from prototype to production 2021
TRANSCRIPT
3D Printing
2 0 2 1
Additive Manufacturing/
from Prototype to Production
ADOPTION
Funding for this report provided by
ASME helps the global engineering community develop solutions to real world challenges. Founded in 1880 as The American Society of Mechanical Engineers, ASME is a nonprofit professional organization that enables collaboration, knowledge sharing and skill development across all engineering disciplines, while promoting the vital role of the engineer in society. ASME codes and standards, publications, conferences, continuing education, and professional development programs provide a foundation for advancing technical knowledge and a safer world. ASME recently formed the International Society of Interdisciplinary Engineers (ISIE) LLC, a new for-profit subsidiary to house business ventures that will bring new and innovative products, services, and technologies to the engineering community.
CarbonĀ® is a 3D printing technology company helping businesses to develop better products and bring them to market in less time. Carbon is a venture-backed company headquartered in Redwood City, CA. Carbon has customers in 17 countries and is continuing to expand globally.
COVER The Seeker, a NASA external free flying robotic inspector, is about the size of a loaf of bread. One 10 cm x 10 cm āfaceā of the vehicle contains a plethora of instrumentation including an Inertial Measurement Unit (IMU), laser rangefinder (LRF), four sun sensors, two cameras, and a communication antenna along with four small rocket thrusters. The iterative nature of additive manufacturing paired with end-use level part quality, allowed NASA to undergo over 10 design iterations and produce a complex integrated component that required no post machining, and ultimately reduce their time to certification. Produced by The Technology House using the Carbon DLSā¢ process.
Ā©2021 American Society of Manufacturing Engineers
The last few years have seen significant growth of metal additive manufacturing for
production, particularly in the medical device and aerospace sectors. With so much focus on metal production,
polymer additive manufacturing has been growing with little attention. In 2020, an estimated 18,400 industrial polymer
machines were sold, representing 850% more systems than metal systems.i
Why is there such a gap in the number of metal and polymer systems sold? Current prices provide one clue. The
average selling price (ASP) of a metal system was $501,844 compared to a polymer system ASP of $54,350 in 2020.ii
The other point explaining the gap is the long history of polymer systems.
The first commercially installed polymer systems were at General
Motors and Baxter Healthcare in 1988. The technology, then
referred to as rapid prototyping, quickly took off for development.
Leading users included the automotive sector and those using
injection molding for production. The value of additive
manufacturing over other prototyping processes like milling and
injection molding was quickly demonstrated by cutting
development times and enabling iterative designs.
By 2000, many industry leaders claimed every injection molded part was prototyped with a polymer additive
manufacturing system, and patient-matched parts in the form of anatomic models and patterns were being used in
medical and dental sectors. To compare, the first metal additive manufacturing system was available in 1998, with a
system that produced fully dense parts not available until 2004.
Both polymer and metal additive manufacturing systems are used in nearly all general application areas including
prototyping for fit, form, and function; manufacturing tools such as jigs, fixtures, and patterns; and production at any
volume level. Polymer 3D printing is ubiquitous in prototyping, but still has tremendous growth potential in serial
Digital Aerolus Aertos 130IR drone cover produced by Fast Radius using LOCTITEĀ® 3D IND405 on the Carbon L1 3D printer
Ā©2021 American Society of Manufacturing Engineers 2
production. While early frontier applications like
radioactivity sensors, electrical connectors,
running shoe midsoles, and more have
demonstrated the value, the perception remains
that production use is limited. What are the
challenges? Why isnāt there more polymer 3D
printing production?
To better understand the current state and test the
assumptions, ASME surveyed engineers involved
in the design or development of plastic parts or
products during the second quarter of 2021. The results showed a robust polymer 3D printing user community, with
sometimes surprising insights. Key findings include:
With so much focus on the use of metal additive manufacturing for production, it may surprise many to learn
that 40% of respondents indicate they use polymer additive manufacturing systems for production.
For development of polymer products, 3D printing/additive manufacturing is used more often than either
injection molding or milling, but not by all.
3D printing is still the most often used process for prototyping, but many are also using milling and injection
molding.
Those within the life sciences and industrial machinery sectors reported the highest levels of familiarity with
3D printing.
