Additive manufacturing is a manufacturing technique that uses digital files to create parts, objects, or whole systems. It allows firms to create complex machinery or other devices at very low costs. This process can also be used to reduce production costs and speed up the time to market. It does not require casting, forging or any other traditional production method.
There are many benefits to additive manufacturing that go beyond manufacturers, suppliers, or communities. Consumers also get to benefit from additive manufacturing, especially if they can buy innovative products. 3D printing has been adopted by several Fortune 500 companies. Biden Administration is launching a new initiative that will help manufacturing companies of all sizes to adopt additive manufacturing.
AM Forward is a public-private initiative that aims to encourage the use of additive manufacturing by developing standards and common practices, establishing an open-market for additive-manufactured parts, and addressing supply chain issues. The initiative is led by five U.S. large manufacturers: General Electric Aviation. Honeywell. Lockheed Martin. Raytheon. These firms are partnering with the DOE Manufacturing Demonstration Facility at Oak Ridge National Laboratory, which is a national facility that provides access to a range of additive-manufacturing technologies.
OEMs can develop solutions to industry challenges through the AM Forward pact. They also work with other businesses to develop standard specifications and offer technical assistance for U.S.-based supplier. Other large corporations are expected join the initiative over the next few years.
One of the major players involved in AM Forward is the NEO Additive Manufacturing Cluster of Ohio, which works to accelerate the adoption of additive-manufacturing technologies. With a strong base of talented engineers and scientists, the state of Ohio is an ideal location for additive manufacturing firms.
Another important player is the America Makes national accelerator. This program partners with academia, industry, economic development resources, and workforce training programs to encourage the adoption of additive-manufacturing by a wide range of sectors. Many university programs now exist for additive-manufacturing.
Other government programs are available to help with the adoption of additive production, such as the Manufacturing Extension Partnership. Programs offered by the Department of Labor to support small manufacturers include technical support, financing, and even financial assistance.
Many of these programs help overcome common market failures. There are many barriers that small-scale manufacturers face in order to obtain affordable financing and access industry-standard technologies. Similarly, some customers may not be willing to commit to purchasing from companies that invest in additive-manufacturing technologies.
Some of the most innovative additive-manufacturing firms in the country are located in Ohio. Desktop Metal is an industrial additive-manufacturing company that offers metal 3-D printing and machining services to manufacturers and designers. Jonco Industries, Inc. offers a range of fabrication services, such as rapid prototyping, design and prototyping, and high volume surface finishing. PostPro3D is an automated surface finishing company.
Besides collaborating with the Federal Government, other industry organizations are working to increase the adoption of additive-manufacturing. The Fraunhofer Institute is a leading institution for the development of additive-manufacturing technology.
FAQ
Is automation important in manufacturing?
Automating is not just important for manufacturers, but also for service providers. It enables them to provide services faster and more efficiently. They can also reduce their costs by reducing human error and improving productivity.
What is the difference between Production Planning, Scheduling and Production Planning?
Production Planning (PP) refers to the process of determining how much production is needed at any given moment. Forecasting and identifying production capacity are two key elements to this process.
Scheduling is the process of assigning specific dates to tasks so they can be completed within the specified timeframe.
What does it mean to be a manufacturer?
Manufacturing Industries are companies that manufacture products. Consumers are those who purchase these products. This is accomplished by using a variety of processes, including production, distribution and retailing. They create goods from raw materials, using machines and various other equipment. This covers all types of manufactured goods including clothing, food, building supplies and furniture, as well as electronics, tools, machinery, vehicles and pharmaceuticals.
What are the main products of logistics?
Logistics refers to all activities that involve moving goods from A to B.
They cover all aspects of transportation, such as packing, loading, transporting and unloading.
Logisticians ensure that products reach the right destination at the right moment and under safe conditions. Logisticians assist companies in managing their supply chains by providing information such as demand forecasts, stock levels and production schedules.
They keep track and monitor the transit of shipments, maintain quality standards, order replenishment and inventories, coordinate with suppliers, vendors, and provide support for sales and marketing.
Is it necessary to be familiar with Manufacturing Processes before we learn about Logistics.
No. You don't have to know about manufacturing processes before learning about logistics. But, being familiar with manufacturing processes will give you a better understanding about how logistics works.
