What Lies Ahead for 3D Printing? Here are Some Ideas

Source: pick3dprinter
 

3D Printing has crossed the barriers of being an alternative to prototyping long back. And, it is now one of the most popular technologies that many industries depend on for the production of end parts and prototypes. Whether it’s food, medical devices and tools, 3D Printing is everywhere. 

Moving on to the advancements of technology, experts are now focusing on even furthering the reach of 3D printing to more users. Many homes could become a little factory, either printing for themselves or for others, and with the availability of so many cool things to 3d print, the options are limitless. However, it’s not just the leap of faith that will allow users to get involved with these machines in greater numbers in the coming years. There are a lot of developments that still need attention.    

Currently, 3D printing definitely is a promising technology offering a higher level of customization, production in batches and more. With the creation of so many 3D printing marketplaces for free and paid files and models, people can choose It as the most lavish as well as sought after technology. It’s progressing at a faster pace to leave even more constraints behind. 

Let us find out what lies ahead for 3D printing in the coming few years.

Decreased Monopoly of 3D Printer Manufacturer

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Apart from being very impactful in speeding the production workflow within industries, there is still the problem of monopoly within the 3D Printing market. With proprietary resources, 3D printing manufacturers ensure that no other material can create as precise parts as their own when working with their machines. 

This forces service providers to buy proprietary materials at a high price while the end customers get thrashed. Just as the monopoly of resources is driving a lucrative opportunity for manufacturers, so is the need for more customized goods. 

And, as expected, with higher material costs, the overall value of the end parts escalates as well. 

This will pretty much change for good in the future. And, the work has already begun. For instance, HP has come up with its MultiJet 3D printer, HP Jet Fusion 3D 4200/3200 that not only offers amazing prints but enables individuals along with organizations to develop their own materials. 

It does seem that this paradigm shift within this revolutionary industry will change the monopoly game of 3D printer manufacturers dramatically. In turn, the material cost will exponentially decrease, making roads to higher adoption of the technology.

3D Printing as an Integral Part of Standard Manufacturing

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According to experts, the next decade will strengthen the acceptance of 3D printing as an integral part of the usual standard manufacturing workflow.

The technology will stand side by side with traditional methods such as CNC router technology and injection molding that still hold the higher percentage of the task within production batches.

Bart Van der Schueren, the CTO of Materialise believes that going forward, 3D printers will be used for producing ramp-up products while the conventional methods will be employed in product series production. And, the 3D printers will take up the job of manufacturing after-market products as well. 

This way, we will witness an outstanding increase in the machines’ performance. The impact will also be significantly visible in automated workflows as well as product designs. 

Not just that, the quality and accuracy of the printed parts will also surge dramatically offering consistent results across multiple machines.

3D Printers in Space

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It may sound like science fiction, but with time, a lot is going to happen around 3D printing technology. And, the same stands true for space research. Helping astronauts and scientists in a number of ways, 3D printers‘ contribution in minimizing the potential technical risk will become evident in the coming years. 

For instance, astronauts will be able to print almost anything in space, from containers to food. This will help astronauts stay longer in space and keep exploring during long term projects. 

In other words, 3D printers can change the complete scope for technical problem-solving. Printing tools and gadgets will also assist astronauts in avoiding any possible technical threat during their time in space.

While a lot is still in the development phase and the idea itself in the primitive stage, the European Space Agency has already come up with the basic process to make travel to the moon with 3D printers a possible goal. 

According to the agency, robots will be the first to land on the Moon. They will collect lunar moon rock, for using it as a raw material for printing tools. The team also has plans to print entire buildings for placing them on the Moon using 3D printers. Some have already been planted in space.

The Conclusion

Making a significant and dramatic shift towards a more sustainable and sophisticated alternative to existing technologies, 3D printing does not seem to stop progressing any sooner. And, the future will have more great surprises for consumers as well as the entire mankind related to this technology.