consider how exactly to best manufacture the eventual final design.

Especially when working with life-sized, larger designs like furniture, having life-sized prototypes to fit to spaces and users becomes ever more important as designs move through the prototyping cycle. Large-scale 3D printing can bring these large-scale designs to life, allowing for a full iteration to be made and tested in less than the time it would take for a traditional tool to be made. Furniture maker Steelcase experienced this benefit first-hand as they use their large-format BigRep 3D printer to create new furniture designs:

What is 3D Printing

Functional Prototypes

A functional prototype does just that: it functions. These later-stage prototypes are often made of materials similar to what will be used in a final product, to validate that everything will work as intended. Engineers at this stage pay attention to performance: does it fit, does it function, do load-bearing parts bear loads?

Attention must be paid to detail, to how the final part will be manufactured (especially if this will be done in a different process than the prototype; for example, 3D printing a prototype for a part that will ultimately be injection molded) as well as how the final part will be post-processed/finished.

Test Serial Production

Many products bound for the mass market are bound for mass production, and this may mean in a different manufacturing process. While 3D printing may be the right technology for both rapid prototyping and serial production of the final part - consider, for example, cases of mass customization - this will not always be the case.

Prototyping must take into account the eventual manufacturing process to be used, and later-stage prototypes should use the same materials and fit into the appropriate manufacturing parameters as the final parts will be. Consideration for traditional production processes comes more into play here, for example for tooling, jigs and fixtures, or any other necessary implements. Design for additive manufacturing (DfAM) may move toward traditional design for manufacturing (DFM) thinking.

Demonstration or Presentation Model Prototypes

The final look is the final stage in prototyping, the last step before full production begins. At this stage, a prototype should not only feel and operate like the final product, but needs to look like it, too. This prototype can be used for marketing materials while production ramps up, for convincing investors of final viability and feasibility, for final field testing, or for any other demonstration or presentation needs. The goal of rapid prototyping is to reach this stage faster than ever before using conventional prototyping workflows.

Prototype of a Bike Frame

Challenges in Rapid Prototyping

While rapid prototyping offers many advantages, it is not without its challenges. Let's discuss potential limitations and risks, as well as strategies for overcoming obstacles in the rapid prototyping process.

Rapid prototyping, also known as 3D printing, has revolutionized the manufacturing industry. It allows for the quick and cost-effective production of prototypes, enabling designers and engineers to iterate and refine their designs at a much faster pace. However, there are certain limitations and risks associated with this process that need to be addressed.

Potential Limitations and Risks

One of the main limitations of rapid prototyping is the material selection. While rapid prototyping supports a wide range of materials, including plastics, metals, and ceramics, the selection may not be as extensive as with traditional manufacturing methods. This can be a constraint when trying to replicate the exact properties and characteristics of the final product.

Additionally, the strength and durability of prototyped parts may not match those of the final manufactured product. This can be a limitation when testing for functionality and reliability. It is crucial to keep in mind that prototypes are not always a perfect representation of the end product, and adjustments may need to be made during the manufacturing process.

Another risk associated with rapid prototyping is the potential for design flaws to go unnoticed until the final product is manufactured. Since the prototyping process is relatively fast, there may not be enough time for thorough testing and evaluation. This can result in costly rework and delays in production.

Overcoming Obstacles in Rapid Prototyping

To overcome these challenges, it is important to carefully consider material selection during the design phase. By understanding the limitations of the available materials and their properties, designers can make informed decisions and choose the most suitable material for their specific application.

Additionally, testing the prototypes under realistic conditions and conducting thorough performance evaluations can help identify and mitigate any potential issues before production. This includes subjecting the prototypes to various stress tests, simulating real-world scenarios, and gathering feedback from end-users. By thoroughly evaluating the prototypes, designers can gain valuable insights and make necessary improvements to ensure the final product meets the desired standards.

Furthermore, collaboration between designers, engineers, and manufacturers is crucial in overcoming obstacles in rapid prototyping. By working together and leveraging each other's expertise, it becomes easier to address any challenges that arise during the prototyping process. Regular communication and feedback loops can help streamline the process and ensure that all parties are aligned towards achieving the desired outcome.

