Industrial 3D Printing: New Frontiers for Manufacturing Processes

Many industrial components fail not because of the idea, but due to tooling costs, lead times, minimum order quantities, or a lack of availability. SAM Large-format 3D printer makes industrial 3D printing of large-format plastic parts directly from digital data feasible – and creates new scope for development, production, and maintenance.
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SAM Large-format 3D printer by Mach-3D

Where industrial 3D printing makes the difference

Industrial 3D printing solves seven typical manufacturing problems – here's the solution with the SAM.

Large plastic components (30 cm+)

Solution with SAM

The SAM enables the direct production of large-format components without classic mould making. This also makes it economically feasible to produce individual parts, variants, and small series.

Field of application Cladding, housings, covers, moulded parts, structural components.

Problem

Large plastic components often require moulds, tools or fixtures that only become economically viable at high production volumes.

Economic prototyping

Solution with SAM

With the SAM, large-format prototypes can be produced directly from CAD data. Development stages can be checked.

Field of application Design prototypes, functional samples, housing models, installation and assembly trials.

Problem

Large prototypes often require tools, external manufacturing partners or long lead times before they can be tested.

Spare part availability

Solution with SAM

Based on digital data, scans, or patterns, spare parts can be reproduced on demand – without permanent warehousing or old tools.

Field of application Replacement cladding, machine covers, housing parts, parts for older systems.

Problem

For older machines, vehicles, or equipment, spare parts are often no longer available or can only be reproduced with great effort.

Independence from external factors

Solution with SAM

The SAM brings more manufacturing expertise in-house and reduces dependencies on external processes and delivery times.

Field of application In-house component manufacturing, rapid spare parts supply, decentralised production.

Problem

Supply chains, external toolmakers, minimum order quantities, and limited capacities restrict speed and planning reliability.

Cost-effective small series

Solution with SAM

The SAM creates a flexible process for small-batch, large-format plastic components, directly accommodating variations.

Field of application Bespoke components, variant production, pre-series, limited runs.

Problem

Small quantities of large components are often too expensive, too slow, or organisationally complex with traditional methods.

High material loss

Solution with SAM

Additive manufacturing builds material precisely where it is needed. If required, precise post-processing can subsequently be carried out.

Field of application Milling blanks, master patterns, moulds, fixtures, components with post-processing.

Problem

Machining processes often start with a large volume of raw material and consequently generate a lot of waste.

Limited design freedom

Solution with SAM

The SAM expands the constructive design freedom for large plastic components and enables shapes that are classically difficult to realise economically.

Field of application Designers, architects, art, complex support structures.

Problem

Classic manufacturing processes limit geometries, variants, and functionally integrated components.

Materials Compass: Which material is right for which requirement?

The SAM processes different plastics and opens.
StiffnessFlexibilityTemperature resistanceImpact strengthWeather resistanceLightweight constructionChemical resistanceFibre reinforcement
PLA
Economic prototypes, simple functional components
Lightweight construction
PETG
Economic prototypes, simple functional components
Impact strength
TPU 85A
Flexible, elastic or shock-absorbing components
FlexibilityImpact strength
TPU 95A
Flexible, elastic or shock-absorbing components
FlexibilityImpact strength
And
Robust technical components
StiffnessImpact strength
PA-CF
Robust technical components
StiffnessTemperature resistanceFibre reinforcementLightweight construction
PA-GF
Robust technical components
StiffnessTemperature resistanceFibre reinforcement
ABS
Robust components suitable for everyday industrial use
Impact strengthStiffness
ABS-GF
Robust components suitable for everyday industrial use
StiffnessImpact strengthFibre reinforcement
ASA
Weather-resistant outdoor applications
Weather resistanceImpact strength
ASA-GF
Weather-resistant outdoor applications
Weather resistanceStiffnessFibre reinforcement
PP
Chemical-resistant and lightweight components
Chemical resistanceLightweight constructionFlexibility
PP-GF
Chemical-resistant and lightweight components
Chemical resistanceStiffnessFibre reinforcementLightweight construction
PPS-CF
High performance: demanding thermal & mechanical requirements
Temperature resistanceStiffnessChemical resistanceFibre reinforcement
PPS-GF
High performance: demanding thermal & mechanical requirements
Temperature resistanceStiffnessChemical resistanceFibre reinforcement

Application areas: One system – many industrial tasks

Sectors where industrial 3D printing with the SAM shows its strengths.

Railways & Rolling Stock

Spare parts and bodywork components for older vehicles, supplied in small quantities.

Examples, materials & savings

Mechanical and plant engineering

Custom covers, enclosures, and fixtures with no tooling costs.

Examples, materials & savings

Automotive & Commercial Vehicles

Prototypes, cockpit models and jigs – faster through every iteration.

Examples, materials & savings

Maritime Industry & Yacht Building

Individual large-scale components and master models without complex mould construction.

