MAY/JUNE 2020 COVER STORY
Additive
manufacturing
can help localise
supply chains
that have been
disrupted by
COVID-19
the US, with an average of 25% of SMEs looking
at investing in the technology, ahead of robotics,
cloud computing or even cybersecurity (see p24).
Agreeing with Langfeld is Lee-Bath Nelson
(pictured, right), co-founder and VP of business
at LEO Lane, an Israel-based business that
helps manufacturers to manage their
additive manufacturing. “There is a
high cost to supply chain failure,”
she warns. “After the pandemic,
as the world reopens, there will
be an additional focus on keeping
things as local as possible. What
could possibly be more local than
produce the parts you need?”
using a 3D printer in your factory to
The future
O’Brien agrees that this could be the start of a
3D printing revolution. “We’re certainly going
to see more and more companies adopt it
and see the power than it can have on day-today
operations,” he says. “Obviously, OEMs,
especially car manufacturers have been using 3D
printing for things like jigs and fi xtures for some
time. Traditionally, I think certainly in the UK,
AM has been viewed very much as a prototyping
tool. But we’re now starting to see it move away
from that and towards being a tool to make
things like jigs, and even for volume parts. There
are so many diff erent 3D printing technologies
out there now, and some of them are getting to
the stage whether they’re competitive against
rival technologies outthere. While I don’t
think 3D printing will ever completely replace
‘traditional’ manufacturing, it can certainly
complement it. Indeed, for the fi rst time, the
disadvantages of the technology are now fi rmly
outweighed by the advantages.”
The advantages of
additive manufacturing
Speed and agility: The work done by companies such as
Sandvik (see box, p20) shows how AM can o er rapid solutions
to complex manufacturing challenges.
Risk reduction: Post-coronavirus, global supply chains will
likely be scaled back, in favour of localised suppliers – or even
in-house 3D printing capabilities.
Manufacturing for the masses: As companies like Mayku (see
box, below) demonstrate, the world of 3D printing is becoming
more a ordable – even for individuals at home. “All you need
to get started is a computer, a 3D printer and a CAD fi le,” says
Stratasys’ Langfeld.
Minimise downtime – By 3D printing spare parts or tools,
lengthy downtime can become a thing of the past. “In some
cases, AM can produce a replacement that not as robust as a
part manufactured in the traditional way,” says Nelson of LEO
Lane.” In this case, the equipment manufacturer can o er a 3D
printed emergency spare part to keep the line going until the
regular part arrives. This can avoid weeks of downtime.”
Sharing of ideas: AMAP’s door opener demonstrates how a
good idea can be easily shared between fellow manufacturers
and individuals, making for a more democratic industry.
Bringing manufacturing to your desktop
Mayku is a London-based startup, founded
in 2015. The company is on a mission to
bring manufacturing to everyone through its
range of low-cost 3D printers. Alex Smilansky
(pictured, right), co-founder and CEO of
Mayku, spoke to MM about the company’s
ambitions.
“We started Mayku because we believe
everyone should have access to the tools they
need to make things. Previously, the possibility
of scaling up and producing higher quantities
of quality products was prohibitively expensive
and complex for one-man-bands and microbusinesses.
comparatively minuscule costs.
“Mayku is also helping larger scale
manufacturers to rapidly prototype
new designs and iterate new products
locally using the FormBox. Small batch
production can enable them to avoid
unnecessarily large runs of products,
which can be wasteful and time consuming.
“In terms of how coronavirus has a ected
the way that manufacturers view desktop
manufacturing, we believe that we will see
a new generation of manufacturers and
businesses spring up from lockdown. As
professionals and entrepreneurs take the
opportunity to grow and expand their new
endeavours, they’ll need to use desktop
machines to rapidly design and distribute their
products.
“As supply chains are
shortened, the desktop
manufacturing industry has a
key role to play in the production of
sorely needed PPE. Many members of the
Mayku community are using 3D printers in
tandem with Mayku FormBoxes to rapidly
manufacture protective facemasks and
equipment for personal use and also to
distribute to local healthcare organisations
and key workers. We are in the process of
designing our own, CE-certifi ed, FormBoxable
masks to help more people get involved.”
businesses. With the FormBox individuals
and small businesses
now have access to
industrial-grade vacuum
forming technology at
www.manufacturingmanagement.co.uk 21
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