In conclusion, while rapid prototyping offers numerous benefits, it is important to be aware of the potential limitations and risks associated with the process. By understanding these challenges and implementing strategies to overcome them, designers and engineers can maximize the potential of rapid prototyping and accelerate the innovation and development of new products.

3D printed drone eVTOL by Airflight for crane and hoisting applications

Future of Rapid Prototyping

Rapid prototyping continues to evolve, presenting exciting opportunities for the future of innovation. Let's explore some of the emerging trends in rapid prototyping and its role in shaping the future of the industry.

Emerging Trends in Rapid Prototyping

One key trend is the integration of rapid prototyping with other advanced technologies, such as artificial intelligence (AI) and virtual reality (VR). This combination allows for even faster and more accurate prototyping, as well as enhanced visualization and user experience.

With the integration of AI, rapid prototyping can now generate intelligent designs based on user requirements and preferences. This not only speeds up the prototyping process but also ensures that the final product meets the specific needs of the target audience. Additionally, AI-powered rapid prototyping can analyze vast amounts of data to identify potential design flaws or areas for improvement, leading to more refined and successful prototypes.

Virtual reality is another technology that is revolutionizing rapid prototyping. By creating virtual environments, designers and engineers can test and experience their prototypes in a simulated setting, allowing for better evaluation of form, fit, and functionality. This immersive experience enables early identification of design flaws and facilitates iterative improvements, ultimately resulting in more robust and user-friendly products.

The Role of Rapid Prototyping in the Future of Innovation

Rapid prototyping will play a crucial role in the future of innovation by enabling businesses to swiftly adapt to changing customer demands and market dynamics. As the technology continues to advance, we can expect to see even greater speed, precision, and customization in the prototyping process, further empowering businesses to bring their innovative ideas to life.

One industry that is benefiting from rapid prototyping is aerospace. With the ability to rapidly produce and test complex components, engineers can iterate designs and optimize performance, leading to lighter and more fuel-efficient aircraft. Rapid prototyping also enables the production of intricate and customized parts that would be difficult or costly to manufacture using traditional methods.

In the consumer electronics sector, rapid prototyping allows companies to quickly bring innovative products to market. By rapidly iterating designs and incorporating user feedback, businesses can stay ahead of the competition and meet the ever-changing demands of consumers. This agility in product development is crucial in an industry where trends and technologies evolve rapidly.

Conclusion

In conclusion, rapid prototyping is a powerful tool that accelerates innovation by allowing businesses to quickly iterate, test, and refine new ideas. Through the use of advanced technologies and manufacturing processes, companies can bring innovative products and services to market faster than ever before. While there are challenges in the rapid prototyping process, the benefits far outweigh the limitations. As we look to the future, rapid prototyping will continue to redefine the way we bring ideas to life and shape the landscape of innovation.

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How Large-Format 3D Printing is Transforming Industries

Learn how industry-leading companies are putting 3D printing to use as we explore four applications that are helping increase productivity, reduce leads times and improve time to market.

Large Scale 3D Printing: Realizing Value from Design to Production

“Why does size matter and what value does it provide?” Join this free webinar to learn how the power of large-scale 3D printing can help you enhance design and reduce costs, all while accelerating time-to-market.

About the author:

Dominik Stürzer <a style="color: #0077b5" href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/dominik-stuerzer/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><i class="fab fa-linkedin"></i></a>

Dominik Stürzer

Head of Growth Marketing

Dominik is a mechanical engineer whose passion to share knowledge turned him to content creation. His first 3D prints started in university. Back then the 3D printers were big on the outside and small on the inside. With BigRep the machines are finally big in their possibilities.

4-Hour Parts! Fast 3D Printing in Large Scale

Fast 3D Printing

Fast 3D printing has been the goal of new additive manufacturing technology forever. Unfortunately, when it comes to industrial 3D printers, the size of parts just hasn't been conducive to quick and quality prints. Now, as innovative new technologies hit the market that change the extrusion process allowing industrial 3D printers to produce large-scale parts in just 4 hours, that's finally changing.

