Metal 3D Printing: How to Counter the Impact of Recoaters

whitePaper | May 25, 2022

This white paper takes a fresh look at the vision for Industry 4.0 and suggests ways in which to take advantage of the broad view of the concept. Implementations of Industry 4.0 have mostly focused on using new technologies for economic benefits. Sustainability and social aspects have received less attention, despite their importance and potential for economic benefit as well, as we will show.

whitePaper | August 1, 2020

The Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) in manufacturing is now an imperative to staying competitive. This means that becoming a digital enterprise is a requirement, as Bain & Company estimates the IIoT to have a $200B market potential by 2021. Organizations face a choice of building their own IoT platform or buying a pre-built platform. Read this joint Microsoft and Siemens white paper, "Make vs. Buy: Understanding the Tradeoffs Between a Build-Your-Own and Pre-Built Industrial IoT Platform," to learn the advantages and disadvantages of each approach, and get an understanding of how other manufacturers have gotten started.

whitePaper | May 2, 2023

Much of the manufacturing industry is overwhelmed with the digital transformation shift. Many manufacturers are just starting this digital journey, seeking ways to transform and innovate to adapt and succeed. Digital transformation for manufacturers can mean different things, from deploying a new digital experience for customers to a completely new business model. Some changes we have seen, such as the use of real-time data to improve operations, forecast outcomes, and map out risk-based guidance, are greatly beneficial for plant managers and factory personnel. Moreover, they can help manufacturers ensure business continuity and maximize return on investment (ROI

whitePaper | January 9, 2023

Modern manufacturing theory, tools, and best practices are focused on how to make thousands or millions of identical parts or products at a low cost per unit. Custom and low volume production pose unique challenges that require manufacturers to adapt from typical mass production models. Thanks to the rapid development of technologies and materials over the last decade, additive manufacturing has grown more capable as a true manufacturing tool and can now enable the fabrication of these custom and low volume end-use parts rapidly and cost-efficiently. This white paper presents Formlabs 3D printing hardware and material solutions for end-use part production. It documents various users' case studies and includes stress testing results to verify the suitability of 3D printing materials for end-use applications.

whitePaper | September 30, 2022

Until 2020, progress towards digital transformation for most manufacturers was slow. But the urgency for manufacturers to make successful digital transformations escalated during the first 8-12 months of the global pandemic. As COVID-19 reshaped consumer buying behaviors, the pace jumped from a crawl to a sprint: According to one study, 85% of organizations accelerated their digital transformation initiatives in 2020.[1] Some industry observers believe we witnessed 6.5 years of digital progress in the last eight months of 2020 alone.[2] The pandemic was largely responsible for worldwide supply chain disruptions that slowed down goods production and delivery. As a result, manufacturers justifiably focused on managing and fixing the supply chain problems first. But as the pandemic continued, it became clear that the supply chain issues were a symptom of something deeper than the short-term disruptions.

whitePaper | March 8, 2023

Agile Manufacturing is a manufacturing philosophy that emphasizes flexibility, adaptability, and responsiveness in production processes. It is an approach that allows manufacturers to quickly respond to changing market demands and customer needs. The term Agile refers to a set of principles and practices aimed at delivering high-quality products that meet the needs of customers in a fast-changing environment. The term Agile Manufacturing was first coined in the early 1990s, during a time of increasing global competition and rapidly changing market conditions. As a result, manufacturers began to explore new ways to improve their competitiveness and responsiveness to changing customer needs, leading to the development of the Agile Manufacturing strategy. In January 1991, the term appeared in an important report entitled “21st Century Manufacturing Enterprise Strategy” by the Iacocca Institute at Lehigh University in the United States.