HP recently announced the expansion of their Multi Jet Fusion (MJF) printer line up to include the new 5200 series.  This has created many questions around the difference between the recently announced 5200 and the existing 4200 since architecturally they look similar.  Let me take a quick step back and provide some background on the 4200 before I get into the differences.  HP launched their ground breaking 3D print technology (MJF) with the 4200 back in 2017.  The 4200 provided revolutionary 3D print technology that moved forward the ability to mass print plastic (PA12 at launch) parts at speeds, cost, and ease of use not seen before in additive manufacturing.  I describe MJF as Selective Laser Sintering (SLS) on steroids.  HP’s MJF technology truly changed the 3D print market and started a further shift from prototyping to manufacturing.  You can see how the 4200 built new service bureaus who grew based on HP’s technologies and how companies now manufacture truly use parts from the 4200 as final parts.  Here are some of those service bureaus who have grown substantially due to HP. 

Personally in my 12 years spent within 3D printing, I have not seen any other technology change the 3D print landscape like the 4200.   The 4200 met its promise to bring Additive Manufacturing to the masses.  Earlier this year, HP started shipping the 500 series that added the ability to print color but lacked the throughput of the 4200.  The differentiation between the 500 series and the 4200 was clear.

Now to the introduction of the 5200, how does this fit in the evolution of HP’s technology? The 5200 does not replace the 4200.  The 4200 will stay as a production unit and still provides manufacturing capability.  The 5200 is the next step forward to increase throughput and most importantly provides tools and processes for manufacturers to replicate the manufacturing standards and processes they currently use in production.  It has more advanced software when compared to the 4200 and provides a feedback loop to allow even better control of output quality.  The 5200 is sold at a premium price so depending on your needs, the 4200 still may be a fit. 

Here is an outline of some of the key advancements now offered with the 5200 versus the 4200.  Keep in mind the goal of the 5200 is to bring true manufacturing predictability and standards to Additive Manufacturing and provide even faster throughput.

Breakthrough Economics vs the 4200

Up to a 30% cost per part savings due to multiple machine advancements including:

• One pass printing (versus two on the 4200) resulting in up to 50% less agent consumption
• Shorter routine on print head wipes needed as part of the print process
• 4x longer cleaning roll for better cost efficiency

Improved throughput

Warm up time cut in half versus the 4200

• Faster print times: 5200 in balanced build mode finishes a full build in 11.5 hours compared to 14 hours by the 4200 in balanced mode.
• Enabled via 1 pass printing vs 2 passes- creating the true ability to get two full builds in 24 hours
• Fast build mode reduced to 9 hours from 11.5 hours versus 4200.

Manufacturing standards and controls designed into the printer and software.

• The 5200 has the capability to reach a Cpk of 1.33 on an IT scale of 13. Process capability index (Cpk) is a statistical tool, to measure the ability of a process to produce output within customer’s specification limits. In simple words, it measures producer’s capability to produce a product within customer’s tolerance range. Cpk of 1.33 equals a process yield of 99.99%
• The new Process Control Center software focuses on calibrating Z dimensional accuracy for improved accuracy and repeatability to achieve more accurate output.
• Production software is enabled on the 5200, it uses data feedback from the printer to adjust settings and learn as it prints to improve accuracy and reliability based on the advanced sensor built into the 5200.
• Improved Heating control: the 5200 now has 22 lamps with 14 zones of control (compared to 20 lamps with 12 zones of control on the 4200) – 5X better thermal camera and improved data feedback to measure more minute heating variations, and therefore provide more precise heating adjustments.

Screenshot of the Process Control Center

There are some significant hardware differences to improve manufacturability:

• Better cooling of the print heads to eliminate print failures
• Improved Lamp control: The lamps are now engineered to only use about 50% of their capability which allows improved reliability and the printer can now more easily “throttle up” or “throttle down” the lamp control (in smaller increments) to more precisely control the heat to specific areas of the print bed based on the improved thermal readings from the thermal camera.
• Lamps will now always stay “on” thus allowing for longer lamp life eliminating the cycling of on/off that would reduce lamp life
• Smaller micron layers than the 4200 – now 110 micron layers
• Semi-Automated Printhead alignment: This new process assures X&Y dimensional accuracy
• There have also been improvements in airflow via better seals, fans, and flow-through (via a 2nd “Lung” on top left of machine)
• Machine now has fans & sensors to mitigate against suction/pressure variations created at customer site

New materials support

• Machine designed to support materials up to 225C which enables a larger breadth of material possibilities
• Build unit designed to work with lower flow type materials
• There are redesigned ramps for the material to better flow inside the build unit
• Processing station redesigned to be able to unpack materials at higher temperatures
• Ultrasonic sieve (in processing station) with a wider mesh thus enabling more versatility to supporting new materials
• TPU Material available from BASF: BASF TPU01

• HP has developed specific natural cooling units to allow the cooling of builds without leaving them in the build carts.
• As special Hovmand Forklift allows the moving of the cooling units from the build cart for improved productivity.

