______________________________________________________________________________________________________ 3D Printing
manufacturing principles. Leaning out a production process involves eliminating waste, reducing unnecessary steps, and streamlining operations. In this regard, additive manufacturing is often treated as an outlier, but the reality is that conventional manufacturing faces similar challenges. Producing the first few parts of any new design is typically inefficient. In traditional production, once the initial prototypes meet quality standards, the next step is to optimize the process for cost-efficient mass production. The same principle applies to additive manufacturing, but with one key difference: traditional manufacturing benefits from large production runs, allowing optimization costs to be amortized over many units. In contrast, additive manufacturing often operates at smaller batch sizes, making process optimization more costly. To truly scale, the industry must find more efficient ways to streamline and optimize additive manufacturing workflows.
Finally, scaling up in additive manufacturing is also about ensuring consistent quality.
Printing a single high-quality component is relatively easy; the challenge lies in producing hundreds or thousands of identical parts while maintaining the same level of precision. This requires rigorous control over production processes, ensuring that every part meets stringent quality standards. The only way to achieve this reliably is through full process traceability, where every component’ s production history is meticulously recorded. Advanced software solutions make this possible, enabling manufacturers to detect anomalies early and make real-time corrections. This level of control not only improves quality but also minimizes scrap production, further enhancing scalability.
For additive manufacturing to become an essential component of modern manufacturing, scaling must be a top priority. While challenges exist, from material costs to workforce availability and process optimization, they are not insurmountable. By embracing automation, increasing collaboration, and applying lean principles, the industry can transition from a niche technology to a mainstream manufacturing solution. The shift from innovation to application is already underway. Now, the focus must be on scaling additive manufacturing to deliver on its full promise. ■
Bart Van der Schueren www. materialise. com
Bart Van der Schueren is CTO at Materialise. Materialise incorporates more than three decades of 3D printing experience into a range of software solutions and 3D printing services that empower sustainable 3D printing applications. Its open, secure, and flexible end-to-end solutions enable flexible industrial manufacturing and mass personalization in various industries— including healthcare, automotive, aerospace, eyewear, art and design, wearables, and consumer goods.
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