Manufacturing Technology, Additive Manufacturing
Article | September 30, 2022
Stand out with long-term scalability with AM by fuelling innovation in the design process. Staying relevant has now become critical when it comes to additive manufacturing. It is, therefore, essential to make decisions by deep diving into the right people, processes, and technologies at the right moment to keep up the momentum when using AM processes.
Better Product Designs with Design Innovation Framework for Additive Manufacturing
Additive manufacturers have started using the product design innovation (DI) framework. It serves additive manufacturing part designs with increased -
Proof of value (POV) - Helps your business stand out in the market with superior quality design.
Proof of concept (POC) – Ensures that the design will function as intended.
Proof of market (POM) – Defines the level of success of a design at scale for mass market production.
Proof of impact (POI) – Using simulation to mitigate design failures and ensure that your designs last longer.
As a result of the design innovation framework, additive manufacturing parts are manufactured faster and with better quality while lowering material costs. Furthermore, with more and more additive manufacturing companies implementing design innovation frameworks for their production, it is possible to tap into the opportunities of innovative product design at an early stage to give your production a competitive edge. Therefore, in the quest to grab an early market share in additive manufacturing for new, small and medium enterprises, the design innovation framework will play a pivotal role. Your product design, product research and development teams will implement the DI framework for the scalability of your additive manufacturing units.
Fuel innovation and design thinking to produce innovative product design ideas with the goals and practices in the DI framework, as mentioned below. They infuse your designs with the design innovation framework to get quality manufactured products.
Strategic Business Growth with AM Design to Fuel Innovation for Small and Medium Enterprises
Fuel innovation in how you design additive manufacturing parts with strategic business growth. By keeping three goals in mind during the design process, you can use cutting-edge research in additive manufacturing design to help your business grow.
Increase Speed:
Create highly detailed intermediate manufacturing goods. As additive manufacturing is still in the transition phase, creating highly complex designs on a small scale is easy. But for large-scale AM production, intermediate goods like molds make it easy and quick to make intricate details.
Build upon the existing DI (Design Innovation) process.
Make use of designs from the design repositories and similar component geometry.
Choose an orientation that does not need additional support.
Save resources by preferring cellular structure over solid volumes.
Make use of internal volumes to add more functionality.
Print functional joints to save assembly steps and time.
Standardize the assembly process to save production time.
Use high-resolution STL files to reach your maximum design potential.
Improve printability by scaling the artifacts and considering the resolution of the process.
Manage Quality:
Reduce residual stress to keep the parts from warping.
Materials must be qualified and characterized to be micro-structured.
Adhere to industry standards to get consistent, reliable, and repeatable outputs.
While successful designs with strategic AM innovation can be beneficial to
Create new products with AM.
Create new business models with AM,
AM helps to advance product design processes.
Create new classes of AM technologies.
Save Costs:
Save costs by creating multifunctional parts.
Choose a cheaper alternative material that satisfies the same constraints.
Go for an economical assembly by manufacturing high-performing parts.
Implement a cellular structure to reduce the quantity of material used.
Innovate designs that bring down costs through accurate simulation of manufacturing constraints.
Use composite material that satisfies the applied constraints.
Risk Factors to Consider and Mitigate When Investing in AM
The Risk of Data Leakage
Cyber security is a critical component when storing design file data on the cloud and sharing it over the network. Getting a design file copied, stolen, altered, infected, or deleted causes a loss of time and sometimes money. Attackers ask for a ransom by putting a worm in your design file or blocking access.
A highly private network with encrypted personal cloud connectivity and highly secure access control are the answers to mitigating the risk of cyber-attacks. Mitigating the risk is done with several measures. These include doing regular risk assessments, using a single design with no mistakes as a base for other design models, using advanced RFID tags to make products with AM, and practicing individual vigilance through awareness.
The Risk of Poor Quality
When outsourcing your manufacturing to an AM unit, the risk of low quality of the manufactured products is high. You cannot offer a warranty or guarantee when outsourcing production. Also, there is a risk that companies facing losses due to faulty products might want to claim for their losses.
Quality improves when you give much attention to post-processing the manufactured parts.
Leading Industries Using the DI Framework in AM:
Aerospace
Automotive
Consumer products
Energy
Infrastructure
Medical and pharmaceutical
Food
Sports Accessories
Final Thoughts:
Gearing up with innovation in additive manufacturing starts with three design goals. These include increasing speed, managing quality, and saving costs, which can help you achieve strategic business growth to scale for the long-term for business resilience. In addition, the DI framework for AM helps your large enterprise use progressive design thinking. So, now is the best time to invest into new ways to design products using design and management software for additive manufacturing.
