von Carla Olivella Ruiz Vor 5 Jahren
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When products are customized, goods are made to order which means inventory levels would fall. This would consequently have the effect of reducing warehousing requirements.
3D printing supports a build-to-order, mass customization situation, and in some occasions it allows for goods differentiation to be deferred in the supply chain process.
Build-to-order production strategies could essentially have an effect on the manufacturer-wholesaler-retailer relationship.
3D printing allows to create as many prototypes as needed to ensure the maximum functionality of the product as well as its aesthetics and ergonomics. It does so in an economic manner that allows repetition in order to ensure on time delivery for manufacturing.
3D printing actually helps to reduce cost, avoid waste and stocks, as only what the customer orders is created. It improves the quality of the product and shortens lead time.
3D printing is an advanced manufacturing technology itself.
Goods are produced on demand, thereby reducing inventory costs.
3D printing eliminates the unpredictability of customer demand patterns and the manufacturing waste, as the production is on demand.
3D printing allows for Kaizen (continuous improvement) to take place, as the works and processes are much more straightforward and less complex and the technology itself provides with the possibility of improving the design process.
Reduction or elimination of waste of:
Part of the 3D printing philosophy is "go and see". One has to be involved in the process from the very early stages of the design phase until after the product is printed in order to ensure there are no problems in the manufacturing process.
3d printing has the advantage that there is no risk when it comes to work accidents. Defects are minimized using the quality controls of the software needed before the print. During each print there is no stops.
Before using the technology one must plan what is it that is going to be produced, then one must do it (design it), check it (with the software, which in a sense relates to Poka Yoke) and act (print).
3D printing allows manufacturing to be more agile and to react to customer demands in a better manner. As a result, there is less WIP and finished products in transport and in stock, as well as less obsolescence of existing stock.
As a result of dealing with the storage and transport of the raw materials which feed the 3D printers, a new sector of the logistics industry emerges to deal with it.
There are no switching costs because there are no moulds needed. As a result, 3D printing installations give companies the ability to rapidly respond to shifts in the market demand and to introduce new products in a quick and inexpensive manner.
3D printing also allows to have pieces needed for manufacturing printed, which decreases waiting times with suppliers.
Orders are fulfilled directly by the manufacturer and are delivered to the store or directly to the home of the consumer.
Products that were previously produced in China or other Asian markets can be near-sourced as the manufacturers can produce the products themselves. This would reduce shipping and air cargo volumes.
As a result, there are shorter lead times from order to delivery.
Despite having higher cost per units, thanks to reduced storage and less outdated products, the supply chain costs may be lower for the additive manufacturing model than for the traditional model. The feedstock becomes the inventory and this process is perfect for small batches and demand that is not certain.
More adaptable design processes could unleash a new wave of product innovation. Technology has the prospective to redefine traditional manufacturing methods in the long term. Additive manufacturing offers prospects for innovative marketing stratagems and distribution channels.
Examples of Operational Innovation can be found in different industries such as the food, fashion, toy, furniture and automotive induestries.
Other interesting links:
This video is a bit long, so just slide the time bar to get a quick glance of how the industry can be innovative and how the actual process works.
As 3D printing is mostly an on demand industry, matching supply and demand is covered, as items are produced when they are ordered by the customer or consumer. This adds value to the enterprise.
Manufacturing costs can be cut as a result of lower setup and tooling costs
Additive manufacturing makes it feasible to have pieces printed in remote sites, as distribution of goods is not a restriction anymore
Offers manufacturers, customers and consumers the possibility of customizing and creating whatever they need to satisfy their needs from scratch and in a shorter amount of time.
Customers can be more involved in the manufacturing process through customization and design, as they have the ability to create whatever they want (if they have the skills to do so) or to request and check whether what is being done is what they look for.
The process itself is quite standardized: we need a CAD software such as AutoCAD or Rhinoceros, we have to create the design, save it as an .stl, and run it through a layering software which will allow us to send it to the computer.
The settings can be saved and the item can be reproduced as many times as needed.
https://www.ge.com/additive/additive-manufacturing
I chose this topic because since I am a product designer, I have been closely exposed to it for prototyping purposes.
It is a topic that fascinates me. I consider it to be very extense, yet, as mentioned, I have only been exposed to it during the design phase of manufacturing. I was interested in learning how 3D printing could affect the organizational, operational and supply chain aspects of a company as a whole.
(Video)
http://fortune.com/2018/07/23/3d-printing-global-warming/
• Less negative impact on environment
• Reduce carbon footprint
• Reduce the waste that accrue in traditional manufacturing
• Reduce production waste
• Improve quality
• Incorporate customer feedback
• More optimum products across many industries
• Eliminate excess parts that cause drag and add weight
• Management of demand uncertainty
• Eliminate the need for large bulk inventory
• Eliminate the need for high volume production facilities
• Reduce transportation cost
• Eliminate penalty for redesign
• Reduce the size of an economical lot
• More economical and effective packaging solutions
• Vetting out designs: offer customized designs at lower cost
• Reduce labor inputs: eliminate low level assembly workers
• Reduce required tooling and machining centers
• Economical mass customization
