Should I backup my Additive Manufacturing?
Additive Manufacturing
Additive Manufacturing is a fast-growing industry that utilises new technology to create products by adding material to them, rather than the traditional way of removing material.
What is Additive Manufacturing?
Additive Manufacturing is better known as 3D printing, but also includes rapid prototyping and direct digital manufacturing (DDM). Advances in this technology have seen its use become more usable in a wide range of applications and it offers many interesting possibilities for its future. Examples of additive manufacturing are:
- Binder Jetting
- Powder Bed Fusion
- Directed Energy Deposition
- Material Jetting
- Sheet Lamination
- Material Extrusion
Why do you need a Power Protection with Additive Manufacturing?
Additive Manufacturing is a very sensitive process. If the process is damaged it could result in the process needing to be restarted or at worse the equipment being damaged. Even the shortest power disruption, lasting a few seconds, can destroy an entire day’s worth of production, causing scrapped product, late shipments, a reduction in labour productivity and worst of all poor product quality. The more machines that are affected the worst this affects the business as more machines are taken out of commission and more damage is done. This is further exacerbated by new expectations of timely shipments and perfect quality for low cost. Because of these reasons additive manufacturers simply cannot afford to ignore the threat power cuts to their business.
Not only does a UPS system protect against power cuts, but to ensure power quality. A lot of additive manufacturers have found low-quality power, including spikes and surges, can also damage critical equipment. This makes a UPS double useful, shielding the production line from the multiple issues mains power is known for as well as power outages.
What Power Protection do I need for Additive Manufacturing?
Battery-based UPS systems have been the industry standard for a long time as they can provide several minutes of backup power on there own. This could be enough time to finish a particular product or safely shutdown key machinery. For larger applications or ongoing backup power, a generator will be required. For large power levels, lots of batteries are required to store the energy and this takes space. When getting to these higher power levels it will be essential to use a generator to supply the power required.
A UPS system and generator work together to ensure that no power issues will disrupt your manufacturing, whether it is a micro-outage or a week-long power cut.
UPS Systems Plc are experts at providing the complete backup power solution for your Additive Manufacturing facility from the smallest 3D printer to a huge factory. You can contact us here or alternatively request a callback to discuss your power protection requirements.