These are just some of the highlights.   I encourage you to look closer at the 5200 if you are looking to implement true additive manufacturing.  The 4200 still has a place in the prototype and production space but if you want to have a system designed for manufacturing with specific measurable standards in place, the 5200 is worth investigating. 

Feel free to contact me at Jim.Hill@mastergraphics.com or 847-704-4029

I started working in 3D printing in 2012 and have visited a lot of companies that are using some type of a 3D print process.  I have seen a lot of companies using simple FDM printers for basic prototypes, SLA printers for very detailed parts, larger FDM printers for basic prototypes and fixtures, Ployjet printers for basic detailed prototypes, color jet printers for gypsum powder based prototypes, and SLS printers to get strong prototype parts.  The one thing in common with these above 3D print technologies is that each is a tracing technology.  Tracing technology can only go so fast.  The more detailed the part the slower the process.  I have talked to a lot of people about how long a build can take on a tracing system like FDM and it can take a week to produce a large part. Who has time for that?

HP’s one pass power bed system can produce parts at an inch per hour with a bed size on the 4200 of 13” x 11.5” x 15”.  You can produce hundreds of parts in a full build that will only take 15 hours versus days on the above systems.

Now you know why companies are looking at HP 3D printing!

Need more speed? The new 5200 HP printer can actually run a full build with the same bed size as the 4200 in 11.5 hours.  Need manufacturing standards?  The parts produced on this 5200 printer actually meet a CPK level of 1.33 on I.T. scale of 13.   What does that mean?  It was explained to me by an HP applications Engineer that parts now coming off the 5200 printer are equivalent to injection molded parts coming off soft steel tooling. 

We haven’t even discussed the reduction in material cost to produce parts.  I can tell you that our customers are seeing actual part costs of $3 to $4 per cubic inch of part.  This includes materials, fusing and detailing agents, and all consumables need throughout the year.

To get an idea how your parts could fit into an HP 3D print technology feel free to contact me and we setup a time for me visit your facility, see your part applications, discuss your expectations and setup a process to see if HP 3D printing is right for you.

I was given a task of writing content for our company blog and the requirements for adding content to the blog are simple, use my day to day experience in 3D printing to share some of the common questions I get on a daily basis.

We have sold a lot of HP 3D printers since we started this journey a few years ago, and one of the most common questions I get on a routine basis is what is the process for delivering and installing an HP 3D printer.

It is a great question and one that requires detailed information to answer.

Purchasing an HP 3D printer can be a quick process but often takes substantial time to get through with the various evaluation and purchasing steps.  This purchasing process can be a whole other topic for another blog. For this blog, let’s assume you have chosen an HP system. 

The first thing we do is go through an in depth pre-site survey with our customers. HP has put this together with a lot of thought and design for not only on how the unit will be used but for servicing as well.  The purpose for the pre-site survey is make sure there are no surprises in the delivery through installation process.

In the pre-site survey there are detailed instructions on things such as delivery plans, uncrating, needed electrical connections, installation expectation by our dedicated service team, etc….

I have been a part of almost all of the installations and I have to admit the pre-site survey covers it all This must be signed by the customer before shipment takes place as this ensures a successful delivery and install. 

What are some of the items on the site survey?

First we need to know is how to get the printer off the truck.  Does the customer facility have a loading dock with a fork lift?  We also need extended forks to remove a crate the size of a small car from a 48-foot truck- this is not a small printer!  We of course will supply this forklift if needed.

Typically, four crates arrive at the customer facility within 3 weeks from the date of the purchase order as well as many boxes and a pallet of material.

We coordinate the delivery date to our customer’s facility and our service manager schedules the installation date around this.  We make sure all items needed for the installation are where they need to be.

We make sure the spot where the printer will be located is in a clean dry location that has a consistent temperature, free from contaminants from other manufacturing processes such as oil and vibrations from stamping presses.

