Objective3D | BLOG

If your business needs 3D printed or additive manufactured parts. You have two options: invest in 3D printing equipment or order parts through a 3D printing service provider. Each has its benefits, and often companies will use both for different reasons. In a recent Stratasys survey of 700 professional 3D printing users, we examined the top reasons why companies outsource 3D printing, top benefits of having 3D printers in-house, what processes they would want to outsource and what processes they plan to take in-house. The most common responses to the benefits of outsourcing 3D printing to a service provider were: Access to advanced equipment and materials Over the last few years 3D printing service providers have evolved from rapid prototyping with a few plastic 3D printing technologies to contract manufacturing with a broader service offering. Customers don’t just need plastics anymore; their 3D printing applications have evolved. They need a wide variety of materials fr...

Additive metals, laser sintering, extruded filament, powdered plastics, alloys, photopolymers – the list goes on and on. Today there are a plethora of 3D printing processes and materials to choose from and it’s only growing. The dynamic additive manufacturing market is often difficult to navigate, especially if you’re still learning about the processes. At the Objective3D Service Bureau, our project and applications engineers try to learn as much as they can about customer’s part application to accurately guide them to the best technology and materials. To help you start to filter out certain processes and materials, we put together a selection methodology: Application – What is the purpose of the end product? You may need to build a small volume of complex end-use parts which would require strong materials, dimensional accuracy and repeatability. Whereas a sacrificial investment casting pattern is one-time use and needs to burnout clean. Function – What does the part nee...