Authors: Evgenia Fronimaki, Maria Mavri

Title: The implementation of 3D printing in the production process

Abstract

Cost and flexibility of the production process are the most important features that distinguish 3D printing from other additive manufacturing technologies. 3D printing technologies have evolved significantly in recent years, with applications in construction, aerospace, medicine, education and fashion industry. Engineers from various industries are attracted to these technologies because of their ability to design objects without taking into account the design constraints or the cost of production. The use of 3D printing in order to create highly complex components can be a cost-effective alternative to conventional production technologies.

The marginal cost of 3D printing technology remains either the same or in some cases higher than the conventional technology, due to the high cost of materials and the energy consumption. Production costs varies, as the production process becomes simpler with fewer steps and fewer intermediate processes but with higher investments for the purchase of equipment. We have to mention also that the printed objects are either final products or semi-finished, while the storage of products and materials are absent, since the printing process starts after the sale of a digital file.

Additive manufacturing allows industries to accelerate a "revolution" in their production processes. Operational complexity can help consume resources for the production process and the product itself, streamline the production process, make products more sustainable, and simplify supply chains. Additive manufacturing industries differ from the traditional construction industries as they are flexible to operate without pressure to decrease manufacturing cost in order to increase outputs. Without the constraints of molding tools, 3D printing manufacturers can move faster from the original design to the final product.

Concerning the production size, which determines the cost per unit of product, it is a fact that with the traditional way of construction, the cost per unit decreases significantly as the production volume increases. But this happens only when identical objects are produced. The use of 3D printing allows the production of similar but not identical objects at the same cost, since a small variation in the digital file, leads to different products, which apply to the customized needs of consumers.

The scope of this paper is to present how 3D printing technology can support mass production, beyond customized production which is based on end-user needs. The structure of a 3D printing network will be defined as well as the cost and the throughput of the produced products will be estimated, in the process of a large volume production in the light of a different production model.