【3D Printing News】Diversified Prototyping Trend, "Advanced Manufacturing" Rises!
Startup Market Trends
The Rise of "Advanced Manufacturing"
The internet was once the preferred choice for businesses because it was relatively easy (e.g., creating a dedicated website with WordPress), and the startup cost for such micro-enterprises was only about 3,000 US dollars. "Physical products, however, require many factors to be considered, and cost-effectiveness is very important," emphasized the co-founder of Sinterit. When Sinterit was founded in 2014, it was also a startup, and time and money were the two key factors for survival.LOCKY, the startup behind the world's first smart key, faced this difficulty, with prototype design being at the core of most problems. Although ordering parts in bulk helps to drive down prices, it is too risky for a startup's funding. After having a conceptual image, the most difficult part is producing the first successful sample.
In-house Manufacturing
Traditional prototyping equipment uses CNC milling machines to create prototypes. Outsourcing to a vendor takes 1-2 weeks, which is lengthy, costly, and difficult to operate. Another method is injection molding, but mold costs are expensive, and preparation takes 2 to 8 weeks. For startup products, there is also the risk of intellectual property being copied. Even with confidentiality agreements, leaks can occur, so LOCKY preferred in-house manufacturing. 
Rapid Prototyping
Printing four sets of LOCKY takes only about 18 hours, allowing the keys to be inserted and all functions to be tested. The Sinterit Lisa can print 16 sets at once. "Getting a functional prototype is more likely to secure sponsors and customer orders than beautiful visual renderings," emphasized Sebastian Religa, CTO of the smart key company LOCKY.Desktop 3D printers are easier to operate than industrial equipment; basic forming concepts are all that's needed to start production. Even complex parts that require repeated testing can be completed in a single print without additional assembly, making the Sinterit Lisa the best choice for LOCKY.
"We decided to use the Sinterit Lisa to create functional prototypes of LOCKY, so we could produce samples with the characteristics of the final product." The ability to quickly produce and maintain detailed accuracy with a desktop SLS 3D printer was their main reason for choosing this technology. Compared to large machines with similar technology, desktop prototyping equipment is about 20 times less expensive, causing them to spring up in R&D offices.
Does your company also have similar development needs? Is R&D falling behind new product delivery times? Now, use more diverse desktop rapid prototyping equipment and join the ranks of "advanced manufacturing" after "Industry 4.0."
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