In 2030, experts predict there will be around 2.3 million 3D printing systems employed to simplify complex manufacturing processes. 3D printing systems reduce the potential for human error while increasing accuracy for complex designs. Are there ways to enhance efficiency for 3D printing operations?
Read on as we discuss why real-time production monitoring systems are foundational to efficiency for 3D printing operations and the best practices for reducing inefficiencies in your printing strategy.
Common 3D Printing Production Complications
What can go wrong with 3D printing, resulting in inefficient production processes?
- Faulty Designs: When implementing a 3D printing production strategy, the design process impacts the likelihood of success. Prototyping and design perfection are the keys to a quality-controlled strategy with viable designs.
- Copyright Infringement: When 3D printing, you must ensure there are no risks of plagiarism in the design phase. Should there be any copyright infringement, there is a risk of liability and of wasting valuable resources in a product recall.
- Printer Troubleshooting: When your production strategy hinges on the operation of machines, you face a rocky road if system downtime halts production. To avoid lengthy and arduous troubleshooting processes, you should adopt a pre-emptive and proactive printer health assessment strategy.
- Raw Material Issues: Should the raw materials you use have supply issues or be incompatible with the product design, this will snag production. Manage your supply and application of raw materials to avoid headaches and complications.
With so many potential complications, headaches, and setbacks, production companies should invest in every tool at their disposal to prevent production interruptions.
Enhancing Efficiency In 3D Printing Operations
When overseeing production using 3D printing, keeping track of production times can be a headache. Production monitoring systems use real-time data to give you a bird’s-eye view of the printing and manufacturing process from start to finish.
Here are some of the ways production monitoring is the holy grail of a 3D printing organization:
- Machine Performance: Spot hiccups with your machines as they arise to allow for an urgent response and better downtime tracking, which could lead to reduced productivity and delayed completion of orders – something you may not be able to overcome in terms of delivery.
- Proactive Maintenance: Production monitoring systems provide pre-emptive maintenance alerts so you can replace parts and provide materials, getting ahead of the curve before maintenance issues grind production to a halt.
- Quality Assurance: When you have a bird’s-eye view over your production process for large-scale 3D printing, you can trace the quality of the product from start to finish, identifying when issues occur. This allows you to resolve the issue with haste, without performing extensive and nerve-racking diagnostics of the entire production process.
- Improved Management: Project leaders and managers often wrestle with their approach to assigning machines. They are oblivious to which machines are available. With the information provided by expert production monitoring systems, they can make informed decisions and assign machines without error, improving productivity immensely.
- Part And Material Efficiency: Over time, the production data collected by monitoring systems can serve as the basis for evaluating the efficiency of parts and materials. Experts can deduce which machines provide the most accuracy and efficiency and apply the parameters of these machines across the board to improve the entire production process.
The foundation of a successful 3D printing manufacturing strategy lies in data and insight. With production monitoring, you gain more data to help you make decisions based on machine performance, availability, and maintenance requirements.
Any Drawbacks to Using Production Monitoring Systems?
There are some considerations to make before implementing production monitoring and understanding the complexities and drawbacks of the system can aid in your preparation. Here are some of the drawbacks to consider:
- Implementation: Implementing production monitoring can be time-consuming and complex. It is recommended that you prepare a budget and hire an expert who is able to effectively plan the system with intimate knowledge of the customizations that work best for your needs.
- Upfront Costs: You must fund the implementation of the system, as well as cybersecurity protection for monitoring data and monitoring hardware. Before making your decision, ensure you receive a quote dictating the predicted overall cost.
- Onboarding: As the production monitoring system will be a relevant part of daily work life for your employees, you must invest time into training employees and onboarding them onto the system. Taking the time to provide additional training may inhibit productivity, as employee work hours will be spent learning how the hardware and software work.
By keeping the above points in mind, you can ensure production monitoring software aligns with your needs, and decide whether this is the right time to invest in new solutions.
Summary
3D printing has revolutionised manufacturing, granting companies the ability to produce complex and delicate parts with more accuracy. However, maintenance and resource planning can present difficulties for those using 3D printing machines. Production monitoring systems allow for more insight into the production process to reduce underlying inefficiencies. Are production monitoring systems the next step for your 3D printing operations?
About Manufactur3D Magazine: Manufactur3D is an online magazine on 3D printing. which publishes the latest 3D printing news, insights and analysis from all around the world. Visit our 3D Printing Education page to read more such informative articles. To stay up-to-date about the latest happenings in the 3D printing world, like us on Facebook or follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter.