A Fast Extruder for On-Demand Solutions

Thanks to the inclusion of BigRep’s proprietary Metering Extruder Technology (MXT®), the BigRep PRO is 3D printing large-format parts in just 4 hours - in this case a manifold for automotive applications. It's able to achieve these exceptional speeds because, unlike FFF, MXT melts filament in advance and stores it in an internal reservoir. The extra step enables unprecedented speed and precision in the printing process by separating the filament melting and material deposition processes, ensuring material passes through the hot end at its ideal temperature and viscosity.

With an identical nozzle size and layer height on a standard traditional 3D printer the parts take 14 hours, a far cry from the astounding 4 hours with MXT. At this speed, the PRO can help fulfill last minute or urgent part requests faster than any other large-format 3D printer. Beyond simply fast production, the full-scale manifolds were 3D printed with exceptionally strong PA6/66 filament (Nylon) - an advanced material with superior layer bonding. Even at speeds 3x faster than traditional FFF technology could produce with a standard PLA material the parts are stronger, breaking across layers before delamination. In urgent circumstances like Kawasaki’s 5-hour fixture for an aircraft cargo door, that kind of quality and on-demand responsiveness is priceless.



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When we talk about why you should invest in additive manufacturing the rationale is usually hard numbers: lower costs, faster lead times, and overall increases to productivity. Those are great talking points that speak to the metrics most businesses are looking to improve with a technology investment – or why your boss will be happy you bought a BigRep PRO. But really all of these metrics are just pleasant, measurable effects of how an industrial 3D printer makes your manufacturing operations more flexible. Having the fastest 3D printer in its category, capable of producing engineering-grade parts on-demand at high speed, just extends that flexibility.

The BigRep PRO is our ultimate industrial offering. It provides manufacturers with a variety of features to handle any circumstance you might be faced with. Its massive one-cubic-meter build volume enables the production of exceptionally large parts, or batches of parts that are either all the same or varying iterations. With other built-in quality of life features, like IoT connectivity to monitor ongoing prints and sequential printing to streamline print organization, the PRO gives manufacturers a lot of flexibility in how they want to produce parts. But what makes the PRO really special is that it raises the bar in not just how a part is produced, but the versatility of parts themselves – giving you the power to balance the PRO's enhanced production speed, strength, surface finish and other material properties as you see fit.

Fast 3D Printing Sample Part
Fast 3D Printing Sample Part Drawing

An Industrial Machine for Fast 3D Printing

Sometimes speed isn’t your first priority. MXT is unmatched in the fast creation of strong parts but, as a new technology, its compatible materials and resolutions are limited. That’s why the PRO includes BigRep’s fiber-ready Advanced Capabilities Extruder (ACE). It's a traditional FFF extruder for a variety of engineering-grade materials and resolutions to ensure the PRO meets your every need.

The PRO comes stacked with advanced components for faster printing with traditional FFF extruders, too. BigRep’s Precision Motions Portal enables high acceleration and stable printing with high-quality servo motor, a stiffened axis and a unique double rail that evenly distributes the weight of its advanced extruders. Meanwhile a Bosch Rexroth CNC Control System provides elevated responsiveness and repeatability with its 32 integrated sensors and spline interpolation for smooth surfaces. With its top-tier construction, even the PRO’s ACE extruder is capable of printing 1.5x faster than competing industrial 3D printers.

Manufacturing with industrial 3D printers costs less and produces more because they eliminate outsourcing, expensive molds, and all those other inefficiencies of traditional manufacturing. They’re faster because they can run unattended to produce parts in a lights-out manufacturing setting, and because they don’t need any retooling to work. But where industrial 3D printers really shine, and especially the BigRep PRO, is what can’t be expressed so well with metrics. The flexibility that the BigRep PRO brings to industrial manufacturers, from the how to the what, has enabled many businesses to rebalance production for any given task with just a single industrial tool.

1m³ Industrial 3D Printer

A large-format 3D printer designed for high productivity in industrial manufacturing environments. It's an additive manufacturing system with the speed and reliability to supercharge your production with high-quality industrial parts.

