Industrial 3D printing

Industrial 3D printing allows for efficient use of resources with fewer processing steps, allowing individuals and companies to produce usable parts in various materials, including many popular metal alloys and polymers.

What is industrial 3D printing?

Industrial 3D printing or additive manufacturing (AM) is a manufacturing method for creating of a physical product from a computer-aided design (CAD) digital file. Thin layers of material are deposited incrementally until the object is complete. The process is the opposite of traditional or subtractive manufacturing, where a product is cut from material. 3D printing produces less waste, requires no tools or molds, allows customization of each output and enables complex designs to make their way to market faster than traditional processes. A wide range of industrial or consumer printers use diverse materials - with plastic, metals and alloys being the most popular - to produce prototypes and final parts rapidly.

Related products: NX AM Fixed Plane | NX AM Multi-Axis | NX AM Build Optimizer

Understand the benefits of industrial 3d printing

Reduce waste

Generate less material waste than other manufacturing methods such as machining.

Eliminate tooling

Reduce the need for expensive tooling compared to other manufacturing methods like injection molding or casting.

Manufacture lot sizes of 1

Manufacture custom parts because the cost doesn't increase as the lot size goes down.

Low-cost complexity

Produce highly complex geometries for the same cost as basic geometries.

Reduce lead times

Create production-ready parts on-site in less time than procuring them from a supplier.

Repair parts in the field

Repair broken parts in the field closer to the point of need, reducing downtime and minimizing the cost of replacement.

Additive manufacturing and 3D printing

3D printing and additive manufacturing are often used interchangeably. However, 3D printing is really a subset of additive manufacturing, which allows for efficient use of resources with fewer processing steps. Many industries use additive manufacturing, including aerospace and defense, medical devices and pharmaceuticals, consumer products, electronics and more.

Whether you call it 3D printing or additive manufacturing, there is no doubt that rapidly evolving technology has emerged as a key to innovative products. From design to print, Siemens Digital Industries Software provides the necessary capabilities and solutions for 3D printing.

3D printing can transform your business

As technology becomes more advanced, accessible and capable, 3D printing is redefining how we think about manufacturing products and running our businesses. 3D printing is much more than prototyping. It has the power to change business models and distribution models. The biggest impact comes from allowing entrepreneurs to enter markets at a low cost and create more opportunities for innovation.

By incorporating 3D printing into the manufacturing and design process, engineers can advance time-to-market turnaround, reduce waste and provide results on a larger scale. 3D printing does not require tools or molds and allows for customization of each output.

Related products

Additive Manufacturing

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