Time to uncrate and begin the setup.  I can honestly say HP does a very detailed job of crating the machines.  These items are bolted down and can take several hours to uncrate. Once uncrated we roll the units into position in the plant.

We instruct the customer of the electrical requirements ahead of time so that they can have an electrician perform the electrical hookup and air required for the post processing station.

Usually at least 2 people from our service group arrive to perform the installation.  It is the mission of our service group to make sure the printer will build parts to HP’s set specifications as well as train the customer’s personnel on best practices.  The training is a very detailed process.

The initial training includes basic printer maintenance and operation of HP’s Smart Stream.  Smart Stream is the HP software that allows the customer to create print builds that you can send to the printer. 

The one thing I have learned about the training is that the amount of training is dependent on what the customer needs and we can adapt the steps accordingly.  However, I have found that normally the installation takes at least a full week. 

That initial training is not all that is included.  HP has realized that additional training is needed beyond basic usage.  The first week of training is basic but this a production unit – clients need to understand best practices.  HP added another training step called “Ramp Up training” which us unique to the industry.  Ramp up training is scheduled by the customer about a month after installation of the printer.  It is designed to make sure the customer fully understands the printer and all of its features.  This is effective because at this time you have a better understanding of the capabilities of the printer and more aware of the needs or questions you may have. 

During the first few weeks of running the printer I have seen a lot of customers able to build basic parts but the ramp up feature is a huge help in fully utilizing the new HP printer.

Installation of the printer is not the only thing we cover in that first week. During the purchasing process we recommend and sell a vacuum system for cleaning the work area and a bead blast post processing station.  Our service group makes sure the customer fully understands the vacuum system and its operation as well as how to properly bead blast parts to remove any excess powder.

In a large nutshell that is the installation process for an HP printer and rest assured HP has transformed training around 3D printing along with their revolutionary technology.  The printer acquisition is just the start, ongoing training and technician support are the real keys to success. 

Having been in the 3D print industry since 2012, I have sold various types of 3D print processes including SLA, SLS, FDM, Polyjet, and CJP.  Post processing is one of the key topics clients need to understand.

When I have the initial conversation about HP’s MJF technology, one of the first questions I get from experience engineers who have worked with 3D printing is often about the post curing and processing of parts that is needed.

As a background, let’s go through some of the common 3D technologies and the post processing required.  Then I will go through the HP Multi Jet Fusion process and its unique post processing requirements.

Beginning with SLA:   Most engineers are familiar with SLA since it started 3D printed and are aware the SLA process uses a laser to cure photo curable polymers in a vat.  After the build is complete, the parts are then cleaned using alcohol to remove remaining liquid material that was not hardened.  Support structures are needed for printing and often at this point they are removed either by breaking them off or using tools to remove.  The parts are then post cured in a UV oven for a period of time to ensure the part is fully hardened now that the excess material has been cleaned off.  Finally,  the parts can then be hand sanded, painted, or plated or provide the final finish.

SLS:  The SLS process uses a laser and a powder bed system.  The laser traces the part into a bed of powder.  The printer lays down one thin layer at a time, traces the parts as needed for the layer wit the laser, and continues this process until the build is finished.  The support material for the SLS process is the powder itself which eliminates the need of removing any support material.  Since the process uses heat to actually melt the material, the parts need to cool over a period of time.  After the cool down process, parts can be removed and any remaining powder is cleaned using a bead blast system.  The SLS parts can then be sanded and/or infiltrated to improve density and then painted if needed.

FDM: FDM is a tracing technology using various types of extruded materials from a spool.  Often you have one spool of part material and one spool of support material.  After the FDM printer has finished you must remove the support material used in the build process.  This can be done by hand or using pliers depending on the how small or dense the support structure needs to be.  Hand sanding often is done now to remove any of the remaining support attachment points or to ensure a smooth surface.  In many cases, the parts are washed with a caustic material to smooth the layer lines that are apparent due to the process steps.

Polyjet:  In my opinion, Polyjet is by far the messiest 3D print technology when it comes to post processing. This a printing process that uses an industrial print head to jet material versus extrude like FDM and has some advantages such as speed and surface finish.  However, once the part is printed you must place the part into a part washing system to remove the support material versus breaking off like FDM.  The support material is literally a blob that must be washed out.  It has many challenges such as the melt material is caustic and if not careful fine detail on the parts can be washed away during this process.