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Mass Customization and the Power of 3D Printing

Mass Customization and the Power of 3D Printing

Mass Customization and the Power of 3D Printing

One of the major selling points of adopting 3D printing technology into operations is the ability to mass customize.

But what exactly is mass customization, why would anyone want it, and how does 3D printing enable it?

What is mass customization?

At its simplest, mass customization is exactly what it sounds like: customization on a large scale.

Customization is typically thought of as more one-of-a-kind than one-size-fits-all, which can make it difficult to achieve on a large scale. The major benefit here is in combining the low cost-per-unit of mass manufacturing with the appeal and flexibility of individual design.

Mass customization can be simple or complex, depending on the manufacturer and application. Selecting a different color or size of a design, for example, is a relatively simple way of customizing a mass-produced product. Upping the complexity, the shell of a certain system may look the same, such as in the case of a computer, while the internal components may be swapped out to affect speed or power, to create many potential configurations of customization within a single product.

In many cases, the ultimate assembled product may thus be customized, even if the individual components themselves are still subject to standard mass production. In different applications, though, a single order of many of the same object may require slight variations between each item in the run. This inherently changes the plan for manufacturing, as a single mold for injection molding can only create the same geometry time after time.

mass-customization-advantages

Why is mass customization useful?

From shoes to computers to widgets, there are myriad reasons why a customer might want to offer variances within a single production run. Let’s look to an example in the medical industry to easily understand why customizing on a larger scale might be helpful to a manufacturer.

One of the earliest wide adopters of 3D printing technology was the hearing aid industry. Another more recent example is the orthodontic aligner business. In both these cases, a manufacturer must make an individually fitted device for the unique anatomy of a single person. No two ear canals, nor two sets of teeth, are quite the same. When it comes to dental aligners, even a single person’s needs will change as the teeth are shifted through wearing these and new aligners will be required on a fairly regular basis.

In both hearing aids and aligners, it’s clear to see why each design must be unique to its eventual wearer. But getting there with mass production technology can be a trickier proposition.

For a manufacturer, good business sense dictates that every effort should be made to create the best possible product at the lowest cost, using the least material, time, and labor possible. That generally means producing on a larger scale, as price-per-unit can be reduced through the concept of mass production. Combining that capability with the needs of products that are customized in at least some aspect is where the idea of mass customization begins to make strategic sense.

Mass customization examples

Beyond the medical industry, mass customization comes into play across many application areas.

One of the most interactive ways to access mass customization is through co-creation, which is a collaborative effort working closely with a partner or customer. Both parties’ expertise, whether of technology or end-user experience, comes into play to together design a solution that can be tweaked as needed to individualize the ultimate experience.

Sizing and color are among the primary aspects of many designs, from furniture to clothing, that can be customized, but by no means are they the only facets.

Mass Customization: 3D printed part for special needs car

German automotive company Paravan, for example, is the market leader in producing wheelchair-accessible vehicles. The company has turned to large-format 3D printing to customize vehicles for drivers and passengers with disabilities or special needs. While a base car may be similar, each individual’s needs are different; some may need a modified steering mechanism while another may need an adapted braking system.

Comfort, style, safety, adaptability, personality, luxury -- the reasons for wanting mass customization are many, though ultimately all boil down to the need to satisfy the end user.

mass-customization-adaptive-customization-example

Different approaches to customization

Just as the goals of customization differ case by case, so do the approaches to achieving it. Among the major approaches are collaborative, adaptive, transparent, and cosmetic customization.

Collaborative customization

When it comes to collaborative customization, co-creation is the key. Working closely together with your customer to identify exactly what needs must be met, and what may need to be adjusted to meet individuals’ unique needs from a base design, the co-creators are able to determine the whats and the whys to then develop the hows of appropriate mass customization.

Adaptive customization

Focused more on the end user, adaptive collaboration enables, well, adaptation. Allowing a few options to customize a product, a customer can select the fit or style that best suits them. When making products like water sports mobility devices, for example, ensuring the right fit for the rider is not only practical, but a safety measure. Large-format 3D printing is enabling just that for JAMADE’s AMAZEA underwater scooter.

