3D Systems Makes 3D Printing Speed Breakthrough

One of the main problems with 3D printing over traditional manufacturing methods is that it usually takes a lot more time. This has all changed according to 3D Systems who today announced that a major 3D printing speed barrier has been broken. According to the company they were able to 3D print 2,400 tiny lamp shades in just 20 hours. This equates to 30 seconds per part. The full story on this achievement can be found here: http://3dprint.com/5723/3d-printing-speed-barrier/

This is likely the technology that 3D Systems plans to use in the manufacturing of 'millions or billions' of Google Project Ara modules in the upcoming year. Opinions? Is this a major breakthrough? How important is it?

Also check out the video that 3D systems just posted on Youtube this morning.
http://youtu.be/pu8XZo3XnhQ

3DP/AM will never supplant traditional mass manufacturing technologies, that doesn't play to the technologies inherent strengths.


Taking the video at face value, certainly 30s per part is quick when you compare it to the general lead times associated with a tooling program. But as a side-by-side, from CAD - SLA v Toolmaker with a CNC/IM Setup - in real time - I suspect the toolmaker won't have much concern.


SLA is possibly the least suitable for this particular challenge, all those pesky outlines and infill hatches. SLS would crush it. As would virtually any inkjet method.

In my mind, it's never been a matter of 3D Printing not being fast enough for mass manufacture, but instead that it isn't suited for mass manufacture. That machine that just cranked out a gigantic batch of tiny simple products was one that wasn't being used to make the kind of big complex product that could bring in 5x the money in one sale.

What I'm saying is , sure you can use a printer to make the things you'd normally make in an injection molding machine... But why would you want to when you could be doing so much more?

It's like using a drill to hammer in nails when you have plenty of screws.
It's like being stranded on an island and using a perfectly good boat for shade.

I could go on... But I think the point is made enough already.

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Originally Posted by 3dprealist

3DP/AM will never supplant traditional mass manufacturing technologies

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That depends on the extent that 3D printing supplants traditional mass manufacturing.

In other words, how much of the traditional mass-manufactured off-the-shelf stuff gets replaced with 3D printed one-off customized stuff.

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Originally Posted by Compro01

That depends on the extent that 3D printing supplants traditional mass manufacturing.

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And that totally depends on what market you're looking at. Shoes, helmets, every kind of ergonomic handle, decorative objects, all will almost completely turn to additive manufacturing of some flavor for their products. Bulk goods, food handling items, shipping goods, office products all will perhaps touch on 3D printing, but will largely remain traditionally manufactured.

Things like furnature will see a hybrid process, with standard core components made traditionally, and surface elements made via 3D printing. Fully 3D printing large personal objects will remain impractical long after it becomes available. This goes for the really big stuff like cars and houses as well. Even though it's starting to look plausable to 3D print a house or car, a mixed manufacturing origin is more practical.

Some more details emerge abut how they will increase speeds substantially for Google's Project Ara
http://3dprint.com/5872/3d-systems-p...ra-high-speed/

So... A really big build area? That's it? That's the big innovation?

I can think of four novel (though very expensive) ways of adapting additive manufacturing to a continuous line process.

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Originally Posted by Feign

So... A really big build area? That's it? That's the big innovation?

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"Look guys! We made a bunch of cured-resin BBs. Quick, issue a 'Breakthrough' press release! The media will bite and give us a nice little stock bump!"