3D printing has been around for years, used for rapid prototyping, modelling, and in education. But as the vice president of emerging technology research at Forrester, Carlton Doty, writes in his 2018 research report on additive manufacturing: “The costs have plummeted; the capabilities of the hardware and software are advancing exponentially; and innovations in materials science now enable manufacturers to print end-use components at scale with the quality standards they demand.”
Xerox aims to disrupt traditional manufacturing through its 3D liquid metal technology combined with AI-based design software.
“By pairing these two technologies, manufacturers will be able to design and fabricate parts that meet their structural and cost requirements on the first try,” said Shanker.
To meet business needs for on-demand products, Xerox 3D printing technology uses liquid metal printing to decrease production time from days to hours. And Xerox 3D metal printers use off-the-shelf alloys—the same alloys used in traditional manufacturing, allowing manufacturers to design parts using materials they already know. This means parts are denser, faster to make and less expensive than those made with metal powders.
Thanks to on-demand printing, companies will no longer have to buy parts on a decades-long timeline. For example, if you order an airplane that lasts for 30 years, you also need to purchase hundreds, if not thousands, of spare parts.
“You would have to pay to store these spare parts,” commented Dr. Bryony Core, senior technology analyst at IDTechEx. “This leads to a waste of time, money, and effort.” On-demand 3D printing can significantly reduce inventory and storage costs.
Xerox’s AI-based 3D software integrates all steps of fabrication from design to manufacturing planning and performance analysis, allowing for consistent part quality and customisation.
Xerox www.xerox.com