FEATURE u Warehousing & Materials Handling
Bridging the gap for a resilient supply chain
By Dr Henrike Wonneberger, COO and Co-Founder of industrial 3D printing platform, Replique.
O
ver the years, supply chains have been optimised to perfection using algorithms and digital tools, but it is a balance on a
knife’s edge. COVID 19 and the subsequent closing of borders have revealed the limits of planning and the fragility of supply chains to suppliers, OEMs, and end customers. When a part is needed urgently, every hour can cost manufacturers hundreds and thousands of dollars. Increasing the buffer in warehouses could minimise the risk of supply gaps, but counteracts previous efforts to reduce inventory and increases tied up capital, warehousing costs and obsolescence.
Another option is to source from several suppliers in multiple locations; however, interconnected global supply chains are often dependent upon a few suppliers of basic materials. A third way to improve the resilience of the
supply chain is to return to localised manufacturing – as witnessed at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. This saw many manufacturers 3D print critical parts needed to fight COVID-19 – such as face shields or valves for respiratory devices. This manufacturing philosophy, named bridge manufacturing, can be used as a blueprint to generally improve supply chain resilience. Essentially, bridge manufacturing means having a technically viable alternative to bridge a gap. It requires a manufacturing alternative for the part that allows on-demand, decentralised production. This ensures the part can easily be made available anywhere globally in the event of a sudden unexpected shortage. Consequently, should supply chains be disrupted, the OEM or supplier has alternative options, potentially saving money and reputation. As a concept, bridge manufacturing comprises three different types: provisional solution, equivalent manufacturing solution, and ramp-up/phase-out bridging.
PROVISIONAL SOLUTIONS Well known in dentistry, this is where a transitional prosthesis – using a different material and a different technology – is provided as a makeshift solution while the actual prosthesis is manufactured. Requirements for a makeshift solution are often lesser than for the original, making bridge manufacturing a second-best alternative from a technological standpoint. Whether a part is used as a stop-gap until the ‘original’ spare part is delivered, or until it breaks down and is replaced by the ‘original’ spare part, bridge manufacturing of the part takes place in parallel to ordering a standard ‘original’ spare part. Like this, the machine downtime is reduced in the same way, saving the OEM money and reputation.
EQUIVALENT MANUFACTURING However, bridge manufacturing can meet all requirements and specifications of the ‘original’ part. In this case, bridge manufacturing might be more expensive in a regular supply chain situation, making it inappropriate for standard production, but it might have certain advantages when other constraints occur. For example, a polymer part could be manufactured at low cost per part in large quantities in a central location.
RAMP-UP/PHASE-OUT BRIDGING Change in demand over a product’s lifecycle can vary drastically and upon launch, it’s hard to forecast future demand. For small and mid-volume series, additive manufacturing is an attractive
22 July/August 2022 Irish Manufacturing
option throughout the whole lifecycle. If product demand rises quickly, manufacturing methods like injection moulding are best from a price-per-part standpoint. Once manufacturing alternatives are in place, bridge manufacturing enables companies to switch as needed to optimize manufacturing costs. 3D printing is often favourable upon a product’s launch when only small quantities are needed, but when demand increases the OEM would benefit from another manufacturing method. Towards the end of the lifecycle, when demand decreases, the OEM can easily switch back to 3D printing.
ADDING VALUE The most viable option for bridging is additive manufacturing and in the last years 3D printing has become increasingly popular, especially for industrial applications. Once a part is qualified and print parameters
are set, it does not need any ramp up but can simply be sent securely to a 3D print service bureau for fast, cost-effective production. That’s to say, exactly where the part is needed, when it is needed and in the precise quantity needed – even a lot size of just one. It is these basic principles of 3D printing that continue to make it an agile and benefit-enhancing option for low-volume manufacturing requirements among OEMs large and small.
Replique
https://replique.io www.irish-manufacturing.com
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