3D printing is changing how many industries conduct their businesses, including manufacturing. 3D printing is a valuable tool, from faster turnarounds to on-demand printing. Discover eight ways 3D printing can improve your company.

1- Saves Money and Time

Traditional manufacturing methods are costly. It requires comprehensive tooling and time to create a product. Usually, manufacturers create prototypes and small-volume component runs, which are not cost-effective. 3D printing removes the need for tooling, increases production time, and allows for a higher volume output.

2- Reduces the Need for Assembly Lines or Stations

3D printing eliminates the need for assembly. Designers can create a product with all of its working parts. There is no need to place gears, balls, or other necessary parts into a product. It will eliminate or reduce the need for assembly lines or stations, saving time and money.

3- Customization

Before 3D printing, creating customized products meant changing machines and lines to accommodate the order. The process would take time. However, thanks to 3D printing, that is no longer the case. Usually, it is as simple as uploading a CAD file. You can go from printing a blue prototype to black components seamlessly.

4- On-Demand Printing

The idea of on-demand manufacturing is exciting. There will no longer be a need to keep warehouses full of parts waiting to be needed. There will no longer be a need to maintain an up-to-date inventory catalog. Instead, an online directory of CAD files will hold all the information to create products quickly and efficiently. Customers will have a shorter wait time for products.

5- Creates Specific Tools for the Job

One of the fun parts of manufacturing is the creative process. Sometimes, creations call for specific tools. For example, you may need a waterproof component for a newly designed outdoor furniture piece. Do not change an existing tool that may not work. Instead, print a tool to meet certain specifications.

6- A Different Skill Set

Using a 3D printer does not require having any manufacturing experience. In theory, it is a simple process. Upload a CAD file, put in the material, and press a button. Manufacturers can hire less skilled workers to oversee the printers, leaving other workers in the areas where their skills are required.

7- Print on the Go

3D printers come in a variety of sizes. While most manufacturers will need larger printers, they come in desktop size or smaller. Having a printer you can take to trade shows or potential clients is a significant change. A client may need a component that, up to now, no one could produce. Printing a prototype right there can help guarantee the

client is getting what they need.

8- Materials

As the technology of 3D printing continues to develop, so do the materials it uses. Not only can you print an object in an array of colors, but you can also print the same object in many materials, from plastics to metals. It is also possible to combine materials and make a single material. Creating a unique material for a specific tool or part will help many manufacturers produce products more efficiently.