What are the disadvantages of 3D Printing?

[RobH2]

I haven't mentioned it here but in other threads I've talked about some people's notions that 3d printing is going to replace ALL manufacturing. It is not. It will find its place. Sebastian mentions some of them but there are always going to be dozens if not hundreds of other manufacturing methods that are better suited to producing a part than 3d printing. There is a reason we have a lot of different manufacturing methods and many of them are what Sebastian brings up, strength, durability and reliability. Others are tensile strength, ductility, friction coefficient, etc. With the advent of carbon fiber 3d printing we are seeing some of the concerns about strength subside a bit. But, you still have a carbon fiber part which has its inherent properties. If you want a strong part that does not share some of the other properties of carbon fiber, then a different manufacturing process, with a different material, might be better.

3d printing will find a place in a bunch of specific and niche markets, just like blow molding has or extrusion has. But it won't replace all of manufacturing and people need to stop thinking it will. It's just another tool in the tool kit. What it excels at is a device for rapid prototyping. It's given may of us a way to economically test an prototype a huge variety of concepts where once we had to hire a model builder or machine shop to produce part. That was extremely expensive and time consuming. Once you have a proof of concept with 3d printed prototypes, you can then go and have your "real" parts made.

I've used my 3d printer to replicate some turn latches on my boat. Some of the original 40-year old latches broke so I designed new ones that look like the old ones but with a few small improvements. The ABS printed parts I made are absolutely as strong and sound as the original parts and will probably outlast them. It depends on how the 3d printed part is used if you are concerned about the "anecdotal evidence" Sebastian brings up that is worth consideration. In my use as a latch, its strength and durability far exceeds the required parameters. So the best way to incorporate a 3d printer in your manufacturing workflow it to recognize it's short comings and design and print parts that utilize its "specific" outstanding capabilities.

We will continue to find uses for 3d printed parts, and uses that are superior to other manufacturing in specific ways. But it's a mistake to compare 3d printing to all other manufacturing 1:1 and then find fault in 3d printing. It's not intended to "replace" all other manufacturing methods, only augment them. It's a fantastic technology but not a silver bullet. If there is a better way to manufacture a part, use that better way. Then use 3d printers for the things that they do well. Between the two your wind up with very serviceable parts.

[marshallperkins15]

One is the limitation of raw materials, it's hard to gather and have the raw materials that you need in 3d printing unlike the traditional one. Another is the limitation of size, as of now the size has some limits and constraints.

[RobH2]

I think it's important not evaluate the limitations in relation to the limitations of individuals. If you want to collect the various filaments that are compatible with 3d printers, it's rather simple. Most all of them are readily available and they are rather inexpensive. While one person might say that $75 for a roll of filament is expensive, another will say that it's inexpensive because out of the roll you can print hundreds of items, making each one $.075 each.

Certainly someone with an extremely limited budget may have trouble affording 8 different filaments at $40-$75 per roll, but that's not 3d printing's fault. 3d printing has been exceeding liberating. As with any technology, you need to understand what it can and cannot do and need to compare apples to apples. If you understand that 3d printers need a flat spot so you can stick it to a print plate and you understand what happens with overhangs and you work to design objects that take that in mind, 3d printing as a process has very few limitations.

I'm an Industrial Designer and prior to 3d printing, the only way to get a design prototype model was to hire a model maker to build your prototype, usually upwards of thousands of dollars. Now you can create that same prototype for mere dollars or cents. That's not a limitation, that a revolution.

And if you want to go bigger, there really are few limitations. As long as you are willing to keep expanding the x, y and z hardware so that the hot end can travel farther and farther, there really aren't any realistic limitations. Sure, on a limited budget someone may not be able to afford that. But the question is not about budgets but about the technology.

3d printing has exponentially more advantages than limitations when compared to what we had to do before to achieve the same end product. There will always be someone who has trouble affording a $20 cheeseburger. That does not mean there is anything wrong with cheeseburgers.

[marshallperkins15]

I think it's important not evaluate the limitations in relation to the limitations of individuals. If you want to collect the various filaments that are compatible with 3d printers, it's rather simple. Most all of them are readily available and they are rather inexpensive. While one person might say that $75 for a roll of filament is expensive, another will say that it's inexpensive because out of the roll you can print hundreds of items, making each one $.075 each.

