GratKit 3D Printing and Industry 4.0

The concept of industry 4.0 was proposed based on the division of different stages of industrial development. There is a general consensus of manufacturing. Industry 1.0 is the era of the steam engine. Industry 2.0 is the era of electrification. Industry 3.0 is the era of information. And Industry 4.0 is the era of automation, monitoring, and analysis of supply chains through smart technology. Industry 4.0 is powered by the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) and cyber-physical systems – smart, autonomous systems that use computer-based algorithms to monitor and control physical things like machinery, robots, and vehicles.

Additive manufacturing, or 3D printing, is a key technology driving Industry 4.0. 3D printing was initially used to as a rapid prototyping tool but now offers a broader range of applications, from mass customization to distributed manufacturing. 3D printing technology is used in education, dental, medical, jewelry and industrial manufacturing areas. There have been factories producing products with work lines of 3D printers to reduce labour force.

GratKit Smart Equipment Co., Ltd, GratKit for short, was formed in 2016. Focusing on technology of 3D printing for industry 4.0, GratKit took gratifying demands of smart manufacturing as our mission. After 6 years of technology accumulation, GratKit now offers solutions for educational, dental, medical, jewelry casting and industrial manufacturing areas. GratKit offers not only dental and jewelry casting 3D printing resins, but also faithful resin 3D printers to go with them. Meanwhile, the ABS-like rigid resin from GratKit is capable of producing functional inner and outer product shells for electronic products. The ABS-like rigid resin can even be printed into high accuracy items like nuts and bolts. Moreover, GratKit produces continuous carbon fiber filament and continuous carbon fiber 3D printer. Together, GratKit offers solution for printing aluminum-strength parts for industrial appliances.

With the improvement of 3D printing technology and continuous research by GratKit chemists and engineers, GratKit will put 3D printing technology to deeper and broader industrial appliances.