3D Printing Column What Does Mechanical Engineering Gain from 3D Printing?

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If you take a close look at the applications and components that could be realized through 3D printing in medium-sized mechanical engineering companies, one question still arises: Why is it so rarely used?

From my experience as a consultant for 3D printing applications and implementation, I am familiar with almost all the prejudices and uncertainties in German mechanical engineering related to 3D printing. It has always been and still is astonishing to me how many industrial companies oppose the use of 3D printing and actively shut themselves off from the offered advantages of the technology. It is a veritable refusal, bordering on hostility to innovation.

Of course, there have been many disappointments in the past regarding 3D printing and additive manufacturing. But those times are over, and the technology has advanced significantly. While some are still searching for rocket parts in their typical automation systems, other companies in mechanical engineering are practically printing money, as this potential, especially in German mechanical and plant engineering, is evident and ready for the taking.

What You Don't Know, You Can't Miss

The following example can easily be applied to 3D printing: If someone has never stayed in a 5-star superior luxury hotel, they cannot speak poorly of a 3-star hotel or complain about subpar service. For many people, it is normal not to have a parking space directly at the hotel and to carry the contents of their car up the stairs to the sixth floor themselves. They do not know the experience of pulling up directly in front of the reception, where a concierge is already opening the trunk, greeting the guests by name, and taking care of the luggage—and they do not miss it.

This is also true for 3D printing in mechanical engineering; those who don't know the possibilities can't miss them. However, especially in the current economic situation, it would be beneficial to gain new experiences in the field of 3D printing.

It is important for me to emphasize: it is not about manufacturing an existing component, for which there is already a good solution, again with a different technology just because it is a few euros cheaper. Rather, it is about integrating 3D printing into the entire development process.

The following examples may sound unspectacular to you, but, as proven by many case studies, they bring great success in saving time and money as well as strengthening innovative capabilities. So just implement them as if you were doing a paint-by-numbers exercise, connecting one number after the other in the correct sequence without overthinking. If you consider this "childish" and "beneath your level," then you are still too guided by your ego and will end up leaving a lot of money on the table.

3D Printing Potentials in the Manufacturing Process:

• Components no longer need to be taped at sensitive areas during sandblasting; instead, 3D-printed fixtures make the entire process much more economical.

• Elaborately manufactured "robot gripper fingers" do not need to be milled extensively during the robot's learning process in connection with the components to be gripped; instead, they can emerge as a 3D-printed solution from the printer within a few hours after a few improvement iterations.

• The provision of bulk material, which is still one of the biggest cost drivers in automation processes and further processing with a robot, can be cleverly solved using 3D printing instead of having to use an additional robot at great expense.

3D Printing Potentials in the Assembly Process: Any type of small fixture to make life easier for colleagues during assembly is suitable here. Even a centering device, a simple 90° stop, or attaching components for a smoother assembly process can save companies a lot of time and money.

How Do You Find these Components Now?

In my October 2024 column titled "Where (Still) Hardly Anyone Uses 3D Printing", I delve deeper into the "money-making applications." If you already have a 3D printer in your company and are printing the first parts, it doesn’t mean you’ve reached the end of its potential. It simply shows that you’re ready for the next level of yet untapped applications, behind which a lot of money lies, and perhaps you just need the right impulse to master it.

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