SLS 3D printing can be an excellent solution for low-volume manufacturing. The first 3D printers appeared in the 1980s and were initially intended for rapid prototyping. However, additive manufacturing technologies have rapidly expanded to production and are greatly valued for their design flexibility and part count reduction.
At Solaxis, we have effective solutions for printing parts in 3D for batches of low and medium volumes. Discover the many advantages of integrating additive manufacturing into your production processes to bridge the gap between high-volume and low-volume manufacturing.
Many additive manufacturing technologies lend themselves to rapid prototyping and low-volume production at interesting prices. However, printing in higher volumes may have certain technological limitations or lack flexibility, that could make the production project economically unfeasible. This is why Solaxis acquired SLS industrial 3D printers. Our technologies, the level of automation in our processes, and expertise enable us to better address the challenges of serial production.
To process both small and medium quantities, that is, for productions of less than 1,000 parts, we have several 3D printers, including two industrial SLS printers. This SLS technology is generally more efficient than other 3D printing technologies for small parts in small or medium series, as the production bed is optimized differently. Indeed, it is possible to nest and stack several small parts in the same production batch (nesting). Moreover, our equipment is characterized by a large build volume and superior laser power compared to conventional SLS printers. This increases the speed of production.
Consequently, it is possible to manufacture more parts in less time while maintaining high quality. This results in competitive production costs related to the format and quantity of the parts. When it comes to small parts, it is easy to see that this approach combined with automated post-processing can compete with conventional manufacturing processes commonly used for larger-scale productions (for example, machining and injection molding).
Manufacturing in small and medium quantities requires robust equipment to ensure the repeatability of the process and maintain consistency. Our industrial 3D printers are characterized by their precision and reliability.
The acquisition of dedicated equipment makes it possible to achieve high performance. Additionally, to ensure repeatability, our team has also developed a methodology for process specification. Indeed, we carry out rigorous control of the printing parameters and the physical characteristics of the parts at each stage of the production process.
Our in-house testing laboratory allows us to efficiently optimize our printing parameters. By using recognized standards such as ASTM, we are able to qualify all our materials and achieve the desired performance.
At Solaxis, SLS 3D printing is mainly used for low- and medium-volume production and, therefore, to provide solution for functional challenges. In addition to SLS additive manufacturing making it possible to design custom parts with complex geometry, it uses advanced materials that stand out for their performance. These can be used for end-use parts and to meet certain criteria.
It is also possible to consider the creation of a mold by 3D printing. Indeed, our wide choice of high-performance thermoplastics allows us to produce molds by 3D printing, which are then used for series production. This approach allows for the production of a mold without costly equipment, with fewer manual interventions, while reducing the need for labour and production costs. This solution with a 3D printed mold, therefore, remains competitive with conventional processes.
By printing the tooling, we reduce production times from several months or weeks to a few days compared to injection molding.
SLS 3D printing is an excellent method for low- to medium-volume production. By providing a high level of automation throughout its various procedures and manufacturing processes, Solaxis ensures better cost optimization, especially regarding series production.
Solaxis ensures that the automation of its processes is always at the cutting edge of technology. We can rely on fully integrated management systems that allow us to combine simplicity, flexibility, and execution speed.
In addition, our IT structure and the automated collection of our production data allow us to ensure good management and good traceability required in the high-tech sectors.
These ways of working limit errors and human time, increase productivity, and allow excellent fluidity in business processes. In sum, in terms of management and production, everything is configured to offer an advantageous solution for low- and medium-volume series.
To ensure part quality and optimize production costs, we also offer various automated post-processing services. Since it is all about automated processes, manual time is minimized, and the additional cost per unit of these services for a series is minimal.
In short, to bridge the technological gap between the production of small and large quantities, Solaxis has acquired SLS 3D printers that meet specific requirements. The robustness of our systems guarantees repeatability in production and, therefore, consistency in the quality of the parts.
Furthermore, we use high-performance materials and, therefore, we produce parts that rival current practices such as injection molding. By eliminating the development of tooling, additive manufacturing keeps the costs competitive. And, at Solaxis, these lower costs still stand for productions of up to 1,000 units depending on the dimensions of the parts.
Injection molding is very expensive when production is low, as investment in tooling is required. Generally speaking, the unit cost of parts by 3D printing can be high, limiting its use to very low-volume series. However, Solaxis is different. We have created systems that allow us to be competitive over low-volume and medium-volume productions.
Do you have your 3D files in hand? Contact our experts, we will be happy to help you determine if your project is suitable for 3D printing.