CJP:  Color jet printing is a process that uses a liquid binder jetted into a bed powder bed.  The powder is actually gypsum.  Since you are jetting a liquid you can actually add color to the parts as you print them.   The parts, full color even, are printed in a “green” state and must be moved from the printer very carefully since they are not fully solidified.  You must clean the excess powder off and very carefull infiltrate the part with super glue to make the parts firm.  Even though solidified, these parts are fragile. 

Having worked with all of these technologies before HP introduced the Multijet fusion technology I was very curious to see how this HP process stacked up.  Most people don’t spend enough time understanding post processing before they implement technology.  I knew this had to be an area HP addressed to improves usability. 

MJF:  First of all I must note, MJF parts are not chemically bonded, they are actually fused parts melted with a combination of agents and heat.  HP jets fusing agents into a powder bed system much in layer process like SLS, but then instead of a laser used to melt the powder a heating lamp applies the needed heat.  The proprietary fusing agent actually intensifies the heat from the lamps to actually melt the material and melts up to that3 layers deep to create parts are almost 100% as strong in the Z axis as in the X and Y axis.  Another result of using fusing agents is a very dense part.  No infiltrating need to make the parts dense.

Post processing for the MJF parts is a quick bead blast in a cabinet using common glass beads. This is the real advancement from HP – the post process improvement.  Once completed the parts can be dyed, painted, and plated if needed. There is no post cure needed, no infiltrating to make the parts dense or support structure removal since the powder is the support structure.

If you are looking for a production 3D printer that can print in plastics such as PA12, PA11 and PA12 Glass Bead, the HP Multi Jet Fusion is likely the right fit for you.

If you are in an industry that is looking to use the following materials for 3D printing, then the HP Multi Jet Fusion would likely not be the right fit since currently HP’s technology will not print in these materials.

Sand

3D sand printers commonly use a binder jetting technology to produce accurate 3D print casting molds and cores from sand. This is typically used in foundries and there are a few options out there.  ExOne is one such company worth checking out at www.exeone.com.

Ceramics

If you are looking to print in ceramics.  This process either uses a sintering process to partially melt ceramic particles to create a finished ceramic part or lays down ceramic material that is later sintered.  This technology is commonly utilized in pottery and dental industries to print molds. We see more entrants into this category at an affordable level – although often detail is not strength in these entry level printers. 

Clear resins

Resins are one of the most common material to 3D print with and offer the unique ability to print clear parts with.  Often this is an SLA (stereolithography) and utilized to print models where you want to see what is inside or need transparency for things such as a lens.  Powder type materials don’t allow transparency at this point. 

Metal

Industries that are looking to 3D print in stainless, bronze, steel, gold, nickel steel, aluminum and titanium would not want to look at the HP Multi Jet Fusion at this time. Metal 3D printing, like ceramics, require sintering of metal materials at a very high melting point.  Metal 3D printing is used for prototypes, functional parts and by jewelers.  HP will be entering the metal 3D print world in 2020. 

Continuous Composite Fibers

If you are looking to reinforce your 3D part with continuous composite fibers like carbon fiber, kevlar, and fiberglass, HP does not offer this capability.  You can check our Markforged 3D printers that offer parts with strengths similar to aluminum parts.  

Cells
Bioprinting is an up and coming technology that prints with cells for the medical industry.  Obviously this is a very advanced form of 3D printing and one leading is Envisontec who actually manufacturers a bio plotter. 

HP’s new Multi Jet Fusion 3D printers are available through HP’s extensive partner network, sometimes called Resellers. The benefits to using a reseller network are not always clear, and there can be some confusion as to where the reseller fits in.

Similar to other large OEMs, HP specializes in the design and manufacturing of their technology, and leaves the sales, installation, training, and service to local experts. At MasterGraphics, we are one of those local experts.

Every market is different. Industries can be heavily located in one region over another. A local team of salesman and engineers typically has a much better understanding of their own regions. Take for example medical devices in Minnesota, or the automotive industry in Detroit. Having an understanding of the products, companies, and general “way of business” in your region is hugely beneficial throughout the sales process. Plus it cuts down on travel time and remote communication, allowing more face to face and on-site visits.

The sales, training, and service are all performed by a local team of experts. HP’s machines have next business day service, which is only possible because of the trained technicians in every state (or country) Since HP is a worldwide company, it would not be practical for HP to train and hire technicians in every location a machine is installed. The entire process of install and training can take up to a week, followed by extra training or troubleshooting, on an as-need basis. Once again, this is all possible because of the local engineers and technicians.

