Importance of 3D Printing in Mass Customization
3D Printing and Mass Customization: Image Source: impactotic.co
How can standard products be designed to fit individual needs as consumers increasingly value the importance of being recognized as unique? Many people believe that the answer to this question is to add modularity to manufacturing or, to put it another way, to tailor mass production techniques to specific customer needs. "Mass-customization" could be defined in this way. Establishing mass-customization processes can assist in achieving benefits, whether it's to differentiate products or to reduce waste, but there are some pitfalls to avoid. We'll go over the advantages of mass-customized products and how 3D printing can help you make the switch. Finally, we'll look at some fantastic and instructive 3D printing mass customization projects.
Before we have a look at what is mass customization and its benefits, it's of importance to look at the requirements for mass customization using 3D printing.
The requirement for software as well as the appropriate workflow
Another issue that will arise when using 3D printing for mass customization and for creating customized parts is the need for specialized software and workflow practices. Numerous 3D Printing software are available in the market, but the challenge is that most of them are difficult to use and takes one long to get started and those that are easy to use are too basic.
But there are powerful but easy to use programs available like SelfCAD. SelfCAD is one of the best 3D design software that can be used in mass customization business models. Users can use this software to easily, quickly, and accurately customize their designs. There is also an in-built slicer in SelfCAD that one can use to slice their designs and generate the G-Code that can be sent to the 3D printer for printing without having to switch to another program. A company that wants to produce customized products with 3D printing needs to consider this program. SelfCAD runs both online as well as in Windows and Mac operating systems. There are also a lot of interactive tutorials available that can help you learn 3D design with much ease without having to spend a lot of time.
What is Mass Customization?
What is Mass Customization?: Image Source: fluxconnectivity.com
Companies have developed various variations of this concept in incorporating it into their product lines. Customers have specific customization options with adaptive product customizers. Customers are encouraged to express their needs in detail, and collaborative customizers respond with tailored products. Finally, mass customization could mean anything from choosing car colors to customizing eyewear to fit a person's face shape. Trying to give customers the ability to join in the creation process and incorporating this input on a mass-production scale is the bottom line of mass customization.
On the other hand, Choosing this strategy presents its own challenges, as it relies on a highly efficient and lean supply chain and a flexible, mostly automated manufacturing process. Before we have a look at why 3D printing is important for mass customization, let’s have a look at the benefits of mass customization for businesses.
What are the benefits of mass customization for businesses?
Customers are evolving; we once thought a homogeneous group of buyers was no longer the case. Products may no longer appeal to the masses as they once did based on this belief. According to some business theorists, Mass-customization is the key to redesigning this aging mass-production method. Customers benefit from mass customization because it allows them to tailor products to their preferences and feel recognized as unique individuals. Mass-customization saves the manufacturer money on inventory and waste. Indeed, this way of doing business is based on a lean manufacturing process and supply chain, whereas mass-producing standardized goods can lead to production overruns and additional costs. Along with this benefit, mass customization is vital to brands because it allows them to differentiate themselves.
Using 3D printing for Mass Customization
Additive Manufacturing offers intriguing economic advantages when it comes to mass customization. Traditional manufacturing methods necessitate molds and special tools, which are not required with 3D printing. Customers' customization choices can be immediately implemented within the 3D file and then sent to production with the right digital tools in place. You can easily customize
Because the manufacturing process is the same for 1000 3D printed objects as it is for one, mass-customized products can be 3D printed at no extra cost.
Importance of 3D printing for Mass Customization
A unique buyer and consumer experience:
You'll be one step ahead of competitors who don't do all of this by providing a unique buying experience to your prospects and customers. In general, mass customization in 3D printing is a new frontier in business competition because it allows for a higher level of customer satisfaction. If you use the right customization technology, which is set up to allow customers to alter your product efficiently, the customer will feel more involved in creating the customized product, which will lead to a stronger attachment to the purchase. By seeing the physical changes to the product after the customer receives the altered, customized product, they will be more satisfied with their purchase. As a result of these enhancements, the customer experience will improve.
