Digital Manufacturing Embraces Additive with Part Screening and Digital Inventory Services

Evaluating the Redesign of Components with Additive Manufacturing and Integrating Them into a Digital Inventory: How MadeInAdd Simplifies the Work for Companies, Cutting Time and Costs

One of the greatest opportunities arising from the adoption of additive manufacturing in manufacturing enterprises is the ability to design components free from the preconceptions typical of other technologies, such as material removal or molding. This concept also applies when rethinking existing designs, taking advantage of the expanded possibilities offered by 3D printing.

How to Determine Which Parts Can Benefit?

And what other advantages can be gained from adopting additive manufacturing, for example, to streamline a spare parts warehouse or make on-demand procurement more agile?

MadeInAdd has developed a series of online services that enable users to make these decisions correctly, advantageously, and in alignment with their business strategies

Digital Automation and Technical Evaluation for Part Screening

One of the main challenges in adopting additive manufacturing for already designed components is determining if and how to intervene, what benefits can be gained, and whether the whole process is economically, technically, or timely beneficial. When these considerations are multiplied by hundreds or even thousands of parts, the issue becomes more complex than anticipated.

MadeInAdd stands out for its innovative services accessible through its platform. It has found a practical solution that combines the processing speed of computers with the expertise of specialized engineers. Through the part screening service, users can upload all their 3D models to the MadeInAdd site for a comprehensive evaluation.

The Process of Evaluation

1. Automated Analysis:
   The first phase is fully automated. An algorithm analyzes each file based on specific functional requirements and other data provided by the user (such as breaking loads, resistance to high temperatures, etc.). It identifies which parts are suitable for production via additive manufacturing, according to breakeven logic compared to traditional technologies.
2. Engineering Evaluation:
   In the second phase, a MadeInAdd application engineer reviews the initial selection and conducts further technical evaluations, related to the manufacturing technology, material, post-processing, and potential final validation plans. A complete redesign can also be requested to develop parts consistently with additive philosophy.

The client receives a list of parts that can benefit from a change in production technology, from prototyping volumes to serial production, along with additional evaluations to meet any qualitative requirements. This work, which traditionally would have taken weeks or months of analysis, is thus reduced to a few days.

The Digital Inventory That Cuts Time and Costs

Having a vetted and optimized file is ideal for proceeding with 3D printing, but it also opens up further possibilities. Spare parts warehouses, for instance, represent a costly constraint for any company. Customers expect quick supply in case of need, especially for productive tools like machines, plants, and equipment. Multiplying the necessary parts for each model produced over decades of supplies results in a large warehouse to manage, maintain, and eventually dispose of due to obsolescence. Additive manufacturing can provide a practical and cost-effective answer through the digital inventory service offered by MadeInAdd.

Example of Traditional vs. Digital Inventory

A simple example of a customer looking for a replacement part illustrates the differences between the two supply modes. With a traditional warehouse, it's necessary to search the inventory (if available), identify where the component is located, find it (assuming it hasn't already been used without being properly recorded), check its condition (it may deteriorate over the years), and finally proceed with shipping. A failure at any of these stages would be catastrophic for supply times, causing obvious frustration for the end customer. Additionally, the value of components made many years ago, which are not always used, must be considered.

The digital inventory cuts most of these stages and associated costs because it starts with a digital inventory. Identifying parts that can fall into this classification, such as low-rotation ones or those related to old but still operational equipment, an eventual customer request triggers an order with MadeInAdd.

There’s no need to find and resend the 3D model, as it will have been stored in the company's digital inventory and can be recalled when needed. The same goes for technologies, materials, necessary tests, and estimates: all these parameters are anticipated and accepted during the validation phase.

One click is enough to initiate a smooth and rapid process that will produce the requested parts. In the future, as the number of qualified MadeInAdd partners grows, it will also be possible to choose the destination of the part. An Italian company with an installation in the United States could leverage a local service, thus cutting down on logistics times and costs.