Applications of 3D Printing in Manufacturing

We’ve recently covered the benefits of 3D printing in manufacturing where we outlined how in today’s fast-paced manufacturing environment, operational efficiency and adaptability are more critical than ever.

Whether you're an operations manager looking to streamline production workflows or an engineer tasked with solving complex design challenges, 3D printing has become a transformative tool in modern manufacturing.

This article will explore how 3D printing is being applied across the manufacturing industry, from custom tooling and rapid prototyping to on-demand spare parts production, highlighting real-world examples and key benefits for professionals striving to maintain a competitive edge in their operations.

Custom Jigs, Fixtures, and Tooling

Across the entire manufacturing landscape, jigs, fixtures, and tooling play a pivotal role in ensuring product quality, assembly accuracy, and production speed. Traditionally, creating these components required time-intensive machining and significant costs, especially for customized solutions. 3D printing allows for a vastly more rapid, efficient, and cost-effective way of producing these parts.

Several of our clients such as ERIKS, Volkswagen Autoeuropa, Zeiss, and IME Automation have already implemented 3D printing technology to create various jigs and fixtures to streamline and improve their manufacturing capabilities.

Here’s a few examples:

ERIKS - Motor and drill alignment jigs

The implementation of the motor jig, for example, allowed for an easier assembly of the components minimizing the chance of assembly errors while also making the process 3 times faster (assembly time previously took around 3 minutes which was cut down to one).

According to ERIKS:

For us the primary benefit of 3D printing is speed. How quickly can we get something? And that is where 3D printers are the fastest option you can get. I can turn on a print job at 2 pm one day, and the next morning I come into the office and now I have the tools ready. So that is the main factor why we choose 3D printing over conventional methods, whenever we can. Cost is a side benefit for us.

Volkswagen Autoeuropa - Manufacturing tools

Volkswagen Autoeuropa has switched to 3D printing in order to produce the vast majority of tools used in their manufacturing line and has seen tool development time reduced by up to 95% and costs by 91% (saving an estimated $375.000 per year).

Zeiss - Adapter plate and label placement gauge

For Carl Zeiss Optical Components, precision is paramount when manufacturing microscopes, multi-sensoric machines and optical sensors for industrial measurement and quality assurance purposes.

Their implementation of UltiMaker’s 3D printing technology not only enabled them to create bespoke adapter plates for each of their microscopes in serial production streamlining the process but also made supporting those parts for their clients a lot easier, as spares could be printed on demand and sent to a client’s location. Previously they had to produce several parts, mount them together, and adjust them which was a more costly and time-consuming process.

Taking label placement gauges as another example, previously made out of POM (polyoxymethylene), the sharp corners would lead to breakage if dropped. Adding in the fact that POM is traditionally made by injection molding or extrusion, itself a costly process, would often require CNC machining to create the desired part.

In contrast, the new 3D printed gauges allowed products to slide in and out of the tool effortlessly while also being less fragile, more wear-resistant and could be printed to achieve tight tolerances, all while having a print time of just 3 hours at €2.20 per part.

IME Automation - Box folding jig

With a focus on precision, efficiency, and innovation in the field of building custom automated robotics for manufacturers IME Automation turned to 3D printing to test and create a wide range of applications to be more agile and flexible in their manufacturing process.

One of the most notable examples is the one that started them on the path of using 3D printing technology, their patented box folding jig.

Used to erect or fold cartons their customers previously had to either buy an off-the-shelf carton erector or a full-fledged cartoner which were big, cost prohibitive, and offered no flexibility to changes due to the long times required to adapt them.

The 3D printed folding box jig IME Automation developed was a game changer as they could iterate a wide variety of shapes and sizes with less than 2-minute part changeover times.

Rapid Prototyping and End-Use Parts Production

As previously hinted, 3D printing allows for direct fabrication of prototypes from CAD models, bypassing the need for complex tooling or molds. This capability significantly shortens development cycles and enables designers to test, modify, and validate designs with a high degree of speed and flexibility.

