This article will take an in-depth look at on-demand manufacturing.
The article will bring more detail on topics such as:
This chapter will discuss what on-demand manufacturing is and the driving factors of manufactured demand.
To better understand on-demand production, it is important to understand basic traditional manufacturing. Traditional manufacturing is the practice of creating a certain quantity of goods each time and keeping a reserve on hand in case of sudden demand or shortages.
The manufactured demand definition, often known as on-demand manufacturing or manufacturing on demand (MOD), is a relatively recent idea in the manufacturing industry. In an on-demand manufacturing system, goods are only produced as needed and in the necessary amounts. This significantly shifts how engineers and buyers work with suppliers, particularly regarding items specifically made for them.
The emergence of cloud-based platforms and technologies has altered the landscape for the manufacturing industry and offers the potential to do away with quote delays, boost supplier management productivity, and enhance order visibility throughout the supply chain – all managed in a convenient online platform accessible from anywhere.
On-demand manufacturing generally eliminates the need to retain expensive inventory and provides more options to manufacture on demand unique, specialized items because of its increased flexibility and capacity to produce one-off orders.
The Toyota Production System (TPS), often known as just-in-time (JIT) manufacturing, is a strategy that primarily aims to shorten the reaction times of suppliers and consumers as well as the cycle times of various production system operations. By just receiving products as required, or JIT, a typical inventory management strategy and kind of lean methodology, efficiency, costs, and waste are all reduced.
JIT is thought to be a more economical way to keep stock levels constant. Its goal is to reduce the quantity of goods you have on hand at any one moment without sacrificing production rates. And this has a lot of benefits, such requiring less space and allowing for quicker stock turnover, which reduces the amount of warehouse and storage space required for the storage of goods. Less expenditure can come from lower stock levels.
Thus, on-demand manufacturing uses concepts of JIT manufacturing but only producing goods as needed and in the necessary amounts with its supply chain facilitated over cloud-based platforms and technologies. It can be seen as cloud-based facilitated JIT custom manufacturing.
Digital Manufacturing Market Size is projected to reach USD 1,370 billion by 2030, growing at a CAGR of 16.5%: Straits Research The global digital manufacturing market size was valued at USD 320 billion in 2021. It is expected to reach USD 1,370 billion by 2030, growing at a CAGR of 16.5% during the forecast period (2022–2030). North America holds the highest market share and is estimated to grow at a CAGR of 15.8% during the forecast period.
July 25, 2022 12:40 ET | Source: Straits Research
Offshore manufacturing is the relocation of product assembly or production to another nation. Because labor expenses in another nation are so low, businesses frequently do this. Because raw materials are less expensive in another nation, offshore production is another possibility. It explicitly alludes to outsourcing manufacturing in order to sell the products back home.
Moving any corporate process overseas is referred to as "offshoring," which includes offshore manufacturing. The majority of the time, businesses migrate a business process, such manufacturing or product assembly. Businesses could also relocate auxiliary functions like accounting elsewhere. Globalization is a process that involves shifting production and other business operations elsewhere.
The driving forces/factors of on-demand manufacturing include:
The "MMS" or material management system is a comprehensive method for managing daily supply chain activities. MMS covers the whole material life cycle, from first receipt (check-in) through disposal, and tracks every item down to individual units wherever it is in the facility.
The system keeps track of all the products in locations where typical ERP/Stock systems can't. Companies are under pressure to boost output while cutting expenses and to accomplish more with less money. To maintain and grow operations while exercising cost management, optimizing the acquisition, storage, and use of all commodities has become essential. Users can accomplish these goals with high efficiency & great simplicity using MMS. Some of its benefits include:
The development of technologies like 3D printing has made it feasible to produce materials in increasingly smaller quantities at a lower cost. The advantage being that it has also become viable to run businesses on much lower minimum order quantities which traditional manufacturing methods used to view as costly. Large minimum order quantities appear to be a thing of the past. It's also critical to be aware that the era of lead times is ending. On-demand manufacturing is effective when the vendor and customer systems are connected. Only when orders can be placed quickly does the system function.
As a result, both big and small business manufacturers are currently present in the on-demand manufacturing sector. However, some are in the on-demand manufacturers only as brokers, others as manufacturers and others as both. Now that they compete, the smaller businesses risk being quickly suffocated by the larger ones because of their larger networks, superior technology, and increased financial capability and size. Larger organizations also have better quality control, relationships, and broker liability.
This chapter will first compare and contrast traditional and on-demand manufacturing before discussing the types of manufacturing in depth.
