The Advantages of 3D Printing

Manufacturing Options: 3D printing provides a wide variety of manufactured products, including customizable products and even an individual’s personal designs.

Rapid Prototyping: Products can more quickly go from just a design to an actual prototype.

Manufacturing Speed: Just like the previous advantage, the manufacturing speed for a large number of final products is equally fast.

Reduced Costs: Even though the initial setup costs are higher, 3D printing has become cheaper than cheap labor in third world countries. Additionally, the costs of 3D printing are still decreasing, with the potential of 3D printers in homes in the near future. Furthermore, the costs of customized products are the same for mass production products.

Warehousing: With traditional manufacturing technologies, it is much faster and cheaper to manufacture additional products that you probably know that you will eventually need. However with 3D printing, only products that are sold need to be manufactured, thus warehousing of excess inventory is significantly less needed.

The main differences between 3D printing and traditional manufacturing and  the advantages & disadvantages of 3D Printing & Traditional Manufacturing

1- Using only one type of polymers usually (ABS polymer) in 3D but in other processes you can use what you want. 

2-The 3D printed parts are not strong , they are just for sake of prototyping. 

3-3D can do complex shapes with less cost than the traditional machining.

4-Traditional machining needs skillful workers but the 3D printing need just the CAD file of the product. 

\\Do you think 3D Printing will cause Traditional Manufacturing to collapse?\\

I do not think so. Traditional Machining is important for batch productions but 3D printing is important only in case of making prototypes of the products. 

Note that the time for making a 3D printed product is too high, from my own experience.

I agree with Ahmed. I would like adding that there are new 3D printing systems that  can print metal objects by using laser or electron beams on fine metallic powder. Resolution or accuracy of these systems is lower than traditional CNC can achive. In any case are excellent platforms for rapid prototyping.

3D parts can be quite strong is printed correctly.  

The printers have come a long way, but still require some expertise to operate effectively.  I think as time goes on, less operator expertise will be needed.

With 3D printing, you can make parts that are just not possible with traditional manufacturing.

With 3D printing, every part you produce can be unique and customized.

3D printing will allow "Mom and Pop" businesses to do manufacturing on a small scale.

New science is enabled by 3D printing.

So much of our technology is stuck in two dimensions.  3D printing allows us to break out of that.

3D printing is usually "additive" and produces less waste.

I do agreed , this is a revolutionary invention. 3D prototyping has taking place in China. Itshelp to reduce the cost of prototyping , and design cost . In short term , the impact is very minimum.

3-D printing ...

http://www.forumforthefuture.org/greenfutures/articles/will-3d-printers-see-end-consumerism

Dear @Han, I have attached a fine resource 3D Printing and Future of Manufacturing! "3D printing is a classic disruptive technology according to the disruption pattern identified by Harvard Business School professor Clayton Christensen.2 It is simpler, cheaper, smaller and more convenient to use than traditional manufacturing technology. Current 3D printing technology is “good enough” to serve markets that previously had no manufacturing capability at all (e.g., small businesses, hospitals, schools, DIYers). However, the technology is not expected to flourish in traditional manufacturing markets for a number of years, so it is unlikely that an entire commercial passenger airplane will be 3D–printed any time soon. Still, traditional manufacturers need to take notice; there are many examples of “good enough” technologies that eventually disrupted and dominated their industry, including transistor radios and personal computers..."

http://www.forbes.com/sites/rakeshsharma/2014/01/15/1255/

The Advantages of 3D Printing

Manufacturing Options: 3D printing provides a wide variety of manufactured products, including customizable products and even an individual’s personal designs.

Rapid Prototyping: Products can more quickly go from just a design to an actual prototype.

Manufacturing Speed: Just like the previous advantage, the manufacturing speed for a large number of final products is equally fast.

Reduced Costs: Even though the initial setup costs are higher, 3D printing has become cheaper than cheap labor in third world countries. Additionally, the costs of 3D printing are still decreasing, with the potential of 3D printers in homes in the near future. Furthermore, the costs of customized products are the same for mass production products.

Warehousing: With traditional manufacturing technologies, it is much faster and cheaper to manufacture additional products that you probably know that you will eventually need. However with 3D printing, only products that are sold need to be manufactured, thus warehousing of excess inventory is significantly less needed.

I noticed that nobody mentioned the most obvious one on difference between 3D printing and traditional manufacturing. 

