I was struggling to choose a 3D printer when launching a new business.
A factory launching a new business contacted us because they didn't know what equipment they needed. When starting a new business, there are many situations where it's difficult to determine what equipment is necessary.
This time, the consultation came at a stage where we were almost certain to decide on purchasing a high-performance commercial 3D printer, which had been recommended by a sales representative from a machinery manufacturer.
Maintenance fees were being incurred without any increase in the utilization rate.
When asked about the situation after implementation, it turned out that the expensive commercial 3D printers were working. However, the build size and compatible materials did not match the actual application, limiting the situations in which they could be used.
As a result, the utilization rate remained low, while maintenance fees were incurred every month. The benefits obtained did not match the amount of capital investment.
Different methods and materials are better suited to creating different types of sculptures.
3D printers are divided into several types, including those that melt and build up resin using heat, and those that harden resin using light. Each type excels at creating different types of objects, and its accuracy and strength tendencies vary accordingly.
The required performance differs depending on whether the application is for prototyping requiring high precision or for mass production. In the former, dimensional accuracy and surface finish are important, while in the latter, printing time and material costs tend to be more important.
Sales representatives from machinery manufacturers sometimes explain, "This can do a lot of things." However, it's important not to blindly accept its versatility, but to consider how it can be applied to your own company's specific needs.
Even expensive machines capable of handling a wide range of applications are often only used in limited situations. This can easily lead to a situation where maintenance fees continue to be incurred without actually utilizing a portion of the machine's capabilities.
We will examine the size, precision, quantity, and materials for each process.
Before choosing the equipment, I organized the following four points:
- The size of the part you want to make
- Required accuracy
- Expected production quantity
- Types of materials used
When we break down these four processes, the required performance characteristics change. In the initial stages of prototyping, it may be sufficient to simply confirm the shape.
At this stage, the priority is often on quickly creating a tangible product that can be held in the hand, rather than on precision. When considering mass production, material strength and the reproducibility of the design become more important.
Even within the category of 3D printers, the performance aspects to consider vary depending on the manufacturing process.If you try to handle all processes with the performance of a single machine, it's likely that some process will become unsustainable.
Instead of consolidating everything into one device, we considered using different, cheaper models for different purposes.
Instead of consolidating all processes into a single expensive machine, we considered a method of combining relatively inexpensive models for different purposes, such as prototyping, verification, and mass production testing.
Because the investment cost per unit is kept low, it becomes easier to replace equipment if the intended use and model do not match. We have compiled a list of how to combine different models for each process, referencing implementation examples from multiple factories.
The approach of dividing the process into stages before selecting equipment can also be applied to other capital investments.
When considering capital investment, the approach of breaking down the process into smaller steps, confirming the truly necessary performance for each step, and then selecting a model is applicable not only to 3D printers but to other equipment as well.
High versatility can come at the cost of mediocre performance in individual processes. Clearly defining the required performance for each process beforehand is the starting point for equipment selection.
We handle everything from design to selecting the manufacturing supplier, to the extent relevant to the article.
MACHICOCO is a company based in Higashi-Osaka that manages projects to create products in collaboration with engineers at local factories. We do not own any large-scale facilities ourselves.
We handle everything from prototype design to considering processing methods, including 3D printing, and selecting processing partners with mass production in mind. We don't just stop at development and manufacturing; we work together with you all the way through to sales.
You can start a conversation with hand-drawn pictures and photographs.
When you contact us for advice, please send us the following information to help us process your inquiry more quickly.
- Hand-drawn pictures and sketches
- Photo of the actual item
- Approximate dimensions
- Intended usage
- Estimated desired production quantity
- If you have the actual item, then the actual item itself.
You don't need drawings. Even if the processing method hasn't been decided yet, we can consider manufacturing methods while looking at drawings or actual samples, so please tell us about your current situation first.
