November, 2019 | Supercharg3d

3D printing is closing the door on physical warehouses

3D printing is set to make space-hungry centralised storage centres a thing of the past for many products, and eliminate the need for expensive distribution systems.

In the not too distant future, manufacturing may no longer be associated with warehouses filled with stacks of finished products waiting for shipment. Instead, on-demand 3D printing which requires little storage space will allow manufacturers to generate parts to order and reduce overheads by moving production closer to the intended market, shortening the length of the supply chain.

The technology is also well suited for low-volume and customised products, particularly replacement parts. Shifting this sort of work from factory floors to 3D printers would free up manufacturers to focus their time, energy and talents on other goods. What part does a digital warehouse play in this transition, where do you begin creating one, and how can industry help to pave the way?

3D printing is a manufacturing game-changer

As a general rule, the most successful man in life is the man who has the best information.

3D printing is a manufacturing game-changer

Calling all carnivores: ever thought about getting a meat printer? Of hand-crafting delectable beef steaks at home from plant proteins, that have the same texture, appearance and flavor as real meat, only without the distasteful killing part?

3D-printed steaks and chicken could be on the menu in European restaurants as early as 2020, with home-spun meat printers available to the consumer within a few more years. Israel-based Redefine Meat is already using “advanced food formulations” along with “proprietary 3D printing technology” to make what it calls the “holy grail of alt-meat”, reports Tech Radar Pro.

The idea sounds absurd, but it’s not so far-fetched, as three-dimensional printing technology goes in directions no-one could dream of, prior to the launch of 3D printing in the 1980s.

Uses

Put simply, 3D printing is a progression of 2D printing, where a third dimension is added to the printing of images on a flat surface (a regular ink-jet printer), adding depth and allowing the printer cartridge to move in all directions. A digital file is first created using modeling software, then sent to the printer, depositing layers of the chosen material – often plastic or wax – to build up the final product. Other printing materials include plastics, powders, filaments, paper, and even human or animal cells – used in the cutting-edge new field of “bioprinting”.

3D printed composite tools save Wartsila €100,000 in 8 months

Markforged, provider of metal and carbon fiber 3D printers, announced Wärtsilä — a technology group servicing the marine and energy markets — has achieved a breakthrough with the development of a 3D printed composite lifting tool for its engines by using Markforged additive manufacturing technology. The tool has been designed, produced, and tested by Wärtsilä in its premises using the company’s Additive Manufacturing Network. The testing procedure was carried out in collaboration with international certification agency Bureau Veritas, which has granted the tool Type Approval certification. For more information see the IDTechEx report on 3D Printing Composites 2020-2030: Technology and Market Analysis.

In order to service engines found in the field or in the factories, Wärtsilä’s teams often rely on custom lifting tools to move immensely heavy engine parts such as pistons. Traditionally, those tools are forged out of solid steel and are expensive, time intensive to manufacture, and too heavy to easily use or transport. The team turned to Markforged 3D printers to find a solution.

3D printing is closing the door on physical warehouses

3D printing is set to make space-hungry centralised storage centres a thing of the past for many products, and eliminate the need for expensive distribution systems.

By 2029, Casca’s plan is to make your custom shoes in front of you via additive manufacturing.

Casca, a startup out of Vancouver, is looking to meld 3D printing and additive manufacturing, retail and footwear that will bring mass personalization to insoles and shoes.

The company, which recently raised $3.5 million from Khosla Ventures, has launched its first store in Vancouver. Casca’s system uses custom 3D printed insoles made from 100% recyclable materials, a digital app that scans your foot with a smartphone and shoes that are designed for better support.

Ultimately, Casca wants to fully scale its retail outlets by 2029 with 3D printers that will create your insoles and shoes on the spot. If successful, Casca will decentralize its supply chain.

3D printing keeps trains running

Stratasys announced its Rail Industry Solution to help passenger trains – from long-haul to urban metros – run on time more frequently and potentially save thousands of euros a day. By using its ULTEM 9085 resin and Antero 800NA material with Stratasys Fortus 3D printers for production, rail operators will be best positioned to leverage additive manufacturing for the production of spare parts on demand that meet strict government certification requirements for smoke, fire, and toxicity. Both materials have passed the European Union’s Rail Standard, EN45545-2. Customers and partners benefiting from the Rail Industry Solution currently includes Angel Trains, Bombardier Transportation, Chiltern Railways, DB ESG, and Siemens Mobility. For more information see the IDTechEx report on 3D Printing Materials 2019-2029: Technology and Market Analysis.

