Page 34 - Plastics News July 2023

FEATURE

3D Printing Still Ascendant?
ore engineers are using 3D involved in these applications. Tool- 50,000 parts per year.
Mprinting more frequently ing is an example of an application in Patient-specific implants
and for higher-volume orders, as which metal 3D printing can be used
it continues to evolve into a truly to make plastic parts by printing the In the medical sector, 3D printing is
industrial manufacturing technol- tooling for injection molding. being used to produce patient-spe-
ogy. Lightweighting key draw a for cific implants, prosthetics, surgical
Additive manufacturing is grow- aerospace guides and instruments, and anatomi-
cal models. The dental industry is also
ing fast, and it’s likely to continue in Aerospace, automotive, and medical increasing its use of 3D printing, with
an upward trajectory. That’s a key are the primary industries in which vat photopolymerization (VPP) tech-
takeaway from the latest “3D Printing 3D printing is being used. Aerospace nology accounting for 60% of dental
Trend Report” from online manufac- was an early adopter of the technol- 3D printing. Dental and orthodontic
turing platform Hubs. The company ogy — 3D printing’s ability to create labs use the technology to produce
has been publishing these reports for lightweight parts has been a major custom crowns, bridges, dentures,
several years, with this year’s edi- draw, as lighter parts mean better fuel implants, and surgical guides. Many
tion based on a survey of 1,035 par- efficiency. Larger assemblies can also clear aligner manufacturers use 3D
ticipants as well as media and market be consolidated into fewer parts. printing to rapidly create custom
analyst firms.
Aerospace maintenance, repair, and molds for the aligners.
The manufacturing sector is increasing overhaul (MRO) providers are also The report also discusses AI-assisted
its use of additive manufacturing, with embracing 3D printing. As the report 3D printing, sustainability, and 4D
more engineers using the technology points out, in 2022 GE Aviation’s Loy- printing, which involves 3D printed
more frequently and for higher-vol- ang facility in Singapore became the parts that can change their shapes or
ume orders, according to the report. first MRO site to receive approval to properties when exposed to external
This demonstrates that 3D printing is use metal additive manufacturing to elements like heat, light, moisture,
continuing to evolve into a truly indus- repair commercial jet engine parts. electric current, or pressure.
trial manufacturing technology. Reportedly, this cut repair times in

Plastic vs. metal 3D printing half. End-use parts a growing trend
Hubs closes out the report by as-
Polymer 3D printing continues to Serial mass production trending in au- sessing where 3D printing is headed
show strong growth, with the plastic tomotive In the automotive industry, in the future — in short, end-use
3D printing market generating more adoption of 3D printing has evolved parts. While only 20.72% of survey
than twice the revenue of metal 3D significantly in the last 30 years, with respondents said that they use 3D
printing. Of those surveyed, 56% said applications including rapid proto- printing for the production of end-
their preferred 3D printing method typing, tooling, customization, spare use parts currently, Hubs predicts
for part manufacture is fused depo- parts manufacturing, and series pro- that these applications will steadily
sition modeling (FDM), followed far duction. Serial mass production is an increase as the technology evolves.
behind by stereolithography (SLA) at emerging application in the automo- Moreover, a trend of large-volume
20%. tive industry, with automation and production is likely to continue. The
digitalized workflows contributing to
The main applications for which 3D number of businesses producing 10
printing is being used are prototyping, its growth. Hubs gives the example or more parts during their production
tooling, low-volume production, mass of the IDAM project, which built fully runs has already increased sharply,
customization, and serial production. automated additive manufacturing from 49% in 2021 to 76.24% in 2022.
Both metal and plastic 3D printing are production lines capable of producing

34 PLASTICS NEWS July 2023