Both the reasons why 3D printing is used and isnāt used refer to time, cost, and accuracy which suggests the
overall challenge is understanding of additive manufacturing options and having the needed skillsets.
Nearly all agreed that their organization actively pursues new technology and processes for product
development.
Technology use is influenced by age and company size.
The Resolution Medical Lattice Swab was developed and delivered in less than three weeks during the beginning of the COVID-19 crisis. The lattice was designed with Carbon's Design Engine software, and is printed using DLS technology on Carbon's M2 printer using KeySplint Soft Clear material.
Ā©2021 American Society of Manufacturing Engineers 3
Adoption of Polymer Additive Manufacturing/3D Printing for Production
According to the Wohlers Report 2021, 31.5% of all
applications across all materials were for end-use
parts or production. While injection molding is still
the leading technology used for polymer part
production, 3D printing/additive manufacturing is
growing as a production method. For those
involved in product development and design, 40%
indicated they use additive manufacturing for
production. This number is both a little surprising
and encouraging.
Where is polymer production happening? Companies producing athletic equipment including hockey helmets, bicycle saddles, and
running shoes have used the unique lattice design capabilities of 3D printing to increase performance. Healthcare and aerospace have
also been leaders in production use of additive manufacturing.
Healthcare may have been one of the earliest examples with the first polymer
anatomical models produced in 1988. Since then, several patient-specific and
serialized applications have emerged including assistive devices. A 2021 survey of
the medical community indicated use across several categories: 66% use for
surgical planning including surgical guides, 48% for active devices often
incorporating electronics and sensors, 46% use for prosthetics and assistive
devices, 42% for patient-matched devices, and 39% for serialized devices.iii
For aerospace, many are aware of metal production examples like a fuel nozzle,
but the earliest production examples include airplane duct work. Today, polymer 3D
printing is being used for engine compartment nozzle bezels, functional knobs, seat
backs, and dashboard interfaces. Many are considering polymer additive
manufacturing for drones, satellites, and more. NASA is also looking to 3D printing
polymers to reduce spare parts and costs. For the International Space Station, they
have produced a fixture to hold an airflow monitor, sensor cover for radiation
Processes Used for Polymer Production
0% 20% 40% 60% 80%
40%
53%
84%
Injection Molding Milling 3D Printing / Additive Manufacturing
Vitamix uses additive manufacturing to produce a specialized nozzle used for rinsing commercial blenders. Compared to injection-molded nozzles, they use 30% less material and combine six separate parts into one, reducing overall cost per nozzle by 33%. Produced with the Carbon DLS process.
Ā©2021 American Society of Manufacturing Engineers 4
monitors, and a tow hitch to link two satellites. A 2021 survey of the aerospace community showed that 30% are using polymer 3D
printing for production, which is not far behind the 46% using metals.iv
Additional findings from the polymer additive manufacturing/3D printing adoption survey include:
Respondents in firms with under 100 employees are more likely to use 3D printing for production (61%) than respondents in
firms with 100+ employees (45%).
Larger firms (100+ employees) are more likely to use injection molding (75%) than firms with fewer than 100 employees (49%).
Respondents under 45 years of age are more likely to use 3D printing for production (57%) than respondents 45 years of age
or older (37%). Adoption of Polymer Additive Manufacturing/3D Printing for Manufacturing Tools
Manufacturing tools include jigs, fixtures, molds, and patterns for
molding or casting. Overall, manufacturing tools represent
approximately 14.4% of applications.v Investment casting patterns
were one of the earliest applications, creating polymer patterns that
were mostly hollow, allowing the patterns to be burned out without
cracking the surrounding shell. Today, 3D printing is used for short run
injection molds, patterns for molding, assembly tools, and more.
While milling remains the most often used technology for manufacturing tools, often
for production injection molds, the survey indicated that 3D printing is now the
second most common process. The ASME 2021 aerospace additive
manufacturing/3D printing community survey showed that 47% produce jigs and
fixtures and 44% produce patterns and molds using polymer 3D printing.
Additional findings for use of polymer additive manufacturing/3D printing for
manufacturing tools were:
3D printing for manufacturing tools varies by geography, from 56% outside the
US (low base) to 76% in the Southeastern US.
