Breaking the (Injection) Mold

This paper covers the comparable wear rates of SLS-printed parts and injection-molded components.

Since its creation in the 1980s, 3D printing has evolved tremendously, with more printing technologies and material types available. Research shows that engineers in North America are optimistic about the future of 3D printing and believe new materials will help advance the industry.

Injection molding is the most widely used processing technology for plastics (Guevara-Morales & Figueroa-López, 2014); however, it does have its limitations. For example, parts with hollow walls or other complex geometries cannot be produced (Styles, 2018), and small production runs can be very expensive. Luckily, additive manufacturing – also known as 3D printing – can be used as an alternative manufacturing method.

3D printing was once perceived as a process that was only suitable for rapid prototyping, but that is no longer true. In 2019, a French 3D printing company called sculpteo surveyed more than 1,300 people from around the world – 64% of which had an engineering background – to determine the current state of the 3D printing industry. The study found that 51% of respondents use 3D printing for production, up from 38% in 2018. Additionally, nearly 60% of respondents believe the industry needs new materials to grow. This white paper examines a new engineered composite plastic material solution for the 3D printing industry: powders and filaments capable of producing plastic parts that are nearly as durable as certain injection-molded components.

Fill out the information below to download the resource.

By downloading this content, I agree to receive the DE 24/7 Newswire, a twice weekly free email newsletter (you may choose to opt-out in the newsletter).

Latest News

Online FEA and CFD Classes Becoming the Norm
Virtual classrooms make specialist skills more accessible.

TECHNIA Buys Dassault Systèmes Business from Workflow Informatics
Virtual twin-focused company buys Dassault's BIOVIA business.

Dyndrite Unveils New SMART Script
New automation standard is developed as part of the ASTM Consortium.

PTC and Configit Partner for Product Configurations
Integrating CLM and PLM enables a streamlined approach to configuration management, companies report.

DeskProto V8 Now Released
New release features CNC toolpaths for V-Carving, company says.

University of Maine Embarks on Build of Factory of the Future
Construction starts on sustainable manufacturing research facility at UMaine.

All posts