For traditional manufacturing methods to be profitable, orders must be placed in large minimum quantities; as production volume rises, the cost per part falls. To store all of the product until it is ready to ship, this frequently also necessitates a sizable physical footprint. Because fixed expenses are distributed over a large volume of production output, economies of scale can be generated, which lowers unit costs. The drawback of this strategy is that managing and storing the physical inventory adds costs to the operation.
A bad estimate of the required manufacturing quantity can lead to the manufacture of surplus inventory that goes unsold and may need to be disposed of or sold off at a discount to free up valuable warehouse space. This is particularly relevant to industries where the product has a short shelf life or will soon become obsolete.
This combination also can reduce profit margins, especially when considering additional costs related to maintaining a properly equipped warehouse and disposing of excess materials and products if volume projections are too high. As an alternative, on-demand manufacturing uses the adaptability of cloud-based technology and online services to offer specialized manufacturing solutions to give exactly what the customer needs when they need it.
Customers can submit their own design specifications and communicate in real time on demand manufacturers who can walk them through the full production process thanks to self-service software. The strategy reduces losses and many of the communication gaps brought on by the conventional business model. It also provides improved visibility into project management.
On-demand production techniques may eventually be more flexible and simple for small batches of parts, making them a more effective approach to keeping inventory levels in check. When parts are finished, they are transported straight to the client, reducing the need to retain extra stock for a later time. This reduces warehouse stockpiling without limiting the amount of production volume. As a result, on demand manufacturers have additional opportunities to produce niche and specialized items.
The most common challenges of traidional manufacturing include:
The different types of manufacturing include:
A concept known as "lean manufacturing" aims to increase productivity while eliminating waste in industrial systems. Lean manufacturing has many advantages, including shorter lead times, lower operational expenses, and better product quality. Organizations from various industries can enable the practice of lean manufacturing, commonly referred to as lean production or lean.
Toyota was the leading corporation for lean techniques. The strategy is still employed by numerous other businesses and is based on the Toyota Production System. A lean production system might be advantageous for businesses that use enterprise resource planning (ERP).
Similarly, on-demand manufacturing employs lean because it minimizes loss by producing only what is ready to be purchased. Principles of lean manufacturing include:
Instead of an assembly line, the job shop manufacturing process uses production spaces like workstations and workshops. Each worker may improve the product as it passes through their station, moves to another, and after it is finished. Due to its tendency to be slower and produce low volumes of highly specialized products, this manufacturing method is perfect for bespoke manufacturing. It is worth noting that manufacturing in job shops is not just for low-tech products. In the aerospace and defense industries, this method is also used in the advanced manufacture on demand fighter jets and rockets. These products are made by skilled workers who use cutting-edge manufacturing processes and emphasize quality control to assure a high-quality build.
Repetitive manufacturing's relative is discrete manufacturing. Although it also uses production lines, the finished products produced by this method differ greatly. The assembly line layout must frequently be adjusted when transitioning between several product models. This is referred to as a changeover in manufacturing facilities. It comes with setup costs in the form of time, labor, and resources. For instance buyers expect mass customization in the computer sector in addition to the company's ongoing quick technological advancement. The assembly line will need to be changed in order to create and assemble orders for the newest electronic components used to create newer laptops and computers.
The repetitive manufacturing method is used in basic manufacturing, which produces identical items on an assembly line. These quick manufacturing processes will result in extremely similar products. Because there is a consistent and predictable demand for the finished product from consumers, these mass production industries are perfect for repetitive manufacturing. As a single product is produced over time, the assembly line will remain mostly unchanged. Master plans are developed using a time- and resource-based approach. Repetitive manufacturing is frequently used for make-to-stock production or demand production in a sales order-focused industry like the automotive. In these kinds of facilities, throughput is increased while manufacturing costs are reduced by using robots and other automated high-volume manufacturing equipment.
This chapter will discuss the industries that use on-demand manufacturing. It will also discuss the technologies used in manufacturing on demand.
The industries include:
One of the mainstays of the automotive on-demand manufacturing sector is 3D printing. But in addition, on-demand manufacturing frequently uses CNC processing, vacuum casting, and injection molding. For tasks requiring a few parts, CNC and 3D printing are appropriate. When engineers create and validate the original product concept, they frequently employ them as processing methods. It can be advisable to use vacuum casting or rapid tooling to create the parts when there are hundreds or more required. These methods are frequently used in trial production before official manufacturing.
Aerospace industries have benefited from 3D printing due to cost savings, quick manufacturing, and inventive design. The industry has some of the strictest industry performance criteria and the requirement to make lightweight, complicated parts. An experienced workforce, high-performance materials designed for aerospace applications, and AS9100 certified quality procedures ensure safe and high-quality parts ready for takeoff. The aerospace industry frequently employs a wide range of technologies, such as Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM), Laser Sintering (LS), and Direct Metal Laser Sintering (DMLS).
