3D Printing in Telecommunications – Telecom Industry is Future Ready

With the pending Fox acquisition by Comcast or Disney,  AT&T/Time Warner acquisitions and a new CEO at Verizon with a focus on 5G, Telecommunication has been making headlines of late.

After these merges happen, we might see a new face of the telecom industry that’s competitive and focused. On the top of that, the introduction of additive manufacturing in this sector has opened some new ways of advancements in the ongoing technology.

The components and the spares of this sector are highly expensive to manufacture, install or prototype. However, companies can now easily prototype the parts like arbitrary and geometrically intricate electrical components. And they can be easily integrated onto printable circuits as well. They can attain this aim with additive manufacturing.

Telecom companies, IT departments and the related companies are now getting the 3D printed parts like power stations, antennas, and sensors. This shows that this technology is now widely accepted in the entire sector.

Uses Of 3D Printing in Telecommunications

As I have already mentioned above, 3D printing in Telecommunications is widely accepted and has been integrated into the industry already. And it is incredibly useful for the sector as well.

MIMO Antennas

The technology of multiple inputs, multiple outputs, or MIMO antennas is used for wireless communications. In this antenna, the communication circuits humanity. This optimizes the data speed and minimizes the errors.

Also, recently, the manufacturers in the communication sector have been testing the 3D printing for these powerful antennas. They used a stereolithography 3D printer with high-resolution.  The process they used was precise with the capability of printing 27.2 x 27.2 x 17 mm antennas. And they could do the entire job in under 30 minutes.

These printed antennas made of the Photosensitive resin ensures that it surfaces are conductive and metalized, thus enhancing its frequency.

Orange

Almost everyone knows the name of this famous mobile manufacturer and broadband provider from France. And rightly so as they have a base of over 200 million customers in the Mobile segment and 18 million in the broadband segment.

Now, it is working on the clean, renewable energy that it aims to provide it to the millions of on-the-grid users. Also, it is planning to use 3D printing in Telecommunications for expanding the facility to the off-grid users as well. Orange will be using 3D printed components for optimizing other sources of power like wind turbines.

They are using small turbines for optimizing the mobile connection performance and improving efficiency. However, manufacturing them in mass could be very expensive. And that’s why Orange is planning on using 3D printing for producing the blades. This step will significantly reduce the cost and improve its performance. This move will impact the lives of all those who have been living with less or no power.

Optomec

Noe let’s talk about the 3D manufacturing company in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Optomec has parts for printing touchscreen,  flexible electronics, and organic electronic components along with solar cells.

It is now testing the 3D printing for functional parts like antennas for a phone. This will provide flexibility to the phone companies and allow them to reconfigure the entire production line.

Also, it will be beneficial for humanity as 3D printing will remove the harmful solvents and materials that companies use for manufacturing parts like the antennas. Also, it will cut down the expenses of the companies who are already working on the thin profit margin.

Voxel8 Inc.

Voxel8 Inc. is skilled in printing electronic components and is a known 3D printing company from Massachusetts. It has developed 3D printer capable of manufacturing one-piece operating electronics like a smartphone.

The printer creates systems that digitally manufacture. These systems can print various components like antennas,  stacked integrated circuits, and electromagnetic coils. These are just a few names from the list of many parts that it can manufacture.

Even though it can print the entire pieces, it still requires installing batteries, resistors, and sensors. The company is working to develop the inks and technology for printing these parts as well.

Voxel8 Inc. is hoping to revolutionize the entire telecom sector. It is also planning to ease the load on their workers. It will soon eliminate the painstaking tasks of assembling the sophisticated devices that we use every day.

Airbus Defence and Space

Along with all those telecom companies mentioned above, 3D printing has also influenced Airbus. It is a large and renowned aerospace company.

It is trying the metal 3D printing for developing critical satellite parts like the metal waveguide for telecommunications. These pieces filter the radio frequencies that are unwanted. These additive manufactured parts lowers the production cost along with the waste and improves the performance.

3D printing has also eliminated the designing constraints of these parts that we often saw in the traditional ways of manufacturing. Also, since these parts were less bulky, manufacturing companies could integrate more components into the satellites. This step will make the satellites more capable with increased functionality.

Rounding Up

Telecommunication is a part of our everyday life. Without it, we have no idea what we will be doing. 3D printing in Telecommunications has added to the potential of this sector. It has taken off the barriers that previously limited the reach and utilization of its potential. It had cut down on its cost and have to take the feasibility a notch higher.

Subsequently, the telecommunication sector is using 3D printing more each day in every field. Along with that, they are trying to improve on its methods that they can use to provide ways of changing our lives every day.

In short, As this relationship flourishes, we will witness a lot of changes. As a result, it will help us in developing ourselves.

Again, 3D printing is not just about changing the technology; it is changing the world for the most part. Consequently, expensive gadgets and technologies will become affordable and hence, will be within reach of many.

As a matter of fact, 3D printing is a revolution and a really good one. We need it to move forward in development, especially in the field of technology.