Stratasys’ additive manufacturing consultancy, Blueprint, has estimated that for one major U.S. commuter rail service, every day a train set is out of service costs €18,000, and often a single part that would ordinarily cost less than €100 is all that keeps the train from running. Compounding the challenge, the service life of trains is typically 35-45 years making sourcing spare parts a challenge. By turning to additive manufacturing, train operators can get the parts they need within a day or two regardless of the uniqueness of the part or the age of the train car, minimizing time spent in a maintenance yard and dramatically reducing costs.

Air New Zealand trials blockchain for 3-D printed aircraft parts

Air New Zealand has trialed a blockchain system from aircraft-parts maker Moog. The solution supplied a 3D-printed replacement part for a flight from Auckland to Los Angeles, The Wall Street Journal (WSJ) reported yesterday.

Moog’s system uses a combination of blockchain and 3-D printing to expedite the parts replacement process and comply with aviation regulations by ensuring it’s an approved design.

“The idea is that I’m going to stock those parts digitally and turn them into physical goods when I need them,” said George Small, the CTO of Moog told the WSJ. The firm achieved $2.9 billion dollars in sales for 2019.

3D print flexibility beats Brexit

Chris Elsworthy, CEL-UK’s managing director and lead mechanical engineer reveals how scalable 3D printing can give aerospace manufacturers the flexibility they need ahead of Brexit.

Aerospace manufacturing, like many other industries in the UK, is facing uncertainty due to the global political climate and of course, Brexit. However, troubles with financial strains and political uncertainty are, to an extent, nothing new and can, as ever, be overcome by effective planning. This is where scalable 3D printing can play a leading role.

Virtually every field of aerospace manufacturing, from R&D through to maintenance, has always experienced some sort of delays. Holdups can be due to a multitude of reasons, from custom borders and transport issues through to supply, and while they can be difficult to predict, many of these delays could be overcome by 3D printing.

Could airports be the next hubs for disruptive 3D printing?

Is manufacturing really slowing down or is it undergoing a transformation that can not yet be measured by traditional means? Robotics, drones, augmented reality and other technologies are transforming manufacturing in such a way not seen since the Industrial Revolution. But, in my opinion, one of the most disruptive forces is 3D printing. Not only could it disrupt the actual manufacturing process, but also manufacturing’s supply chain requirements with respect to inventory and transportation.

3D printing hubs, if strategically located, could speed up delivery times and improve efficiencies while bypassing various political risks and trade barriers. Some stakeholders are already experimenting with the use of this technology, and airports may present an attractive hub for the technology given their position and connectivity to various supply chains.

Many manufacturers including Ford, Fiat Chrysler, Boeing and Airbus have embraced 3D printing for years, often printing prototypes and hard to locate parts. Logistics and transportation providers including DB Schenker and UPS have also embraced 3D printing with DB Schenker, for example, offering customers the ability to upload their 3D templates, choose the material and color, view prices, order printing and arrange delivery. DB Schenker utilizes a partner network of startups and established firms for 3D printing and then DB Schenker delivers the items.

All in all, if you’re a supply chain manager not already harnessing the benefits of AM, then it’s worth taking a closer look at what the technology can do for you. You might be pleasantly surprised by what you find.

In a previous column, I discussed the basic advantages and challenges of additive manufacturing (AM, a.k.a. 3D printing) when it comes to the supply chain. We centered around the main characteristics of AM technology, namely production one layer at a time, on demand, and with a minimum batch size of just one. One of the main game changers that AM enables is virtual inventory and this piece will delve a bit deeper into this aspect as well as its implications in today’s complex and volatile geopolitical climate.

In traditional supply chains the parts are kept physically in inventory after they have been manufactured and passed QA. The costs and issues surrounding storing large amounts of physical inventory are very familiar to supply chain managers. Conversely, with virtual inventory, items are kept digitally until they are ordered. When an order arrives, the item is retrieved from the virtual inventory and additively manufactured. Then, the resulting (physical) item can join the existing logistics set up and be delivered to its final destination, as with the physical inventory case. Holding your inventory in digital files rather than physical items and producing them on demand, close to the demand, using AM, has been called Distributed Additive Manufacturing (DAM) and it presents many benefits.

Month: November 2019

3D printing is closing the door on physical warehouses

3D printing is a manufacturing game-changer

3D printed composite tools save Wartsila €100,000 in 8 months

3D printing is closing the door on physical warehouses

Casca aims to revamp shoe retail, manufacturing with 3D printers

By 2029, Casca’s plan is to make your custom shoes in front of you via additive manufacturing.

3D printing keeps trains running

Air New Zealand trials blockchain for 3-D printed aircraft parts

3D print flexibility beats Brexit

Could airports be the next hubs for disruptive 3D printing?

Byte your inventory and beat the system

All in all, if you’re a supply chain manager not already harnessing the benefits of AM, then it’s worth taking a closer look at what the technology can do for you. You might be pleasantly surprised by what you find.