Although 3D printing is a really cool, new, and innovative concept, does it provide the same production value as injection molding systems? Although injection molding systems are better for mass productions, are the systems not innovative enough? When you look into comparing injection molding systems to the relatively new 3D printing methods, it’s somewhat like comparing apples to oranges. They both help in providing a well balanced diet, but they’re totally different fruits.

So what can 3D printing do that injection molding cannot? Well, that answer is simple. If 3D printing went to college, it would have majored in complexity. Regardless of how complex manufacturing order, the general price of the printing stays the same whereas their counterpart may increase in value the more detailed the product becomes. However, the demand for products curated through injection molding systems remain at a higher demand.

Understanding the 3D Printing Hype

Over the past few years, 3D printing has exponentially grown in popularity, and that’s partially at the fault of the media. Although 3D printing seems amazing in theory, these printers struggle to provide the fine detail that a custom injection molding system would otherwise be able to achieve. If you’re looking to customize a large quantity of parts that are relatively small in size, 3D printing is an excellent direction to head in.

Injection Molding Systems

Although 3D printing offers complex assembly at little to no cost, injection molding is ideal for those looking to product a vast quantity of products. While we did mention that 3D printing can do the same, it can’t manufacture parts as large that won’t be affected by excessive heat or transportation. However, with that being said, before you invest in an injection molding system, you want to make sure the market interest has already been assessed. Regardless of whether the parts are complex or simple, large or small, injection molding can provide you with your desired product.

Which System is Better?

It’s really only reliant on what your industry is and what your sales would benefit most from. If you need to produce a product that has a high demand and the parts are complex, injection molding is the way to go. However, if you’re not too sure of your market value, but want to produce complex parts to try out, give 3D printing a shot, but we’re going to go with the latter (injection molding).