3D Printing
Q&A
What is 3D Printing?
3D printing, also known as additive manufacturing, is the exact opposite of the traditional way of making
objects. Instead of machining or “subtracting” material to form an object - much like how a sculptor cuts
away clay - 3D printing adds layer upon layer of material to build an object, but only where it’s needed.
Product designers and engineers upload a digital (CAD) file to a 3D printer, which then prints a solid 3Dobject.

FAQ

Thermoplastics are the most frequently used materials, but the technology also includes photopolymers,
epoxy resins, metals, and more. Cutting-edge bioinks, which use a mixture of human cells and gelatin,
have also been leveraged to 3D print complex tissue models. Even edible materials such as chocolate
are being used in 3D printers.

2

3D Printing
Q&A
Why should I invest in 3D printing – what are the benefits?
3D printing provides a number of business benefits that provide compelling reasons for its adoption.
These benefits are characterized by six key drivers:•Design freedom – Parts can optimized for the design purpose rather than limited by the restrictionsof traditional manufacturing constraints.

•Embedded functionality – 3D printing allows for the inclusion of added capabilities within a part orassembly, eliminating manufacturing steps, lowering cycle time and reducing cost.

•Streamlined supply chains – On-demand capabilities and point-of-use production short-circuit
traditional supply chains, speeding delivery and reducing inventory costs.

•Personalization – With the encumbrance of economy-of-scale out of the picture, personalization
can go mass-market, allowing greater market differentiation.

•Cost-efficient manufacturing – The absence of tooling requirements eliminates one of the largest
manufacturing costs, making lower-volume production cost effective.

•Life-cycle sustainability – Design freedom and point-of-use production allow for lighter, optimized
parts that save fuel use and reduce environmental impact.

In other words, 3D printing opens new doors. You can shave days off production cycles, remove
complexity from final assembly, produce lightweight, high-strength structures, create hyper-realistic
prototypes and be more competitive.
Is 3D printing just for rapid prototyping?

FAQ

3D printing is an essential tool for accelerating the prototyping process. However, its applications stretch
well beyond prototyping to other facets of the product lifecycle.
•Manufacturing – Design freedom and economically viable low-to-mid-volume production enable
new possibilities for product design and operational improvement. Applied in combination, thesetwo capabilities have the potential to transform decades-old supply chains and business models.

•Tooling – 3D printed tooling advantages include on-demand production, customization, digitizationof designs and unrestrained design flexibility. This cuts out costly suppliers, compresses lead times,
enables digital warehousing and accelerates manufacturing floor productivity.

•Sales and Retail – 3D printing gives retailers the ability to innovate, delivering highly customized,
on-demand products and new experiences such as “co-designed” items developed in conjunction
with the customers.

•Aftermarket Supply – Businesses that embrace 3D printing for spare and replacement parts canreplace warehouses of spare parts with 3D printers or a contract 3D printing service bureau toproduce parts on a just-in-time basis.

3

3D Printing
Q&A
How costly is it to implement 3D printing?
This depends on the depth of implementation and the specific type of 3D printing technology used.
3D printers span the cost spectrum from relatively low-cost machines that are suitable for an officeenvironment to large, expensive, industrial-grade printers. Within any given technology category, thedifference between low-end and high-end systems often includes part size, variety and quality ofmaterials, and the accuracy, reliability and consistency of the systems. Compared to traditional modelingfor prototypes or traditional manufacturing methods like CNC machining or injection molding, 3D printing
is typically much faster and at lower volumes, much less expensive. As the benefits and applications
grow, the technology can be scaled appropriately.
How does 3D printing impact product development and speed to market?
3D printing accelerates the process by reducing the time and cost associated with prototyping andrefining the design. Many more 3D printed prototypes can be produced in the time needed to moldor machine them and for much less cost. Highly realistic prototypes printed on full-color multimaterial
printers look like the final product, cultivating faster and better decisions.
What can designers do with 3D printing?
3D printing gives designers the capability to drastically shorten the design process compared to
traditional methods of hand-modeling or outsourcing to model shops.
Keep the design process entirely in-house. With 3D printing, designers gain full control over thedesign process. Creating models in-house saves the time associated with outsourcing. More timeline
flexibility empowers designers to try new ideas and iterate often, resulting in better products that standout.
Prototype faster and smarter. Outsourcing is often too expensive and time-consuming to allow
iteration of more detailed prototypes, especially models that incorporate CMF (color-material-finish). The
speed and streamlined workflow of 3D printing gives designers the freedom to create dozens of detailed
prototypes while reducing the time to arrive at the optimal design.

FAQ

Create beautiful, highly detailed models. With full-color, multimaterial printing, designers can create
prototypes that look, feel, and evenfunction like the real thing in just a fewhours. The ability to assess the color,
texture, and ergonomics of a productmeans better feedback and fasterapproval from clients.