Transparent customization

Sometimes customization seems obvious - and when needs are apparent, transparent customization can come into play. Here, individuals’ products are customized from the back end as the producer can reliably predict and then discreetly create designs that suit those needs. The goal with transparent customization is to make workflow easier for the client, removing the need for ongoing back-and-forth discussion.

Cosmetic customization

Customization can go into the very essence of a product, or be a bit more front-facing. Cosmetic customization comes into play for mass production that doesn’t “look mass produced.” No one wants to feel like they’re one of a crowd, so presenting essentially the same product in a few different ways can help differentiate between customers -- think company logos, different colors, and other cosmetic branding.

Challenges to mass customization

As valuable a prospect as mass customization is, actualizing the concept still faces some challenges. As more industrial 3D printing capabilities are put to use in mass customization, though, these challenges can be seen as simply the next landmarks of achievement.

Higher costs

The numbers are simple: it’s more cost-effective to mass produce batches of like items. We see this same split when considering injection molding versus additive manufacturing when it comes to mass production. As of today, injection molding is a more economical option for mass production.

The same cannot be said, however, when it comes to customization. Producing quantities of slightly different items means that the same mold will not suffice for each. Making new molds in this manner would be extremely expensive, and likely more costly in terms of both money and extended lead time to make them all than a manufacturer would find agreeable.

In order to effectively mass customize, either individualized molds must be made for each or manufacturing must be done with no molding at all - and that’s where industrial 3D printing comes into play. This changes the value proposition, as the lack of molds enables the individualization of each piece in a mass production pipeline without adding to costs as would happen with traditional processes.

When considering higher costs, comparisons must be apples-to-apples; like must be compared with like. Mass customization is not inexpensive, but with increasing demand from end-use consumers preferring their specific needs be met, it is only going to be on the rise across a variety of applications and industries.

Returning of customized products

Returns are a fact of life in any production environment. For any number of reasons, customers may see the need to return their goods. Any reason may be given, from having not selected the right item for their purpose to changing their minds - and most major suppliers have return policies in place.

When those items to be returned have been customized, though, things change for the supplier. Many returned goods can be returned to the shelves with only a slight inventory adjustment. Items made to fit a specific user or need, though, cannot simply go back on a shelf.

Returns must be handled on a case-by-case basis, with consideration of the ability to resell the product to a new buyer. When it comes to personalized medical goods, for example, there simply is no other customer. When customization came in the form of a size or color, though, more opportunities are likely for different buyers.

Supply chain efficiency

Finally, mass customization may alter the efficiencies of supply chain operations. Mass production typically requires longer lead times when custom options are available.

However, through advanced manufacturing technologies like large-format 3D printing, lead times may not see much impact. Because digital designs lead directly to the physical products, with no need for tooling or molding made along the way, each print job takes a specified amount of time regardless of the variation in designs on the build tray.

How can you achieve Mass Customization?

How can we achieve mass customization?

When it comes to true mass customization, making full product runs with slight-to-major variances among each object made, the single best option available today is to use 3D printing.

3D printing is a digital manufacturing technology that enables every object on a build plate, whether that be two or 2,000, to be different. By tweaking the 3D model, each design can be customized for its ultimate purpose without any additional expense. There is no need for tooling to be made, nor new molds for each individual design adjustment, significantly reducing the time and money typically involved in creating different designs.

When using large-format 3D printing equipment, new possibilities open up for industry and art alike, enabling every design to be as unique as a fingerprint.

How can we achieve mass customization?

When it comes to true mass customization, making full product runs with slight-to-major variances among each object made, the single best option available today is to use 3D printing.

3D printing is a digital manufacturing technology that enables every object on a build plate, whether that be two or 2,000, to be different. By tweaking the 3D model, each design can be customized for its ultimate purpose without any additional expense. There is no need for tooling to be made, nor new molds for each individual design adjustment, significantly reducing the time and money typically involved in creating different designs.

When using large-format 3D printing equipment, new possibilities open up for industry and art alike, enabling every design to be as unique as a fingerprint.

How can you achieve Mass Customization?

