3D printing and How It Is Eco-Friendly
With an increasing population, natural resources are on the verge of getting exhausted. As humans, we might not able to limit our needs but we can sure take some measures that will prove to be sustainable for nature as well as for our own race and generations to come. Irrespective of the nature of your need be it as a manufacturer, of a business firm, aerospace, of industrial designs, or for that matter in the healthcare sector, 3D printing is a step that takes you closer towards sustainability.
Keeping this thought as a guiding light, at Little You we’ve decided to explore and use the blessing of 3D printing to develop our products.
How Does 3D Printing Work?
We create our physical products by printing layers of raw material based on a 3D digital model, the filaments and support materials that are used to create the object can be deconstructed and reused again. The main advantage of using 3D manufacturing is that it helps in the manufacturing of all the different parts, right from creating the basic models for a project to the manufacturing of tools that will be required, molds, and even the production of the final products.
You don’t need to manufacture the prototypes separately in different molds and then assemble them as designed rather you can use 3D printing and get your prototype manufactured all at once as one single part.
Researchers believe that by the year 2050, the active manufacturing method of 3D printing will help in saving about 90 percent of the natural raw materials that are needed in the manufacturing of different products. And not just this, it will also soon reduce the waste products or the byproducts of the manufacturing unit by about 90 percent.
Powder Based Printing
We also make use of a machine named Projet 660. It uses material power to manufacture, and yes of course the power can be reused. Therefore, it is considered to be more environmentally friendly. The industrial sector is quickly expanding. Citing this, 3D printing has proved to be beneficial due to its on-demand production reducing the large requirement of raw material and even cutting down the waste production.
Material waste
3D printing reduces waste production and even cuts down on carbon emissions. Waste material generated is 25% less with 3D printing than casting and by the year 2050, it would contribute to 90% less waste production. Though energy consumption is similar for both processes, casting produces much more CO2 directly due to a ceramic mold that is burned out at a high-temperature furnace. 3D printing does not require tooling in its production, ready to use right after printing.
It follows a circular economy potential. It means that only things manufactured using 3D printing can be recycled. And not just this, it also makes use of recycled raw materials or reuses the raw material after the printed part is obsolete.
Transport
The products manufactured using 3D printing technology are nearly 50% lighter than those made through traditional manufacturing. This means that comparatively lesser energy and cost would be required for its transportation. The amount of fuel used to transport products is significantly smaller, and those goods previously produced overseas can now be sourced locally, reducing shipping and labor practices thus helping the economy to grow.
How is 3D printing eco-friendly?
Then pops a question of how sustainable 3D printing is. Let's have a closer look:
1. Lesser use of raw materials: Whether your product is of metal or plastic, 3D printing puts the optimum amount of matter required for its production. Thus, reducing their weight and making them more fuel-efficient.
2. Helps in local production: 3D printing does not require much space. It can easily fit in your office space thus helping you make parts, prototypes, and other products locally.
3. Inventory elimination: No need for warehouse or overstocking of spare parts
4. Efficient manufacturing and designing: Using 3D printing technology you can easily design and manufacture your products at once without the need of assembling each part one by one.
5. Less manpower and low energy consumption: It do not require much manpower. This also eliminates energy consumption.
Our Goal Our goal is to build an eco-friendly business. Our goal is to accelerate the 3D printing industry and offer 3D printed green products made of recyclable materials.
Conclusion 3D printing enables businesses to follow the principle of 4 R's
1. Reduce
2. Reuse
3. Repurpose
4. Recycle
We follow these principles to take a step forward towards the sustainable production of goods.
Our goal is to accelerate the 3D printing industry and offer 3D printed green products made with recyclable materials. 3D printing, or additive manufacturing, creates physical objects by printing layers of raw material based on a 3D digital model, those filaments and support materials that are used to create the object can be deconstructed and reused again. The other machine we used is Projet 660, which uses material power to manufacture, and power of course can be reused, so it is more environmentally friendly.
The industry is quickly expanding, citing that 3D printing is beneficial due to its on-demand production reducing large raw material requirements. It also reduces waste and cuts down on carbon emissions. Material waste is 25% less with 3D printing overcasting, while energy consumption is similar for both processes, casting actually produces much more CO2 directly due to the fact a ceramic mold is burned out in a high-temperature furnace.
3D printing does not require tooling in its production, ready to use right after printing. Because 3D printed products are nearly 50% lighter than those made through traditional manufacturing, the amount of fuel used to transport products is significantly smaller, and those goods previously produced overseas can now be sourced locally, reducing shipping and labor practices.
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