Many people might assume that 3D printing is a hobbyist’s pastime. But, 3D printing has fast become important for small, medium-sized, and large businesses in equal measure.
If you manufacture (or make and sell) products for end-users and other businesses, it might surprise you to learn that 3D printing could be very valuable for your company. The following explains why your business could benefit from 3D printing and how it could be useful for you:
Rapid Prototyping
Does your business often design, prototype, and manufacture new products? If so, you’ll undoubtedly have some existing processes for prototyping products that you’re hoping to sell to your target market.
The truth is, many prototyping processes take a long time to complete, and some of those processes can be overly complicated. If you’re looking for an alternative that promises rapid prototyping, you need not look any further than 3D printing.
When you use 3D printing, you can rapidly accelerate the testing and sign-off of all new product projects.
Manufacturing Discontinued Parts
It’s no secret that parts manufacturers often cease production of products due to various reasons like the age of products, sales history and popularity, and cost. The thing is, there will always be a demand for discontinued parts.
For example, car manufacturers often cease the availability of parts for aged vehicles, forcing many car or truck owners to upgrade to a newer model. As you can appreciate, there is a vast market you can tap into by producing obsolete parts.
What’s more, 3D printing means you can produce those parts on-demand by getting quotes on production engineering from Rapid PSI or other 3D printing companies.
Competitive Advantage
Did you know that 3D printing products will give you a competitive advantage? That’s because the technology involved with 3D printing means you can be more efficient and productive with your work.
What’s more, another reason you’ll have a competitive advantage is how you can 3D print products in-house, giving you total control over the entire manufacturing process, rather than depending on several third-party manufacturers and dealing with production delays.
Low Manufacturing Costs
Let’s face it: the only way a business can be very profitable is when it keeps its cost of sales low. If you produce physical goods for retail consumers or other companies, your manufacturing costs will likely bite hard into your profit margin.
Making the switch to 3D printing means you can enjoy lower manufacturing costs, resulting in more favorable profit margins and a more palatable cost of sales.
3D Printing Can Use Different Source Materials
Lastly, some entrepreneurs wrongly assume that 3D printing only uses plastic to produce items. Plastic and plastic powders are undeniably standard within the industry. However, they aren’t the only source materials that can get used in 3D printing.
You can have items 3D-printed using resins, metals, carbon fiber, and even paper, among other raw materials.
Final Thoughts
There’s no denying that 3D printing has fast become popular in recent years. If you manufacture products, now’s the time to consider making 3D printing part of your manufacturing processes and be a part of today’s industrial revolution.
