Every In-plant Should Consider 3D Printing

One of the biggest challenges in-plant departments face is remaining relevant within the parent organization. Regardless of the industry vertical, in-plant managers are constantly looking for ways to demonstrate their value and contribute to the overall success of the organization.

With 3D printing set for rapid growth over the next five years, today's in-plants have a unique opportunity to become a technology innovation center within their organizations. Now is the time to start the conversation.

Identify the Opportunities

Begin by looking at the benefits: faster time to market, shortened design cycles, flexibility and convenience, improved communication, improved decision-making, improved product performance and quality and, of course, more ideas and breakthroughs.

All of these opportunities may be embedded in a particular department. For instance, there are commonalities between architectural printing and Web-to-print-as-a-service offerings. Take an audit of your organization and identify where 3D makes the most sense. Then capitalize.

The audit can also identify opportunities for centralization. Do a range of departments outsource 3D printing? If so, by adding a 3D printer to an in-plant, the process can be centralized, making it easily available across the entire organization. This extends the value of the in-plant beyond one department (traditionally for engineering, architectural or manufacturing teams) while extending services to departments that might not traditionally use 3D printing.

For example, Northeastern University in Boston has created a 3D printing studio to encourage the creation of new technologies and products. The studio offers a full suite of 3D fabrication and modeling technologies to members of the college community: students, faculty and staff. Individuals can bring a flash drive with an .STL or .VRML file to the studio and download it into the 3D printer. Almost any geometry from a three-dimensional computer model can be printed, whether designed in AutoCAD, Maya, Rhino or a host of other modeling programs.

Even students who don't have a design or engineering background can utilize 3D printers with the help of studio staff. This opens up creation to anyone with an idea and fosters innovation.

Making 3D Work for You

A smart in-plant can use this studio concept as a starting point.

• University in-plants can offer students the ability to design and print engineering or art projects.
• Dental and medical colleges can use it to advance research and medical procedures.
• Campus stores and student/alumni organizations can print promotional items such as footballs, school logos, etc.
• K-12 school districts can print 3D objects for science classes or labs to enhance the learning experience.

The possibilities extend to manufacturing and Fortune 1000 companies. Any company that designs and manufactures a product can benefit from 3D. The key is to centralize the 3D services in the in-plant rather than having equipment scattered throughout the organization. Centralization reduces bottlenecks and underutilization of equipment.

In most cases, manufacturing companies are already using 3D printing or outsourcing it. Having it centralized within the in-plant allows the company to eliminate outsourcing and print prototypes and parts in house. This is especially helpful for the manufacturing of customized or low-volume parts. Companies no longer have to wait for parts to be ordered and shipped. They can be printed on demand in the in-plant. By moving the printing to the in-plant, the engineering team does not have to maintain 3D printing equipment and can focus on product design.

Larger medical facilities leverage 3D printing for the creation of medical models, devices and prosthetics. Again, centralizing the printing through the in-plant allows healthcare organizations to maximize its use across multiple groups from research to surgical to dental.

Capitalize on Resources

From a maintenance and service perspective, in-plants already have talented staff in place that can easily run 3D printing equipment. It also leverages the same workflow processes already implemented in a production print environment.

Lastly, 3D printers are sold and serviced by technology vendors that in-plants already have existing relationships with. This simplifies the management of the devices and enables in-plants to build partnerships with the vendor for maximized success and profitability.

One in-plant manager recently told me that his operation invested in 3D printing because the technology has become more accessible and will help the department provide more value to the organization. It's true, 3D printing has become more affordable. In-plants can purchase 3D printers for under $1,000. But the reason to invest in the technology goes beyond affordability and increased visibility for the department. It goes to a company's bottom line. The growth of 3D is going to explode, according to estimates from Credit Suisse, a financial services company, which projects 3D printing will reach almost $12 billion by 2020.

3D Printing Applications

For in-plants that want to get started with 3D printing, it's important to remember that there is no single 3D printing technology that does everything. Just as with production print equipment, each 3D printer has its own strengths and weaknesses. Selecting the right 3D technology platform(s) depends on the application. In-plants need to consider factors such as materials, durability, functionality and presentation.

For instance, personal printers offer speed, lower cost, color capabilities and are office friendly. The next range of ProJet Production printers use high-performance plastic, are highly accurate and have excellent use flexibility while maintaining an office-friendly footprint. These are perfect for concept models or design verification. At the top of the ladder, Production 3D printers offer state-of-the-art digital manufacturing but need the real estate to support them.

What are your company's needs?

Endless Possibilities

The possibilities are endless. As a distributor of 3D printers, Konica Minolta meets with customers across all industries, and the future of 3D is a hot topic. With each conversation, customers begin to imagine what is possible. 3D printing literally brings shape to ideas.

In-plants that begin investing in this technology today will make themselves indispensable over the long-term with additional value-added services. They will enable innovation in their organizations, become the printing hub and remain relevant while positioning themselves as experts in the burgeoning field of 3D technology.