3-D Printing involves the machining and production of 3-D objects by laying down layers of specified and desired materials one by one until the object is fully produced.
This advancement doesn't necessarily solve a problem, but more so makes the tasks and or issues at hand easier to obtain. With the use of 3-D printing, global issues such as energy production and housing are being solved in a timely manner and being done so efficiently, too. 3-D printing is lower in cost than other machining methods, too.
All people are affected by the advancements in technology that are offered by 3-D printing for an assortment of reasons. In the manufacturing world, which includes all of the issues listed above plus many more, it allows for quick production and replacement of missing or damaged parts. It allows for timely manufacturing of test parts, too, in order to see if and how well they'd work within a final design.
The approach to solving this problem is to utilize 3-D printers more often within traditional manufacturing and production facilities of all types, involving the generation of all things. Although the machinery itself is notably similar to comparable machining methods, the long term cost of material and production is cheaper and more efficient. Models can also be recycled once used, which is an added benefit to solving the issue at hand.
Some other approaches to solving the problem could be argued that it isn't necessarily how the products are manufactured, but more so what products are being produced as a result. Manufacturing in general incorporates many different branches of production and development, therefore there are numerous approaches to solving these problems within each section of the machining process.
The engineering advancement of 3-D printing could be beneficial in almost all stages of the design process, but actively become more useful as the design process evolves. Through the Strategy and Concept phases, 3-D printing is less likely to be used due to the fact that certain design parameters are still being developed and altered, so there aren't many set ideas and processes in mind. Within the Modules phase of the design process, 3-D printing is heavily desired as the ability to print and test prototypes of a design is helpful in deciding on finishing touches and details in order to move forward with a final design for a final product.
This advancement can be incorporated into my specific design because as the project progressed, I was asked to make decisions about small details within my product. Small machined parts that may not seem to be of great importance sometimes will make the difference in a successful vs unsuccessful machine. The ability to incorporate the process of 3-D printing into my active design process was important because it helped me to decide from a machining standpoint which design parameters needed alterations and which should remain unchanged.
Aspects of 3-D printing that are easily depicted is the ease of production and how it quickly and efficiently machines parts. Without much knowledge of 3-D printing, it can still be understood that the machining process is helpful in regular, everyday life and in the machining corporate world.
For my particular design process, one thing that could be difficult to incorporate into my design involving the 3-D printer is the size of the parts that need to be produced. With limited access to large 3-D machining devices, only certain parts of my design would be able to use the 3-D printing technology to bring them to life.
After studying more about 3-D printing in general, I have a much greater understanding of just how many things this technological advancement can assist in. The fact that this engineering advancement is working to resolve issues related to housing, prosthetics, energy, and everyday life is remarkable and I was entirely unaware of the capabilities that it offered in many different machining, manufacturing, and production industries all around the world.
In order to integrate 3-D printing into my project, it is important that I understand what material is desired for my product as well as how I'd like my machine to function as a whole. Knowing proper dimensions and tolerances is a major key to integrating the use of 3-D machining into my project, too, because those are both obviously important to the overall fit, functionality, and success of the final product and design.