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Traditional manufacturing methods of forging, sand-casting, moulding, bending and many more were working just fine. The advent of computers only enhanced these methods by automating most of these processes, most prominently transforming turning, milling, and drilling processes forever by introducing CNC machines. Most of the structures you see around you today from beams of buildings to railway tracks are still made using what many today would consider “Old-school” techniques. Then we raise the question, what place does 3d printing have in our society? Why are corporates investing millions of dollars to fund research projects to further the development of additive manufacturing? Let’s analyse these reasons!
3D printing has many limitations. From size to strength and even aesthetics, 3d printing has many constraints. There is still widespread belief that 3d printing is not an alternative to machining but rather just a novelty. Well, while 3d printing most definitely is not the absolute alternative, it certainly does have its place in our society. What’s more? 3d printing is able to easily realise parts that cannot be achieved even with precision machining.
