One of the key talking points here at the Rapid show is why aren’t more engineers using these prototyping systems? Many feel it is insufficient knowledge about why you would want to use them. There are about 15,000 prototyping systems in use. Compare that to more than 9 million CAD seats. Why aren’t there several million users of 3D printers, SLA, SLS, and FDM machines? You tell me, do you need to know more about this equipment? And if so, what do you need to know?
A number of ideas for the “killer app” have been published here. But the best one, I think, was mentioned this morning in the keynote address: additive (and subtractive) manufacturing machines help you get products to market faster. That’s the killer app. So why are there only about 15,000 systems doing just that?
Rachel Park says
Insufficient knowledge has definitely been a contributing factor to slow uptake, along with skepticism, reluctance to change business models that work and the large investment that has traditionally been required. These, however, are really the “emotional” barriers AM has faced through it’s growing pains. On a more practical level, the barriers have been limited material choices, repeatability issues and quality.
Overall time-to-market (build times are actually quite slow as I was reminded only recently: thanks Al) is by far the longest serving and strongest argument for adopting AM within the product development cycle. It’s right up there with complex geometries and reduced waste.
Virtually all of the barriers are down now, and many converging factors are raising public awareness in ways that could barely be conceived even a year or two ago.
As I said earlier today, this industry is right on the cusp of going mainstream ……
al dean says
Not too sure where the 9 million seats comes from – I’d say that’s at best, about 7 to 8 million out..