  Leftover - 3D printing has no manufacturing leftover waste or at least at minimum when compared to traditional manufacturing.  In traditional manufacturing, say machine shop, one has to drill out a shape (say a wheel) out of the given aluminium block for example.  The leftover is thrown out most of the time (from my experience in manufacturing company).

 Temperature - Another difference is heat/temperature generated when producing something.  3D printing heat/temperature is controlled or  at minimum which closely resembles cold manufacturing found in nature say for example  spider making a web.  In traditional manufacturing say plastic moulding, there is a lot of heat/temperature involved.

@Adam is right about leftover and temperature. Energy is the issue also! Some more resources about 3D printings!

http://www.pastemagazine.com/blogs/lists/2014/02/10-things-you-should-know-about-3d-printing.html

It will be nice to expand this question from concerning the manufacturing approach to the changes of business model, in particular logistics/ delivery and service system. 3D printing may facilitate the realization of local production (even home based production), local consumption and the promotion of DIY, self maintenance service, ...

Meanwhile, the enterprise should address and solve the problems of i) reducing huge amount of energy consumption of 3D printer (compare to mass production); ii) providing upgradable 3D printer design (the technology changes too fast); iii) introducing material recycle system (otherwise it will become another disaster same as what we do with wasting lots of A4 papers in office)...

@Lee is right. Business models are changing, a lot of changes is in the row. Here are some articles that treat this issue! Few business models have been analysed!

http://3dprint.com/558/3d-printing-business/

Marketplaces to Share, Buy and Sell Designs for 3D Printing

Marketplaces for 3D print files:

• 3D printing services: offer designers to open a store on their platforms and take a commission each time a 3D print is ordered. No download available, only the print. Examples: Shapeways, Sculpteo, i.materialise, Kraftwürx
• Free sharing: These are the platforms specialized in Creative Commons and Public Domain files.
• Home 3D printing: the boom of new marketplaces is more specifically in this field. They are designed for people with home 3D printers who want to download files (usually for FDM machines). Exemples: 3D Burrito, Layer by Layer
• Hybrid: some websites are offering download of the file and service 3D printing as well. Cubify, MakerShop

http://www.cgtrader.com/

World's first 3D-printed apartment building constructed in China

A Chinese company has successfully 3D printed a five-storey apartment building and a 1,100 square metre villa from a special print material.

While architectural firms compete with their designs for 3D-printed dwellings, one company in China has quietly been setting about getting the job done. In March of last year, company WinSun claimed to have printed 10 houses in 24 hours, using a proprietary 3D printer that uses a mixture of ground construction and industrial waste, such as glass and tailings, around a base of quick-drying cement mixed with a special hardening agent.

Now, WinSun has further demonstrated the efficacy of its technology -- with a five-storey apartment building and a 1,100 square metre (11,840 square foot) villa, complete with decorative elements inside and out, on display at Suzhou Industrial Park.

The 3D printer array, developed by Ma Yihe, who has been inventing 3D printers for over a decade, stands 6.6 metres high, 10 metres wide and 40 metres long (20 by 33 by 132 feet). This fabricates the parts in large pieces at WinSun's facility. The structures are then assembled on-site, complete with steel reinforcements and insulation in order to comply with official building standards.

http://www.cnet.com/news/worlds-first-3d-printed-apartment-building-constructed-in-china/

http://images.gizmag.com/inline/china-3d-printed-houses-2.jpg

It really depends on what kind of material and 3d printing technology is used. If plastic parts are considered sometimes selective laser sintering is more cost efficient to use than traditional injection moulding. Especially if part are of smaller dimensions, complex and low volume series. Mechanical properties of selective laser sintered parts are also quite comparable to injection moulded parts.

I think that for high volume serial production 3d printing will never be able to replace traditional manufacturing.

"In your view what are the main differences between 3D printing and traditional manufacturing?"

3D printing is a tool mainly used for prototyping and research, although it cannot replace traditional manufacturing,  it can compliment the industry.  However there are circumstances where 3D printing can be more benificial than traditional manufacturing, for example: bio-scaffolding, traditional manufacture cannot compete with the advantages that 3D printing offers.

"What are the advantages & disadvantages of 3D Printing & Traditional Manufacturing?"

3D printed parts are typically 1/3 weaker than traditonally manufactured parts, however 3D printing can make parts which cannot be easily made by traditional processes.  The danger with 3D printing is that a company or research group will find something that can be 3D printed to a high standard, but cannot be upscaled when production needs to be "stepped up".  There are processes involving heat that can improve the strength of the 3D printed product, however it cannot improve the strength of the product sufficently when compared to traditionally made products.