Unlike traditional subtractive manufacturing processes, additive manufacturing allows for the creation of designs with complex geometry, overhangs, and organic shapes at a reduced cost and complexity. This innate feature allows 3D printing to bridge the gap between prototyping and large-scale production, allowing companies to produce end-use parts without the need for expensive and time-consuming tooling. Our clients Sylatech and Snow Business offer some great examples in this regard:

Sylatech - Yacht propeller prototype

An investment casting firm, Sylatech was previously unable to test design functionality without using tooling investment casting, a time-consuming and costly process, typically taking three to four weeks with customers paying £2,000-4,000 per tool. Add in the fact that approximately 30% of tools require some sort of alteration, which can cost up to £900, it’s easy to see why they needed a solution to reduce lead times and costs.

Using UltiMaker’s 3D printing technology they were able to reduce the development time of a yacht propeller from four weeks to just three days and brought down the total cost from £17,100 to £15,660 (including casting tooling costs).

Taking into account that with 3D printing only 5% of tools needed alteration, Sylatech’s ROI for an UltiMaker 3D printer was less than 3 months.

Snow Business - Snow machine nozzle

With over 35 years of experience in the artificial snow industry for film and TV effects production, Snow Business has leveraged 3D printing to prototype, functionally test and create final parts for their machines. For example, the nozzles on their snow machines could be 3D printed in-house within seven hours at £2.50 each, negating the need for an SLS service which took up seven days with a minimum £125 per order. They estimate that their UltiMaker printer paid for itself within just two weeks.

On-Demand Spare Parts and Maintenance

In traditional manufacturing, maintaining a stock of spare parts for machinery or production lines often requires significant investment in inventory and storage space. Long lead times for replacement parts can result in costly production delays.

3D printing eliminates these challenges by enabling the on-demand production of spare parts directly on location, aside from the greater flexibility and cost efficiency in maintenance operations, manufacturers can leverage 3D printing to also extend the lifespan of existing machinery far beyond the OEM’s support cycle which is an often underreported benefit that directly translates to lower production costs and higher production uptimes.

Some of our clients, such as Trivium and Heineken, have integrated UltiMaker’s ecosystem precisely for this reason:

Trivium - Conveyor infeed worm and silicone seals & gaskets

In Trivium’s case, the original packaging machine had worn out and was no longer available from the supplier and manufacturing it via traditional methods such as CNC milling was cost prohibitive and time consuming. 3D printing the part in a low cost material such as ABS allowed them to validate the design and switching to carbon reinforced nylon netted them a durable replacement part that allowed them to keep their production rolling.

Similarly, the molds needed for silicone seals and gaskets needed for different machines were either too expensive or, as was the case for the infeed wheel, no longer available.

Using ABS printed with a 60 micron layer height, Trivium was able to cleare smooth and accurate molds for silicone which could be reused and reprinted on demand, saving time and money.

Heineken - Stopper tool

After the implementation of 3D printing technology in their Seville plant, Heineken was able to improve their manufacturing process in terms of output, uptime, and safety. We recommend reading further on how Heinken ensured production continuity with 3D printing for a more comprehensive list of applications, but for this example, we want to showcase their stopper tool.

As a custom tool used to loosen or tighten the columns for the guiding wheels that apply bottle labels, the 3D printed version of the tool was 70% cheaper to produce than the previously CNC machined one and done within a single day instead of three.

Materials Enabling Versatility in Manufacturing

UltiMaker’s ecosystem of advanced printing solutions provides manufacturers with the flexibility to choose from a wide range of materials tailored to specific applications. From durable industrial plastics to flexible polymers, these materials enable the production of functional parts that can withstand the rigors of industrial environments even replacing traditional materials such as aluminum or steel in certain applications without compromising on part reliability or function.

