The last decade saw the rise and rise of 3D printing. It became the new norm of design and manufacturing. The benefits are mostly due to cost-savings, speed of manufacturing, and compliance with quality standards. 3D printing checked all the right boxes for manufacturing verticals and it made sense to exploit its benefits for multiplying production rates using existing designs and creating economical prototypes.

3D printing saw stellar demand from engineering, manufacturing, automobile, technology, and healthcare sectors. Today, it's the life and limb of many companies that are under pressure to mass-produce equipment for general use and critical functions. 3D printing is the go-to choice because sometimes, traditional manufacturing can't keep up with the rising demands. When raw materials aren't readily available for mass production of certain products, traditional manufacturing fails altogether.

3D Printing to the Rescue of Hospitals and Healthcare Communities Worldwide

The news everywhere is about the COVID-19 outbreak that has affected and displaced the lives of millions. In an ongoing effort to combat the virus, the global healthcare community has sought help from every direction to close the rapidly widening gap in the availability of Personal Protection Equipment (PPE). While traditional manufacturing units are too occupied to accept new orders, the attention has turned to 3D printing. While the technology is capable of meeting the demand for PPE, bullet-proof product design and development is still on the anvil. This is where manufacturers feel the need to outsource. Companies like Outsource2india and Flatworld has been at the frontline, supplying the much-needed design and development services for 3D printers.

Outsourcing design and development has not only brought relief to medical equipment manufacturing companies, but also many across other industries. Outsource2india has acted swiftly by supplying general purpose and critical equipment designs prepared by certified experts in mechatronics, automation, electrical, mechanical, and other fields. From material selection to designing functional prototypes, they have fulfilled the demands of many clients in a short time.

With a shortage of supply at play, the affordability of traditional engineering materials has become a major concern these days. But that has been taken care of by outsourcing companies that provide design and product development solutions. O2I's partnership lets you have recommendations about affordable and easily accessible materials that can be used in 3D printing. Companies like O2I understands the importance of working quickly to harness the workable materials that are still available in the market.

The design challenges that can be delegated to an outsourcing enterprise like Outsource2india are as follows -

• 3D designing for 3D printing
• Designing medical equipment
• Development support for ancillary parts
• 3D designing N95 mask components
• 3D designing of face shields
• Development of 3D prototype
• And many more
• Design and development of Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP)

Fortunately, outsourcing design and product development for 3D printing aren't exclusively cut out to the healthcare sector. Other industries are forming a beeline to harness O2I's 3D printing designs to shore up their effort in the on-going fight against COVID-19.

Industries Touched by 3D Printing

It's not just the healthcare where 3D printing has seen most of its purpose. Other industries touched the 3D printing includes -

• Aerospace
• Automobile
• Manufacturing
• Robotics
• Education
• Hospitality

Challenges in 3D Printing

While 3D printing has become the new manufacturing strategy for mass personalization, it is not all without challenges. The ability to manufacture any products with just a blueprint has triggered a wave of conflict of interest. So here are some challenges you will find in 3D printing -

1. Regulatory issues

   Since anyone could mass produce any product with a blueprint it became difficult for the FDA to regulate devices manufactured without meeting compliances. However, lately, FDA removed uncertainties by laying down guidelines for medical equipment manufacturing.

2. Non-standardized Quality

   Ever since the 3D printing technology became accessible, its rampant use for the production of critical equipment made quality inconsistent or not on par with those made after spending millions of dollars' worth of R&D. This non-harmonized method of additive manufacturing has resulted in widespread confusion and uncertainty. However, American Makes & ANSI Additive Manufacturing Standardization Collaborative (AMSC) is taking efforts to standardize the quality.

3. Environmental Impact

   Since plastic is used as a filament in 3D printing, it's considered least environmentally-friendly. This resulted in a pursuit to find an alternate filament that is as versatile as plastic but safe for manufacturing medical equipment and other critical components with high-tolerance to failure.

4. High Equipment Ownership and Manufacturing Expense

   Another big challenge with additive manufacturing is the cost of certain filament materials outweigh the benefits of traditional manufacturing. Owning a specialized 3D printer for medical equipment and PPE isn't everyone's cup of tea. It costs thousands of dollars to operate and maintain.

5. Conflicts with Intellectual Property

   There is a paradigm shift in the manufacturing sector after the 3D printing boom. It gave anyone the power to recreate any model or component with zero hassles. This was particularly a challenge to intellectual property concerns. It simply exasperated the risk of people recreating unprotected designs completely off-spec from the actual product. This easily put the end-users of such pirated products in the harm's way and even exposed the designer to unwarranted lawsuits.

Outsourcing 3D Printing to Experts like O2I can Help

These challenges kept many businesses away from owning a piece of advanced 3D printing equipment that costs of fortune to own and operate lawfully. But having an outsourcing partner to supply product design and development support and consultation makes things easier.

While businesses everywhere have slowed down to a crawl, companies like O2I is equipping its clients with cutting-edge designs and ensuring their readiness for 3D printing.

Conclusion

Although 3D printing isn't a new technology anymore, it plays a pivotal role in product development and the manufacture of medical equipment because traditional manufacturing has failed to keep up with the demand due to insufficient amounts of raw materials. The key benefit of 3D printing is its ability to print any complex medical products at a moment's notice. The only challenge to this is the ability to conceptualize and design robust products that operate with the least probability of failure. This is where outsourcing comes into the picture. It eliminates the need for innovators to spend thousands of dollars on hiring FTE when time and money are on the line. Outsourcing makes 3D printing design and development solutions affordable and quicker. In turn, accelerating the efforts of healthcare providers to combat global pandemic like COVID-19.

Outsource Product Design and Development to Outsource2india

Outsource2india has 25 years of experience in product design and development. They are an ISO 9001:2015 certified company with world-class offshore delivery centers, state-of-the-art technology, and skilled resources. O2I offers its services ensure its clients are ready with printable designs so product development doesn't stop when time is at essence. Our services have allowed manufacturing to resume and businesses to print prototype models that provide real solutions.

Contact us for customized 3D printing services.