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Large manufacturing plants increasingly use 3D printers for in-house fabrication of jigs, fixtures, and other production line support consumables.
How 3D printing supports traditional production lines
![](https://caddman.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/cont_img-production_line_support.png)
A customized jig 3D printed in-house at a manufacturing plant.
Production managers face three major challenges in keeping their operation costs low
- Production line support consumables are relatively expensive
- Large quantities of such consumables have to be kept on stock
- Customized jigs and fixtures take a lot of time to fabricate
Cutting costs
3D printers can print consumables like rubber robotic arm grippers at a fraction of their market price.
In-house fabrication
Jigs, fixtures, and other consumables can be 3D printed on the spot when they are needed.
Customized parts
It’s possible to 3D print one-off parts designed for specific applications at specific production plants.
Reducing storage
Production line consumables can be 3D printed on an on-demand basis and don’t need to be held on stock.