Though it began in rapid prototyping, 3D printing has begun to proliferate throughout the manufacturing sector. Many engineers now find themselves faced with a simple question:

Should I 3D print my next part?

The answer to this question depends on the answers to many others. These include:

• What material properties do you need?
• Is high strength or light weight a priority?
• Which geometric features make sense for additive manufacturing (AM) and which do not?
• Do you have rigid cost or time constraints?

Answering these questions isn’t always straightforward, but there are rules of thumb that can help you decide whether now is the time to make the transition into additive manufacturing. We spoke to industry experts and gathered their insights to find out when AM makes sense for production applications.

In this eBook, you will learn:

• The advantages and limitations of AM
• The most common additive processes for plastic and metal parts
• The top questions to ask before using plastic AMM/li>
• The top questions to ask before using metal AM

The potential benefits of AM are considerable, but so are the risks. Download this eBook to learn whether 3D printing is right for your production application.

This eBook is sponsored by Markforged. To download, please complete the form on this page.