Learn more with these Additive Manufacturing Use Cases

Large-format 3D printers for education and research

Read how Kingston University, Helmut Schmidt University and more are using BigRep 3D printers for their classrooms and research.

Guide to Large-Format Additive Manufacturing

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Learn Industrial Design for Additive Manufacturing

Demonstrating with real-world examples of large-format designs created by BigRep and its partners, see the unique product-capabilities that designers can take advantage of with AM in large-format on an industrial scale.

Find your industrial Additive Manufacturing machine

GRADUATE FROM DESKTOP. GET INDUSTRIAL.

The BigRep STUDIO G2 gets 3D printing off your desk and takes it to the next level. Operating with the same ease as a desktop 3D printer and with 10 times the build volume, the STUDIO G2 provides large-scale industrial manufacturing capabilities in a compact “fits everywhere” build.

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PREMIUM-EFFIZIENZ FÜR ANWENDUNGEN IN DER INDUSTRIE

Der industrielle 3D-Drucker STUDIO G2 wurde speziell auf Zuverlässigkeit bei abrasiven und technischen Werkstoffen ausgelegt. Er ist ein langlebiger und kostengünstiger Partner für Ihre Innovationen, da er das gegenwärtig beste Verhältnis zwischen Bauvolumen und Auflösung bei 3D-Druckern bietet. Der STUDIO G2 mit seinem ansprechenden und platzsparenden Gehäuse eignet sich perfekt zur Produktion großformatiger Teile in jeder Arbeitsumgebung – vom Büro bis zur Werkstatt.

MEHR ERFAHREN

About the author:

Dominik Stürzer <a style="color: #0077b5" href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/dominik-stuerzer/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><i class="fab fa-linkedin"></i></a>

Dominik Stürzer

Head of Growth Marketing

Dominik is a mechanical engineer whose passion to share knowledge turned him to content creation. His first 3D prints started in university. Back then the 3D printers were big on the outside and small on the inside. With BigRep the machines are finally big in their possibilities.

Design for Industrial Additive Manufacturing: Eliminating Support Structures

Design for Additive Manufacturing

Optimizing designs is a crucial skill to create manufacturing efficiencies. To get the most out of your additive manufacturing system, or the least in terms of time and material, you need to understand the nuances of your 3D printer and how design for additive manufacturing differs from design for other manufacturing technologies. Once you do, it’s easy to tweak designs in a way that helps meet your productivity goals.

If you’re working on increasing efficiency in your manufacturing processes you probably already have a goal in mind. It’s likely a high-level goal like total productivity or operational costs. Here we’re going to help save you time and money to meet those high-level goals with a few design tips to print faster, save material, and reduce post-processing by eliminating support structures from your designs.

We often use designs that were originally created for traditional manufacturing technologies, like injection moulding, and apply them to newer technologies. If you instead consider the strengths and weaknesses of additive manufacturing and redesign accordingly, it’s easy to optimize your production.

Orientation

If you’re trying to reduce the support materials for your part, overhangs will probably be your first concern. Overhangs can often be reduced or eliminated by simply reorienting a design in your slicer. If you can’t just turn the design as it is, consider whether you can redesign your part so its base structure will support its overhangs more effectively.

Take this hand jig designed by BigRep, for example. It’s an alignment tool for automotive manufacturing processes that doesn’t require significant force. Ordinarily, the handle for this kind of fixture would have three faces with the two that are protruding from the base at 90-degree angles. Since an especially firm grip isn’t required, we limited the handle to two faces and protruded them at 45-degree angles – an overhang angle favorable to most FFF materials. In doing this, we sacrificed some of the handle’s empty space but saved significantly on material – both in terms of support material and the part itself.

If such an acute angle won’t work for your design’s overhang, consider changing the material you use. While BigRep’s PLA and PRO HT both work best with 45-degree overhangs, our engineering-grade materials are often suitable for harsher angles - like HI TEMP which can effectively print overhangs at angles of up to 65-degrees.

