3D printing has several myths and realities. It is not as quick or easy as imagined, as it requires multiple software programs and equipment steps to produce a finished part. While high quality parts can be 3D printed, the speed is too slow to replace mass production. Scanning technologies provide point cloud data that is difficult to convert into CAD files. Large parts can now be 3D printed, but large printers are very expensive. 3D printing is best for applications where time is important, such as rapid prototyping, low volume production, or customized parts.

1. Mythbusting
Additive Manufacturing

2. Myth: “Soon everyone will have a 3D
printer in their home...it’ll be just like
Star Trek.”
Reality: Sadly 3D printing takes a bit
longer than you might think.

3. CAD .stl file
Slicing
software
Machine
setup
Manufacture
Clean-up and
finishing
There are a number of steps involved which require different software, user input
and equipment before you get to a useable, finished, 3D Printed part:

4. Myth: “3D printing will be the end of the traditional manufacturing industry. We’ll
just 3D print what we want, when we want it”
Reality: Although it’s possible to manufacture really high quality parts and even a
car (sort of), the speed of 3D printing is nowhere near fast enough to threaten
mass production – every 53 seconds a Nissan Qashqai rolls off the line in
Sunderland. In 53 seconds most 3D printers won’t have warmed up yet.

5. Myth: “Now it’s easy to steal someone else’s
design or reverse engineer an existing product.
You just laser scan it then 3D print it.”
Reality: Although scanning technologies have
improved, they still give you ‘point cloud’ data,
which is really difficult and time consuming to
turn into useable CAD files for manufacturing.

6. Myth: “You can only make small parts
using 3D printing, it can’t make bigger
components”
Reality: This used to be the case, but
now systems such as Big Area Additive
Manufacturing by Cincinnatti have
been developed to make very large
parts. These do come at a large cost,
however.

7. Additive Manufacturing is…
• Not as quick and easy as you might think
• Not quick enough to threaten mass production (yet)
• Capable of manufacturing parts in high-grade materials
• Good value if time is important
• Able to make very large parts (with the right machine)

8. Using 3D Printing to Increase Productivity:
How does it work for an SME?

9. Productivity with ALM
Faster New Product
Development
Production-ready
parts
Rapid turnaround,
low-cost tooling

10. • Barton Coldform used ALM to speed up their new product
development process from 12 weeks to 12 hours.
• This helped them win a £300k contract with a major automotive
customer.

11. • Jewellery manufacturers such as Weston Beamor make extensive use
of ALM to help them produce bespoke products faster.
• ALM is used to make wax-like patterns for investment casting in gold,
silver or platinum.

12. • Silson make delicate sensing devices in silicon.
• They have invested in a small ALM machine and now make high
variety, low volume parts that act as jigs and fixtures for their sensors.
They are the only company that offer this service to their customers in
this sector.

13. • We’ve worked with a number of companies to develop 3D printed
tooling for low volume injection moulding and vac forming.
• Tooling can be designed and made within 24 hours, saving a huge
amount of time in the product development process, and preventing
costly mistakes in hard tooling.
• For up to 200 parts per set of inserts
• Great for TPE and PP

14. ALM can help you be more productive by:
• Helping generate new business
• Reducing development time
• Implementing high-variety/low volume production
• Reducing tooling cost/time for low volumes