"Do you think 3D Printing will cause Traditional Manufacturing to collapse?"

No, personally I think 3D printing has its place, and will make it into homes and small companies, however there will always be a place for traditional manufacturing.  For example the electric screw driver came along years ago, but we all still own a manual one...

3D printing is the superior manufacturing solution, offering diverse, innovative products, less overall waste, localized production, and a new world of independent designers and brands, 3D printing challenges traditional manufacturing every step of the way.

https://youtu.be/vTWc0c4owxM

How 3D printing is set to shake up manufacturing supply chains is fine article. "...There is a concern that this form of manufacturing, in particular with regards to consumer goods, will fuel greater consumption and waste. But the materials used for 3D-printing these goods are mostly heat processed recyclable plastics, making it possible to create a reverse supply chain approach. Customers can recycle used, damaged or unwanted goods by taking them back to their local 3D print shops, so that they can be melted back down and made into something new and useable once more."

http://www.theguardian.com/sustainable-business/2014/nov/25/how-3d-printing-is-set-to-shake-up-manufacturing-supply-chains

CAD plus 3D printing takes customization to an unprecedented level, while allowing the manufacturer to enter a high end service segment. See the example of the first 3D printed putter.

Customer/ user benefits include excellent quality/ precision, delivery time of 24 hours instead of 6 weeks, future on-line service access.

http://3dprint.com/46036/golf-equipment-manufacturer-ping-introduces-golfs-first-3d-printed-putter/

Conventional machining process take a block of solid/raw material and with help of tools  or spindles to remove unwanted material to get final shape. In additive process it's opposite, add the material wherever necessary to get final component. One can check below links for more information. 

https://all3dp.com/3d-printing-vs-cnc-milling/

http://carbide3d.com/cnc-vs-3d-printing/

http://www.memaengineering.com/cnc-vs-3dprinting/

https://www.chiefdelphi.com/forums/showthread.php?t=118512

Minimal material wastage, low labor cost, faster processing, user friendly interface and availability of the printers at affordable cost are the prime features of the technology. 3D printing is widely adopted by manufacturing industries to prototype the product, which is difficult to print by traditional methods of printing.

http://www.alliedmarketresearch.com/3D-printing-emerging-economies-china-india-UAE-brazil-south-africa-market

Dear all

A few months ago, I watched a news reporting that in New York there are stores sell customized 3D printing candies.

"3D printing long ago moved from being theoretical to a reality, and in recent years 3D printers have become cheaper to produce; several models are now available for sale, as well as designs for products. Experts predict 3D printers will be common in homes in coming years. Our news and feature articles cover the science and technology behind 3D printers, from how they work to the history, progress and future of the technology and what kinds of things can be made. 3D printing’s uses range from practical objects for everyday use to commercial products and parts used in manufacturing, plus the technology holds promise for bioprinting of human parts for medical purposes..."

Many good resources are available.

http://www.livescience.com/topics/3d-printing

When to Use 3D Printing vs. Traditional Manufacturing for Production!

"It can be difficult to know when to use 3D printing vs. traditional manufacturing methods. It can be challenging to branch out and change your design process into something that fully utilizes the capabilities of 3D printing. In fact, it may seem like a huge leap into the unknown to traverse the paths of additive manufacturing. But there’s a very good chance your designs have been seeking the solution of 3D printing for a while, only you didn’t realize that additive manufacturing has the potential to cut your design, re-design, prototyping, and final production time in half..."

https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/when-use-3d-printing-vs-traditional-manufacturing-daniel-searle?trkInfo=VSRPsearchId%3A577811291467197549820%2CVSRPtargetId%3A8828849619542297817%2CVSRPcmpt%3Aprimary&trk=vsrp_influencer_content_res_name

Dear all

China Beijing 3D printer print out 400 square meters villa anti 8 earthquakes in 45 days.

http://www.mgtv.com/v/10/2577/f/3296932.html

There are many of 3D printing, if the 3D printed sand mould and then casting alloys is considered there is not big change to the (more than) 5000 year old casting industry. The only difference is high dimensional acuracy, rapid process, may be cheaper in the future, etc

3D printing is far more precise then tradional one. It gives opportunities to fabricate structures even at micro scale with high level of accuracy.

