Automated post-processing system manufacturerPostProcesshas published the findings of its2022 Post-Printing Trends Survey。
The results of PostProcess’ fourth annual survey reflect a growing manufacturer demand for ways of better dealing with labor shortages and meeting their sustainability goals. In terms of post-processing, the firm has also identified a trend towards secondary processes, as well as rising concern among the users of production-scale technologies, about the suitability of current offerings to meet their scaling needs.
“我经常听到被称为添加剂制造中'肮脏的小秘密'的后处理，但不需要。”雷电竞充值“我们很高兴继续我们的使命，将整个3D打印工作流程的这一关键步骤带到了最前沿，并带头对后处理趋势进行分析，这对发展迅速发展的增材行业至关重要。”
印刷后趋势调查是什么？
For the last four years, PostProcess has asked the users of post-processing systems for their feedback via its annual industry-wide survey. Utilizing the resulting data, the firm has then made a habit of putting together market-segmented reports, which show how 3D printed parts are most commonly finished, in addition to how metrics like post-processing costs and lead times continue to change.
Previous PostProcess surveys have already proven very insightful, uncovering the relationship between resin removal and surface finishing, as well as3D打印的体积制造趋势。在这些发现的基础上，今年的调查已经进行了更深入的分析，揭示了其他关键趋势，该公司认为它将“提供不可或缺的资源”来绘制快速发展的行业。
2022年报告的基础也比以往任何时候都更强，有34％的受访者使用了十年或更长时间的3D打印，是去年的两倍。在人口统计学方面，有83％的贡献者来自美国和欧洲，而现在有9％的贡献者在亚太地区（两年前的0％）中运营，而参与的前三名则是医疗，机械和制造业。
Uncovering post-processing challenges
当涉及用户采用的主要3D打印技术时，后过程发现与去年没有变化，事实证明，材料挤出最受欢迎。然而，有趣的是，今年的报告确定了向增值税聚合和粉末床融合（PBF）中最终生产应用的转变，其用户分别占48％和37％的受访者。
在最近的网络研讨会上宣布报告的发现，还透露，使用两种或更多印刷技术的制造商数量已稳定在50％左右，今年为57％。据该会议主持人之一，该公司的战略合作伙伴副总裁Dean Vonbank副总裁，这是由于用户尝试技术而发生的，但是“随着他们进入生产，专注于一两个。”
Elsewhere, PBF adopters said the challenges they face have shifted as well. Two years ago, PostProcess’ report found that such users were primarily concerned about labor costs, damaged parts and throughput. Now they’re not only dealing with staffing issues, but increasingly showing environmental and waste management concerns. VonBank added that PBF users are likely “trying to find the right labor” to implement production-scale workflows, and targeting those able to do so efficiently.
On the post-processing side of its survey, PostProcess found that the same three technologies remained the most-used: support removal (54%), resin removal (42%) and surface finishing (39%). While this has remained unchanged over all four iterations of the firm’s report, VonBank said the firm is now seeing “secondary processes cropping up” like vapor smoothing, dyeing and curing, as “people look for things that can get them an even better part than they’ve seen in the past.”
More broadly, the report has also highlighted some of the ongoing challenges facing the users of post-processing systems. For a third year in a row, the length of time required to finish parts was respondents’ number one gripe (55%), with consistency being deemed the second biggest issue (47%) faced by those treating 3D printed products.
最后，当被问及当前的后处理方法是否贡献或抑制其3D打印目标时，大多数贡献者表示，他们今天仍然可以接受或具有挑战性。PBF，材料喷射，增值税聚合和定向能量沉积（DED）等面向生产的技术的用户，也将零件鉴定为一个问题，随着扩展的扩展，它们可能会成为未来的瓶颈。
PostProcess Technologies encourages anyone who currently utilizes or is interested in additive manufacturing to sign up toreceive a full copy of the 2022 Post-Printing Trends Report here。
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Featured image shows a mock-up of an iPad accessing PostProcess’ annual survey. Image via PostProcess.
