Worldwide, the industry still regularly faces problems in supply chains. Do digitization and additive manufacturing offer a solution? The answer to that question is central to the Industry Forum: Future Digital Supply Chain of the German-Dutch Chamber of Commerce at the Brainport Industries Campus.
Additive manufacturing makes local production possible. Don’t ship parts halfway across the world, but 3D print them close to where they are needed. At thyssenkrupp Marine Systems, this is no longer a future scenario. Or complex parts are easier to make. In the summer of 2019, thyssenkrupp TechCenter Additive Manufacturing was the world’s first manufacturer of 3D printed parts for marine applications to receive manufacturer approval from the DNV GL. The certificate guarantees that the material properties of the finished components correspond to defined standards issued by independent test institutes.
thyssenkrupp Marine Systems 3D prints certified metal components for naval vessels
Disruptive impulse for shipbuilding
For thyssenkrupp Marine Systems, this has been an important step towards series production with AM. The marine group wants to use the technology for series production of small batches, but also for the production of spare parts. Jannis Kranz, AM Expert at thyssenkrupp Marine Systems, is one of the speakers at the Industry Forum at BIC. He specifically discusses the disruptive impulses that AM technology gives to the construction of naval ships.
Digital warehouses
At the German-Dutch Industry Forum on February 8, 2023, speakers will show how digitization and additive manufacturing can contribute to solving the global problems facing supply chains. Platforms play an important role in future supply chain models. Pieter Ruijssenaars, founder and CEO of DiManEx, shows how this Dutch company is digitizing supply chains, making them more robust and less vulnerable. 3D printing plays an important role in this. The DiManEx Platform helps organizations quickly determine which parts are suitable for 3D printing, both technically and business-wise. Subsequently, the – usually – old 2D drawings are also converted into a digital twin and the physical warehouse makes way for digital warehousing. 3D printing on demand prevents delays in deliveries and high inventory costs.
What does 3D printing have to do with Spotify?
3D printing in packaging industry
Another German company that has years of experience with 3D printing of end applications is Gerhard Schubert, manufacturer of packaging machines. Consumer goods manufacturers in particular benefit from additive manufacturing: Due to their rapid availability, custom-made and 3D-printed parts make it easier to adapt packaging lines to new products. In industries where packaging changes quickly, such as special packaging around the holidays, 3D printing provides more flexibility for the packaging line. Gerhard Schubert launched his own 3D printer for this application a few months ago, the Partbox. In combination with a digital platform with 3D designs, customers can easily print their own custom parts to quickly adapt their packaging line.
Less waste
In addition to flexibility, this ensures less waste. “Many products from the consumer goods sector are difficult to pack due to their shape. Conventional grippers in packaging machines are not always ideally matched to the goods and they can drop products during the packaging process,” explains Conrad Zanzinger, CTO. But things are different when the grippers are tailored to the food or cosmetic product thanks to 3D printing. Not only is the process in the machine more reliable, but there is also less waste because the products are safely placed in the packaging and do not slip out of the grip of the tool. Marcus Schindler, director of engineering, will discuss the theme of series production with batch size 1 and what 3D printing has to do with Spotify during the Industry Forum.
Quality assurance in AM process
Finally, Mathieu Pérennou, Additive Manufacturing Solutions Director at Hexagon Manufacturing Intelligence, discusses redesigning parts for AM and producing AM products with assured quality. Hexagon MI is strongly committed to additive manufacturing with the design and simulation software. In addition to seeing AM as a technology to make supply chains less vulnerable, Hexagon also considers AM a green manufacturing technology. The group recently invested 100 million dollars in the American company Divergent Technologies. With the DAPS technology (Divergent Adaptive Production System), it is developing an alternative production concept for the automotive industry that focuses on local, flexible production. The investment will enable Divergent to build a global network of DAPS factories. Exactly the concept of decentralized production with short supply chains.
Participants in the Industry Forum will be given a tour of the Brainport Industries Campus after the presentations. They then visit Additive Centre, DiManEx, Hexagon, K3D/FIT and Werk24, among others. The Industry Forum starts February 8 at noon. Participation is free with registration in advance. The number of places is limited.