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Additive Manufacturing
Article | January 21, 2022
3D printing technology and its role in future manufacturing are grabbing the interest of industry experts. In terms of elevating future products, future additive manufacturing has a lot to offer the business. Additive manufacturing is developing and stretching its wings on a daily basis, becoming an integral part of every industry, including manufacturing, healthcare, education, and more.
In this article, we'll shed some light on the 3D printing future trends, which will assist the business in deepening its impact across industries. Furthermore, we will explore whether the additive manufacturing business is worth investing in as well as who the major players are that have already invested in the future of 3D printing.
Future Trends in the Additive Manufacturing Industry
Enhanced Machine Connectivity
Making AM solutions (including software and hardware) easier to integrate and connect to the factory floor is one of the key AM trends we predict to advance in the coming years. It has been a long time since the AM hardware market has been filled with closed, or proprietary, systems. These systems generally function with materials and software given or approved by the machine OEM and are not easily integrated with third-party alternatives.
Closed systems are important for process dependability, but they also restrict collaboration and connectivity. Companies expanding their AM operations will need to connect their machines and software to their production environments. When it comes to additive manufacturing, using siloed solutions is a surefire way to fail. Importantly, we see hardware manufacturers increasingly focusing on solutions that can be integrated with the production floor.
For example, a 3D printing market leader like Stratasys is a good illustration of the trend. In December, the business announced an extension of its previously closed machines' connection.Consumers may now integrate and control their additive production using software programs of their choosing, not just Stratasys' systems. For AM facilities, system connectivity is no longer an option. It's exciting to see the AM industry players recognize and solve this requirement.
AM and AI Continue to Converge
AM growth is incorporating AI and machine learning. AI can help with material development, machine setup, part design, and workflow automation. So, in the future, we anticipate seeing more AI and AM technology integration.
Combined with AM systems, AI will improve process control and accuracy. For example, Inkbit is currently working on an AI-powered polymer vision system. This technology can scan 3D printing layers and anticipate material behavior during printing.
Generative design, already generally recognized as a key digital advance in AM, may tremendously benefit from AI and machine learning.
It has so far been utilized to improve load routes when strength and stiffness are dominant. It can also be utilized to optimize thermal or vibration. AI and machine learning will advance generative design, allowing new concepts to be completely suited to AM.While we may be a few years away from fully developing the capacity to automatically adapt designs to process, we anticipate significant breakthroughs this year that will bring us closer.
AM Will Drive Decentralization
In order to future-proof their supply chains, many manufacturers are following new supply chain models and technology that allow them to cut prices or switch goods more easily. Increasing flexibility and agility will necessitate distributed, localized production, assisted by additive manufacturing.To reduce the number of steps required to manufacture complex metal or polymer structures, shorten lead times, and enable digital inventory management, digital inventory management can be automated. These advantages make it ideal for the distributed manufacturing model. We believe that in the near future, more businesses will actively explore distributed manufacturing with AM.
According to a recent HP survey, 59% of organizations are now considering hybrid models, while 52% are looking into localized digital manufacturing.
3D Printing Future: Major Predictions
In Jabil's 2021 3D printing trends survey of over 300 decision-makers, 62% of participants claim their organization is actively using additive manufacturing for production of their product components, up from 27% in 2017. Many such manufacturers are on the lookout for the latest additive manufacturing trends and forecasts. So let's begin.
Increasing Flexibility and Customization
Customized goods are a popular consumer trend, impacting several sectors. Rather than buying a mass-produced item, customers are increasingly demanding a custom-made item that meets their specific needs.
Additive manufacturing's low-volume production capabilities simply enable personalization and customization.
3D printing allows for more responsive design options, particularly for additive manufacturing. Manufacturers can afford to make smaller batches, allowing designers and engineers to alter product ideas and develop them cost-effectively when inspiration strikes, the public mood is understood, or customer feedback drops in.
Materials Drive the Future of Digital
As the additive manufacturing ecosystem grows, the importance of materials cannot be overstated. Besides high equipment costs, materials and limited additive manufacturing ecosystems have hindered the 3D printing industry's growth. The market is flooded with 3D printing materials, but few are advanced enough to fulfill industry standards.Due to volume constraints in most sectors, suppliers and manufacturers aren't motivated to develop innovative materials for new uses. However, the future of 3D printing is in engineered and application-specific materials.
