Should you outsource to a bureau or bring 3D printing in-house?

The benefits of 3D printing are today well recognised. From aesthetic and design validation to functional testing, additive manufacturing has earned a reputation of enabling engineering teams to bring products to market faster while reducing the cost of development.

The big question for many firms, however, is whether to outsource the 3D printing requirement to a bureau or to purchase a printer and bring the capability in-house. While there been many lower cost machines coming on to the market in recent years, problems of quality, repeatability and set up have put many off, and in many industrial circles, garnered a hit and miss reputation.

In this White Paper, we take a look at some of the questions and considerations that should be discussed by design teams and the hidden advantages that come with owning a machine designed and built for engineers.

With some case study examples from instrument manufacturer Fender, Trek Bikes, consumer goods manufacturer Akaishi and Nasa – this whitepaper will act as a great reference for your decision making on whether to bring 3D printing in-house or use a bureau service.



Click to download now.