As a reference starting point here are 3 of the materials used in the above examples:

UltiMaker Tough PLA:

• Applications: Strong and impact-resistant parts such as jigs, fixtures, and prototypes.
• Use case: Heineken uses Tough PLA to print durable production line components, including bottle guides and tool organizers, ensuring longevity while maintaining cost-effectiveness​

UltiMaker Nylon CF

• Applications: High-strength, abrasion-resistant parts like gears, bushings, and conveyor belts.
• Use case: Trivium Packaging leverages carbon reinforced nylon for parts like conveyor infeed worms, which must endure high wear and tear in a manufacturing environment

UltiMaker ABS

• Applications: Durable parts requiring smooth surface finishes, such as molds and protective covers.
• Use case: Zeiss’s adapter plates and label placement gauges are both made from ABS.

We recognize that material selection is one of the cornerstones of successful 3D printing applications in manufacturing and with a selection of over 200+ materials on the Marketplace, we’ve recently expanded the possibilities available on a single print with our dual-extrusion Factor 4 printer:

• Support Materials: Soluble supports like PVA allow for complex geometries with overhangs or internal structures that would otherwise be impossible to produce through traditional methods.
• Composite Structures: Pairing flexible materials like TPU with rigid materials like nylon creates parts with hybrid properties, such as flexible joints or shock-absorbing elements.

IMES3D - The Power of Partnership

For a holistic view of how UltiMaker’s complete ecosystem can help manufacturers and businesses integrate 3D printing technologies into their workflows effectively, we turn to IMES3D, one of our clients and partners, as an example of leading the charge in the transformative nature of 3D printing technology.

Offering professional support and a full suite of comprehensive services, IMES3D specializes in designing and implementing 3D printing solutions tailored to their customers specific operational needs. From printing parts and support in selecting the right materials they also offer consulting services for companies looking to adopt additive manufacturing and integrate it into existing workflows.

In order to support their clientele spanning a wide range of industries, including automotive, food and beverage, military and medical sectors, they rely on UltiMaker’s unique ecosystem to ensure that their 60+ printer fleet is utilized as efficiently as possible.

Elaborating on UltiMaker’s ecosystem this is comprised of 3 main parts:

Hardware:

• S Series
• Method Series
• Factor Series

Software:

• Cura
• Digital Factory

Materials & Partners:

• UltiMaker materials
• 3rd party partner materials

Along with UltiMaker Cura which is a fast and easy-to-use slicer, Digital Factory is used to easily manage all of the printers in the network, and ensure that projects get sent to the right printer and queues are monitored. Additionally, some customers have also started using Digital Factory which enables IMES3D to leverage the software as a key support tool being able to remotely send and queue prints from their facility.

Their expertise spans technology, material science, and production optimization, which is why we highly recommend watching our recent webinar with IMES3D to get a full picture of how they are advancing industrial 3D printing together with UltiMaker’s ecosystem.

But for those interested in a couple of short granular examples of applications we’d like to showcase two that were made possible with the addition of the new UltiMaker Factor 4 printer:

Flexible bumpers for PDA’s

Considering that most PDA manufacturers do not make any protective covers for their devices, resulting in drastically reduced lifespans due to accidental drops or mishandles, IMES3D designed and printed a wide variety of custom bumpers made out of soft TPU filament.

The ability to print in a variety of colors also allowed IMES3D to color code the bumpers according to their customer’s specifications.

Mold for part injection

The ability to print in UltiMaker’s new PPS CF carbon reinforced filament, opened up the possibility of replacing metal parts with the new composite material. With extreme durability and high-temperature resistance (HDT B of over 230°C printing), IMES3D was able to create a mold connector used for injecting parts for water and air pipes.

Become an industry leader with UltiMaker

3D printing is not merely a complementary technology, it is reshaping the manufacturing landscape. At the cutting edge, UltiMaker’s Factor 4 empowers companies to innovate rapidly, cut costs, and create complex designs and paves the way for a more agile and efficient future.

If you want to know how UltiMaker can help you change the game for your business don’t hesitate to contact us and our team of experts would be more than happy to reach out!