Micro 3D Printing makes low and medium volume production runs practical, predictable, and cost effective. By producing hundreds to thousands of small, high precision parts in a single build, this approach removes the traditional cost barriers that have long limited short run manufacturing.
For OEMs, low volume production typically means hundreds of parts, while medium volume production often falls in the thousands. With Micro 3D Printing, these quantities no longer require significant upfront tooling investment or long setup times. Producing a few hundred parts can be nearly as economical as producing a few thousand.
This shift reduces reliance on economies of scale and allows manufacturers to move directly into production. Whether validating a design, supporting early market demand, or serving specialized applications, you no long need to commit to high tooling costs or large minimum order quantities.
Micro 3D Printing is receiving significant interest for optical, semi-conductor, micro electronic, MEMS, microfluidic, and life science applications. Microfluidics provides a good example of how Micro 3D Printing can be a competitive alternative to micro molding. Micro molding is relatively expensive in terms of tooling, set-up, and assembly operations, and also limits the freedom of microfluidic design. Micro molding technologies are also unable to manufacture functional substructures which are achievable using Micro 3D Printing technology without compromising precision or quality.