Maybe you have a small 3D printer at home and feel like the technology is less revolutionary than you first hoped. But has the development of 3D printing really failed there today? Absolutely not, although today your home printer has little to do with industrial 3D printing.

The 3D printing industry is growing very quickly and is becoming more and more common in various industries. For example, 3D printing is used in the production of medicines, in the construction sector to create plans on site, but also in the production of specific materials. And we will explore the latter topic further in this article. We find out how 3D printing compares to classic injection molding technology and why it has an advantage in terms of sustainability. We talk to two experts from the field: Yves Jamers, Sales Leader Benelux 3D Printing and Koen Van Beneden, Managing Director HP Benelux.

First of all, it’s important to know that 3D printing on an industrial scale is not the same as printing with a roll of PLA or ABS at a hobbyist level. Professional machines can be viewed more like large powder containers in which a component is built up layer by layer. This technique is more scalable and allows for more complex shapes.

3D printing for manufacturers

“The materials used in injection molding are the same, but sometimes different,” says Jamers. “We mainly use polyamides in our 3D printers, materials such as ABS or polypropylene are used in injection molding.” The big difference with 3D printing is that you can go even further thanks to the materials. This allows you to create geometries that are not possible using traditional techniques.

This is a unique feature of 3D printing: it can go far in terms of production possibilities. And this is where things get interesting for manufacturers. Because a 3D printer allows you to create a unique object, you can create each part ad hoc using different devices. This way you avoid unnecessary mass production and your devices last longer. You can find out what this looks like in practice in the following example.

Injection molding versus 3D printing

If one of your company devices breaks and requires a replacement part, it is often not easy to obtain a component or replacement part from the manufacturer. In addition, some device models are no longer available, so the part simply no longer exists. As a result, the product is considered unusable and is thrown away, or bulk quantities are purchased, 99 percent of which disappear into the dust, which is also not an interesting option from a financial perspective. Both options are absolutely unjustifiable in the context of sustainability history.

The example above shows that 3D printing has an advantage in the sustainability story. It avoids mass production of unnecessary parts and ensures products last longer. This means you only create parts that are actually needed, which contributes to the efficiency of the production process.

“Smart companies often leave Dual sourcing, where they produce various components in both 3D and injection molding, allowing them to be brought to market much more quickly. “You use injection molding for the main cycle because that’s the most economical option on a large scale, and then you can 3D print spare parts when you need them,” says Van Beneden.

Benelux as the largest knowledge center for 3D printing

The biggest 3d printing To know hub in the EU is in the Benelux countries. HP also plays a role in this story that should not be underestimated. HP introduced its first 3D printer in 2016 and launched it in 2017. The company is currently working with one Value-Added Reseller (VAR), through which it offers 3D printers to customers in the Benelux.

The choice of a VAR depends on the complexity of the process. HP’s VAR has extensive expertise in the software packages and can provide advice. In addition, installing a 3D printer also requires special equipment, such as a humidifier and an air conditioner. The VAR supports customers with this entire process, the printer per se is just one link in this chain.

HP wants to get into 3D printing production. “The volume business isn’t about selling the hardware, it’s the hardware that creates volume,” says Jamers.

stumbling blocks

3D printing has already made great progress and offers opportunities in terms of production efficiency and sustainability, but is still not easy to implement into companies’ production processes. This has to do with three major stumbling blocks.

The first refers to the complex process already mentioned. Although HP, along with its VAR, is helping customers get started with 3D printing technology in the house Manufacturers still have little knowledge and skills in this regard. “Everyone coming out of school now has been trained using these traditional techniques. Therefore, adapting a technology that you are not familiar with but is potentially better than the technology you know is not obvious,” says Jamers. It is not easy for companies to embrace such a new technology that they have little knowledge of.

It’s also a bit Innovators Dilemma: Recognizing a new technology also poses a risk to established value, but failure to recognize it can just as easily mean death.

Koen Van Beneden

A second point that holds companies back is price. As just mentioned, this is a relatively new technology that also represents a large investment for companies. You can expect to spend between 300,000 and 500,000 euros to purchase a 3D printer. For some small manufacturers, achieving a short-term ROI from this is not a given.

The third aspect often occurs with new technological developments: The Willingness to change. Companies that currently work with their core manufacturers and have built a good relationship with them will not be so quick to switch to a new, unfamiliar technology.

Will injection molding soon give way to 3D printing?

Although 3D printing technology still seems like a big step for many companies, Yves sees a slight increase in interest in this technology. For example, they find that customers who switch from injection molding to 3D printing experience the benefits and no longer rely on traditional techniques.

3D printing technology not only represents an advance in the efficiency of the production process, but also places an emphasis on sustainability. Product parts are only produced upon request and devices written off due to a lack of spare parts can be repaired.

The goal is certainly not to completely replace injection molding with 3D printing, because that would also miss the actual goal of 3D printing. “We strive to offer a digital, personalized and flexible solution with our 3D printers,” concludes Jamers.