Various sectors have unique difficulties that demand unique solutions. New designed materials will revolutionize new uses, including highly regulated sectors. Industries will reward those who can promptly introduce 3D printing materials adapted to specific industrial and engineering needs. This will allow more 3D printing applications to be supplied and the whole digital manufacturing flywheel to start spinning.
3D Printing and a Sustainable Future
Finally, additive manufacturing promotes sustainability and conservation. Besides decreasing trash, 3D printing saves energy. The Metal Powder Industries Federation studied the difference between making truck gear using subtractive manufacturing (17 steps) and additive manufacturing (6 steps).
3D printing uses less than half the energy it takes to produce the same product. 3D printing also reduces the need for moving products and materials, reducing the amount of carbon emitted into the environment. So we can see that digital and additive solutions already contribute to a more sustainable future.
Is Investment in the Future of Additive Manufacturing Worth It?
In recent years, there has been an explosion of investment in industrial 3D printing. Hundreds of millions of dollars have flowed into the industry in recent years, assisting new businesses. Desktop Metal ($160 million), Markforged ($82 million), and 3D Hubs ($18 million) have all received significant funding in the past. According to a recent report and data analysis, the global additive manufacturing market will hit USD 26.68 billion by 2027. A rising level of government support for additive manufacturing across regions is driving market demand.
For example, America Makes, the foremost national initiative in the US since 2012 dedicated to additive manufacturing (3D printing future technology), received USD 90 million in support from the government, commercial, and non-profit sectors. Given the industry's expenditures and the expanding need for 3D printing, investing in the additive manufacturing industry or 3D printing is certainly encouraged.
Final Words
Additive manufacturing is being used in practically every industry, and companies are researching how technology might be used in their specific fields. The numerous advantages and sustainability that 3D printing provides are the major benefits that manufacturers and other industry professionals notice with 3D printing.Future manufacturing will be significantly more accurate and simple to run thanks to 3D printing technologies. Considering the trends and projections listed above, you may have a better understanding of 3D printing's future and make an informed investment decision.
FAQ
What is the future of 3D printing?
3D printing, or additive manufacturing, has the potential to empower everything from food to coral reefs. 3D printers may soon be seen in homes, companies, disaster zones, and perhaps even outer space.
Why is 3D printing important to society?
3D printing results in waste reduction and so eliminates the need for periodic waste reduction, reuse, and recycling. So it helps society with no carbon footprint.
Why is it known as additive manufacturing?
The term "additive manufacturing" refers to the fact that the building process adds layers rather than removes raw materials.
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Insights
Article | February 12, 2021
More and more, brands are beginning to see the value of their packaging in influencing consumers’ purchasing decisions. But much less often do they understand the true potential of their outer and additional elements in driving brand engagement, increasing loyalty and enhancing the overall customer experience – and it’s by doing the latter, you can really make consumers fall in love with not only your products, but your brand and business too.
In this article, Robert Lockyer, CEO and founder of Delta Global, a packaging solutions provider for luxury retail brands in fashion and beauty, explains why customers must love a brand’s packaging before they even begin to undress its layers and get to what’s inside.
Love at first sight
With packaging, looks do matter. In the digital age especially, that all important outer shell is often the first physical point of contact a customer has with a brand so the impression it leaves needs to be a positive one, as this will then influence consumers’ respective thoughts and feelings towards the brand and their overall experience with it.
The look of the packaging, understandably, plays a key role in making this impact. It needs to look neat, presentable and fit for purpose first of all, which will come down to the quality of materials used for example, and then in line with what they were expecting of the brand, next.
To achieve this, it’s common for packaging to carry a brand’s logo, colours or other visual cues. But while most brands have mastered this, more can be done by taking into consideration wider brand values, and then developing packaging solutions that represent them.
For instance, in recent years, an increasing number of luxury brands have adopted more minimalist images in order to represent more timeless and classic brand values, and their packaging elements have been updated to reflect such a shift. As a result, it is common for designer bags, boxes and inserts to be sleek in design, with minimal branding, often with just a name printed on them while also being in the company’s recognisable colours.
Take The White Company as an example. Whether a customer places an order online or makes an in-store purchase, there are clear preconceptions of what is to be expected from the brand’s packaging. While colour is on obvious one, customers expect the same clean, minimal and sophisticated designs present in all other branding elements to also be reflected in its packaging. And they’re not wrong.
