3D printing is revolutionizing every industry around the world.
We speak to the CEOs, vice presidents and decision makers at businesses that are at the cutting edge of the cutting edge.
LEAN MANUFACTURING:
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Courtesy of Invent Medical
This revolution isn’t restricted to one or two markets. Any industry that relies on manufacturing can benefit from change, whether that’s through efficiencies or a new, disruptive way of thinking.
To demonstrate the views from the boardroom, we’ve spoken to chief executive officers, chief operating officers, vice presidents — and many of the people “on the ground” who are putting the theory into daily practice.
Some of the stories you will hear come from industry leaders. Take BMW, which has just produced its one millionth part using HP Multi Jet Fusion 3D printing.
Or Volkswagen, which is integrating HP Metal Jet into its design and production roadmap.
We also speak to the world’s third largest contract manufacturer, Jabil — one of the world’s most technically advanced manufacturing solutions providers, whose products you will almost certainly have in your home. They are using HP’s 3D printers to nimbly respond to demand, producing large volumes of products that will also satisfy their demanding clients’ needs for quality.
Other companies are taking a disruptive approach.
We speak to startups who are embracing
the personalized nature of 3D printing to create unique, one-off products to satisfy a user demand.
That varies from LookReal, manufacturers of customized dolls that have the same facial features as the children who they’re made for, to an Australian orthotics company that creates parts perfectly tailored to the patient.
One thing links all these companies, they’re thinking big. We constantly hear the words
“scalable” and “global” when talking to these high-level executives.
3D printing is disruptive, it drives differentiation, and can release incredible new opportunities.
For now, we will sum up with these words from Magi Gallindo, Technical and Scientific Director of IAM 3D Hub, an organization formed as part of a collaboration between several industry players (including HP), with the idea that they would support clients in many different industries to take advantage of 3D printing. “Our advice to other companies in the manufacturing industry is to start using it now and begin taking advantage of the opportunities that 3D printing provides.”
Introduction
3D printing is already big business. All around the world,
manufacturing companies are using it to give them a competitive advantage: fast turnaround times, low costs, opportunities to create totally new business models.
LEAN MANUFACTURING: VIEW FROM THE BOARDROOM introduction
3D printing for automotive
While a fully 3D printed car has yet to become a reality, it’s close(1). The automotive industry has been quick to see the competitive advantage that 3D printing can give, beyond conventional manufacturing. Take the BMW Group, which is using the HP Jet Fusion 3D 4200 Printing Solution as part of its process.
“Using our automotive standards and HP’s Multi Jet Fusion technology, our manufacturing team is able to produce durable, reliable final parts such as the window guide rail for our BMW i8 Roadster,” says Dr. Dominik Rietzel, head of non-metal Additive Manufacturing at the BMW Group.
“In the past decade, we are proud to have produced more than one million 3D printed parts, and it’s fitting that one of these window guide rails was identified as the one-millionth part printed.”
He adds: “Complex parts that require reliable functionality and a small footprint are a perfect example of the power of additive manufacturing and together with partners such as HP we are excited about the possibilities ahead.”
And BMW isn’t the only industry pioneer to take advantage of HP’s 3D printing technology.
Volkswagen plans to produce every single tool used to manufacture its new T-Cross SUV using HP Multi Jet Fusion technology.
1 https://www.autocar.co.uk/car-news/motor-shows-beijing-motor-show/
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“We could design parts with much less complexity, in some
cases reducing the number of components by 80%.”
- Magi Galindo, Technical and Scientific Director at IAM 3D Hub The company is also integrating HP Metal
Jet into its long-term design and production roadmap, starting with the manufacturing of metal parts parts such as individualized key rings and exterior-mounted name plates.
It should be no surprise that the automotive industry, one of the first to embrace robots in its manufacturing lines, is also at the cutting edge of the 3D printing revolution.
Until now, robots have concentrated on the chassis with the final finishing and assembly operations mostly performed manually by human operators.
To take just one aspect of this, consider Continental Automotive. It has two factories in Spain: one focuses on manufacturing and assembling instrument panels, the other is devoted to injection molding. In particular, making plastic parts that are used in the construction and assembly of dashboards, center consoles, and other interior automotive components.
The company is under constant pressure to reduce costs and operate more efficiently.
Robots already play a big part in its processes, with robotic arms and grippers used to grab, position and transport the various parts that make up a final component. However, given their complex nature, final finishing and assembly is normally left to humans.
Continental recently began studying how these tasks could be automated by combining new types of jigs and fixtures with robots using specialized grippers.
Specifically, the newly designed grippers would be used to greatly reduce the amount of time required to carry out the assembly, coupling, calibration and maintenance of the tooling.
“With HP’s Jet Fusion 3D Printing Solution we had the ability to simplify both the operation of the grippers and the tooling required for final assembly,” says Magi Galindo, Technical and Scientific Director
of IAM 3D Hub, which counts Continental Automotive Spain as one of its clients.
“We could design parts with much less complexity, in some cases reducing the number of components by 80%. Further, we could create less expensive parts that were more robust and reliable, in addition to being easier to connect and control.”
Courtesy of BMW Group
Courtesy of Volkswagen
As IAM 3D Hub studied the problem, it became evident that simpler solutions were required to solve the complex challenges associated with final assembly. “The grippers and tooling designed by IAM 3D Hub will help Continental Spain continue to automate its workflow, solving one of the biggest challenges in the construction of automotive interior components,” says Mr. Galindo.
“With this breakthrough at their factories in Spain, Continental now has a best practice they can apply at other locations in their manufacturing network. Further, it validates the adoption, integration and implementation of additive manufacturing for production tooling across the automotive industry.”
The new design strategies employed by IAM 3D Hub helped decrease the amount of time it took to create the new grippers by 30%. HP’s Multi Jet Fusion technology also played an important role, helping replace the complex and intricate design of previous grippers with newer organic structures that reduced their weight by more than 85%.
In total, the new design reduces the process and installation time by 40%.
“HP’s Multi Jet Fusion technology allows organizations to completely rethink their approach to complex workflows,” says Mr.
Galindo. “Our advice to other companies in the manufacturing industry is to start using it now and begin taking advantage of the opportunities that 3D printing provides.”
LEAN MANUFACTURING: VIEW FROM THE BOARDROOM