The awareness around 3D printing has rapidly increased as printers and technology have become more available and feasible for people to get their hands on.
It is commonplace to see people using 3D printers to create models for different hobbies and to create small items to sell or use around the home. However, the real benefit that 3D printers have provided, is the ability to speed up and better inform the product design development process.
At JAM Product Design Ltd, we have several different types of 3D printers that excel at specific roles. We combine these state-of-the-art machines with our expert knowledge to create prototypes that help with different stages of the product design life cycle, whether it's quick initial prints to explore form and size or production-ready parts that can be used to test products in real-world scenarios.
When we are in the concept stage of a project, we often use our FDM (Fused Deposition Modelling) printer to create quick 3D prints that are ideal for this early stage. They can give an idea of scale, form, and how each concept might feel to use without requiring extensive post-processing. These printers can print in a wide range of material types including ABS (Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene) which can be used to give a rough simulation of how the end product might function. They are also available in a wide range of colours.
As we progress through the concept design stage and move into more refined development we tend to progress to using the first of our resin 3D printers (SLA - Stereolithography). This printer can print with incredibly fine detail, help dial in tolerances, and show how mechanical parts might work together. As with FDM printing, we can print in a range of materials but the advantage that SLA printing has is that the resin is fused into a solid part, rather than printed in layers that can detach under strain. This is why we keep this style of printing for more in-depth testing of assemblies and mechanisms.
As the development stage progresses, we use our most advanced printer, the Formlabs 3L, to create prototypes that can be tested in real-world situations. This large-scale printer allows us to print in specialist resins such as flame retardant, ESD-safe, flexible, and ABS-like materials. These prototypes are often used as the final step before progressing to manufacturing and investing in tooling. As we can use a wide range of resins that simulate real-world materials, we can quickly build confidence in a design and take out a large majority of the risk that can come from progressing into manufacturing.
Due to the fine quality of these prints, the prototypes can also be post-processed in a wide range of finishes which can be an invaluable tool to help present the product to potential investors or to gain user insight without having to invest in expensive tooling.
Having this technology in-house in our Sheffield studio allows us to quickly and easily integrate 3D printing throughout the product design process and allows us to pass this efficiency on to our clients. It has become an invaluable tool that we use regularly to help generate, test, and present ideas.
If you want to know more about how our 3D printing processes can help develop your product then please don't hesitate to get in touch.