3D Scanning by Thor3D Helps to Make Bread Cheaper by Reducing the Cost of Consumable Machine Parts

In the fall of 2016, Thor3D distribution partner “Terem” was asked by their client (a large, professional bakery) to help them find a way to decrease their consumable costs. They operated several, professional-grade dough mixers in which the screw (the spiral part that mixes the dough) would get worn out every few months and would need replacement. These spare parts had to be shipped from Canada, which took a while and was quite expensive.
The first alternative that Terem offered was to hire a graphic designer, recreate (i.e. draw) the shape of the screw in a 3D software program. When all was said and done, the end result of using the drawing was not up to the required standard. To the naked eye it looked just like the original, but the screw was not balanced properly and would break the whole mixer within minutes of operation.
Afterwards, “Spetslit”, a company which was making the metal final product, doused the plastic screw (the one that was 3D printed) with ceramic composite and placed it in an oven where high temperature of 1000C degrees made all the plastic burn. So the result was the exact shape of the screw inside this ceramic composite mold which, as a final step in the process, was filled with stainless steel to create the final product.
Each time the bakery ordered one of these parts from abroad, it would cost them $1,500. With 3D scanning/3D printing helping them reverse engineer and manufacture these parts in their own city, each part will now cost them $650. An almost 60% cost reduction!