4

3D Printing
Q&A
What advantages does 3D printing
have for manufacturing?
3D printing negates the need to fabricate and install
costly tooling to make things. Its additive nature
makes it a fast, low or mid-volume production solutionthat doesn’t rely on economies of scale, much like an
investment in injection mold tooling does. This opens
up new opportunities where lower-volume and/oron-demand production was previously uneconomical.
It also supports distributed manufacturing, whereparts can easily be printed from anywhere. Forinstance, an airline could 3D print its own spare parts
at a maintenance facility instead of having to havethem shipped by the manufacturer.
From a tooling perspective, 3D printing offers thesame agility, being able to produce jigs, fixtures, end-of-arm tools and other manufacturing aids inmuch less time and for less cost than traditional tooling. These tools can easily be ergonomicallycustomized and optimized for the operator, rather than designed for how they’re manufactured. Strong
thermoplastics in place of metal allows them to be lighter and easier to use, increasing task efficiency
and lowering cycle time.
Is 3D printing a replacement for conventional manufacturing technology?
3D printing is not a wholesale replacement for existing manufacturing methods like molding andmachining. Its benefit lies in supplementing these other technologies at points where they can’tcompete. For example, 3D printing’s additive nature is able to make structures that aren’t possible withmachining or molding. It also makes low- to mid-volume production economically viable because there’s
no need for the tooling investment. Similarly, it’s much faster to get started, which is why GM turned
to 3D printing to retool its production line to produce ventilators in the pandemic. In short, 3D printing
is another tool in the toolbox, but one that offers key benefits over traditional manufacturing practices
when used strategically.
When does it make sense to use additive manufacturing for end-use production parts?

FAQ

There are five characteristics that tend to favor 3D printing of end-use parts:•Complexity - parts that would be difficult or impossible to machine or mold•

Large Up-front Investment - high initial cost of creating injection molds•

Redesign - new product design that may be susceptible to changes•

Customization - one-off products for custom applications•Low to Mid-Volume Production – economically produce a few hundred to several thousand parts

53D Printing
Q&A
I’m interested in adopting 3D printing. What are my next steps?
Becoming familiar with the technology, understanding the impact it has across the product lifecycle
and identifying areas where it may provide benefit in your business is the logical first step. This kindof analysis is supplemented by identifying your business objectives and noting the intersection points
where 3D printing offers benefit. Do you want faster prototyping? Are you looking to reduce productdevelopment cycle time? Do you need to reduce manufacturing costs?
This whitepaper offers key insight into how 3D printing helps transform businesses to achieve thesekinds of goals. Another initial step involves outsourcing 3D printing to a service bureau. This offers thebenefits of the technology without the initial up-front printer investment. As your use and application of
3D printing grows, you can evaluate the business case for bringing this capability in-house.
How do I effectively implement 3D printing in my company?
Like any new technology or change in business orthodoxy, it pays to be deliberate and planful when
implementing 3D printing. You may not get the results you want without a well thought-out plan for
deploying the technology or a clear strategy for long-term, high-value return. You may figure it out, butthe odds are against you. Starting small, with one or two printers, will allow an organization to become
familiar with the technology, its applications and benefits. From there, the technology can be scaled for
wider implementation and corresponding benefit.
How much training is required to implement 3D printing?
The level of familiarization and training depends on the type of 3D printing technology you choose.
However, there are many types of 3D printers that do not require significant investments in training
time to become operational. The software associated with these printers provides a simple workflowthat allows operators to quickly go from CAD model to printed part. Generally speaking, themore sophisticated the printer and its capabilities, the more training will be required for effective
implementation.
What are the pros and cons of using a service bureau?

FAQ

Contracting with a service bureau to make your 3D printed parts is a good way to get introduced tothe benefits of the technology. You gain the expertise and insight of a 3D printing specialist who canpossibly guide you in optimizing the use of the technology for your specific purposes. Your out-ofpocket expenses are usually lower initially since you avoid the up-front expense associated with aprinter purchase. Conversely, customers who already own 3D printers use service bureaus to offload
work when in-house capacity is exceeded. Service bureaus also cater to many types of 3D printing
technology, more than most companies own. This is beneficial when you want 3D printing services thatare different than your in-house 3D printing capability.

63D Printing
Q&A
Why not just use a service bureau exclusively instead of buying 3D printers?
The answer to this question depends on your specific business case. If you need 3D printing services
only occasionally or your needs for the type of 3D printing technology vary often, using a service bureau
exclusively in lieu of buying 3D printers may make sense. However, if you find benefit in the technology
and it becomes a part of your business model, then the purchase of 3D printers typically makes more
economic sense in the long run.
How can Stratasys help me?
We’ve been in the business of helping customers solve problems for over 30 years with our 3D printing
solutions. We can help you determine what technology is right for your application, whether a printeror a service bureau is more appropriate, as well as answer any questions you might have. Contact us
today and let us help you take the next step with this transformative technology.

USA - Headquarters
7665 Commerce Way
Eden Prairie, MN 55344, USA+1 952 937 3000

EMEA
Airport Boulevard B 120
77836 Rheinmünster, Germany+49 7229 7772 0

ISRAEL - Headquarters
1 Holtzman St., Science ParkPO Box 2496
Rehovot 76124, Israel+972 74 745 4000

ASIA PACIFIC
7th Floor, C-BONS International Center108 Wai Yip Street Kwun Tong Kowloon
Hong Kong, China+ 852 3944 8888

GET IN TOUCH.
www.stratasys.com/contact-us/locations

FAQ

stratasys.com
ISO 9001:2015 Certified© 2020 Stratasys. All rights reserved. Stratasys, the Stratasys Signet logo, GrabCAD, FDM and PolyJet are trademarks or registeredtrademarks of Stratasys Ltd. and/or its subsidiaries and affiliates. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.
FAQ_MU_3D Printing _A4_0920a