Revolution of 3D printing technology and application of Six Sigma methodologies to optimize the output quality characteristics

The term 3D printing covers a host of processes and technologies that offer a full spectrum of capabilities for the production of parts and products using different materials. This paper talks about the revolution of 3D printing in the present world. It talks about the reasons why 3D printing is rapidly surfacing in many small and large scale industries. The benefits are discussed as how this new technology replaces traditional manufacturing. Competition will drive the market forward, and over time the barriers will come down. History has shown that once a disruption starts, adoption occurs much faster than anyone can imagine. In the context of Additive manufacturing using 3D printers, there is a need of identifying optimal settings of quality characteristic parameters to provide the best solutions by offering least cycle times, high strength, flexibility, machinability, etc. Amongst many statistical approaches to improve the process, DMAIC Six Sigma methodology is used to identify the optimal parameter setting that can result in producing parts with desired tensile strengths. The framework is based on Taguchi design which has been developed as the case study and successfully demonstrated to optimize the output of the quality characteristics of 3D printed parts. An orthogonal array L9 (34) is used in Taguchi experiment design for four controllable factors and one non-controllable/noise factor.