In recent years, the craze for 3D printing applications is sweeping the world. We can see 3D printing in many industries, such as 3D printed aircraft and auto parts in manufacturing, and 3D structural models used in plastic surgery, which undoubtedly does not prove that 3D printing has quietly penetrated into all walks of life.
In the entire supply chain, from manufacturing to logistics and warehousing, 3D printing is increasingly recognized, accepted, and applied. Many world-renowned auto brands have used 3D printing technology in their own supply chains to speed up the research and development and production of new products, and more actively respond to changes in market demand.
Although 3D printing will never be able to compare with the economies of scale brought by the traditional mass production supply chain, 3D printing technology is becoming more powerful and reliable as time goes on, it complements the supply chain and is It has profoundly promoted the transformation and upgrading of the supply chain.
According to Gartner, 38% of supply chain managers are already using 3D printing technology, and 47% plan to start using 3D printing technology within the next two years. At this rate, in two years, 17 out of 20 supply chain professionals will be using 3D printing technology in their distribution network.
Today, 3D printing technology is playing an indispensable role in the supply chain with the following six advantages.
Save time and money by streamlining your supply chain
The return on investment of 3D printing is generally high, and streamlining the supply chain can also provide cost savings in many other ways.
1) Improve profit margins
If 3D printing can reduce production time by even a minute, an hour, a week, or a month, it can have a positive impact on large industries. While using 3D printing to produce a single prototype part in-house may not seem like a huge cost saving, for those large manufacturing plants, the time or money savings will add up quickly.
2) Reduce material waste
3D printing produces parts in a layered fashion. Unlike subtractive manufacturing methods such as CNC machining, additive manufacturing only produces consumables when they are needed. 3D printing reduces waste by producing parts or tools on demand to the exact specifications provided by the manufacturer.
3) Reduce manpower requirements
The use of 3D printing can reduce the dependence of enterprises on labor outsourcing. Thanks to the increased runtime and reliability of 3D printers, and the fact that network-enabled machines can be controlled through intuitive printer management software, a trained worker can 3D print small spare parts at the workstation for production.
Make the entire value chain more agile
3D printing can shorten the manufacturing cycle, reduce overseas shipping activities, and almost eliminate lead time. The 3D printing time of a part depends on the complexity of the part and is usually measured in hours rather than weeks. Using multiple machines can easily increase production to meet demand. The infinite flexibility and strong responsiveness of 3D printing can help companies have a stronger competitive advantage. As supply chains continue to transition to this modern model, companies can improve efficiencies in other areas.
Take advantage of the unique product properties of 3D printing
3D printing brings significant advantages to low-volume manufacturing - breaking the constraints of geometry. Traditional production methods such as injection molding follow the "design for manufacturing" principle, limiting product shape. 3D printing can more efficiently design irregular geometric shapes by generating design patterns, thereby improving the structural performance of products, saving materials, and shortening the design-to-manufacturing cycle.
Differentiation through on-demand production of parts
Like Uber, which disrupted the taxi industry, and Airbnb, which disrupted the hotel industry, 3D printing can continue to strengthen consumers’ influence on the supply chain. In an environment where digitalization powers the "demand economy", there will be a perfect synergy between 3D printing and connected manufacturing.
On-demand production of parts facilitates the manufacture of finished products or “pre-finished products” with a higher level of personalization (e.g. garments with personalized printed accessories, phone cases with custom designs, ergonomically designed tools).
For traditional supply chains, the on-demand nature of 3D printing can ensure the supply of products. Fundamentally, 3D printers can replace "just-in-time" inventory. Virtual warehouses are now a reality, digitally sending 3D model files to the nearest 3D printer.
increasing customer satisfaction
In the manufacturing industry, competition between companies is often competition between supply chains. Embedding 3D printing into the supply chain can improve customer satisfaction and loyalty provided the business maintains optimal service levels. For an enterprise, through the improvement of the supply chain, it can achieve a faster response speed to customers and have the ability to respond to various needs, thereby bringing a better consumer experience to users and allowing the enterprise to stand out in the fierce competition.
We have seen that landlines are being phased out in developing countries due to the proliferation of mobile phones. People always favor technologies that are more flexible and require less infrastructure. With the popularization of Industry 4.0 technology, 3D printing will revolutionize the current complex traditional supply chain model and bring unexpected changes to the entire industry.