Examples, materials & savings

Aviation, Drones & Aerospace

Structural prototypes, fixtures and test gauges – rigid and resilient.

Examples, materials & savings

Energy & Infrastructure

Weather and chemical-resistant housings and protective covers.

Examples, materials & savings

Architecture, Exhibition Stand Construction & Design

Design objects, facade patterns and large-format models directly from data.

Examples, materials & savings

Tool and Pattern Making

Master models, milling blanks and moulds – material-saving instead of solid material.

Examples, materials & savings
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Frequently asked questions about industrial 3D printing

Industrieller 3D-Druck mit dem SAM eignet sich für eine Vielzahl von Branchen, darunter: * **Automobilindustrie:** Prototyping, Werkzeuge, Vorrichtungen, kundenspezifische Teile * **Luft- und Raumfahrt:** Leichtbaukomponenten, Musterteile, Ersatzteile * **Medizintechnik:** Prothesen, Implantate, chirurgische Instrumente, kundenspezifische Modelle * **Konsumgüter:** Kundenspezifische Produkte, Spielzeug, Elektronikgehäuse * **Industrielle Fertigung:** Werkzeuge, Vorrichtungen, Ersatzteile, Kleinserienfertigung * **Forschung und Entwicklung:** Prototyping, Validierung von Designs
Industrial 3D printing with the SAM is suitable for, among others, rail and rail vehicles, mechanical and plant engineering, automotive and commercial vehicles, the maritime industry, aviation and drones, energy and infrastructure, architecture and exhibition stand construction, as well as mould and model making.
What components can be manufactured with the SAM?
The SAM can be used to manufacture large-format panelling, housings, covers, spare parts, prototypes, fixtures, gauges, master models and moulded parts – as individual parts, variants or economical small series without classic mould-making.
Industrial 3D printing is worthwhile compared to machining or mould making when: * **Complex geometries are required:** 3D printing excels at creating intricate shapes that are difficult or impossible to achieve with traditional subtractive (machining) or formative (mould making) methods. This includes internal structures, undercuts, and organic forms. * **Low to medium production volumes are needed:** For small batches or prototype production, 3D printing is often more cost-effective than setting up for mass production with machining or injection moulding, which typically involve significant tooling costs. * **Rapid prototyping is a priority:** 3D printing allows for quick iterations of designs, enabling faster product development cycles. Changes can be made and new parts printed within hours or days, rather than weeks. * **Customisation and personalisation are important:** Each part can be uniquely designed and manufactured without significant additional cost, making it ideal for bespoke components or mass customisation. * **Material efficiency is crucial:** 3D printing is an additive process, meaning it only uses the material needed for the part, reducing waste compared to subtractive manufacturing. * **Lead times need to be minimised:** For urgent needs or when traditional manufacturing lead times are too long, 3D printing can offer a faster turnaround. * **Consolidation of parts is desired:** Multiple components that would typically be assembled from several machined or moulded parts can often be printed as a single, integrated unit, reducing assembly time and potential points of failure. * **Lightweighting is a key design goal:** Lattice structures and internal infills can be created with 3D printing to achieve significant weight reduction while maintaining structural integrity. * **Tooling costs for traditional methods are prohibitive:** Setting up for injection moulding or complex CNC machining can involve substantial investment in moulds or fixtures. 3D printing can bypass these initial tooling costs. * **On-demand manufacturing is preferred:** Parts can be printed as and when they are needed, reducing the need for large inventories. However, it's important to note that machining and mould making still often hold advantages for high-volume production, specific material properties, and parts requiring extremely tight tolerances or surface finishes that are difficult to achieve with current 3D printing technologies.
Industrial 3D printing is particularly worthwhile for large-format plastic components, small batch sizes, frequent variations, and hard-to-obtain spare parts. The SAM saves tool and set-up costs, reduces material waste compared to machining, and shortens delivery times.
Which material is suitable for which requirement?
The SAM processes materials ranging from PLA and PETG to flexible TPU, technical PA, ABS and ASA types, right up to fibre-reinforced PA-CF and high-temperature resistant PPS-CF. The interactive material compass shows which material is suitable depending on requirements such as stiffness, temperature or chemical resistance.

Take the next step with Mach3D

The decisive advantage arises not from a single component, but from new freedom of action: waiting time becomes responsiveness, dependency becomes control, special cases become plannable processes. Discover the SAM large-format 3D printer or the Mach-3D Development.
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Industrial 3D printing in practice

Industrial 3D printing is worthwhile wherever tooling is too expensive, production volumes are too small, or spare parts are no longer available – from mechanical engineering, rail and marine to architecture.

How industrial 3D printing concretely reduces costs is shown by the application fields above. The matching machine is the SAM Large-format 3D printer, the expertise imparts the Mach-3D Academy.