Certainly someone with an extremely limited budget may have trouble affording 8 different filaments at $40-$75 per roll, but that's not 3d printing's fault. 3d printing has been exceeding liberating. As with any technology, you need to understand what it can and cannot do and need to compare apples to apples. If you understand that 3d printers need a flat spot so you can stick it to a print plate and you understand what happens with overhangs and you work to design objects that take that in mind, 3d printing as a process has very few limitations.

I'm an Industrial Designer and prior to 3d printing, the only way to get a design prototype model was to hire a model maker to build your prototype, usually upwards of thousands of dollars. Now you can create that same prototype for mere dollars or cents. That's not a limitation, that a revolution.

And if you want to go bigger, there really are few limitations. As long as you are willing to keep expanding the x, y and z hardware so that the hot end can travel farther and farther, there really aren't any realistic limitations. Sure, on a limited budget someone may not be able to afford that. But the question is not about budgets but about the technology.

3d printing has exponentially more advantages than limitations when compared to what we had to do before to achieve the same end product. There will always be someone who has trouble affording a $20 cheeseburger. That does not mean there is anything wrong with cheeseburgers.

I certainly agree to that mate well the question of the topic is what are the disadvantages, so i just listed some of it but in the bigger picture you are very right! Cheers!

[ElizabethKimbrough]

I agree with RobH2

[JacobVR]

The potential loss of jobs is another element that can be added to the disadvantages of 3D printing. Nonetheless, this disadvantage is something of a non – starter because new technologies almost always end up generating newer jobs. People just have to adapt and acquire new skills to be qualified for those new jobs.

[Ama-fessional Molder]

The potential loss of jobs is another element that can be added to the disadvantages of 3D printing. Nonetheless, this disadvantage is something of a non – starter because new technologies almost always end up generating newer jobs. People just have to adapt and acquire new skills to be qualified for those new jobs.

Loss of jobs in what field?

Certainly not manufacturing, as no 3D printer can possibly keep up with mass production. Any machinist that used to create one off parts can simply retrain to run a 3d printer, as long as they are up to date on their software. Especially when it comes to metal printing with secondary processes.

In most fields 3d printing has not eliminated anyone, rather it has added new positions within those companies. It is a new capability that compliments all other processes.

[ipap2]

3D printers may pose a health risk when used in the home, according to researchers at the Illinois Institute of Technology.

[JillFranke]

I think the disadvantage of 3d printing is there are limited materials and questionable accuracy.

[RobH2]

I think the disadvantage of 3d printing is there are limited materials and questionable accuracy.

We have to keep it in perspective. I don't see that as a disadvantage. It's just what it is. We know that going in as with any tool, some do things that others don't. For instance, you can't say that the disadvantage of a screw driver is that it won't turn bolts. It's not meant to, that's what wrenches are for.

So in regards to 3d printing (and I'm assuming FDM printers here because commercial printers can use a ton of materials all the way up to metals) it does exactly what the technology allows it to. As a fast way to prototype objects, it has few disadvantages. Only a few years ago you had to pay a "model maker" 1000's of dollars to make prototype models out of plex, wood, putty, paint, etc.

I don't think there is any question to the accuracy I get with my Makerfarm printer. I know its limits and it hits those limits and is consistent from print to print to print.

It's all perspective. And when you talk about "disadvantages" you always have to assume "in comparison to what?" So in discussing the disadvantages of anything, you have to think about it that way. "In comparison to WHAT?" So yes, compared to dozens of other manufacturing processes, 3d printing is limited to the materials and precision that it has by design. You could say that injection molding has a disadvantage. It has to be injected into a metal or solid mold. That's a disadvantage, "in comparison to 3d printing."

I think the advantages and options that 3d printers off us as an alternate tool in our tool boxes far outweigh any disadvantages when compared to other manufacturing processes. The trick is to know when to use 3d printing and when not to. It's not going to replace the 1000s or other manufacturing processes that we already have. It just gives us another choice.