How online platforms are shaping the future of 3D printing

Additive manufacturing technology has already been integrated into production processes in many industries. Thanks to developments in recent years, the 3D printing process and material portfolio includes numerous possibilities, meaning that direct series production can be implemented in addition to traditional prototyping. Industrial processes can be used, for example, to additively manufacture high-strength metal components, series items made of plastic and components made of high-purity technical ceramics or quartz glass. What all 3D printing processes have in common is that the components are built up layer by layer without the need for a forming tool. This distinguishes the technology fundamentally from traditional industrial production processes such as CNC milling and turning, forming or casting. The layered structure enables the components to be produced directly from the 3D CAD data and opens up a high degree of design freedom in the production of complex geometries.

Focus on economic efficiency

For the user, additive manufacturing fits seamlessly into the existing processing portfolio alongside traditional processes and complements it with its special properties and advantages. The various 3D printing processes differ significantly. In terms of their properties and the materials that can be processed, the processes are differentiated from one another by the type of material structure and the material used. The economic efficiency of the respective production processes is also of great importance. Additive manufacturing must always be considered and evaluated in the context of traditional manufacturing processes. Only if an individual application with additive manufacturing processes proves to be economically advantageous compared to other production methods should they be used.

However, the options of 3D printing technology, the advantages of the corresponding process and the restrictions to be taken into account often differ from one another. At the same time, additive manufacturing is undergoing dynamic development, which is why new possibilities and potentials are opening up every year. Due to the high speed of innovation, however, it is becoming increasingly difficult for users to maintain an overview and to evaluate and fully exploit new options. This is where online platforms such as the Protiq Marketplace come to the rescue. It provides an interface for users and production service providers in the field of industrial 3D printing and brings the protagonists together in one place.

New processes and materials offer advantages

The platform provides users with an overview of the range of services offered by 3D printing service providers. © Protiq

The Protiq Marketplace includes the offerings of more than 40 industrial manufacturing service providers for 3D printing and traditional manufacturing processes. The eponymous Protiq GmbH also appears as a service provider on the online platform with its own extensive production capacities and in-depth process expertise. This gives users access to the breadth of additive manufacturing technology that a single company cannot cover. On the one hand, the marketplace offers valuable information on the right choice of materials and processes. On the other hand, ongoing innovations can be presented through the extensive range of services offered by 3D printing service providers and thus made accessible to users.

The Protiq Marketplace range includes both established, widely used industrial manufacturing processes - such as selective laser sintering (SLS), selective metal laser melting (SLM) and stereolithography (SLA) - as well as innovative new developments. The latter provide users with numerous advantages thanks to the new processes and materials, but initially tend to serve niche markets and have not yet achieved widespread recognition. Innovations in the field of resin-based stereolithography, for example, which is generally known for its high precision and brittle material properties, enable the production of tough and resistant components. The methods of hot lithography and carbon digital light synthesis (CLIP) produce ESD-compliant or flame-retardant components in injection molding quality. The Micro-SLM process and Lithography Metal Manufacturing (LMM) can be used to produce highly detailed filigree stainless steel and silver components. New material developments in metal laser melting enable the processing of high-strength 440C knife steel, pure copper or the series material Zamak 5 (zinc).