ShortCut: Additive Manufacturing | Page 2

The capabilities of SLS and SLM are highly
sought after in the automotive industry,
with complex customisable parts such as
alloys and interiors being very well suited.
SLS in particular has huge potential in consumer
goods and fashion. Leading players
such as Nike, Adidas, and Under Armour
are all applying AM on small-volume mass
production for their sports shoe lines.
Challenges in perception
The Chinese AM market is highly competitive,
but there are opportunities. On the
lower end of the market, the technological
barriers are not high for new players,
but the market is saturated. Whereas
at the higher end, leading technological
expertise is essential, yet the number of
competitors is significantly lower. Local
players at the lower end are anticipated to
increase their market share as they catch
up technically while maintaining a low
product price and developing a customercentric
service.
Despite these opportunities, the biggest
challenge for the industry is customer
perception, as there is a hesitancy for
AM to be considered for larger scale production.
This is mainly because mass
AM is currently slower and more costly
than alternatives, but also because customers
aren’t aware of AM’s full benefits.
goetzpartners finds that the most successful
AM suppliers in the face of these
educational issues spend a lot of effort
educating downstream clients on how to
apply the technology, and often provide
consulting services as well.
Pick the right moment
goetzpartners expects the unit cost of AM
production to decline by 25 per cent CAGR
over the next five years. As the technology
develops to become an increasingly
cost-effective option, AM MNCs should
work to identify the inflection point at
which their service offers a compelling
volume for mass production. AM multinational
companies should target industries
with strongly emerging interest in
AM method’s capabilities, i.e. automotive,
electronics, and robotic part suppliers.
Regarding low AM maturity status, corporations
should start approaching local
manufacturers 2-3 years in advance to
build their knowhow in 3D printing and
become technologically competitive.
4 STEPS TO AM SERIAL PRODUCTION
MASS PRODUCTION
ON A TINY SCALE
China as leading AM market
The Chinese AM market will grow
by an estimated 18 % from 2015 to
2025 – the largest increase worldwide.
The biggest demand for AM is
in the aerospace and healthcare sectors
– where AM maturity is highest.
AM maturity in healthcare
Within healthcare, AM offers dentists
a more precise process than
traditional plaster method when
making teeth, and one that is also
far more cost-effective. Although
price is still a challenge for the
AM market today, goetzpartners
estimates that AM production is
cheaper than traditional injection
moulding methods when the production
volume is 50,000 or less.
THE AUTHORS
SCALE PRODUCTION
· Certify process and evaluate limits
· Optimize volume, location and time
4
DESIGN FULL PRODUCTION PROCESS
· Including post-treatment and inspection
3
GÖTZ V. STEYNITZ
Partner, goetzpartners
DEVELOP USE CASES
· Optimize AM product
design and material
2
BUILD AM READINESS
· Training
· Product screening
and selection
1
COMPETITIVENESS
YUKAI CHEN
Partner, goetzpartners
Special thanks goes to:
Daisy Li, Manager, goetzpartners
© goetzpartners, September 2018 · All rights reserved, including text, images, graphics and other content of this publication.