Another cost consideration, and a time-consuming one at that, is centrally located distribution centers. Spare parts are usually warehoused at these locations, or factories, and then have to be shipped out to the end consumer, which could take days. While this time can be reduced by maintaining parts inventories in more regional warehouses, this ramps up the labor and maintenance costs again.
If Electrolux uses 3D printing to produce on-demand parts, it will work with a network of 3D printing service providers, like Spare Parts 3D, to make the parts near the actual demand points, to make both rapid shipment and no physical inventory warehousing possible at once.
The feasibility study will perform economical and technical assessments in five steps, starting with Catalogue Selection. Spare Parts 3D will determine the best business case, and the right 3D printing criteria, that will help Electrolux increase its savings, without making additional investments. The startup will do this using two critical factors – 3D printability of the parts, and profitability as a whole. Then Spare Parts 3D will find efficient product parameters and the best materials through industrial engineering, in order to optimize the economic benefits.
Digitalization will be next, and Spare Parts 3D will complete a digital inventory that shows the optimal production parameters for the chosen parts. Once the company completes quality tests and checks on the final printed parts, it will move on to the Profitability Analysis, and compare the costs of 3D printing spare parts vs. producing them by traditional means.
According to a report by PricewaterhouseCoopers, spare parts suppliers are not meeting their customers’ needs. Because of this fact, the report also states that over 85% of spare parts suppliers will integrate disruptive 3D printing technology into their businesses over the next five years, in order to reduce lead time and costs, increase spare parts availability, and keep their customers happy. So it seems like a pretty smart move for Electrolux to get in on the ground floor of 3D printed spare parts, and lead the charge for other companies.
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[Source/Images: Spare Parts 3D]