Is it possible to automate certain parts of manufacturing
Yes! Yes. Automation has been around since ancient time. The Egyptians discovered the wheel thousands and years ago. Nowadays, we use robots for assembly lines.
In fact, there are several applications of robotics in manufacturing today. These include:
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Line robots
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Robot welding
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Robot painting
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Robotics inspection
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Robots that create products
There are many other examples of how manufacturing could benefit from automation. 3D printing makes it possible to produce custom products in a matter of days or weeks.
Why automate your warehouse
Modern warehousing has seen automation take center stage. Increased demand for efficient and faster delivery has resulted in a rise in e-commerce.
Warehouses need to adapt quickly to meet changing needs. In order to do this, they need to invest in technology. Automating warehouses has many benefits. Here are some reasons why it's worth investing in automation:
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Increases throughput/productivity
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Reduces errors
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Improves accuracy
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Safety increases
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Eliminates bottlenecks
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Companies can scale up more easily
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Increases efficiency of workers
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Gives you visibility into all that is happening in your warehouse
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Enhances customer experience
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Improves employee satisfaction
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Minimizes downtime and increases uptime
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You can be sure that high-quality products will arrive on time
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Eliminates human error
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This helps to ensure compliance with regulations
Statistics
- You can multiply the result by 100 to get the total percent of monthly overhead. (investopedia.com)
- [54][55] These are the top 50 countries by the total value of manufacturing output in US dollars for its noted year according to World Bank.[56] (en.wikipedia.org)
- In 2021, an estimated 12.1 million Americans work in the manufacturing sector.6 (investopedia.com)
- Many factories witnessed a 30% increase in output due to the shift to electric motors. (en.wikipedia.org)
- It's estimated that 10.8% of the U.S. GDP in 2020 was contributed to manufacturing. (investopedia.com)
External Links
How To
How to use the Just In-Time Production Method
Just-intime (JIT), which is a method to minimize costs and maximize efficiency in business process, is one way. It's the process of obtaining the right amount and timing of resources when you need them. This means that your only pay for the resources you actually use. Frederick Taylor was the first to coin this term. He developed it while working as a foreman during the early 1900s. Taylor observed that overtime was paid to workers if they were late in working. He decided to ensure workers have enough time to do their jobs before starting work to improve productivity.
JIT teaches you to plan ahead and prepare everything so you don’t waste time. You should also look at the entire project from start to finish and make sure that you have sufficient resources available to deal with any problems that arise during the course of your project. You can anticipate problems and have enough equipment and people available to fix them. This will prevent you from spending extra money on unnecessary things.
There are many JIT methods.
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Demand-driven JIT: This is a JIT that allows you to regularly order the parts/materials necessary for your project. This will let you track the amount of material left over after you've used it. You'll also be able to estimate how long it will take to produce more.
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Inventory-based : You can stock the materials you need in advance. This allows one to predict how much they will sell.
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Project-driven: This means that you have enough money to pay for your project. Once you have an idea of how much material you will need, you can purchase the necessary materials.
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Resource-based: This is the most common form of JIT. You assign certain resources based off demand. If you have many orders, you will assign more people to manage them. You'll have fewer orders if you have fewer.
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Cost-based: This is a similar approach to resource-based but you are not only concerned with how many people you have, but also how much each one costs.
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Price-based: This approach is very similar to the cost-based method except that you don't look at individual workers costs but the total cost of the company.
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Material-based is an alternative to cost-based. Instead of looking at the total cost in the company, this method focuses on the average amount of raw materials that you consume.
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Time-based JIT is another form of resource-based JIT. Instead of focusing only on how much each employee is costing, you should focus on how long it takes to complete your project.
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Quality-based: This is yet another variation of resource-based JIT. Instead of focusing on the cost of each worker or how long it takes, think about how high quality your product is.
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Value-based JIT: This is the latest form of JIT. In this case, you're not concerned with how well the products perform or whether they meet customer expectations. Instead, you are focused on adding value to the marketplace.
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Stock-based: This stock-based method focuses on the actual quantity of products being made at any given time. It's useful when you want maximum production and minimal inventory.
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Just-intime (JIT), planning is a combination JIT management and supply chain management. This refers to the scheduling of the delivery of components as soon after they are ordered. It's important as it reduces leadtimes and increases throughput.