Why should I be 3D Printing? - Rate of Iteration

Rapid prototyping is the traditional purpose of 3D printing. In the early days of the technology, it was used to quickly create prototypes for new parts which would later be made conventionally.

The rate of iteration is how many versions of a part you can make in a given time. Naturally, the more versions of a product you can make per week, the better your product will be over time.

3D printing reduces or eliminates key delays in the prototyping process:

• The communication of the part design to ensure proper manufacturing. This can also be influenced by end-of-day communication, weekends and public holidays.

• The production of the part in-house or outsourced (including any queues or delays)

• The delivery of the part(s) to the address

• The gathering and assembly of all the parts

Note: This assumes that some parts in the prototypes are outsourced and that a prototype can only be complete when all parts arrive. The last part to arrive will dictate how long a prototype takes.

James Dyson famously made 5,127 prototypes (source: Dyson.com) before producing the first bagless vacuum. If each prototype took a week to produce on average, it would have taken around 100 years to complete these prototypes.

If James Dyson had access to 3D printing, the rate at which he could produce and test these prototypes would be greatly increased. This could have resulted in the same invention coming sooner, or a better one in the same time frame.

By extension, I will make this claim: On average, 3D printing will increase the rate of product iteration. An increase in the rate of iteration will increase product value.

Most large engineering companies, from automotive to industrial, will have 3D printing capabilities in their engineering departments for this exact purpose. In a competitive environment, they understand that product improvement is essential to their survival.

If rapid improvements to your products would be beneficial to your business, consider 3D printing. If you need help with your implementation, 3D Printing for Business is here to help.

Thanks for reading,

Simon

simon@3dprintingforbusiness.com.au