Process Used for Manufacturing Tools
0% 20% 40% 60%
51%
66%
40%
Injection Molding Milling 3D Printing / Additive Manufacturing
This production-line bottle gripper for Colgate-Palmolive uses an elastomeric lattice structure to accommodate different sized bottles. Developed and produced by Fast Radius using Carbon DLS technology and Carbon's EPU 41 material.
Ā©2021 American Society of Manufacturing Engineers 5
Those with less than 5 yearsā experience are half as likely to use injection molding for manufacturing tools compared to those
with 5+ yearsā experience (16% vs. 33%).
Those in smaller firms (under 100 employees) are about half as likely to use injection molding than those in firms with 100+
employees (18% vs. 39%). Adoption of Polymer Additive Manufacturing/3D Printing for Development
With a technology that began with the label of rapid
prototyping, there is no surprise that polymer 3D printing
is the most often used technology for development. The
value of quick design changes enabling several
iterations in a short time frame allows engineers and
designers to quickly test ideas. Nearly 90% of survey
respondents indicated they use additive manufacturing
in the development cycle with half also using milling and
injection molding.
Prototyping falls into three major categories: fit, form,
and function. While 3D printing remains the most often
used for all three categories, injection molding and
milling use increases for final functional prototyping. This
demonstrates that additive manufacturing is often used
with other technologies. For development, a common
process is to develop all prototypes with 3D printing and
produce a final prototype with the production technology
that will be used. This is reflected with the higher
numbers for injection molding (56%) and milling (71%).
Additional findings for use of polymer additive
manufacturing/3D printing for development were:
Processes Used for Development
0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%
88%
51%
51%
Injection Molding Milling 3D Printing / Additive Manufacturing
Processes Used for Development
0% 20% 40% 60% 80%
Fit prototyping
Form prototyping
Functional prototyping
77%
83%
81%
48%
46%
71%
15%
22%
56%
Injection Molding Milling 3D Printing / Additive Manufacturing
Ā©2021 American Society of Manufacturing Engineers 6
Fit prototyping
Those with less than 5 yearsā experience are slightly less likely to use 3D
printing for fit prototyping (85%) than those with 5+ yearsā experience (94%).
Form prototyping
Respondents 45+ years old are slightly less likely to use 3D printing for form
prototyping (89%) compared to those under 45 years of age (96%).
Firms with 100+ employees are twice as likely to use milling for form
prototyping (36%) as those in firms with less than 100 employees (17%).
Functional prototyping
Geographically, use of 3D Printing for Functional Prototyping varies by region ā from 78% in the Western US to 91% in the
Southeastern US, and outside the US 93%. Whatās Next for Polymer Additive Manufacturing/3D Printing
As the community strives to advance and even accelerate the adoption of additive manufacturing, the survey asked open-ended
questions on why polymer 3D printing is or isnāt used to understand both drivers and challenges users face. Not surprising that time,
cost, and accuracy were mentioned. What was surprising was that these three were mentioned as both reasons for using and NOT
using 3D printing. This duplication suggests that an underlying
cause for not using the technology is a knowledge or skills gap.
This underlines the handful of responses specifically
mentioning experience and knowledge as a cause of non-use.
For those using polymer additive manufacturing, the top
reasons generally fell into three general areas: speed, flexibility
in timing and design, and cost efficiency. Top reasons for not
using the technology were material performance and inability to
3D print large pieces. All of these are consistent with recent
trends and what is expected next including:
rapid product manufacturing GmbH (rpm), a specialty automotive supplier, has identified 3D printing as a cost-effective process for production runs of 500-2,000 parts. This hinge assembly was produced by rpm using Carbon EPX 82 material, which is IMDS listed and approved for end-use automotive parts.
The Specialized S-Works Power Saddle with Mirror uses an elastomeric lattice structure to improve performance and rider comfort and was designed using a database of cyclist body geometry. A 3D-printed texture on the saddle surface improves grip and gives the saddle a distinctive aesthetic. Developed in collaboration with Carbon using Design Engine software and Carbon's EPU 41 material.
