An article from The Wall Street Journal focusing on the ins and outs of 3D printing gives a roundabout explanation of why 3D Printing works well alongside injection molding. The general complaint about 3D printing is that is doesn’t scale well. “Manufacturers are finding that a revolutionary technology has its limits…if companies need to crank out thousands of products in a short time, traditional methods are faster and more cost-effective.”
3D printing won’t take the place of injection molding, but they can help each other immensely. While 3D printing technology is great for making the prototype, it’s limits are obvious. And injection molding can produce the scalability at the speed necessary for mass production.
Injection molding is the most common procedure used to produce plastic parts, and it forms an integral part of a vast array of different processes in most manufacturing sectors. It is commonly used to mass produce a specific part and ensure that all the objects are uniform, which is important for products that are modular and require high precision manufacturing. While many people look to new technologies such as 3D-printing as an innovation that will surpass injection molding as the go-to process to mass produce high volume objects, injection molding is continuously evolving, and there are new trends that will improve upon the process and ensure that the Injection Molding Industry remains in the forefront of manufacturing. (more…)
Newlight Technologies has created a way to take greenhouse gases from our atmosphere and turn them into plastic pellets now being used to make mobile phone cases, explains this article from The Guardian. This opens up a whole new thinking for how plastics could effect the world. With the ability to harness carbon from greenhouse gas and use it as a constructive resource for materials we could start to create a greener world. Read more about whether this new method of modern day alchemy will take off or not…
Any amount of rework or scrap in lean manufacturing points to an opening for improvement. The biggest challenge is realizing the source of the problem. Once the root cause is determined, lean manufacturers can achieve improved levels of scrap minimization. If proper minimizing is not carried out, manufacturers can get stuck in a never-ending loop of solving numerous symptoms caused by the issue without essentially coming to a resolution; one that can save them money and enhance their cash flow. (more…)
Statistics are high for injuries and deaths in the work place. Manufacturers need to be more cautious than most, and so this article from Daily Safety Advisor is an important read. Outlining the biggest hazards to recognize, this post is a sample of the worst that can happen, but it’s an effective reminder. Don’t let the common sense of these tips trick you — when the work picks up, it’s easy to forget any or all of them in the rush.
Just consider: “In one recent year, more than 800 American workers fell to their deaths. On average, falls account for about 15 percent of all occupational fatalities, second only to motor vehicle accidents.”
This website uses cookies so that we can provide you with the best user experience possible. Cookie information is stored in your browser and performs functions such as recognising you when you return to our website and helping our team to understand which sections of the website you find most interesting and useful.
Strictly Necessary Cookies
Strictly Necessary Cookie should be enabled at all times so that we can save your preferences for cookie settings.
If you disable this cookie, we will not be able to save your preferences. This means that every time you visit this website you will need to enable or disable cookies again.
3D Printing Has Promise, But Also Limits
