Why can't 3D printing technology replace traditional manufacturing?

In fact, the 3D printing industry has just started, and many technical problems have not been overcome, but we have already seen the dawn of the new industrial revolution. China is not backward (but definitely not advanced) in this industry, so we should recognize our own situation. At present, most of the 3D printing industry in China is in the laboratory, and few products are listed. The most sophisticated things are applied to the military industry.

Material problems of 3D printing. At present, 3D printing products that can be widely used focus on decorations, mold models, personalized home products and small-sized parts of automobiles and airplanes. The materials used are nothing more than resin, plastic and ordinary metal powder. If this industry wants to develop to the high end, it must break through the barriers of alloy materials and polymer composites, which require very high performance. These materials involve hundreds or more. Only in this way can 3D printing technology enter the fields of aerospace, artificial intelligence, large-scale complex machinery, biomedicine and so on.

Energy problems of 3D printing. At present, the energy used in 3D printing is laser, but its production efficiency needs to be improved, especially when processing metal products with large size and high melting point. Recently, Sciaky Company of the United States claimed to have discovered a better energy source-electron beam. With a powerful electron beam gun, the printing efficiency can be doubled.

Optimization of 3D printing equipment. On the one hand, it involves the economy of the industry, and the cost problem is very important for mass production products; On the other hand, it is technologically advanced. If the accuracy of 3D printing can be close to nanometer level (about 0. 1mm at present), it will greatly expand the application scope of this industry and bring many revolutionary achievements.