I doubt fused deposition will replace injection molding in most applications. Speed, quantity, finish, materials, etc. all favor injection molding in most applications. That said, 3D printing is perfect for prototyping, making certain shapes that cannot be practically molded, embedding different materials, and in small-scale production. But if yoy can get injection molding up and running at home, you jave the best of both worlds at your disposal. Vacuum forming can also be built fairly easily for a home workshop, and 3D printing can be a good way to make your mold, depending on what you need.
You are viewing a single comment's thread from:
I agree that fdm in particular and 3d print in general wont replace injection molding, but i was surprised at what apparently constitutes a "small batch production" when up to several hundred pieces is considered small, then it is no longer just for prototyping. I myself is more inclined to get myself a benchtop injectioon molder and then (resin) print(and possibly cast) my molds than doing actual production with printers, but that is mostly because of the mechanical properties and the choice of material it gives me. not so much because it cant be done. oh and because I would have to do it myself and then a few seconds per piece in a confined time period is more convenient than going down to empty and restart the printer every X hours.