When they receive a package from the brand, or walk out of the shop with a bag, they are left with a clear and consistent overall experience, which will then evoke positive feelings towards the company and its products, and ultimately, a repeat purchase.
Not only this, but the smart and sophisticated design of such boxes affords them greater status, and therefore use, enabling them to be used in replacement of gift wrapping and even as decorative household items.
Love is green
When packages can be reused in this way, they are also better for the environment. And with an increasing number of customers desiring greater sustainability from brands as well as ways to reduce their own carbon footprints, investing in eco-friendly packaging only does the company favours.
Ultimately, sustainability is a question of ethics, and by tapping into consumers’ deep rooted personal values by aligning their activities to them, brands can certainly encourage deeper connections and better engagement with customers. Over time, this translates to repeat purchases and even brand loyalty and advocacy, which are things all brands strive for.
The offering of sustainable packaging, therefore, becomes yet another reason for customers to choose and love a brand and its products, and going forward, this will help set certain companies apart from competitors.
Therefore, any investment will be worthwhile. With high quality packaging that meets consumers’ expectations and leaves them with a positive overall experience and feelings towards the brand, companies can encourage behaviours that only provide greater commercial value to the business, as well as protect our planet. And that certainly should not be a second thought.
An online affair
Another thing that should not be dismissed is the prominence of online retail. Unarguably, global ecommerce sales figures are on the rise, and the COVID-19 pandemic and its related disruption have only accelerated the digital-first shift.
Although not the most obvious matter, packaging has a huge role to play in ensuring products can be shipped to customers all over the world, safely and efficiently. Before a product even reaches a customer, it has likely been packed and passed around in many different ways, and by the time it does become theirs, these various packaging elements must have done their job well and enabled it to arrive on time and in one piece. If it does not, it is likely customers will have already developed unfavourable perceptions of the brand, and no matter how much they had desired the product, their experience will have been tainted and the feeling of ick will prevail.
While this is a test for the functionality of a brand’s packaging, the online route via which it has arrived at a customer’s door means brands need to think far beyond this in the digital age. As mentioned previously, in these instances, the package is often the first physical touchpoint a customer has with a brand, and as well as meeting their expectations, they also need to be impressed by what they see in order to really fall in love with their purchase.
The whole experience of receiving and opening an order needs to be just that – an experience. And while quality and functionality have some part to play in this, the real love story is created through offering customers greater value, whether that be with additional uses, higher quality materials, or personalised interactions, for example.
That last point is where there is a real sweet spot, particularly for ecommerce sales. The physical distance between customers and an online seller can drive great disconnect and have detrimental impacts on engagement. Therefore, by reinforcing the online sales journey by personalising packaging elements, this gap can be narrowed.
Personalisation in this way can be anything from tailored message cards, through to smart QR codes that take customers straight to the brand’s social media channels, for example. But whatever method is chosen, the experience must be straightforward, interactive and feel unique and relevant to each individual customer. This will allow them to get a real sense of the brand, what it stands for and exactly why they should love its products.
As it would seem, when it comes to packaging, the age-old saying isn’t true... while a package’s contents are important, as ultimately, that is what the customer has paid for, it’s what’s outside that counts.
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Manufacturing Technology
Article | December 8, 2021
An agile manufacturing strategy is one that places a strong priority on responding quickly to the needs of the customer, resulting in a major competitive advantage.
It is a captivating method to build a competitive work system in today's fast-moving marketplace. An agile organization must be able to adapt quickly to take advantage of limited opportunities and rapid shifts as per client demand. Agile manufacturing is gaining favor among manufacturers due to its several benefits, including increased work productivity and good control over the final deliverable. Furthermore, the shorter time to market is expanding the global market for enterprise agile transformation services.
According to Market Watch, with a CAGR of 17.9% from 2019 to 2026, the US enterprise agile transformation services market is predicted to reach $18,189.32 million by 2026.
So why is agile manufacturing gaining traction? What challenges do manufacturers encounter when implementing agile manufacturing, and how have industry leaders like GE, Adobe, and Accenture effectively implemented agile methodology in their organizations and become the best examples of agile manufacturing? In this article, we'll take a closer look at each point.
What Is the Importance of Agile Manufacturing?
The term "agile manufacturing" refers to the use of a variety of different technologies and methodologies in the production process. In order to meet market standards and criteria, organizations must be able to adapt quickly and effectively to their customers' needs by bringing agility to manufacturing. To ensure the quality of products and the cost of production are kept to a minimum, agile manufacturing helps firms to regulate their end product.
