3D Printing for Better Customer Communication
Additive technology helps a mold manufacturer establish better customer communication and create a more productive design process.
3D printers can be an essential extension of a shop’s overall CAD system and a critical part of the entire design process. Developed for workstation and network access much like a standard laser printer, 3D printing offers a fast, low-cost alternative for building concept and working models, according to Joe Hiemenz, technical communications manager for 3D printing equipment maker Stratasys.
Printing Perks
The Dimension 3D printer is easy to install and use in an office environment, Proper says. Most parts built in the 3D printer are begun in the evening and completed the next day. This enables designers and engineers to produce a part—for example, head-lamp/tail-lamp components or HVAC or console parts—that may have poor tooling conditions that need to be addressed in the design. Having a physical part in-hand when explaining the corrective options to the customers is very useful.
“3D printing has enabled us to communicate more clearly with our customers who may not be CAD literate or have access to CAD data,” Grippe says. “To be able to hold the physical part as opposed to looking at it virtually helps them better understand what the conditions and issues are that we are discussing.” Athough Proper doesn’t market its 3D printing capability directly, the company sees this capability as a value-added service it increasingly needs to have in order to compete.
Whether to own 3D printing technology yourself or outsource the service is a decision to be made based on a solid business case. According to Joe Hiemenz of Stratasys, while there are many variables when comparing service provider costs with internal 3D printing costs, a company sending one relatively simple part per week to an outside service provider could, by comparison, pay for a 3D printer in a matter of months, and maintain control and confidentiality internally.
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