Ā©2021 American Society of Manufacturing Engineers 7
ā Materials Development: The additive manufacturing/3D printing community will see more development of materials designed for
performance to match or even extend properties of traditional manufacturing materials.
ā Software: With complex design capabilities and a need to be as efficient as possible, the community has already seen
tremendous growth in the number of software applications specific to additive manufacturing to optimize design, build prep,
planning, and materials tracing. Use of artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning are enabling software to make building
complex designs like lattice structures to meet specific mechanical properties easier, as well as increasing the reliability of
modeling and simulation for repeatable additive manufacturing production.
ā Integration with Other Technologies: Additive manufacturing has been a
natural match with 3D scanning and medical imaging for design as well as
patterns for casting. From the survey responses, itās also clear that 3D printing
works well with injection molding and milling in the development process. As
experience increases, more technologies will be used with additive
manufacturing as an integral piece rather than a standalone technology.
ā Larger Build Envelopes: Large scale prints have already been demonstrated
through research efforts like those at Oak Ridge National Laboratory with
limited materials and one additive manufacturing process. The community will
see the build envelopes of other processes with a wider range of materials
options increase.
ā Speed: Not only will machines become more efficient, but the combination of software, monitoring tools, and AI will make the
overall process faster and more repeatable, opening the door to more production applications.
ā Smart Supply Chains: Combining all of these with improvements in digital engineering, security, and remote monitoring, entire
supply chains will become smarter. Complex distributed
manufacturing networks will reach nearly all locations on earth and
even a few off planet.
The good news is that the additive manufacturing/3D printing
community is diverse and forward looking. The adoption environment is
strong in nearly every industry sector. When asked if their company
actively pursues new technology and processes, more than 90%
agreed, with just over half agreeing strongly. The big question isā¦.
which new 3D printing technology, material, software, or more will be adopted next?
My company actively pursues new technology & processes.
Agree strongly51%Agree somewhat
41%
Disagree somewhat7%
Disagree strongly2%
Production-grade 3D printing made it possible to rapidly develop and produce these radioactivity sensor components used in the development of radiopharmaceuticals. Produced by TĆ©cnicas Radio Fisicas in collaboration with Dynamical 3D using Carbon DLS technology and Carbon EPX 82 material.
Ā©2021 American Society of Manufacturing Engineers
_____________________________ i Wohlers Report 2021 ii Wohlers report 2021 iii ASME Medical AM/3DP Survey 2021 iv ASME Aerospace AM/3DP Survey 2021 v Wohlers Report 2021
APPENDIX
Featured Case Studies ā¢ NASA Seeker Robot (cover) ā¢ Digital Aerolus Aertos 130IR drone cover ā¢ Resolution Medical Swabs ā¢ Vitamix Nozzle ā¢ Colgate Bottle Gripper ā¢ Automotive Film Hinge ā¢ Specialized S-Works Power Saddle ā¢ Radioactivity Sensor Components
Survey Respondent Profile
ā¢ 377 respondents ā¢ Practicing engineer ā¢ Involvement in product design or development of
fabricated plastic parts/products
Additional Resources
ā¢ ASME ā¢ Carbon ā¢ Upcoming & On-Demand AM Webinars ā¢ AM Events ā¢ AM Video Gallery ā¢ ASME AM YouTube Playlist ā¢ Medical Additive Manufacturing/3D Printing Year in Review 2019-20 ā¢ Process Verification & Validation for Medical Devices Using Additive Manufacturing ā¢ 3D Printing of Medical Devices at the Point of Care: Regulatory Concept Framework Series ā¢ Medical 3D Printing Applications Infographic ā¢ 3D Bioprinting ā¢ Wearables, Embedded, Bioprinted Sensors ā¢ Video: Designing Medical Devices with Additive Manufacturing ā¢ Medical Additive Manufacturing/3D Printing Publications ā¢ Journal of Medical Devices Special Issue: Three-Dimensional Printing of Medical Device
Sectors
Industrial22%
Life Sciences21%
Consulting, Education & Other
20%Aerospace/Military
9%
Consumer Goods7%
AM/3DP Suppliers6%
Automotive/Transportatio5%
Building/Construction5%
Energy/Environment3% Other Government
2%