Blog

Printing Three Dimensionally Can Reduce Production Costs

13/04/2014 12:36

Savvy businessmen are always on the lookout for ways to reduce their overheads, using a 3d printer will certainly help out with that. After all, the current market conditions don't necessarily favour those who are willing to throw their money at anything: including wastage. Wasted materials account for quite a bit in the business world and the overall costs of product development, so it only makes sense that businesses are looking to reduce this cost as far as possible. Quite a bit has been proposed for just how businesses can go about doing this, but the one that stands out at the forefront is three dimensional printing. This fairly new technology lets businesses cut down on their traditional prototyping and tooling costs. However, how else does this revolutionary technology allow businesses to save money? Let's find out.

Error Correction and Three Dimensional Printing

By printing three dimensionally, it's possible for businesses to find errors that exist within their designs right from the earliest stages of product development and correct them immediately. This reduces the travel time and costs to various production facilities, where traditional prototyping takes place.

The advantage this poses to businesses is being able to have working, effective prototypes on the table right from the get go. This allows businesses to present their ideas to potential clients, who can then comment on the design and suggest improvements. Should any error correction be needed, then it's just a matter of making those adjustments within the model and pressing the print button for another prototype to appear right before everyone's very eyes. No longer will business meetings have to break and rejoin at a later date; sometimes weeks after the original meeting. Now, it's just a matter of a few clicks and the push of a button.

 

Three Dimensional Printing Uses Different Materials

These printers aren't limited to just one sort of plastic or other material that can be used. Some of the best printers can use a variety of different materials, ranging from very economical solutions to the most luxurious, premium materials. This means businesses can adjust their prototype production costs to cater to the needs of a client. It's also possible to reduce the overall prototyping cost because of this. For example, a test batch could be produced using a much cheaper material, before switching to a more high-end material once all of the kinks have been worked out.

 

Will Three Dimensional Continue To Reduce Production Costs?

Yes, absolutely. There's no question that three dimensional printing is the way forward when it comes to businesses trying to reduce their overheads. This is especially true of small businesses, with very little surplus cash to spare. Wastage in this sort of an environment is understandably detrimental to the overall success of a business. Fortunately, this isn't an issue any longer with this techonology.  Businesses are now free to set their own costs and regulate them accordingly. It's just a matter of choosing the right material to use at the most appropriate time.