Chamfering

Sometimes reducing the faces on your design isn’t possible, so you can always try chamfering between the overhang’s outmost edge and base object. A “chamfering” is the transitional edge between two sides of an object, usually a 45-degree angle between two right-angle surfaces. It’s an easy process that most CAD software provides automated tools to accomplish. By chamfering your design, you can remove sharp angled overhangs, reducing them to manageable angles that your printer and material process can handle.

Structural Support

If you can’t change the angles on your design, or need to apply more than one design strategy, you can forgo wasteful slicer-generated support structures and design them yourself. In our hand jig we added “fins” as structural supports for the overhangs needed to form a handle.

Support fins are thin overhang tracings used to reinforce your design. You can see in our hand jig that we completely outlined the gap for our handle – even on the object’s base – to ensure it prints successfully without adding support structures. Fins trade some of what would be empty space in your design, so it’s important to make sure that enough room is left for the part’s intended use, but can save lots of support material and serve to strengthen your part’s extremities.

Internal Channels

Small internal channels won’t usually need additional support since FFF printers can easily handle a circular gap. However, there are some use cases where internal channels are too large to print without added support – especially in industrial applications where air or liquid flow might be important to your design. In the unusual case that an internal channel requires supports, they can be very difficult to remove without a water-soluble support material used on a dual-extrusion 3D printer, if not impossible.

To solve this tricky problem, don’t limit yourself to circular internal channels. The common circular shape for internal channels seems like common sense, but it’s just one of those holdovers from traditional manufacturing when drilling was the easiest way to form a channel. To design for additive manufacturing, you can easily change your channel’s shape to print better. Usually a teardrop shape, with the point at the top, is preferred to keep all angles at 45-degrees and easily printable. Don’t limit yourself, though. If you’re still finding supports necessary in your internal channels take a closer look at the weak points and experiment with the channel’s shape to find one that suits your needs.

Conclusion

There are a lot of different ways you can optimize your designs to reduce or entirely remove support structures. By doing so, you can minimize post-processing, save material, and print your parts faster. Don’t be afraid to redesign features that we might take for granted. Remember that design lags behind production technology, so question the necessity of any inefficiencies in your designs and consider how they might be optimized with the advanced tools now at your disposal.

You can always find some inspiration by seeing how the experts tackle this change. Check out our free case study, How Airbus Manufactures Shipping Cases In-House with Large-Format Additive, to learn how Airbus, SAS reinvented shipping case design with additive manufacturing.



Find out how industry leaders are using BigRep 3D printers to create affordable and secure investment shipping containers on demand for sensitive aerospace equipment in our case study with Airbus:
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BigRep’s COVID-19 Response

Covid-19 Face Shield

Faced with the challenges of COVID-19, we at BigRep believe the response should be nothing less than all hands on deck. Fortunately, additive manufacturing technology is uniquely capable of tackling the supply chain challenges the world is currently faced with.

Here you'll find an updated post about how we're working to support COVID-19 relief efforts, and any resources we can share that will help you contribute too.

If you're part of an organization responding to COVID-19 and could use BigRep's help, please reach out to [email protected] with requests.

For up to date information about the ongoing pandemic, visit the World Health Organization at https://www.who.int/emergencies/diseases/novel-coronavirus-2019

Protective Face Shields for Local Communities

BigRep is donating face shields to local organizations to provide protection from the novel coronavirus. In our recent post we shared the face shield's file (also found here below) and asked the additive manufacturing community to participate in their production and distribution.

We're asking our network of partners and customers to get involved and are offering a complementary 2.3kg spool of PLA in exchange for video footage of the face shields' production on BigRep 3D printers that we’ll use to continue our call for action, getting more and more people involved in this movement.

Without stacking, BigRep's large-format AM systems are able to print up to 24 of the masks at once and we're currently testing methods for optimal stacked production - so check back!

Connectors for Improvised Ventilators

Innovators around the world are devising creative ways to combat the shortage of ventilators and fill the gap between need and supply.

To help implement one solution, these BigRep 3D-printed connectors are off to the German Red Cross to help convert full-faced diving masks into improvised ventilators.

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That's all for now!

But we're working on more! Keep an eye on the BigRep blog and all our social media channels to hear how we're helping next.

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