Robotics and 3D printing are two advanced technologies that have helped spur industrial innovation. Though these technologies may seem disconnected, they have a lot of overlap within manufacturing.
There is an integrated relationship between 3D printing and robotics that traces its way back to the early days of these technologies. Exploring how this relationship has evolved over time and manifested in modern manufacturing will help provide insight into its role in the future of industry.
3D Printing in Robotics
In present-day manufacturing, almost every robot used in the industrial field has some type of 3D printed part or component. From end of arm tooling for robotic arms to components in humanoid robots, additively manufactured parts have a significant presence within the robotics field.
“3D printing plays a big role in robotics, especially for certain components that undergo lots of design changes, such as grippers at the end of robotic arms,” explains Neil Glazebrook, Vice President of 3D Solutions at ABCorp. “There’s certain aspects of the 3D printing process for these parts that can’t be replicated with injection molding or CNC machining.”
Due to the prevalence of 3D printed robotic parts, designing for additive manufacturing is also gaining traction in the robotics field. These design practices are helping to drive innovation within robotics. Some examples of this include improving materials used for 3D printed robot parts and increasing customization.
“These new materials are used to create functional end-use parts for robotics; the industry has moved past only using 3D printing for prototyping,” Glazebrook says. “In the modern manufacturing world, 3D printing works well for small production runs, and that’s particularly applicable to robotics.”
Another complement of 3D printing to robotics is the quick turnaround of additively manufactured components. 3D printing is fast – it gives shops the flexibility to be their own suppliers when they need a part quickly. For example, if a gripper breaks on the end of a robotic arm during a production run, a company with access to a 3D printer can swiftly and easily replace that part. No need to wait weeks for a replacement from an external supplier.
The concept of designing for additive, as mentioned above, is another benefit. Designing for additive can help to make robots lighter, which helps extend the life of battery-powered robots. Using additive design principles in robotics has also led to using better materials for these robots – ones that maintain strength while still being lightweight.
“The beauty of 3D printing is that manufacturers can design and iterate even through production. Designers can work on the back-end to continually improve a part. Having that constant ability to iterate new designs is where 3D printing has really changed the game for manufacturing,” explains Glazebrook.
An Integrated History
Aside from being used to create end-use parts, 3D printing plays a heavy role in research and development for robotics. In fact, the relationship between these two technologies began when manufacturers started to use 3D printing for prototyping in the robotics field.
“When 3D printing first came out, it was perfect for the development stage. Before that, all prototypes were made by hand. Now, you can create a prototype of a robot just about as quickly as you can design it,” describes Glazebrook.
3D printing has shortened the timeframe from design to development. Within days, a manufacturer can have a part’s prototype and test if it fits and how it works before moving forward with integration.
“In the history of this technology, rapid prototyping is where 3D printing really made sense, and slowly it started to move into low volume production,” says Glazebrook. “And that’s where the relationship with robotics comes in, because those production runs were such a low volume, especially back in the day, that the cost of 3D printing made much more sense compared to injection molding.”
The Future of 3D Printing and Robotics in Manufacturing
Integrating 3D printing into robotics manufacturing has helped expand the development of industrial robots, improved time to market, and made it more cost effective to produce and obtain these robots. This has increased the adoption of robotics and cemented the presence of both this technology and 3D printing in the future of manufacturing.
Additionally, 3D printing and robotics have each played a part in the reshoring of manufacturing back to the United States. 3D printing can shorten the supply chain for manufacturers, and a lot of them are seeking closer suppliers with reliable turnaround times and high-quality parts. As these technologies continue to advance, manufacturing will continue to expand within the country.
“Taking advantage of 3D printing and allowing it to grow within a manufacturing setting, especially robotics manufacturing, has really driven innovation and progress in an industrial sector that is continually growing,” explains Glazebrook.
If you’re a robotics or other manufacturer interested in 3D printing, find out more about what ABCorp offers. As a contract manufacturer for 3D printing, ABCorp helps manufacturers develop efficient processes and advises on better ways to produce parts. And if you’re interested in learning more about what industrial 3D printing can do and its place in manufacturing, look into attending RAPID + TCT 2025.
Bio:
Neil Glazebrook, VP of 3D Solutions at ABCorp
ABCorp is a secure on-demand manufacturer of 3D printing parts from low to high-volume production using the HP MJF solutions and automated robotics and inspection technology. With over 26 years in manufacturing, Neil has previously worked as a director of Sales and Operations, Mold & Coating Manager, Capital Additive Sales, HP Product Manager, and CNC Programmer in the job shops and injection molding industry. Neil holds a BS in Business and Law from Curry College of Milton, MA, and he currently resides in central Massachusetts. His goal is to bring manufacturing closer to ABCorp’s customers with enterprise-scale manufacturing on-demand using the latest technology in 3D printing, robotics, and inspection.