3D Printing

In 2012, we wrote about the future of 3D printing and the exciting new 3D printing methods and technologies that were hitting the market at the time. Eight years later, we have more insight into the many ways 3D printing has and is changing manufacturing. Here are some of the biggest changes to 3D printing in the last eight years. Our First Thoughts on 3D Printing When we first wrote about 3D printing, there was a lot of uncertainty about how the new technology would affect m

In recent years, 3D printing technology has revolutionized the way people approach prototyping, product design, and manufacturing. While this technology is still evolving, today it is already used widely for a variety of product applications. When 3D printing is used properly, it can help you improve your product design and development process as well as cutting prototyping and manufacturing costs. BENEFITS OF 3D PRINTING FOR PRODUCT DESIGN Over the last several years, 3D pri

3D printing is an exciting technology that has only continued to grow more refined and sophisticated since its original iteration back in 1993. In recent years, we have seen it used for everything from prototype manufacturing to 3D-printed shoes. The opportunities that 3D printing technology has opened have had huge impacts on a number of industries—including plastics manufacturing. Today, we are starting to see a number of exciting new 3D printing applications being utilized

It seems 3D printing, long heralded as the “next big thing” for manufacturing, has finally come into its own. Nowhere is this more evident than in the rise of the little guy, as the number of manufacturers producing and selling 3D printers has grown to nearly 100 manufacturers this past year, up from 62 in 2015 and just 49 back in 2014, according to a new report from Wohlers Associates Inc., the leading additive manufacturing and 3D printing consultancy. SLOWING MARKET GROWTH

3D PRINTED PROTOTYPES 3D printing has long been used to create prototypes that can test out product designs to ensure the fit and function of new parts, but recently it’s been gaining steam as an effective tool for creating injection molds as well. 3D PRINTED INJECTION MOLDS What is there to be gained by using 3D printing to create injection molds rather than traditional CNC machined versions? Cost, for starters. An injection mold is often the most costly element of any new m

3D PRINTED PROTOTYPING 3D Printing has been a popular technique for rapid prototyping for years, but recently end uses for the technology have also expanded, becoming an excellent option for OEMs looking to bridge the gap between prototype and full production. THE BENEFITS OF BUNDLING One of the biggest advantages to using 3D printing for short-run production is the ability to bundle tool modifications so you can save on costly tooling each and every time a design is modified

Rapid prototypers around the globe have been utilizing 3D printing to create manufacturing prototypes that help prove out design concepts and test part functionality. But rapid prototyping is only the beginning when it comes to the opportunities that are now available for 3D printing. What else can 3D printing do for your business? Well, for one thing, making it faster and more cost effective to get started with plastic injection molding in the first place. A recent article i

3D printing has been a buzzword in the news for the past year or so, but new data suggests the time might finally be here for 3D printing to make inroads into nearly every industry, from Aerospace to consumer products. According to a new report published by RnRMarketResearch.com, the 3D printing market is forecasted for massive growth through 2018, at a rate of 19.9% CAGR. Those are pretty impressive figures, but what exactly will be driving that staggering growth? 3D Printin

A recent article by Stephen Moore on the Plastics Today website noted the growth we’ve been seeing in 3D printing isn’t merely set to continue--it’s set to explode between now and 2017. That growth will come in large part due to the adoption of 3D printing and 3D printers by consumer and “prosumer” market segments, which are catching on to the possibilities that 3D printing presents in making individualized products while 3D printer costs grow ever more affordable. Industrial

SHOULD YOUR PROTOTYPES USE SLA OR FDM 3D PRINTING TECHNOLOGY? You already understand the benefits of using 3D printing to test out your product designs during the rapid prototyping phase of a new injection molding project, but does it really matter which type of 3D printing you use? At KASO, we want all of our customers to truly understand the engineering, manufacturing, and prototyping processes we employ. Rapid prototyping is one major step in this process. During prototypi

Rapid prototyping using 3D printing and FDM technology is one of KASO Plastic's most popular engineering capabilities, and for good reason. In this short video, KASO Engineering Manager Tim Bailey explains the FDM 3D printing process and the ways rapid prototyping can help test part designs to avoid costly delays during production. Chosen because we believe this process better serves our customers across markets, from Medical manufacturing and Military prototypes to consumer

NEW ADVANCEMENTS GIVE ADDITIVE MANUFACTURING A BOOST 3D printing has been getting a lot of press in recent years, with experts making the prediction that 3D printing may just be the new driving force of American manufacturing innovation. New advancements and technology improvements have continued to make 3D printing an excellent option for an expanding list of applications, from the traditional 3D prototypes that have been popular since the 1980s to today's on-demand, smaller

THE RISE OF ADDITIVE MANUFACTURING A new market report published by MarketsandMarkets has predicted compound growth over the next five years for the additive manufacturing market, which spans a wide range of rapid prototyping tasks for many industries (including medical device manufacturing) and covers multiple applications, including: 3D Printing Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM printing) Stereolithography Several factors will contribute to the expected 13.5% compound annual g

Our new 3D prototyping capabilities just improved the project lead-time for a recent fast-paced project involving a cosmetic bezel that required a secondary painting operation after injection molding was complete. With a tight lead-time, the only way to make the date was to have all fixturing for the paint operation completed prior to the tool being tested and qualified. Our customer supplied a 3D database, and KASO was able to make a pattern for the paint operation in a matt

VALIDATE YOUR DESIGN CONCEPTS WITH 3D PRINTING The addition of a new Fortus 250 3D printer helps reduce manufacturing time and costs by validating design concepts and identifying potential flaws prior to manufacturing. KASO is happy to announce we've expanded our rapid prototyping capabilities to include 3D printing of ABS prototype parts! “Our priorities at KASO are focused on our ability to provide the highest level of quality during every step of the development and manufa

3D printing is far from new—in fact, many industrial manufacturers have been utilizing the printing technology since the 1980s—so why after more than 30 years of availability is this technology suddenly gaining momentum by leaps and bounds not only for manufacturers, but also for entrepreneurs? In large part, this growing fascination comes as a result of improvements made in recent 3D print technology. More than ever before, 3D printers are able to utilize an expanding range