3D PRINTING: is it time to invest?

COMPILED BY PETRA REES, FOUNDING CEO OF WHY TOYZ

Do you have a 3D printer in your home or at your work? And if not, should you invest in one? To answer this question, we need to look at the current state of the 3D printing industry, what opportunities lie ahead, and then contextualise this for the African continent.

AN OLD/NEW INDUSTRY

Additive Manufacturing (AM) also commonly known as 3D printing has been changing the way prototypes are made since the 80s. But prototyping typically associated with speed to market and rapid testing is not AMs only advantage. Making objects layer by-layer is much more environmentally friendly and more energy efficient in comparison to its predecessor subtractive manufacturing, which removes material from larger blocks. 3D printing is changing the way manufacturing is done today as it reduces the time of production whilst it promotes sophistication and complexity of designs, resulting in utilising less materials, minimising waste and stronger more organic looking end products. The progress and adoption of the technology is plainly visible, in 2002 the first functional animal kidney was 3D printed, twelve years later we could appreciate the first 3D printed human skull transplant, as well as a large-scale 3D printed house, the possibilities appear endless. AM is the perfect combination of exponential technology, unique materials and sophisticated designs that make it the ultimate industry to invest in. In fact, ARK Investments predicts the AM industry to be worth USD $97-billion by 2024, compounding by 65% annual growth rate!

3D printed skull implant

UMC Utrecht

The AM industry is not new by any means, yet many people still haven’t seen a 3D printer in action. Why is that? Whilst 3D printing has been revolutionising the medical, automotive, and aerospace industries, it has been very much seen as a tool of engineers, designers and manufacturers with the exceptions of DIY makers and hobbyists. However this is changing dramatically, similar to the miniaturisation of mainframe computers to desktops and laptops. Over the last decade 3D printer desktops flooded the market mainly from China, USA and Eastern Europe and they are becoming cheaper by the month. For example, an entry level fusion deposition modelling (FDM) type 3D printer had a price tag of R9 000 in 2018, this price tag reduced to R7 500 in 2019 and just under R6 000 in 2020. And so, we can reasonably expect a desktop 3D printer to become the next microwave of the home in the majority of middle-class households in the next decade. No more rushing to the shops to buy brackets, hinges, tubes, sprinkle systems, children’s toys, gifts and accessories for your car or your home. You can simply 3D print it right from your couch and customise for your needs!

HAS SOUTH AFRICA BEEN SLEEPING?

South Africa, since the 90s, has been quite active in the 3D printing revolution and in fact prides itself on being the first additive manufacturer of titanium implants on the African continent(Centre for Rapid Prototyping andManufacturing (CRPM) established at the Central University of Technology(CUT) in Bloemfontein in 1997).

Prof Deon de Beer of CUT is the merSETA/DSI Chair for Innovation and Commercialisation of Additive Manufacturing Chair, and he dedicates much of his time to ensure thatAM industry in South Africa is collaborative one. “We are open to assist upcoming AM companies and entrepreneurs, especially in the medical space,” highlights Prof de Beer who has been part of the team that paved the way to implement AM technology, capable of manufacturing complex medical products in this country, producing innovative products such as dynamic hand splints as well as complex medical implants. Medex3D is another South African born AM company that focuses on establishing small batch3D manufacturers of medical assistive devices in local communities with projects in Eastern Cape and Gauteng. Adam Imdaadulah is a metal project AM engineer who is part of the CRPM team that produces high-quality components which are accepted in the medical field and are successfully implanted in patients. Imdaadulah comments:“Industries globally have adopted 3D printing as a supportive technology to their traditional manufacturing techniques, and it is about time theSouth African industry does the same.”

Imdaadulah drives the annual 3D design competition for children together with Petra Rees, the founder of an award-winning 3D printing company Why Toyz that brings 3D printing to schools from ECD level to post matriculants to further promote design and creativity skills in children.“We need to raise more creators and innovative thinkers who can go on to become entrepreneurs seizing opportunities and creating jobs,” says Rees. 3D printing is the ultimate problem-solving tool that allows children to apply their critical thinking skills and most importantly creativity. “3D printing needs to become integrated into the everyday life of our children as it promotes love for science, math and art and equally promotes tinkering, making and innovating”, continues Rees.

CAN THE AFRICAN FUTURE BE 3D PRINTED?

“It can, but it is not there yet!” says Rees, a sentiment that is shared by Malika Khodja, senior lecturer at the University of Pretoria. “Industrial AM offers tremendous cost savings on the African continent however, it is essential to understand what technology to deploy – education is key,” emphasises Khodja who is also the co-founder of TiziriTech which specialises in consulting to corporates to derive benefits from AM. Khodja is also the Africa chair of the international Women in 3D Printing organisation in South Africa which supports women in 3D printing. Khodja together with Rees wish to further grow a vibrant industrial3D printing eco-system that would give more job opportunities to local citizens, especially women.

But 3D printing is not only for the big industrial firms or university research labs. Stephan Kotze has pioneered manufacturing of FDM filaments inSouth Africa since 2014 from very humble beginnings and now his company (The Filament Factory) is the leading producer of filaments in the country. Even this space is growing and an additional five different filament manufacturers have opened their doors in the past two years. “SouthAfrica can become a global leader in niche manufacturing, specifically in low production quality goods as we have top engineering skills and we can get to market very quickly thanks to AM,” emphasises Kotze.

This has been demonstrated by an upcoming young entrepreneur Denislav Marinov, a UCT graduate who has successfully started a 3D printing company Amnova Tech that specialised in hybrid tech. Their first successful product with off-take from the U.S.is the Big Brother V1.1 boasting a large volume 3D printer with other technologies like CNC machining, plasma cutting and laser engraving.

Denislav Marinov is combining his passion for technology and social justice to bring 3D printers into every school across the country.

https://www.news.uct.ac.za/article/-2019-03-13-students-3d-printer-plan-to-change-education

Africa has leapfrogged several industries in the past because of its unique localisation problems.3D printing is another technology that can help Africa to solve its hyperlocal issues. 3D printing in construction can address housing shortage. Having the opportunity to 3D print critical spares in light manufacturing in remote locations can drastically reduce production downtime. The agricultural sector offers a variety of unique challenges linked to shortage of equipment and pushing existing equipment “beyond its lifetime” that can be achieved thanks to 3D printing. And let’s not forget the vast opportunity when it comes to enabling youth to start 3D printing ventures by having the ability to localise manufacturing. While the opportunities are large and potentially transformative, the challenges to making technologies like this broadly available are significant, and will require the coming together of society, private sector and government with a shared vision of an exponential future. The future in Africa can indeed be 3D printed, but it is not automatic, we need to do a lot of work to get there!