3D printing lends itself well to prototyping of ideas

  • Technical Articles
  • Nov 30,-1
3D printing lends itself well to prototyping of ideas

Tanmay Shah, Head of Innovations, Imaginarium – sheds light on the current status and scope of rapid prototyping (3D printing) and manufacturing technology in India.

What are the advantages of Rapid Prototyping/Manufacturing over the traditional manufacturing processes?

There are ten basic principles that encompasses the benefits of Rapid Prototyping/Manufacturing, and these are as follows: complexity is free; variety is free; no assembly required; zero lead time; unlimited design space; zero skill manufacturing; compact-portable manufacturing; less wastage; infinite shades of materials; and precise physical replication.

How do you at Imaginarium approach Rapid Prototyping/Manufacturing?

Every domain that can utilise the potential of this technology needs to be approached differently. A doctor is not fully interested in the way 3D printing works for jewellery manufacturers, and vice versa. For this reason, as a company, Imaginarium seek to customise the experience our clients are taken through, while introducing them to the technology and our offerings, via three separate identities:

Imaginarium Precious for the world of jewellery

Imaginarium Rapid for the industrial and automotive product industries, and

Imaginarium Life that speaks to the medical fraternity.

This enables us to build dedicated domain expertise in each, and cater to the needs of vastly different target audiences in the most appropriate way. Over time, each business division will aim to be the world’s best within their scope and vision. So, for example, Imaginarium Life will seek to be the world’s foremost company that is bringing cutting edge technology to the world of medicine and healthcare. 3D printing is only one part of this promise, and there will be several other technologies that we work with in order to deliver on our word.

What products or industry segments are best suited for Rapid Prototyping/Manufacturing technology?

3D printing lends itself well to the prototyping of ideas to check their Form, Fit and Function. First prototypes of any new hardware product, appliance, device, enclosure, component, packaging, etc., are the best fit for additive manufacturing/3D printing.

Based on the need, 3D printing coupled with vacuum casting also allows functional prototypes to be made in small batches in a range of materials that mimic real-world properties. Once finalised, a soft tool in aluminium allows limited quantity end part production and is the perfect option for a product that is still in testing mode but needs to be tested in the market.

Customised parts, complex assemblies, design iterations and form explorations are all categories of products that can maximise the potential of 3D printing.

As an example, a large chunk of jewellery globally is manufactured via a process that is 3D print enabled. Almost 100 per cent of all hearing aids in the world are directly 3D printed. Dental aligners are almost solely 3D print enabled. New products and business models that did not exist earlier have come to the fore-front because of this technology. For example: customised eyewear, patient specific implants, personalised shoes and insoles, etc.

What is the minimum and maximum scale, i.e., magnitude and size of products that can be manufactured at Imaginarium?

We can handle parts as small as a few millimetres to those as large as an entire refrigerator or car assembly. Each project is evaluated individually, assessing the requirements, end goals and factors that are critical to quality. Based on this we plan the project – some projects can be printed in one single piece and delivered in a couple of days, others require multiple sections to be printed in different technologies, or might need vacuum casting and soft tooling.

What are the different types of manufacturing methods used by Imaginarium?

We use various methods that are in use globally today – SLA, SLS, DLP, MJM, PJP, FDM, blue light scanning, investment casting and vacuum casting along with CAD design.

What types of materials are used by Imaginarium in the manufacturing process?

Photopolymeric resins and plastics, wax, Nylon, ABS, PLA, epoxy resins of all kinds, precious and semi precious metals such as gold, silver, brass, bronze, etc.

How does the company deal with the accuracy and quality issues normally observed in the rapid prototyping/manufacturing?

An expert team of new and old hands in the prototyping industry helps us balance our approach. We have veterans from the model making world who can create magic with their hands and give 3D printers a run for their money, as well as engineering wizards who can make a complex machine dance to their tunes. A good understanding of the technology, best practices in design, printing and post processing as well as a solid investment in the right tools and people ensures that we minimise quality issues, and can handle the stray cases of error in the fastest and most effective way possible.

What is the average production rate offered by Imaginarium?

From jewellery parts to medical devices – most of our projects are completed within a week. There are of course longer turnaround times for extremely large or complex orders, which require multiple stages and human involvement.

What are the company’s achievements and what kind of scope you see for rapid prototyping/manufacturing in the Indian industrial demography?

Having been the pioneers in bringing 3D printing to the jewellery manufacturing industry, Imaginarium has learnt firsthand the challenges and excitement of introducing disruptive technologies to hitherto low-tech sectors. Understanding that a technology is only as good as its application has been our strength, and has led us to sharpening our prowess as application experts for a varied clientele. Our aim is to continue bringing the cutting edge in technology and applications to as many domains as possible, democratising the access to Digital Fabrication and Advanced Manufacturing by everyone. Towards this end, Imaginarium is investing in tools and technologies for building seamless, intuitive interfaces that empower product designers and hardware manufacturing teams to quickly iterate their designs, remotely order 3D prints and small batch production pieces of their ideas and also get insights from our expert team on the entire product development lifecycle. Opening up of knowledge, experience and resources is the only way to boost Indian industry, and usher in the full potential of Make In India for everyone.

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