Over the past few years, we have seen a number of growing supply chain pressures. Starting of course with the COVID-19 pandemic wherein suddenly not only were crucial products running out quickly due to increased demand, but there were also a number of shortages just due to the nature of the crisis. Indeed, it has continued through 2023 notably due to exacerbations related to the Russian Invasion of Ukraine with some statistics showing that up to 80% of companies experienced at least one disruption. This is equally the case in the United States.
As a direct result, there has been a growing interest in adopting local, flexible manufacturing. Which is why more and more manufacturers are turning to additive manufacturing (AM) to create quality, cost-efficient products faster. One notable example is plastic thermoforming companies like Duo Form who have discovered how to leverage large-format extrusion 3D printing using low-cost plastic pellets to gain a competitive edge. They are producing medium-to-large-sized thermoforming molds in less than half the time, and at a fraction of the cost compared to traditional mold-making methods.
To learn more about this, join the next SPE live webinar “Reduce Costs And Lead Times For Large Thermoforming Molds With Ext Titan Pellet 3D Printers” on 3D printing large production molds for thermoforming with experts from 3D Systems and Duo Form on October 24 at 9:00 AM-10:00 AM EDT. Attendees will be able to learn more about how Duo Form has integrated AM into their manufacturing process, gaining agility by 3D printing production molds, tools and representative samples for thermoforming and vacuum forming.
Register for free to get access to the event and learn about:
- How pellet extrusion 3D printing enables up to 10X faster mold print times, with up to 10X savings on material costs
- Duo Form specific case studies and ROI examples
- Best practices that improve AM production and mold performance such as: how to print porous molds, using infill settings for improved vacuum pulls, and more!
- How to select the right AM solution, including options for additive-subtractive hybrid systems