Because it immediately addresses the needs and worries of the clients, it is an effective strategy as well. By using this method, firms may better understand the market and use it to their advantage by creating products that meet the needs of their customers.
Challenges While Adopting Agile Methodologies on a Project
When we talk about agile challenges when implementing it on any project, some will be routine and some will be unique. So, let's get a quick grasp on the agile challenges.
Communication about the project: Clear communication between the development team and the product owner is critical throughout the project development life cycle. Any miscommunication can have an impact on the product's quality and the end result of the entire process.
Managing the day-to-day operational challenges: Throughout the project, daily minor or large operations play a significant impact on the overall project output. Any obstacles encountered when working on everyday chores should be resolved immediately to avoid any delays or halts in the process.
To make it function, you'll need experience: Any inexperienced product owners, scrum masters, or individuals new to the agile approach may have a negative impact on the project's expected output.
Various project contributors' buy-in: Inadequate training, a lack of motivation to show up from project participants, keeping customers in the loop, and a lack of departmental management are some of the problems that may hinder the accurate implementation of the agile methodology. The presence of one or more of these obstacles in any business or project may jeopardize the agile methodology and its total output.
Though there are many online training courses and books available on how to integrate agile practices into your project, each organization's scenario is unique, as are the challenges they encounter. As a result, handling the situation with experienced personnel that have a can-do attitude is what is required to make it work.
Following that, we'll look at some manufacturing business agile examples and how they've successfully implemented agile methodology in their organizations.
Agile Manufacturing Examples
We'll look at one of the most well-known industrial examples of agile manufacturing that has successfully implemented the methodology and achieved great outcomes. Take a peek at it.
Adobe
One of the most popular agile manufacturing examples in performance management revamps is Adobe. When Donna Morris was Senior Vice President of People Resources in 2012, she thought the annual performance evaluation and the stack-ranking process were bureaucratic, paperwork-heavy overly complicated, taking up too many management hours for the company. Aside from this, she discovered that it set barriers to joint efforts, creativity, and development.
The Adobe team ditched annual performance reviews and encouraged managers and employees to regularly discuss performance via a system called “Check-in.” Adobe has reduced voluntary turnover by 30% and increased voluntary departures by 50% since making the transition. Moreover, the company saved 80,000 management hours annually.
General Electric
General Electric famously overhauled its performance management system in 2015, paving the path for other global firms to follow in the electronics industry. Annual performance evaluations and the infamous rank-and-yank performance rating system (ranking employees and regularly eliminating the bottom 10%) had GE decide they needed to update their performance management system. The annual appraisals lasted a decade longer than the ranking system. They are now a more agile organization.
Instead of directing employees to attain goals, managers now guide and coach them. GE also decided to deploy an app they designed called PD@GE to facilitate regular employee feedback and productive performance discussions.
Using the app, each employee establishes priorities and solicits feedback. They can also give real-time feedback. Employees can request a face-to-face meeting at any time to discuss transparency, honesty, and continuous improvement.
These traits will not arise quickly and will require motivation and commitment for self-growth.
Accenture
According to Accenture's previous system, employees who perform well tend to be the most narcissists and self-promoters. Accenture wanted to revamp their system and reward genuine employees. So they started using on-going performance conversations while focusing on performance development.
Because it required employees to compete with coworkers who may have had a different position, Accenture decided that forced ranking was illogical. The new system is more centered on the employee and aims to assist them in becoming the best version of themselves.
Final Words
Agile manufacturing is a way to get the finest results and exceed client expectations on every project. Businesses are benefiting from agile manufacturing because it improves the end product and helps them better utilize their resources. The necessity of agile manufacturing in business is vital, and organizations must overcome the challenges they encounter while applying the agile approach to any of their projects in order to reap the benefits of agile production.
FAQ
How does agile manufacturing help businesses?
An agile manufacturing process enables organizations to respond to client requests with flexibility when market conditions change, as well as regulate their intended production while preserving product quality and minimizing costs.
What is an agile organization?
Unified alignment, accountability, specialization, transparency, and cooperation are key elements in an agile organization. To guarantee these teams can work efficiently, the organization must maintain a solid environment.
What are the core elements of agility?
Individuals and interactions over processes and tools are the four values of the Agile Methodology. A working program is preferable to in-depth documentation. During contract negotiation, the customer's cooperation is valued.
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