A few recent applications of 3D printing:

• Students successfully launch Vulcan-1 rocket with fully 3D printed engine
• Airbus files patent to 3D print entire exterior of its next-generation aircrafts
• Cancer breakthrough: Scottish scientists to 3D print brain tumors for the first time

http://www.3ders.org/articles/20160525-cancer-breakthrough-scottish-scientists-to-3d-print-brain-tumors-for-the-first-time.html

http://www.3ders.org/articles/20160526-airbus-files-patent-to-3d-print-entire-exterior-of-its-next-generation-aircrafts.html

http://www.3ders.org/articles/20160526-students-successfully-launch-vulcan-1-rocket-with-fully-3d-printed-engine.html

One of the biggest advantages that 3D printing over traditional manufacturing is that the 3D printing process generally doesn’t require any special new tooling to make a part. When making a prototype, this can save a lot of time, money, and effort that would normally be spent on tooling the production line and getting an assembly process set up.

Another key advantage of using 3D printing over many traditional production processes is that it is incredibly resource-efficient. With a 3D printer, the only material that is consumed is what passes through the extruder of the printer, which is used for the actual assembly of the product.

https://www.marlinwire.com/blog/3d-printing-vs-traditional-manufacturing

http://blog.luxexcel.com/3d-printing-vs.-traditional-manufacturing

Some more news about 3D printing market!

World Automotive 3D Printing Market to reach $2.4 billion by 2022!

"A new report published by Allied Market Research titled World Automotive 3D Printing Market forecasts that the world automotive 3D printing market would garner revenue of $2.4 billion by 2022, registering a CAGR of 21.8 per cent during the period 2016 – 2022.

Europe would emerge as the leading market over the forecast period, followed by Asia-Pacific and North America. Automotive companies worldwide would adopt 3D printing technology, majorly for prototyping and tooling applications...

Therefore, 3D printing technology is exhibiting widespread applications within the automotive sector for prototyping and tooling, R&D and product innovation applications. However, the lack of skilled labor and high cost of 3D technology are the key restraining factors, limiting the market growth to a considerable extent..."

https://electronicsnews.com.au/world-automotive-3d-printing-market-to-reach-2-4-billion-by-2022/

Dear All

For more information about 3D printing process to conclude differences, please visit the following website, just as an example!

www.prosfit.com

Regards

3d printing is very useful when you need just few items. For example, some laboratories in the different areas have 3d printers for routine experimental equipment preparation - holders, cuvettes, etc. It's very useful and cheap. But this way isn't so good for mass production: 3d printer prints with layers and this process isn't very fast. Press forming, punching and other industrial techniques are more suitable in this case. Every instrument has an own area, 3d printing isn't an "universal solution for all tasks".  

Researchers are finding ways to 3D print with elimination of moving parts.

A New Approach to 3D Printing without Movable Parts!

It’s already hard to wrap your head around what’s possible with 3D printing. Now researchers at are taking 3D printing to a whole new level: They're learning how to print everyday objects that rely on moving parts—a door latch is the example they use—without actually printing the moving parts.

The process involves something called metamaterials, according to an article in Gizmodo. These metamaterials rely on an internal grid of cells, aligned in specific patterns, which in turn, give them mechanical properties. Taking things to a whole other level, researchers then developed metamaterials that allow for repetitive and pre-defined directional movemen, and voila, a door latch without parts that can actually turn and open.

The reason this advancement is important is that printing objects with lots of mechanical parts can be incredbly time-consuming, given that you have to replicate each little part and then piece the parts together. With metamaterials, the object can be 3D printed in one pass, which saves time, money and materials. No doubt, this research could be a major jumpstart for 3D printing...

http://www.automationworld.com/new-approach-3d-printing-without-movable-parts?utm_source=Week_In_Review%20&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=AW_Week%20in%20Review_09_30_16%20actual&spMailingID=15538076&spUserID=MjE3NDQ3MjMyODA4S0&spJobID=862213535&spReportId=ODYyMjEzNTM1S0

Additive manufacturing is going to be facilitating customised customer boutique in future.

This article will answer your queries: http://resource.chizel.io/2017/12/13/will-additive-manufacturing-replace-subtractive-manufacturing/

"Do you think 3D Printing will cause Traditional Manufacturing to collapse?"

No, I don't think so.

3d-printing is not competitive, for example, with casting in mass production because of the relatively high lead-time.

However 3d-printing has good positions in low-serial personalized production, and here, I am sure it will be further developed - specific light-weight aerospace parts, patient-fit implants, and race / concept automotive cars.