Is Additive Manufacturing Cost-Effective? – (Full Guide)
Many people are still foreign to the idea of additive manufacturing. Thus, they are usually quite taken aback by its high price part. People who are unfamiliar with additive manufacturing would never understand its worth.
Thus, even if you find it slightly over the edge, you should know that it has been proven that 3D Printing in Brisbane and other developed cities is surprisingly a cost-effective option.
Now you are likely to be wondering how. Read this blog until the end, for we have compiled some scenarios where it helps cut the cost.
When does this printing become most cost-effective?
When it comes to prototyping, it has been proved to be the most economical option. The fact of the matter is, by using it in prototyping, you can easily avoid errors and mistakes during mass production.
In terms of physical product development, prototyping is deemed the most crucial step in the Plan-Do-Check-Act cycle. That said, it is the most reliable and fastest way of creating a prototype. Additive Manufacturing not just allows you to quickly print a design but also helps you with the new iteration of the prototype until it reaches its completion and is ready for production.
The Jig and fixture components
As the names imply, jigs and fixtures are popular tools used for additive manufacturing and other prominent cities in Australia. These tools are deemed essential and are responsible for the production of identical and interchangeable components.
Fixtures are work holding devices, while jigs are guide tools, and together they prove to be exceptionally helpful for assembling, machining and validating a large number of parts.
In addition to assisting with the printing process, Jig and fixture components significantly lower the production cost via count reductions, simplified production of intricate geometrical patterns and sometimes even the lightweight. Light weighting plays a crucial role in lowering the cost, as it reduces the weight of the product and thus improves worker ergonomics.
Medical Products
In addition to tooling and prototyping, its productions are also proven to be pocket-friendly for the medical industry. For instance, 3D-printed patient-specific surgical guides reduce the average time a patient spends under the knife. Consequently, it substantially lowers the surgical cost and considerably reduces the patient’s recovery time.
The Increased product functionality
There are some cases where it has improved the functionality of complex parts. The top of the list is the aerospace industry, where 3D printed jet fuel nozzles have reduced production costs at a shocking rate.
Factually speaking, a 3D printed jet fuel nozzle can reduce at least 20 parts that were needed initially. Furthermore, printed 3D jet fuel nozzle weighs around 25%
Less than its predecessor parts. Also, it is 30% more cost-effective and five times more durable.
What are the types of costs reduced by this technique?
As you must have realised, if it is applied correctly, it can reduce and eliminate various costs. To make matters easier to grasp, here are some types of costs reduced by the advanced printing technology,
Assembly costs
Since this technology involves combining multiple parts into one, it reduces material and labour costs.
Material costs
By using the light-weighting strategies, it can effectively reduce the amount of material used for production.
Production costs
Given the intelligent design elements such as conformal cooling, 3D printed injection mould inserts can lower the scrap rates and reduce the cycle times.
Tooling costs
Lots of objects need custom tool manufacturing. Although customisation can be pricey, with advanced printing technology, this is no longer an issue. Ever since it has emerged, some expensive tools have gone entirely obsolete.
Inventory costs
CAD is an integral component of additive manufacturing. The fact is that the 3D printer would be unable to build any product or prototype without a CAD file.
CAD file allows the user to design and alter the product virtually. Therefore, in this process, you would confront the legal manufacturing impediments such as surplus cost and lack of adequate physical space.
Design costs
Whether it is a simple or complex design, all it requires is a digital CAD file. Conventionally, it requires engineers and designers to brainstorm for hours and create a file like that. As a result, designing alone can radically alter surge cost.
In the printing process, you can easily have the designs optimized without having to bear high costs that were involved in traditional development processes. The first and foremost step is to select the right design. Once that is done, this model can be optimised for printing. This enhancement and improvement in the design helps in getting the desired appearance and subsequently maximizes the speed and quantity of parts produced.
Hopefully, this blog has convinced you regarding the cost-effectiveness offered by it. If you are keen on saving maximum money, you should hire a company that champions additive manufacturing.
We have earned its reputation as the number one 3D Printing service in Sydney and many other cities. They offer infallible printing services at the least possible cost. Thus, if you are currently in Australia, you ought to make yourself lucky and hire them.
