Breakthrough in 3D Printing?

The technology of 3D printing entered the scene more as a novelty than must-have machinery because of questions about its cost, speed, and quality. As the technology evolves, so do the opportunities.

HP Inc. will introduce a $130,000 printer later this year that it says can make parts at half the expense and at least 10 times faster than rival printers—and likely use lower-cost materials. This means 3D printing may find a market beyond prototyping and plastic molds.

A spokesman for Jabil Circuit Inc., a manufacturing services company, said it plans to be an early adopter of HP’s device, using it to print end-plastic parts for aerospace, auto and industrial applications, work traditionally done using injection molding.

“We have use cases in each of these segments,” said John Dulchinos, vice president of digital manufacturing at Jabil. “Parts that are in hundreds, or thousands, or tens of thousands of units—it’s cheaper to 3D print them than mold them.”

HP’s technology could usher in a new era for the industry. Production applications for 3D printing could eventually grab at least 5 percent of the worldwide manufacturing economy, and translate into $640 billion in annual sales, according to Wohlers Associates, which has tracked the 3D printing market for 28 years.

“You are going to see a change in the nature of the market from when it was predominantly prototyping,” said Chief Business Officer Josh Claman with Stratasys, a 3D printer company. He said the company’s high-growth areas, whether they are in healthcare, aerospace or automotive, are focused on production.

Even so, it’ll take time to show and persuade manufacturers that 3D printing is a more cost-
effective way to produce than existing processes, says Robert Burleson, an analyst at Canaccord Genuity.

“Growth of the mass production market isn’t something that can be pushed onto customers,” he said. They “have to see value proposition and there has to be continued materials innovation.”

HP said in May that BMW AG, Nike Inc., and Johnson & Johnson are among its development and strategic partners. The luxury German carmaker sees “major potential” for its “future roadmap toward serial part production and personal customization,” said Jens Ertel, head of BMW’s Group Additive Manufacturing Center.

Source: Bloomberg