Additive manufacturing has long been heralded for its flexibility as a production method, writes Industry Week (Oct. 18, 2022). More recently, additive’s ability to safeguard against global supply chain challenges has helped accelerate adoption, making it a leading technology for many manufacturers. In addition, additive possesses unique benefits that are complementary to sustainability and automation, which are increasingly important to manufacturers as they look to build the factory of the future. We discuss the concept in both Chapter 5 (see page 170) and Chapter 7 (page 290).
Industrial organizations are beginning to further use additive manufacturing to achieve their environmental goals. Stricter European and U.S. regulations are driving companies to focus on environmentally friendly production methodology. For instance, Ford and Volvo are using 3D printing across their production lines and printing components, tooling and spare parts. Additive allows these goods to be produced on-demand, on-site, and at scale, eliminating the bulk of carbon emissions from transportation and delivery models. As the scale of these applications grow , they could have an even bigger impact on reducing emissions in the manufacturing sector.
And there is very little waste associated with additive. Compared to “subtractive manufacturing”, such as CNC machining, where materials are cut away and disposed of, additive manufacturing can reduce waste and materials costs by nearly 90% while also improving energy use by 25 to 50%. These benefits extend to the related supply chains and lead to more efficient production paths that help businesses lower their environmental footprints.
Additive manufacturing can also help deliver end products to users swiftly and efficiently, boosting supply chain resiliency. COVID-19 exposed the weaknesses of companies with limited flexibility that were highly dependent on traditional manufacturing setups. Hospitals and medical clinics, for example, were hit hard when the pandemic impacted global supply chains, cutting off access to much-needed medical equipment and supplies. To combat the shortage, additive manufacturing was used to produce supplies on demand quickly, locally and in low to mid volumes.
On-demand 3D printing reduces the amount of capital tied up in work-in-progress and finished goods inventories, enabling manufacturing agility. Engineers can design their parts in-house and iterate as often and as quickly as needed. Local facilities can print designs on-demand from files sent across the globe or print securely from a nearby supplier.
Classroom discussion questions:
- Describe the difference between “additive” and “subtractive” manufacturing.
- Why are 3D printers an important OM tool?