Once a product has been manufactured and is in market, businesses need to maintain inventory, as well as any spare parts that ensure maintenance of the product. For some suppliers, keeping these inventories plentiful or offering spare parts can be burdensome due to warehouse or storage space needs, costs of production and the gamble of determining how much inventory will be necessary. The fast production and freedom of design possible with additive manufacturing makes it an ideal solution for these challenges.
Companies can utilize in-house 3D printers or simply send digital files to a service provider like Stratasys Direct Manufacturing to access large manufacturing capacities and a wide-range of post-processing options.
Over the past several decades, 3D printing has expanded into markets in unique ways as innovators have embraced the technology for production parts. Most businesses who utilize 3D printing are driving a move into smart, digital production ecosystems that drive better manufacturing. 3D printing aids in the advancement of this vision as a digital manufacturing component.
Digital design files allow for a virtual inventory of parts available for print on demand. This transition can lead to significant costs savings with less storage requirements and the ability to quickly edit designs and produce new iterations. This added agility enables unparalleled responsiveness to market needs.
Supplying spare parts is a challenge since they can be composed of numerous unique components, some that are replaced over time as new iterations and generations of a product come to market. As a result, a trade-off can arise for companies between customer service and the cost of maintaining obsolete parts.
After a simple analysis of whether parts can be made with 3D printing, businesses can take advantage of the technology’s fast turn-arounds to fulfill orders. Quick production timelines allow companies to adjust designs and re-produce a component more efficiently than with conventional manufacturing processes.
At Stratasys Direct, we have a range of technologies that handle complex geometries and a robust finishing department that ensures pristine appearance requirements.
After products are in the market, businesses still need assurance that great parts will be delivered to their standards. Stratasys Direct is committed to producing the best parts possible. We are ITAR registered and carry the ISO 9001 and AS9100 certifications, demonstrating our ability to consistently provide parts that meet customer and regulatory requirements.
Additive manufacturing services get you to market faster, but Stratasys Direct doesn’t sacrifice quality for speed. Our certified systems ensure you receive your part within the parameters defined by your project requirements. Your team can rest assured in our quality controls during the incoming, in-process and final production stages for every part we make.
From the early stages of research to the post-market strategy, businesses can turn to Stratasys Direct and our advanced manufacturing services for solutions across the product development life cycle.
