During the past few days, all official efforts have been swift in response to contain the coronavirus, starting with travel restrictions to affected areas and countries. This was followed by implementing preventive health measures, temporarily isolating certain cities and provinces, suspending classes in all schools and higher education institutions, and transitioning to remote learning. Remote work arrangements were also implemented across most government sectors, and direct meetings and gatherings in public places were canceled.
At first, what happened?
At the end of 2019, the virus appeared in the city of Wuhan, the capital of Hubei province, China, and began spreading rapidly. This led to a sharp disruption in global supply chains, which is expected to escalate further in the coming months. No one was prepared for such a disruption, especially companies and sectors heavily reliant on Chinese imports. The majority of companies worldwide are not prepared to sever ties with China.
What does all of this have to do with additive manufacturing and 3D printing?
Diseases, epidemics, and wars have always been factors that accelerate widespread adoption of technology and drive institutions and companies to seek unconventional solutions to crises. As witnessed during the participation in the February Active Forum, a forum and exhibition strongly supported by Saudi Aramco, many companies reviewed their supply and procurement chains and focused more on localizing several industries. However, the challenge lies in the fact that traditional manufacturing requires massive capital investments and long establishment periods, with large-scale production needed to achieve economic feasibility. This is where the revolution of additive manufacturing and 3D printing comes into play in the manufacturing process, changing strategies in supply chains where a single machine can produce diverse items and different parts simultaneously in limited, customized quantities, with lower cost investments.
New manufacturing concepts
After the rise of 3D printing, a set of concepts emerged that have changed and will continue to change the principles of supply chains and the economics of centralized manufacturing and mass production. Some of the key concepts include:
* التصنيع الموزع “Distributed Manufacturing”
* التخصيص الضخم “Mass Customization”
* المخزون الرقمي “Digital Inventory”
مواجهة الانقطاعات في سلاسل الامداد عبر المخزون الرقمي
The concept involves storing parts as 3D designs on electronic cloud platforms, manufacturing them using additive manufacturing technologies in required quantities immediately upon demand. Virtual warehouses will become the fundamental approach in transitioning from physical inventory of parts to digitally stored 3D designs produced on demand. This method is the most efficient and rapid way for companies to meet their needs for spare parts and components. The rapid increase in reliance on this industry is leading to a radical transformation in how companies envision supply chains and aim to reduce costs (shipping), time, financial liquidity, storage space, and insurance risks.
Advantages of digital storage
1- Freeing up financial liquidity.
Inventory represents tied-up financial liquidity that is not utilized, and transitioning to digital storage ensures the release of this financial liquidity, with cash flow occurring only when needed for the item. Digital storage also increases inventory turnover rate, which is a critical metric in a company’s financial performance, measuring how efficiently inventory is used within a specific period.
2- Flexibility to change designs at any time.
Digital storage enables levels of flexibility not available in traditional storage methods by avoiding commitment to inventory that may not be needed. Coupled with the capabilities offered by additive manufacturing, modifying designs and parts is always an available option.
3- Very high reduction in supply chain costs.
This will achieve maximum operational efficiency in supply chain costs by eliminating storage costs, significantly reducing inventory management, inventory tracking, shipping, importation costs, and insurance. This leads to a high ability to control the costs of the entire supply chain management process.
4- Distributed manufacturing and crisis response.
Digital inventory allows customers to avoid centralized inventory commitments, where raw materials and manufacturing methods are decentralized, and the final product is manufactured near the end customer. What distinguishes additive manufacturing is the ability to produce specified and customized quantities, which can be manufactured in distributed locations worldwide and delivered immediately, ensuring uninterrupted availability of spare parts and continuous supply of necessary components during crises.
How the transition to digital storage occurs:
1- Inventory analysis
Analysis of spare parts inventory to identify components that can be replaced using additive manufacturing methods.
2- Digitizing inventory
Using reverse engineering to convert physical parts into digital copies and ready-made 3D designs for on-demand manufacturing.
3- On-demand manufacturing
When needed, the part is ordered, locally manufactured, and delivered directly to the end customer.
ودمتم سالمين ..