The Current Additive Manufacturing Service Bureau
With the growth of 3D printing throughout every industry in manufacturing, product development, and CAD design companies are seeking to get parts and prototypes cheaper and faster. This has posed a challenge for service-based 3D printing job shops as equipment and the companies that manufacture them vary tremendously in quality.
This race to be faster and cheaper, has left companies that require tight tolerances, specific material specs, and quality consistent parts searching for trusted partners in an industry that has no true brand leader and many "hobbyists" offering their services.
So although cheap and fast is good for certain situations, this mindset has commoditized the 3D printing industry, leaving gaps for companies that manufacture critical parts and require more engineering-focused 3D Printing.
Combining Traditional Engineering Practices
with the Power of Additive Manufacturing
With the innovation behind additive manufacturing, it is easy to believe that you will get perfect parts, that fit all your specifications, every time. Sadly, this is not true more so than it is, but when marrying together traditional engineering and manufacturing processes and practices with AM, it becomes an extremely powerful tool to create better end-use parts more consistently.
Challenges
With the number of companies manufacturing 3D printers from desktop, to resin, to industrial-grade, it is challenging to identify which machines offer the quality and consistency of parts that you need. When ordering from a 3D printing service bureau it is unknown which brand or model of equipment they are using for your project, and how it will affect the strength, finish, or functionality of the end part. With there being no true brand leader, it is up to the service bureau to pick and decide which machines to invest in for their customers. This is where working with a company that focuses on the engineering-driven approach to 3D printing pays huge dividends.
Practices Innosek Utilizes
At Innosek, we are helping pave the landscape for high-level engineering concepts and processes in the additive manufacturing service space. What gives our customers better parts every time is not only our own farm of 50 modified 3D printers, but our expertise in how to achieve your desired results through part setup, manufacturing, post-processing, and completion. Using these highly specialized practices allows us to give your part the individual attention it needs to thrive in its environment.
Robust Quality Assurance
First Article of Inspection Reports to ensure your crucial features are accurate
Understanding shrinkage and expansion work in achieving better tolerances
Wide Variety of Engineering 3D Printing Materials to meet your required specs
Optimizing Parts on the Build Plate to maximize strength and surface finish
Conclusion
Beware of where you order your 3D printing parts from. With so many companies offering services in the 3D printing space, quality and consistency vary tremendously. Look to work with companies that understand the requirements of your parts and how to achieve them with Additive Manufacturing. We are happy to answer any questions and to be a resource for you and your company. Shoot us an email at info@innosek.com.