3D printing never ceases to amaze, offering countless manufacturing possibilities, including on-demand production, thanks to precise design and the potential of additive manufacturing. It is useful not only for prototyping, but also for making finished objects for direct or indirect production and meeting sporadic demand for replacement parts that can sometimes be impossible to find on the market. From the biomedical sector to esports, from craftsmanship to design, the more complex an object is, the more sense it makes to use additive technology, with its flexibility, extensive customization options and wide choice of materials. The technology also offers a low-cost alternative to industrial-scale production for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) that need small production runs. One example is replacement parts that have become obsolete or are no longer made by the company that supplied the industrial machinery.
Two Requests for Replacement Parts
3DRap fulfilled requests from two companies that needed just a few replacement parts for their machinery. Had they turned to industrial production, they would have needed to forecast demand for those parts, risking stockpiling more than they actually needed. They would also have faced considerable, and potentially unnecessary, expense, given the difficulty of predicting their actual long-term use. The first request led to the production of a grammatrice, a replacement part that allows a machine to dispense a measured quantity of food product. In this case, it was commissioned by a company that processes chestnuts.
The second request was for a replacement part for a cutting machine, dubbed the “multicamma” by the 3D printing company itself. 3DRap reproduced the structural component, which rotates around its axis of symmetry and presses a button at regular intervals, allowing the machine to determine when to perform an operation—in this case, cutting vegetables. With 3DRap, the customer was able to reduce costs tenfold compared with the quote from the machinery supplier.
Reverse Engineering and Durable Performance
3DRap reproduced both replacement parts in 3D through a reverse engineering process, using FDM technology and a material resistant to high temperatures and mechanical stresses. Installed directly in the machines, they operate without any problems under thermal and mechanical stress.
The innovation of 3D printing, which 3DRap demonstrates it can make the most of on every occasion, lies in the ability to print a wide range of components, even those with complex geometries. This makes it possible to take an additive approach when engineering a replacement part, improving its functional characteristics. These advantages reveal the immense potential of a technology that has become a true revolution in recent years, overturning conventional approaches to design and driving enormous progress in industry.
