Changing the rules of the game
Additive manufacturing is changing the rules of the game and revolutionizing the world of manufacturing. Not only is it changing the way products are made, but it is also transforming design processes. The result is parts with high strength and with very precise mechanical characteristics.
However, additive manufacturing is going beyond this and is simplifying and changing supply chain processes. In the following, we will see how this happens and how the logistics chain is transformed by AM.
Crisis and supply chains
As we have witnessed during the pandemic the COVID-19 pandemic and recently during the Suez Canal crisis, supply chains can be strongly disrupted by unexpected crises. The above situations revealed the weaknesses of the supply chains … and additive manufacturing was one of the methods that made it possible to compensate for the damage.
Additive manufacturing allowed to make parts and tools that could not have been made in the traditional way and may continue to be made using additive technology going forward.
Preventing chain disruptions
One way to prevent disruptions in the supply chain is to produce parts at the required point, according to their own specifications and without relying on global suppliers.
Such prevention would enable the aerospace industry to implement shorter production cycles and to cope with downturns by new ways of reducing costs.
Additive manufacturing for an efficient supply chain
Some of the situations where AM can improve supply chain performance are:
Shorter lead times
Instead of manufacturers generating products based on forecasted demands, additive manufacturing enables production based on real timing, which translates into shorter lead times from order to delivery. In short, additive manufacturing makes it possible to provide a faster response to customer demand.
Local production
As is well known, the AM is a radical change in the costs of manufacture. There is a concept that has to do with the offshoring of production: with AM, costs do not vary according to the country in which a product is produced. In addition, it provides significant savings in transportation, time and taxes. Market entry is thus more immediate, with flexibility and improved quality control that is a must for any company.
Immediate delivery
When an aircraft is stationed on a different continent for extended periods of time (e.g., military missions), obtaining spare parts can mean dependence on a distant supplier and unwanted waiting time. An additive manufacturing supplier can, in such cases, produce spare parts in a matter of hours, which is a valuable advantage (and improvement).
Cost reduction of stock
The ability to have digital files that can be stored in the cloud eliminates the need to have a warehouse with massive quantities of spare parts (which may become obsolete or unusable). Digital files can be transformed into useful parts as they are needed.
Manufacture to order
To be profitable, traditional manufacturing needs to produce at scale. Aerospace has a demand for single tools or limited-run parts, which is perfectly suited to additive manufacturing.
Multifunctionality
A single machine can provide different applications. An aircraft requires many moving parts, and an AM machine has the versatility to print flight-ready parts as well as ground support tools.
Additive manufacturing, a key factor
Before COVID-19 there were already many companies benefiting from additive manufacturing to produce spare parts. Industries such as railways, defence (with high barriers to approval) or aerospace (maintenance and repair) are examples of this.
On the other hand, we know that the lack of a single part in today’s supply chains can bring an entire production line to a complete halt.
Additive manufacturing eliminates this factor thanks to digital inventories of spare parts that allow designers to print low volume production parts (on demand) to the exact specification and number.
This decentralized production model will be one of the keys to ensuring that supply chains do not suffer again and that it can significantly reduce the inventory burden on companies (thereby reducing supply chain costs).
Aerospace is one of Mizar’s areas of specialization and we continue to bring our know-how and innovative vision to each sector in which we work.
