The Financial Impact of 3D Printing

A majority of decision makers at large manufacturing companies believe 3D printing at scale has a bright future. We know because we asked. We partnered with Dimensional Research to survey 162 executives and managers who are directly responsible for decisions related to 3D printing for production parts. For example, 62% of participants predict a dramatic increase in the use of 3D printing in the next three to five years. 68% say 3D printing delivers cost savings today, with that number rising to 84% when 3D printing at scale matures. Fully 85% of respondents think it will increase company revenues.While it’s encouraging to know the industry believes in the viability of additive manufacturing at scale, some want to know exactly how 3D printing can impact a company’s bottom line:

• 3D printing doesn’t require tooling. Eliminating tooling costs for a new product or part could save manufacturers hundreds of thousands of dollars.
• 3D printers can make the tools. For products that do require tooling, jigs, and fixtures, engineers can quickly make or replace them in-house as needed.
• Reduced molding costs. Injection molding is cost-effective for producing quantities in the thousands or millions, but is expensive to set up and becomes very costly on a per-piece basis at low volumes. Mold-less 3D printing makes more sense for production runs under 500.
• Speedy prototyping. Traditional molds can take five to seven weeks to design, produce, finish and deliver, as opposed to the same-day turnaround that is possible with 3D printing. When using 3D printing for prototypes, manufacturers have the ability to confirm that the design of the mold is exact before investing in an expensive mold.
• Faster design changes. 3D printing gives manufacturers more design flexibility and yields faster production times to quickly respond to changing market conditions. Traditional manufacturing methods require lead time to change a production line, and even more time to make changes to the supply chain. Additive manufacturing, with its reduced tooling requirements, places less strain on the supply chain. The time it takes to go from concept to completion is much shorter, so products get to market faster.
• Reduced inventory of raw materials and finished goods. The raw materials for additive manufacturing are compact filament spools that do not occupy much space. 3D printing allows manufacturers to produce parts on demand, reducing the need and cost of warehousing large quantities of finished goods and parts.
• Eliminates waste. Additive manufacturing is just that — additive. There is no waste from cutting, machining, boring or smelting. That means a smaller carbon footprint with less waste going to landfills and fewer byproducts of hazardous materials created in the manufacturing process.
• Reduce shipping expenses and delivery windows. Print to the point of need. Design a part locally and have it printed in a factory across town, across the country or across the globe. Delivery of the part is immediate — no waiting for container ships to clear customs.

These and other financial benefits will crystalize for manufacturers as 3D production printing matures. The key is having the right solution that can handle production at scale. Speed to part delivers the cost efficiencies necessary to make 3D printing at scale a reality, and the Essentium HSE 180•S 3D Printing Platform is five to 15 times faster than any other extrusion printer on the market. That’s the nuts and bolts of it.

Click here to request a demo of Essentium’s unique 3D printing technologies today.

Essentium, Inc. provides industrial 3D printing solutions that are disrupting traditional manufacturing processes by bringing product strength and production speed together, at scale, with a no-compromise engineering material set. Essentium manufactures and delivers innovative industrial 3D printers and materials enabling the world’s top manufacturers to bridge the gap between 3D printing and machining and embrace the future of additive manufacturing.