Comment on '3d-printing a screw' is a way to describe how AI integration is stupid most of the time

<- View Parent
Omgpwnies@lemmy.world ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

There are a lot of things that FDM printing will likely never be better than say injection moulding, and the main thing is speed, as in quantity over time. A single 3d printer might be able to make a plate full of maybe a dozen widgets in a few hours, and in that time, the injection moulding machine will have tens of thousands produced at a higher quality.

On top, 3d printing would require more staff to troubleshoot, clean, re-start prints, remove scaffolding from finished items, sand/polish to remove the layer lines, etc.

What it’s great for in an industrial setting, is prototyping. For example, a case for something can be printed, and the plate can be filled with several variants. If a flaw is found or changes needed, then a new batch can get whipped up on the same printer. Once a design is found that is acceptable, the CAD drawings get sent to have moulds created.

source
Sort:hotnewtop