Many times, we speak with companies to insist on working only directly with the OEM. While this may work in other industries, it is not practical in the professional additive machine market. As mentioned, companies like HP do not have the local resources in every possible region. The HP MJF 3D printers are complex machines that require serious effort and education to run smoothly and cost effectively. This is only made possible by the local presence of certified partners in each region.

Orders are processed and fulfilled by the local reseller, but regional HP managers stay involved throughout sales processes. As a reseller, we stay in constant communication with managers and engineers from HP to stay up to date on the latest technical advancements, pricing, promotions, and future outlook of HP additive technology.

HP released their Multi-Jet Fusion technology about 4 years ago and have shipped a handful of machine configurations. These various machine configurations come with different hardware price tags, operating costs, and yearly maintenance costs. It can be overwhelming for someone new to the technology, or who needs a “ballpark” price range.

The goal of this article is to provide a high level overview of the costs associated with HP’s Multi Jet Fusion 3D printers. There are three families of machines that we’ll look at.

Printer Family #1 – HP 300 / 500 Series

HP has 4 machines in their 300 / 500 series lineup. The printer functionalities differ by two variables – build volume and color capabilities.

HP 340:  White parts only              10 x 7.5 x 9.8 inch build volume

HP 380:  Color parts                         10 x 7.5 x 9.8 inch build volume

HP 540:  White parts only              13.1 x 7.5 x 9.8 inch build volume

HP 580:  Color parts                         13.1 x 7.5 x 9.8 inch build volume

The cost range of hardware across these machines is $57,000 - $110,000, with the HP 340 at the low end and the HP 580 at the high end.

The variable operating costs across the 300/500 series are all the same. We classify “variable costs” as all the consumables required for a build; powder, agents, cleaning roll, lamps, and filters.  The variable cost per cubic inch of printed part ranges from $4 to $8 depending on build height and packing density. A tall build with a high packing density has a lower $/in³ than a short build with low packing density.

The yearly maintenance ranges from $10,000 - $15,000 per year. This includes remote problem diagnosis and support, onsite hardware support with all parts and labor included, and all firmware updates.

Printer Family #2 – HP 4200 Series

The original line of machines HP released is the 4200 series, which includes the HP 4200, HP 4210, and HP 4210B. Each of these machines has the same printer capabilities and specifications. The primary difference is in the material delivery method.

The HP 4200 uses 300L boxes of powder, while the HP 4210B uses large 1400L bins to deliver the powder. The reason this is important is that the cost of consumables is lower on the HP 4210B, which accepts material in bulk. (Similar to an HP paper printer, where small ink cartridges are priced higher on a per unit basis than industrial printers buying ink in bulk)

The hardware price range for the 4200 series is $270,000 - $430,000. Because this is a higher end machine than the 300/500 series, your cost to print is less expensive. The 4200 series can achieve $2 - $4 per cubic inch of printed part. Once again, this includes all variable costs such as powder, agents, filters, lamps, and cleaning rolls. The yearly maintenance is dependent on the exact hardware configuration (number of build units, printers, and processing stations), but typically runs between $35,000 and $43,000 per year. Remember, this includes remote diagnosis and support, next business day on site repair, and all updates.

Printer Family #3 – HP 5200 Series

The HP 5200 series of machines is the latest advancements in HP’s Multi Jet Fusion technology. These machines are aimed at true production work. The hardware costs are higher, but the reliability, accuracy, and low cost per part are unrivaled in the industry.

The 5200 machine ranges from $350,000 to $500,000. With optimized builds, we can achieve a cost per cubic inch under $1 including all variable costs. The yearly maintenance for this high end production printer is $35,000 - $53,000.

Conclusion

The Multi Jet Fusion additive technology from HP is raising the bar for both prototyping and production 3D printing. Whatever the needs are, HP likely has a solution whether it be an R&D lab, a university, a tool room, or a production line. The machines with a lower up front hardware investment typically have a higher cost of operation. Conversely, the higher cost machines will have a much lower cost of operation for higher quantity production runs.

For specific pricing details or information, get in touch with one of our additive manufacturing experts.

3D printing is touching many industries. Here are four key industries that are taking advantage of what additive manufacturing has to offer, and how it is impacting their business.

