Optimizing spare parts inventory with 3D printed components

Spare parts production can feel like an exercise in inefficiency, especially when using traditional manufacturing methods. Creating a small quantity of spare parts for a product that might become obsolete within a year or two costs much more per part than the original product manufacturing. With 3D printing, manufacturers can dramatically lower the cost, lead time and other factors that make producing spare parts such a hassle. A digital inventory allows manufacturers to save space, time, money and labor without compromising their ability to produce spare parts on demand. Lower production costs Manufacturers may notice the biggest difference in 3D printing’s ability to cut production costs. 3D printing relies on limited equipment and a short range of materials. Since most of the process is automated, manufacturers need fewer workers and labor hours to devote to a single task. They can avoid committing certain pieces of equipment to traditional manufacturing, reducing the cost of equipment and maintenance. As a result, 3D printing can lower parts production costs by as much as half. The cost reduction of 3D printing bears out even better for limited editions of products. Traditional manufacturing is an expensive process for custom products, leading many manufacturers to decide that the reward is not worth the effort. 3D printing a design, with much less work, can give manufacturers the ability to customize and continue to meet the needs of those customers. Decrease production time One of the chief contributors to the cost of production is the time and effort it takes to produce a single part, which 3D printing can reduce significantly. From the initial production to completion, some manufacturers need weeks or months to produce a volume of a certain part using traditional manufacturing. By keeping all the supplies and work in-house, much of it automated, 3D printing can help manufacturers cut a weeks-long turnaround into hours. The design can also overcome many of the factors that increase production time, such as sourcing additional materials or assembly. For spare parts, which may not be needed frequently or at all, eliminating wasted time translates into real savings for the manufacturers and better customer satisfaction with the process. Limit inventory storage Inventory storage can take up valuable real estate in a warehouse, and 3D printing can dramatically reduce the amount of space each part needs. Manufacturers that release a new edition of a product every year may find themselves swamped with an inventory of spare parts for products that they no longer have the equipment to make. This problem calls for a solution that neither devotes a massive amount of space, nor abandons active users of products that are becoming obsolete. With a 3D printer, manufacturers can maintain a digital inventory of designs, including spare parts of obsolete products. This inventory allows them to produce parts, when necessary, without having to keep those parts in storage. Cut material waste 3D printing cuts material waste at most steps in the manufacturing process, including the minimization of wasted parts at the end of their relevance. Because 3D printed materials don’t need to be molded or shaped during production in the same way as traditional manufacturing, they often generate less wasted materials. Reducing waste can cut down on the supplies that manufacturers need to buy for production. Additionally, by relying on a digital catalog of spare parts designs, manufacturers can limit their initial production of these parts. Producing parts on-demand decreases the number of parts that manufacturers have to waste to avoid keeping an obsolete inventory. Produce parts to obsolete products After a major redesign, the parts to the older product also become obsolete. Manufacturers may not even have the equipment to create parts for outdated products, much less a continuous supply of spare parts for those products. Under traditional manufacturing, this process often meant that customers had to rely on the resale market for parts they need. 3D printing makes an inefficient, dissatisfying process into something simple that manufacturers can keep in-house. They can cycle out outdated tools and manufacturing systems because they will not need them to keep older products functioning. For high-value products that customers keep for decades, being able to produce a spare part to specification within days can help manufacturers maintain high brand loyalty. Build supply chain resilience The supply chain creates the potential for havoc, especially for manufacturers who rely on multiple supply chains and suppliers in varying regions. Supply chain dynamics affect manufacturers’ costs, production time and delivering capacity. Building redundance into the supply chain can help, but does not completely smooth out ripples in demand, availability or cost. In many cases, 3D printing allows manufacturers to produce spare parts in-house while relying on a smaller range of materials for production and limiting the steps between creation and delivery. They can guarantee that they have what they need to create parts on-demand, allowing them to ride out inconsistencies in the supply chain. Improve response to equipment failure Equipment failure can lead to significant downtime, which creates lost opportunities for revenue generation. When equipment breaks down, the time spent identifying the cause, sourcing equipment and materials and fixing the problem can take days to weeks. The use of additive manufacturing gives manufacturers maximum flexibility and the speed in which to take action. Because parts can be produced on-demand with very little labor, manufacturers can rapidly prototype solutions and test them within hours or days. Operation downtime for customers reduces, leading to greater customer satisfaction and resilience for the company long-term. Along with predictive maintenance services and other approaches, manufacturers can help customers get the most out of their products. 3D printing has been revolutionizing manufacturing. Manufacturers may not have the space or logistics to maintain large inventories of spare parts that customers might never need. Devoting space, money and labor to the production and management of spare parts can be rendered unnecessary with a digital inventory of parts that can be created using a 3D printer. Manufacturers can ensure that each customer gets what they need without having to guess at future needs or taking excessive time to produce parts to specification.