Pathfinding Flexible Manufacturing Raise3D strives for Pathfinding for Flexible Manufacturing.
robótica
26
Diogo Quental Raise3D
portugal 3d
Raise3D is launching the Pro2 Series: a new series of printers developed with industrial grade components, to be used flawlessly in Flexible Manufacturing solutions based on desktop 3D printing systems.
In the appearance, Pro2 Series look very much alike N2 Series, but we are talking about two different grades of printers. The Pro2 Series printers are one of the fastest in dual printing, the accuracy is 16x higher than market standard, usability is greatly improved, and its reliability will be a differentiating factor in the segment. Even if the N2 Series has been acclaimed as a top printer in its category, a tremendous effort was put to take the Pro2 Series to the next level. We can confidently say that new printers are the cream of the crop and are ready to Pathfind Flexible Manufacturing. In our roadmap, also being relevant for our vision, will be the offering from late September of Raise3D Corporate Package Services; and by the end of 2018, the first customized solutions for selected Vertical Markets. This will conclude the first stage of our vision to Pathfind Flexible Manufacturing. Why is Flexible Manufacturing so important? The quality-of-life during the 20th Century improved as never before. Today, in most modern societies, people live longer and happier than before. The modernization of society increased the demand for high quality and low-cost products, for which mass production was the answer. Mass production improved our lives, but it came with a heavy burden: to produce a high standardization and rigid processes were required. Due to mass production, it is very common to see people of different countries, cultures, life-style or beliefs using the same exactly products, despite their deep cultural differences. This process happened much to the benefit of customers, who saw their purchase power growing rapidly and adapted to a more consumerism lifestyle. Over the last decade, however, several factors are changing the way we think, act and do. From the previous globalized thinking that was shaping society, we are now living a world of increasing individual expression, where most people want and can express themselves as unique individuals. This process is creating demand for exclusive and original products and experiences. This rapid changing of consumer preferences puts under a heavy pressure the standard large and rigid batches required by mass production. About 40 years ago, industries like steel or clothing went already through a process of reducing the scale of
production to gain flexibility. But most manufacturing was still waiting for the disruption that could bring economic sense to smaller batch production. The answer is now arriving with the general adoption of Additive Manufacturing (also known as 3D Printing) in manufacturing. Additive Manufacturing is making it possible to address a high level of customization at a reasonable cost and with high quality. Additive Manufacturing can be used for rapid prototyping, for bridge manufacturing, or even as for production, as it can often be the most convenient manufacturing option. The business case for using Additive Manufacturing over traditional manufacturing is clear[1]:
[1] This is a general analysis. The analysis may be different for a specific manufacturing process.
For the coming years, traditional manufacturing is likely to keep being the option for high volume production with standardization. When it comes to lower volume batches, however, 3D printers already beat traditional manufacturing – and the break-even batch size is rising. Additive Manufacturing will undoubtedly play a significant role in future manufacturing. But there are still some barriers to overcome that may be slowing the adoption. Changing efficient and certified processes, like those of traditional manufacturing, entails a deep analysis of the alternatives, that requires: • Knowing the existing product and process certifications; • Understanding the implications on the whole manufacturing process;