Automotive Industry

The automotive industry has invested heavily in additive manufacturing for a long time and has been a leader in leveraging 3D printing for product development. Some of the areas that the automotive industry is using additive manufacturing include:

1 Rapid Prototyping: Traditionally where 3D printing has been used in automotive is to develop new products and automobiles. They have utilized 3D printing to make faster design changes, be more cost effective and create less waste. They have truly leveraged AM to reduce design cycles and speed time to market.

2 Spare Part Replacement:  This is a relatively new application where the industry is printing parts for older models on demand. This saves money on stocking costs, warehouse space, and avoiding the need to order thousands of parts from an outside vendor to make it cost effective to have needed parts on hand. 

3 Tooling and Fixtures: Parts are being printed for usage on the assembly line. In the past if the line had a fixture or tooling failure and the plant did not have a spare part, it could take days or weeks to get that line back up and running. Often this would cost the company money in labor expenses and lost vehicle production. Now the company can often print a replacement tool or fixture on demand.

4 End Use Parts:  This is probably the most recent utilization as automotive manufacturers and suppliers are printing parts used in final assembly. Over the past 12 months there has been a big investment (not only from the OEM vendors but the 3D printer suppliers) to develop, certify, and produce end use parts. 

Aerospace Industry

Much like the automotive industry, the aerospace industry has been a leader in leveraging 3D printing.  GE Aerospace being one of the most well-known users of leveraging Additive Manufacturing. Engineers are taking advantage of the new freedom for design concepts that 3D printers offer to explore new designs.  For example, they are working with lattice structures to make parts stronger and lighter than traditional manufacturing would allow and this lighter weight leads to reduce cost of operating planes.   3D printing also allows them to make design changes quickly. Engineers can now produce highly complex parts in low volume, and if a replacement part is needed, it can be printed from the file on demand.

3D printing is changing the supply chain for the aerospace industry as well; for example, if a part is needed for an aircraft for the military or on the space station, the file could be sent to that location and printed onsite saving time and money.

Medical/Dental

3D printing has had a big impact on the Medical and Dental fields.

In the Medical field, 3D printing is used for everything from surgical preparation to actual implementation into the body. The Doctor can now use a 3D scan of the patient’s heart or joint to 3D print the model and show the patient how the surgery is going to take place. This gives the patient a complete understanding of the procedure. It also helps the doctor to understand how to proceed with the surgery for the best outcome for the patient.

One step further is joint replacements, such as knees, are being printed in metal to replicate the existing joints structure. This not only improves fit but increases the success rate of joint replacement.

Prosthetics is another area where 3D printing is making a big impact. In the past, prosthetics have been expensive and uncomfortable. Now with 3D scanners and 3D printing, doctors can print custom fitted prosthetics at a more affordable price with a custom fit. This is making prosthetics more accessible to the rest of the world.

In the dental field, dentists are now able to 3D scan and print a 3D model of a patient’s teeth and jaw. The 3D scan is sent to the dental labs where they can create a customized 3D print for the patient’s orthodontics, crown, cap, bridge or dentures faster and more accurately. The needs of the patient are met with a more comfortable piece, while also reduces the cost. 

Manufacturing

All manufacturers are looking for ways to produce their products faster, less expensive and reduce costs and 3D printing is the perfect tool to accomplish addressing these challenges. As an example: To help reduce costs, manufacturers are 3D printing customized fixtures, grips, tooling and jigs which helps reduce cost and eliminate excessive waste. 3D printing will only use the minimal material needed to create the part versus traditional subtractive methods that create a large amount of wasted material.

 Additive manufacturing is also helping manufacturing companies get their product to market faster.  In traditional manufacturing, a company would create a prototype of the product using traditional manufacturing processes. These prototypes would often take key resources, extended time, and high costs.  If the part was not right?  The process would start all over again and delays ensued. 3D printing has changed all of that; what would take weeks or months is now down to days saving the company time and money.

Some companies avoid getting into short run production of products because of the cost.  Setting up tooling and molds often is not cost effective to do short runs. Additive manufacturing gives these companies the ability to do short runs in a cost-effective way and quickly.

I have talked about four key industries that are using additive manufacture today in this post. However, it must also be noted that other areas are starting to leverage additive manufacturing such as jewelers, architects, education, and the military to name a few.

In this episode Kevin Carr, President of MasterGraphics shares his view on the Evolution of 3D Print & Additive manufacturing over the past 30 years.