by 3D Printing is the process of building a three-dimensional object using automation. This technology has come a long way since its initial invention and is subjected to go even longer in the future. It builds three-dimensional objects by adding successive layers of a particular material.
Various industries are adopting this technology to make their work easier and faster. But like any other technology, 3D Printing also has its Pros and Cons that are mentioned below.
Pros of 3D Printing:
1. Reduce Costs
Even though the initial cost of 3-Dimensional Printing is high. However, it is still much cheaper as compared to labour costs and manufacturing costs while using the conventional method.
The cost of manufacturing products using 3-Dimensional Printing is calculated to be the same as that of mass-production. This feature gives 3-Dimensional Printing a better edge over any other technology.
2. Generate Employment Opportunities
With increasing use and popularity of 3-Dimensional Printers, the requirement for engineers who can build these printers will increase. This increase in demand will lead to a better generation of employment opportunities.
3. Rapid Prototyping
3D printers have helped the manufacturers to move product from the designing stage to the prototyping stage much faster. With 3D Printing, a product can be manufactured in a matter of hours. In short, the overall process of manufacturing is faster.
4. Speed
As already mentioned, 3D Printing speeds up the whole manufacturing products. It can print parts of your products pretty quickly and smoothly as compared to the conventional way.
5. Easier Warehousing
Three-Dimensional Printing has made the inventory of products easier and smoother. It allows manufacturers only to produce a product when it is needed. There is no need to store excess products because there are none in 3D Printing.
Cons of 3D Printing:
1. Limited Raw Material
3-Dimensional Printers are capable of manufacturing products using only a limited number of raw materials. Some of the most used raw materials are ceramic, plastic, etc. However, using a variety of raw materials in 3D Printers is under development.
2. Decrease In Manufacturing Jobs
With the increased use of 3-Dimensional Printers for manufacturing products, other manufacturing jobs will decrease. This decrease will affect the economy of countries that largely depend on low skill jobs.
3. Copyright Issues
The biggest con of 3-Dimensional Printing is the chances of fraud. Anyone can easily imitate your product if they get a hold of the blueprint. This way, the product will become very common, making it nearly impossible to track the original product.
4. Size Restrictions
At present, 3-Dimensional printers are restricted to manufacturing only small-sized products. It will be able to produce larger products in the future.
5. Risk Of Producing Dangerous Products
3-Dimensional Printing allows producers to manufacture hazardous products such as guns, plastic knives, etc. Custom regulatory bodies are unable to track transportation and use of these hazardous products. A proper control mechanism is required to come into play before things go out of hand.
Conclusion
There were some of the Pros and Cons of 3-Dimensional Printing. It is still unclear if 3-Dimensional Printing is the technology that could replace the traditional manufacturing process in the future. That is something we’ll know with time.
Read furthermore about the Pros and Cons of 3-Dimensional Printing in these articles:
1. https://blog.inktonerstore.com/3d-printing-know-its-advantages-and-disadvantages/
2. https://www.infinity3dprinting.com/blog/posts/pros-and-cons-of-3d-printing/
3. https://greengarageblog.org/13-pros-and-cons-of-3d-printing
4. https://www.modeprintsolutions.co.uk/2017/06/19/the-pros-and-cons-of-3d-printing/
