As they say, the future is unstoppable.
From constructing rockets that jet into space to tailoring a complete dress, 3D printing is transforming each industry one layer at a time. With on-demand production, customization based on specifications, and quick revisions to the model or the product, 3D printing plastics is a modeling approach adopted to fulfill short-term supply gaps. The most frequently used raw material for 3D printing, including the fabrication of toys, desk accessories, legos, vases, and other items, is plastic. It enables widespread customization at reasonable costs, making it possible for users to buy these models even in big numbers.
Doctors generally use polymers for 3D printing in hospitals to create personal protective equipment. In addition to the healthcare sector, the automotive, medical, household, aerospace, and defense industries all employ this technique. Plastic for 3D printing has started to garner appeal on a larger scale as the economy transitions to a sustainable approach.
Peeling the Layers Under 3D Printing Plastics
The escalating demand for tailor-made manufacturing of vehicle components using 3D printing plastics is gaining immense momentum due to minimal manufacturing costs. Additionally, its penetration in the healthcare industry for numerous applications such as orthopedic, dental implants, and many more is further propelling growth. For instance, EOS provides personalized 3D printing products for diverse verticals, like automotive, healthcare, manufacturing, transportation, and many others.
According to Extrapolate, the global 3D printing plastics market is likely to generate revenue of USD 2033.4 million by 2028. This number is a clear indication that the increasing demand for 3D-printed plastics in additive manufacturing is fostering industry expansion. Additive manufacturing is a novel field, enjoying high traction owing to its numerous versatile features.
It is wild to think that the development of patient-centric dosage forms with precise dimensions and microstructure control can now be made possible with the use of additive manufacturing techniques. There are several opportunities for supply chains, product development, and new business models with additive manufacturing.
Whether it's for small and medium series production, serial manufacturing, or visual and functional prototypes, additive manufacturing has applications in a range of fields and industries. Big OEM producers from a variety of industries might employ additive manufacturing to set themselves apart from the competition in terms of customer benefits, potential cost savings, and sustainability objectives, thereby harboring support for 3D printing plastics.
3D Printing Plastics Turns Product Waste Into Architectural Marvels
It is no lie that 3D printing plastics are the future. Although, with evidence of people incorporating this innovative technology in real life, this future is slowly becoming the present.
Here’s a look at one such company that has incorporated this technology to transform its working space. Ecoalf is a sustainable fashion brand featuring a phenomenal 3D printed interior made completely from recycled PETG plastic wastes collected from hospitals.
The permanent artwork, which was made in collaboration with Nagami Design Studio, depicts a melting glacier and serves as a potent visual reminder of the urgency of taking action against climate change. The store's walls, shelves, and display tables are all made of recycled plastic, giving 3.3 tons of the substance a second use after being recycled at the end of its useful life. The installation, which was created over a month using four robotic arms and 3D printers, displays the brand's recyclable and low-impact apparel, footwear, and accessories.
The partnership between Ecoalf and Nagami Design Studio is proof of the potential of merging design and technology to address the most urgent environmental problems facing the globe. By exhibiting the potential of sustainable architecture and design, the 3D printed piece not only acts as an arresting visual representation of the effects of climate change but also displays how 3D printing can be utilized to make large-scale items from recycled materials.
3D Printing Plastics: Swapping Rags for Riches
When we talk about 3D printing plastics, it is imperative to understand how it is revolutionizing industries. The use of plastic waste in 3D printing nowadays has also boosted the demand for bio-based materials. Castor seeds, palm oil, and starches are employed in the production of some 3D printed plastics, such as PA11, PAl2, and PLA. A bio-based grade of PAl2 made from palm oil will be made available by the 3D printing company, Evonik AG.
Let's examine a couple more instances where 3D printed plastics have been utilized innovatively.
- With the advantages of 3D printing plastics, the aircraft industry is predicted to experience a surge. For instance, two of the most well-known aircraft fleets in the aviation sector, the Airbus Group's A350 and Boeing's Dreamliner, use 3D printing polymers to construct certain components.
- Recently, podiums for the 2020 Olympics, as well as beach furniture in Greece and Amsterdam, were 3D printed from local waste plastic.
- Integration of 3D printing plastics for the construction of spectacular home infrastructures. The roof, floor, and walls of the startup, Azure Printed Homes' backyard studio structures, and supplementary living units are made of recycled plastic, which the company claims makes up more than 60% of its print materials. With its factory-built method of 3D printing houses out of recycled plastic, Azure can prefabricate an entire housing unit more quickly.
- Audi has a 3D printing facility where it can put together its packaging components. "The 3D filament printing pilot project is another example of how we are always developing new solutions to move closer, one step at a time, to our ultimate goal of achieving a completely sustainable automotive production process," said Achim Diehlmann, head of corporate environmental protection at Audi.
- Coca-Cola is using leftover plastic bottle material to print urban furniture, which is assisting the economy's transition to 3D printing plastics.
- To fabricate dental molds for SmileDirect that might otherwise end up in a landfill, Ford has started integrating leftover polymer powder from past 3D printing initiatives. The material is then used to make plastic pellets for injection molding parts for the Super Duty F-250.
Final Thoughts
All these above examples are just the tip of the iceberg of what 3D-printed plastics have to offer. Overall, because of their incalculable advantages and environmentally benign characteristics, 3D printing plastics will continue to strive and develop in the following decade. The future of 3D printing plastics holds the promise of greater achievements as technology develops and new materials are created, launching us into a new era of manufacturing and creativity.
