3D Printing in the Agriculture Industry
Technology plays a major role in agriculture simplifying a lot of processes from food production to transportation to marketing and 3D printing is no different. These solutions have enhanced everything from structural operations of the farm to equipment parts and day-to-day activities carried out by the farmers. 3D Printed tools are regularly used to plant crops as they can improve the process exponentially by increasing efficiency and customizations. These tools are produced quickly, efficiently, and remotely to offer benefits from all sides, including energy and money savings.
In addition, our contract 3D printing services are a great way to prototype a part for an agricultural application before purchasing the technology.
Innovative Agricultural Machinery Applications
Farming equipment is massive, complex, and expensive. As a result, replacing a part can quickly become expensive; especially if the machine is outdated and replacement parts are no longer available, or difficult to find. By utilizing 3D printing solutions, these replacement parts can be produced quickly to decrease down time, which is important as agricultural applications are often time dependent due to variations of the weather and how the crops need to be processed to keep the fields on a schedule. These machineries are also vital components in food production from tractors and harvesters to seeders and fertilizer spreaders. By increasing cost savings and productivity while decreasing lead times, 3D printing in agriculture solutions innovate multiple aspects of the industry.
Additive Manufacturing Industry Solutions
Getting water available to every plant is an important challenge to solve because irrigation is a crucial part of success in the agriculture industry. Installing a robust irrigation system is a nightmare for farmers because it’s expensive, time consuming as the pipes are transported from a supplier to the agricultural land, leaving no flexibility or scope of how changes in the landscape will affect the irrigation pattern. In addition, more than 60% of water is wasted due to leakage or evaporation. To solve these issues, companies are utilizing 3D printers to produce polymer pipes on the farming land to form a honeycomb structure, which then allows water to flow out, much like a sponge. These pipes absorb the moisture of the soil and transport it to the plant. Using these pipes, a farmer can easily plant the seeds. In conclusion, additive manufacturing technology is ensuring an efficient and eco-friendly way to deal with common irrigation problems.
The Future of Additive Manufacturing for Agriculture
Even though 3D printing has already been a success for many applications in the farming sector, it will continue to evolve in upcoming years and become even more integrated into the agriculture industry. This technology has many benefits to bring to the farming sector, from tools to more elaborated devices.
The 3D printing industry still has a lot to offer to agriculture as the technology continues to be developed, and it’s anticipated to grow in popularity as farmers continue to reap the many benefits.