Embracing 3D Printing

This article reviews the challenges for companies while adopting three-dimensional (3D) printing technology. A big challenge for companies figuring out whether they need to invest in 3-D printing is the different types of printing systems available in the market. At a high level, there are seven different families of 3-D printing processes. Each of the seven technologies is differentiated by the materials used and how the materials are fused together to create three-dimensional objects. Another barrier is that most companies have not yet found it viable to put the processes in place to incorporate the change in design, engineering, and manufacturing production that is required. Not only capital funds are needed to purchase machines, but to effectively use the technology to create a sellable product, one also needs to have a targeted product line and clear vision of the ways that 3-D printing can help lower material costs, save energy, and simplify manufacturing and assembly.