PECM Issue 54 2022 | Page 29

Perhaps the number one priority is no longer cheapest is best , but rather the continuity of supply of products has equal if not greater importance .
At 3DPRINTUK , we see the effects of international supply chain disruption in a couple of ways , one somewhat indirect , and one very direct .
First of all , indirectly , we are obviously working with 3D printing / additive manufacturing technologies , and these technologies play to the ability to localise supply . The nature of the technology means that companies can service the UK market and local customers faster , meaning a shift from mass manufacture in low-cost countries ( which as we have seen are becoming increasingly less “ low cost ”) to domestic supply . In addition , as an “ on-demand ” production technology , 3D printing reduces the need to transport goods across countries and continents , having a massive impact on warehousing and logistical costs .
All this also plays to the benefits of companies holding digital inventories . At 3DPRINTUK every client has a digital part directory within their account , the key is that 3D printing means that parts can be made on-demand and delivered to customers in any geography from anywhere in the world . Generally speaking , companies do not like to hold large volumes of physical stock . 3D printing of spare parts can cut costs , increase the functionality of parts , add a high degree of flexibility and responsiveness in service , and reduce risks . It also means that spare parts can be printed on demand and can be redesigned batch-to-batch without the need for any tooling . Digital inventory slashes the costs associated with having to hold high physical stocks levels of all spare parts , and also reduces the reliance on international supply chains , meaning spare parts can be printed locally in the numbers required .
Directly , 3DPRINTUK is noticing that a number of companies that previously sourced injection moulded parts from China are now looking for locally 3D printed plastic parts , due to the fact that the costs of injection moulded parts from China are increasing significantly , and also due to the fragile nature of international supply chains as discussed . As an agile technology that can economically supply low to medium volume runs of plastics parts , with a geometric complexity impossible through the use of conventional production technologies , 3D printing is seen as the answer to issues pertaining to cost and supply chain issues for a range of applications .
And finally , is this a temporary fix , a shortterm solution to issues in play today , or does this mark a shift in the way that companies will operate longer-term ?
The answer is probably somewhere in the middle .
For certain , the pandemic has illuminated issues that have not to date been vigorously scrutinised , and many companies will no doubt stick with the use of domestic 3D printing services into the future . There are now a significant number of companies that have been routinely ordering from sources in China that are now waking up to the attractiveness of using additive manufacturing in the United Kingdom . This trend is reinforced when customers of 3DPRINTUK see how simple digital ordering and repeat ordering is these days , and also as they benefit from the scale of the AM machine infrastructure in-house which means that high levels of demand can be easily accommodated .
The lure of cheap supply will always be there , but pandemic-related supply chain issues have been so disruptive that companies will try to balance cost and security of supply moving forward . After all , pandemic-related health issues are only one — and a relatively uncommon — cause of supply chain uncertainty . The spectre of trade wars and international political and economic disputes is omni-present , and these will inevitably lead to a requirement for secure domestic supply moving forward .
For further information , please visit www . 3dprint-uk . co . uk
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