Beyond Prototypes: 8 Ways the Plastics Industry Is Using 3D Printing

Once relegated to rapid prototyping, 3D printing technology has now advanced far beyond the design studio. Machines have improved and material options have widened. Today molders, moldmakers and OEMs alike are turning to this layer-by-layer production technology to save time, serve new markets and even fill supply chain gaps.

At NPE 2024: The Plastics Show, 3D printing and additive manufacturing (AM) suppliers are highlighted in the Advanced Manufacturing Zone, while AM users will take to the stage for Wednesday’s 3D Printing Workshop. But keep an eye out for promising developments and applications across the show floor, including:

1. Mold Tooling

Lead time delays for molded parts often originate from difficulties with sourcing tooling. 3D printing makes it possible to accelerate mold development and simplify design changes down the line. If a new design is needed, 3D printing offers a faster route to a new tool and even the chance to repair or modify an existing one. While metal 3D printing methods, such as laser powder bed fusion, have historically been the most common techniques applied to mold tooling, there are new innovations to explore in terms of more accessible metal printing methods and short-run molds made from other materials such as polymer composites.

2. Robot End Effectors

Cobots, pick-and-place robots and other automation can make plastics processing more productive, but in most cases these additions require specialized end-of-arm tooling (EOAT) and other fixturing. 3D printing can be applied to produce vacuum grippers and other specialized end effectors for handling parts. These devices can integrate vacuum lines, wire harnesses and other features to simplify assembly, and tend to be lighter weight than conventional options.

3. Fixtures

Affordable desktop 3D printers make it possible to create affordable items for plant use such as inspection fixtures, assembly tools and check gages. CMM nests, for example, can be developed using mold design tools to generate the inverse of the part and arrive at a 3D-printable fixture design. As an added bonus, once fixtures have been developed for 3D printing, they can be saved as digital files. Should one be damaged or go missing, it can be quickly replaced by simply printing another.

4. Prototyping and Product Development

3D printing still plays a valuable role for rapid prototyping, as it is often the fastest way to get a look-and-feel prototype or iterate design ideas. However, the technology has advanced to the point that, with the right material and printer, a prototype can often be used just like a production part. Brackets, electronics enclosures, ducts, components of medical devices and more have made this leap.

5. Bridge Production

The need for tooling adds automatic lead time to producing a new molded part, but 3D printing can enable a manufacturer to jump straight into production while waiting for that tooling. This means that new products can be launched into the marketplace sooner, and brand owners can get feedback before committing to the expense of a mold. The bridge need not start at the beginning of a product’s life span, either — many companies are now turning to 3D printing to bridge gaps due to supply chain disruptions as well.

6. Mass Customization

The digital nature of 3D printing makes it possible to easily adjust a base product design via software to suit the specific customer or application. The technology can be applied to produce everything from custom medical devices such as splints and hearing aids to consumer products like shoe insoles and sporting equipment tailored to the buyer.

7. Digital Inventory

Files for 3D printing are more easily stored than physical parts, leading major OEMs, military branches and government agencies to adopt the technology as a way of sourcing spare parts and items needed for system maintenance. Digital inventory parts like clamps, clips and brackets can be 3D printed as needed, saving the hassle and expense of storing extras or keeping track of tooling. Even better, digital inventory can also be distributed. By working with manufacturing partners or placing printers at different facilities, organizations can produce these parts near where they will be used.

8. Serial Production

3D printing is a viable production choice for a variety of products, particularly where printing enables geometric complexity or other advantages. While 3D printing is capable of continuous production of tens of thousands of pieces, it is equally applicable to smaller batches of parts needed less frequently — with no minimum order quantity. Production use cases for this technology include brackets, phone cases, valves, medical implants, packaging solutions and much, much more.