The advantages of 3D printing are undeniable, but when it comes to the cost of post-processing, it often becomes a big headache".
Not long ago, Rize, a start-up in Boston, USA, has just launched an industrial class desktop 3D printer called Rize One, which is known as a print product that can be used directly without the need for post-processing. It is by virtue of this big bright spot, Rize One quickly caught a lot of 3D printing enterprise appetite. Before launching the research, Frank Marangell, chief executive of Rize, said that the innovation degree of rapid prototyping technology and materials was reflected in strength, surface accuracy, color, zero post-processing and environmental protection.
But the real research, senior practitioners the former vice president, chief executive of Rize, the Stratasys operation, suddenly feel that the real key should be postprocessing this link with rapid prototyping the most in the crowd is used in the fixture and mould manufacturing, and these people are longing for a can help them quickly complete the postprocessing plan. The post-processing of the FDM process requirements is relatively simple, but the supporting structures must also be removed and then polished, polished or sprayed:
A 3D printing model may take half a day to soak in a sodium hydroxide solution to remove the support material.
FDM post-processing is not only harmful to the environment, but also difficult for operators. You have to wear gloves and pliers. But after doing this post-processing, the parts that come out can easily let you PK other programs:
Such as light cured (SLA), after printing, need to soak in alcohol, and then use UV light curing, and then to support, grinding. Selective laser sintering (SLS) is compared to Frank Marangell for "archaeological excavation". You have to slowly remove most of the powder in a sealed chamber and rinse it with water.
In addition to making the components more robust, Rize One will be in print in the supporting structure between it and print a rejection of the ink jet itself is called Release One, which can support the removal of ink made easier (only 30 to 45 seconds), but will not affect the print quality. In addition, it uses a unique enhanced polymer deposition (APD) technology that can change the nature of each print element, producing a uniform object that is 2 times the strength of the FDM print.
The Rize One desktop 3D printer in the Beta test phase shortens the post processing time from a few hours to less than a minute.
Some post-processing even takes several days. Such a time-consuming cost is enormous, so Rize One commissioned a manufacturing consultant Todd Grimm to do a special report on the impact of postprocessing on 3D printing. Here are 5 main aspects of this report that show the cost of 3D post processing:
1. Waste of Production Time
The report showed that the 3D print time increased by 6 hours each, and the post processing time increased by 1 hours.
If your company also needs to do post-processing, 3D printing can not break the bottleneck of time, but may extend the product listing time.
"Because the postprocessing block, Newell Rubbermaid efficiency 3D print reached only 60%," Frank said, "imagine if your weekly factory production operation only 3 days, also a lot of time to do the postprocessing would be very inefficient."
It is predicted that the global 3D printing market will reach $490 billion in 2025. However, if the threshold for post processing does not cross, this prediction is likely to face the risk of premature death.
2. Increase Labor Costs
Grinding and finishing will also consume a lot of manpower, and some jobs still require highly skilled personnel. In the above report, the total wage of 4-10 printers running is about 100 thousand -50 $/ year, and the manpower cost directly after print processing is about $50 thousand / year for each printer.
3. Reduce Employee Productivity Creativity
If employees spend too much time on finishing and polishing these processes, they will reduce the time for innovation. Originally, these hours could be used to develop and speed up production. Recruitment of professional post - processing technicians is also not easy.
4. Quality Is Not Reliable
The advanced approach to 3D printing to make models would have been a horrible sight if you had to use the tools such as art knives, sandpaper and nozzles to do model post-processing.
"The fact is, whatever you put those who support the cutting much good, so will always leave some corner scrap," Marangell said, "this will give parts of accurate geometry original clogging, it is a process of hate."
If the parts are damaged, you have to start all over again and even repeat the process, which wastes more manpower, printing time and materials.
5. Is Harmful to The Environment
In the Grimm survey, a medical device company, Chen Dao, said: "3D print operation is the largest source of hazardous waste in the entire research and development plant".
The SLA model may be immersed in a caustic liquid such as sodium hydroxide. The high risk factor is clearly visible, and inhalation of ABS and PLA material has proved to be very dangerous.
"All of these things, without a single room, dust would be everywhere," Marangell said, pointing to a SLS device.
These costs add up is not a small expenditure, you need to properly dispose of these materials, but also good workers with gloves, clothes and dust respirator, you also need a space to ensure the safe operation of ventilation.
So, after treatment costs are high, time-consuming and harmful to the environment, what should we do?
"Because all 3D printing technologies require post-processing, experienced users will find this very annoying. But it's unwise to give up 3D printing.
"FDM is your easiest 3D print," Frank says. "It's polluting the environment and annoying. You also need gloves and pliers, but eventually you'll find it's the best choice.". If you want a trustworthy
FDM 3D Printer can go
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Officially launched next year, Rize One is expected to change this situation, Reebok has indicated that using it can reduce the operation time of 50%.
Rize said that the new technology and the secret formula will help 3D printing technology out of the laboratory and in the office and factory air plant, it is the beginning of this century 2D laser printer commercialized as. Revolutionary.
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"You still need a space laboratory, to complete complex postprocessing," Frank said, "but when the design engineer, want to want to make a prototype tool production engineer or doctor to make dental dental cast to have finished. They just buy an 3D printer instead of using a particular lab to print it."
