Jewellery and 3D printing

Every person’s day has always been accompanied by jewellery and fashion accessories. Nowadays, it is possible to create jewellery with 3D printing, such as a unique earring, bracelet or necklace, but previously, jewellery production revolved around two techniques: lost-wax casting and handcrafting. Both methods were time-consuming and required considerable skills to complete. In addition, errors that could occur during production proved terribly costly.

Today, with the advent of new technologies such as digital design and 3D printing that have revolutionised the jewellery industry, it is possible to combine digital technologies with traditional ones. In this way, jewellery manufacturers and goldsmiths have more design possibilities, companies have quick and less expensive prototyping and production models, and customers have customisation options. 3D-printed jewellery enjoys high precision, so errors in the production phase are reduced to zero.

3D printing: benefits for jewellery

In jewellery, 3D printing is increasingly used to create waxes for direct casting.

Specifically, the prototype is printed in wax and then transformed into an exact reproduction of the design and model drawn.

What are the five key advantages?

3D printing enhances traditional techniques

With 3D printing, the principles of lost-wax casting are added to the advantages of digital design and manufacturing processes.

In the beginning, only the traditional method was used. The jewellery designer would sculpt it by hand and place it in a mould. It was then burnt, and precious metals such as gold and silver were added to the cavity to create the cast piece. Finally, the designers polished and finished the cast piece until a shiny piece of jewellery was obtained.

With digital and 3D printing, a specialised printing service uses CAD software to create the designs in digital format to produce the models that will be cast in the mould. Once the model is cast, the process is identical to traditional casting. With digital techniques, labour is significantly reduced. The design is easy to store, modify and recreate as required.

1) Customised Jewellery

Until the arrival of 3D printing, customised jewellery was believed to be a privilege for a select few due to the complexity of production and design processes. However, jewellers can offer their customers an additional service with innovative digital technologies.

Jewellery can be customised according to one’s taste, and those who request it can exclusively have a unique and authentic model. Offering customers this added service is far from a given and will add value to their business.

The jeweller and customer can decide on a customised design of jewellery and accessories, which can be created within a day by relying on a 3D printing service such as FAMA 3D.

Going from design to production has never been easier. It is no longer essential to hand-sculpt the one-off piece. Prototypes can be adapted according to customer requirements. They can then be 3D printed and manufactured by lost-wax casting, thus reducing the cost of producing customised models.

Digital design combined with 3D printing production has proven to be a winning revolution in speed and ease of production.

2) Design Freedom

Thanks to 3D printing, designs that would be difficult to recreate by hand using the usual methods can be created. Thanks to innovations in special resins, the quality standards of 3D printing have risen by leaps and bounds.

Designs made from special resins, available at FAMA 3D, can achieve precise finishes. A precision laser sharpens details such as delicate watermarks, embossed lettering, and gemstone pavé.

Numerous jewellers already succeed in recreating unique and inimitable designs in the USA, South Asia, Asia-Pacific, and the Middle East.

3) Simplicity of mass production

Digital technologies are simplifying the process of customising jewellery, especially mass production.

Several wax models for lost-wax casting are produced using vulcanised rubber moulds. The master is traditionally made from a hand-carved wax model intended for casting.

With 3D printing, masters can be created to produce moulds by vulcanisation at room temperature, but not only that. Even high-temperature vulcanised rubber can be used.

Thanks to the quality provided by stereolithography and FAMA 3D technology, it can move directly from the 3D-printed part to the master mould.

4) 3D printing services for the jewellery of the future

Usually, when new technologies emerge, they are the preserve of those who can afford them because 3D printers are expensive. Moreover, the printers on the market have a complicated interface, so using them requires technological expertise. This is why it is vital to rely on services such as FAMA 3D for your projects precisely to take advantage of the professionalism of experienced designers who will complete the project for you and thus reduce production costs.

3D printing services are destined for the future of jewellery, thanks to the increased use of digital techniques, the arrival of generations of excellent designers, and the creation of innovative materials and infallible hardware.

The materials: waxes and resins for 3D printing jewellery

As we have already seen, 3D printing makes it possible to create jewellery from scratch with attention to every detail, even customised ones, reducing costs and production time. But what is there to know about production and the choice of materials?

Precision and attention to detail are vital elements in the industry because the type of materials used affect the final result.

Each material is ideal for a specific project. Resin materials are suitable for jewellery because they can be used to make small prototypes and achieve high resolution and fine detail.

Thanks to FAMA 3D’s advanced technology, 3D models of jewellery can also be made from specific materials. Perfect jewellery can be realised without design limitations. Furthermore, one can forget about delivery times that are too long and too expensive machining.

3D jewellery printing: why it pays to use a printing service

As mentioned above, 3D printers are innovative and complex, and using them requires specific super-technological skills and the professionalism of experienced designers. In addition, the costs of maintaining the production processes, as well as the cost of the printer itself, are exorbitant in economic terms. It is cheaper to take advantage of online 3D printing services that, at the same time, ensure an above-average level of quality and professionalism.

Are you wondering why you should use a 3D printing service instead of creating jewellery traditionally? Five reasons have convinced the jewellery giants.

1. No inventory problems: Small batches that can be developed quickly lower the costs of high-value inventory that is not sold out. The jeweller can manage his business directly online, ordering missing parts on demand, changing the size of the parts, or multiplying the quantity quickly. You will have your inventory online at no cost.
2. Design freedom: The designer can develop all his creativity without any constraints. They can experiment with many different designs, exploiting their creative potential.
3. Reduced time to market: 3D printing cuts unnecessary costs. A rapid production technique allows the design of the digital model to be quickly modified. In this way, the designer will reach the market quickly and with significantly lower costs.
4. Customisation: Customers will benefit from an additional, prestigious service such as customising their jewellery.
5. High complexity: With 3D printing services, you will benefit from high-quality designs, excellent materials, and highly professional and complex finishes. You will also be able to experiment with your creativity with the help of experienced staff who will facilitate your work.

Why choose FAMA 3D for the 3D production of your jewellery

FAMA 3D is a digital service that allows you to have industrial 3D prints at the click of a button. Our centuries of experience in the 3D printing sector guarantee you high-quality designs and fast production times.

The advantages of using FAMA 3D printing services can be summarised in 5 points.

1. Speed: production times are speedy, even by just one day, because you will have several printers at your disposal.
2. Convenience: thanks to the large production volumes, we guarantee you the best price on the market.
3. Quality materials: we only use quality materials, from special resins to stainless steel. We have over a hundred combinations of materials to guarantee a perfect job according to your needs.
4. Advanced technology: we use the best industrial 3D printing technology, 3D Multi Jet Fusion.
5. Service at your service: we are always available for any eventuality, problem or need.
6. Centuries of experience: we have been manufacturing industrial components for over 140 years.

Request a quote from FAMA 3D and start reaping the benefits of 3D printing for your business now. Whether you are a private individual or a business customer, all you need to do is upload your 3D model and calculate your personalised online quote to benefit from the advantages of FAMA 3D right away.