A versatile manufacturing process:
Unlike traditional methods, 3D printing does not imply high repair costs. Setting up manufacturing processes for specific products is less expensive and therefore does not need to be amortized over large production runs. This is because, unlike injection molding, 3D printing does not require any molds and can adapt to any product directly. Different variations of designs can be iterated without increasing costs or lowering productivity. This benefit can greatly assist businesses in meeting a key requirement of mass customization: the establishment of a flexible manufacturing process.
Quick and Qualitative
You and your customers can choose from multiple high-quality materials, ranging from plastics to metals, when using 3D printing. As a result, 3D printing can be used to manufacture a large number of your product line's products. The manufacturing process is faster because it does not require retooling or mold changes. This speed, combined with providing customers with a wide range of materials, is critical for providing relevant and meaningful customization options while keeping your product flow moving.
In practice, 3D printing and mass customization.
Several industries have begun experimenting with 3D printing for mass customization due to the technology's toolless production and extreme flexibility.
The Consumer Goods Industry
Consumer goods industry: Image Source: tpci.in
3D printings used in the consumer goods industry to create footwear customized to the wearer's feet. Companies typically use 3D scanning to capture the individual measurements of a customer's feet when creating a custom pair of shoes. Designers create a design of shoe components, such as midsoles or insoles, based on the scans to meet the customer's specific needs. After that, the design is sent to a 3D printer for immediate production and they can be produced in masses if one owns large format 3D printers. Dr. Scholl's custom 3D-printed shoe inserts are an example of this approach in action. Dr. Scholl's offers a customization app that creates an accurate scan of a customer's feet thanks to a partnership with Wiivv, a technology company. Customers must take several photos of their feet from various angles to ensure the scan is successful.
After that, the app's scanning technology will create custom insoles based on 400 map-based points from each foot. Inserts can be designed to ensure a custom fit for each customer using this process, which takes less than 5 minutes. Personalized insoles are 3D-printed and delivered to the customer's doorstep within 14 days after the 3D design is created, for $99. Additionally, customers can use the app to customize the 3D-printed insole with different designs that suit their preferences.
A few companies also offer custom 3D printed eyewear and jewelry in addition to footwear. However, 3D printing for personalized consumer products is still a niche instead of the norm.
The Healthcare Industry
Healthcare Industry: Image Source: healthcareinamerica.us
Patients are looking for services and treatments that are tailored to them. That is why 3D printing is being used in the healthcare industry to create custom prosthetics, implants, and surgical tools.
But are these products mass customized?
When 3D printing is used to custom manufacture a medical device, the goal is to personalize it, creating one end product based on each design. This is distinct from simply providing customers with product choices, which is the foundation of mass customization.
As opposed to mass customization, personalization is already prevalent in the medical industry, with 3D-printed hearing aids being one example.
Since 2001, hearing aid manufacturer Sonova, a market leader in the hearing aids market, has used 3D printing technology to create patient-specific in-the-ear hearing aids. Hundreds of thousands of unique pieces are 3D printed each year.
Sonova uses 3D printing to create custom shells for in-the-ear hearing aids that are tailored to the needs of each wearer. According to the company, only 3D printing can achieve this level of personalization.
The Automotive Industry
Automotive Industry: Inmage Source: allerin.com
The luxury segment of the automotive industry is one segment that has already embraced 3D printing for mass customization. The technique has been used to customize and manufacture components for use in final assembly in this segment, where production runs are small. Some luxury carmakers are already employing additive manufacturing to create designs that are specifically tailored to the needs of their customers. In 2018, MINI, BMW's British automobile marque, launched MINI Yours Customized, a 3D printing customization service for its customers. Customers can personalize car parts such as door handles and side plate parts by selecting from numerous patterns and finishes, adding text, and selecting from a small selection of cityscapes.
Porsche intends to 3D print 40 prototype seats for use on European race tracks as soon as May 2020, with customer feedback used to develop the final street-legal models for mid-2021. Porsche plans to expand seat customization beyond firmness and color in the future by tailoring the seat to a customer's unique body contour.
Conclusion
In this article, we’ve discussed why 3D printing is important in mass customization. Mass customization means one-of-a-kind products and services, while it also means added product value and the opportunity to build long-term relationships with customers. For manufacturing, the product required software as well as appropriate workflow. Numerous software are available, but SelfCAD is the all-in-one software. They can design the model of the product and use its in-built slicer to print them.
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