3D Printing Moving Past Prototyping to Large Batch Manufacturing

After literally several decades of hype and hope, it appears 3D printing may finally be starting to deliver on its promise to change manufacturing.

The shortcomings for 3D printing have been they aren't economical for large scale manufacturing, they don't produce parts as strong or reliable as traditional manufacturing methods and they are limited by the types of material they are able to use.

In particular, 3D printers have not been good at printing metal parts. 

All three of these shortcomings are rapidly changing. 

One example is Voodoo Manufacturing. 

They've created a network of 160 3D printers that is able to produce parts fast and cheap, at prices competitive with traditional injection molding in order quantities up to 10,000 pieces. They expect to be competitive with injection molding on up to 100,000 pieces in the near future. 

This is a big shift. Up until very recently 3D printers were only cost effective for small batches of 500 pieces or less. 

Another 3d Printing company, Carbon 3D, has developed a 3D printing technology that matches the strength and reliability of parts made using injection molding. 

Carbon also claims the ability to do larger scale production manufacturing.

And Desktop Metal claims their 3D printers can fabricate metal parts cheaply and quickly enough to make the technology practical for widespread use in product design and manufacturing.

Investors clearly believe in these companies. Both Carbon and Desktop Metal have raised over $200 million in venture backing. 

The elite strategy consulting firm BCG also thinks 3D printing is about to take off. Key quote from their article How to Position Your Company in the 3D Value Chain:

In 2015, the entire 3D-printing market—which includes products made from plastics, ceramics, and metals—totaled $5 billion. BCG expects this market to triple by 2020 ... and reach $350 billion by 2035.

Small manufacturing companies and Makers have long been active users of 3D printers.

And just as desktop publishing and desktop movie editing systems enabled the growth of small and solo media and entertainment firms, 3D printing will drive the growth of small and solo manufacturing firms.

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