With the help of more effective, lightweight, on-demand components and ecologically acceptable materials, the energy sector is starting to make significant strides with additive manufacturing, responding to various needs and field operations. Competitive energy firms are using services like CNC machining, stereolithography (SL), laser sintering (LS), and direct metal laser sintering (DMLS).
The various technologies used in on-demand manufacturing include:
A digital file made from CAD software is used to create three-dimensional solid things via additive manufacturing, also known as 3D printing. In an additive process, the object is made through the continuous addition of filament layers until the product is made. These 3D object levels can be considered a finely sliced cross-section of the object.
Subtractive manufacturing involves hollowing out a piece of metal or plastic using a milling machine. Subtractive manufacturing is the reverse of 3D printing. With 3D printing, users can create intricate shapes with less material than with conventional production techniques. The three main categories of 3D printing techniques are stereolithography, melting, and sintering.
Sintering is a technique for producing high-resolution objects by heating the material, but not to the point of melting. While thermoplastic powders are used for selective laser sintering, metal powder is utilized for direct metal laser sintering.
Stereolithography uses photopolymerization to make parts. Using the appropriate light source, this method selectively interacts with the material to cure and solidify a cross-section of the product in small layers.
In the additive manufacturing (AM) process known as fused deposition modeling (FDM), sometimes known as material extrusion, polymers are utilized as the raw material (filament). The filament is typically heated until it is molten, at which point it is extruded through the machine or 3D printer’s nozzle.
To deposit the extruded polymer on the build plate per the G-code instructions, the nozzle head has three degrees of freedom (DoF). The machine's extruder and nozzle are continually fed filament by two rollers that rotate in opposing directions. Layer by layer, the material is added to the build plate until the desired product shape and dimensions are obtained. When layering, the printer nozzle moves back and forth in accordance with the spatial coordinates of the original CAD model in the G-code files until the component is produced in the required size and shape.
Multiple extrusion nozzles can be utilized in some FDM systems (3D printers) to deposit the polymer constituents, particularly when components with compositional gradients are required. Different 3D printers are created for various filament materials because, typically, the resolution and efficacy of the extrusion greatly depend on the thermoplastic filament's qualities. Most cheap FDM 3D printers can only work with one kind of thermoplastic, and the most popular substance is polylactic acid (PLA).
In the process of Computerized Numerical Control (CNC), the production equipment is moved by pre-programmed software and code. Every day, CNC machinists use a combination of mathematical concepts, technical drawings, mechanical design, and computer programming to create a range of metal and plastic parts. For example, a sheet of metal can be transformed into a crucial vehicle or airplane part by CNC operators.
When a CNC system is turned on, the intended cuts are programmed into the software and sent to the appropriate tools and machinery, which do the prescribed dimensional jobs in a manner similar to a robot. Even if there is a chance of errors when a CNC machine is instructed to cut in more than one direction at once, the code generator within the numerical system in CNC programming frequently treats mechanisms as if they are faultless.
The component program specifies where a tool should be placed using a numerical control system. Programs are entered onto numerical control machines using punch cards. Programmers write and edit the actual code. As a result, CNC systems have far greater processing capacity.
A powerful laser is used in the additive manufacturing process known as selective laser sintering to fuse tiny particles of polymer powder into a solid object based on a three-dimensional model. For many years, engineers and on demand manufacturers have favored SLS 3D printing. Rapid prototyping, small-batch, bridge, and bespoke production are just a few of the applications for which the technology is perfect, thanks to its low cost per part, high productivity, and well-established materials. More organizations can now adopt SLS printing, which was previously only available to a select few high-tech industries, thanks to recent advancements in equipment, materials, and software.
Printing: Inside the build chamber, a platform is covered with a thin coating of powder. The laser can more easily raise the temperature of particular sections of the powder bed as it traces the model to solidify a part because the printer preheats the powder to a temperature slightly below the melting point of the raw material. The powder is heated to just below or exactly at the melting point of the material as the laser scans a cross-section of the 3D model. In order to make a single, solid portion, the particles are mechanically fused together. The unfused powder acts as the part's support during printing and does away with the requirement for specific support structures. The platform is then lowered into the build chamber by one layer, usually between 50 and 200 microns, and the procedure is repeated until all of the pieces are produced.
Cooling: To maintain ideal mechanical qualities and prevent warping in pieces, the build chamber needs to be gradually cooled down after printing, first inside the print enclosure and then outside.
Post-processing: The completed components must be removed from the build chamber, sorted, and wiped free of powder residue. The powder can be reused, and media blasting or tumbling can be used for additional post-processing on the printed pieces.
A type of metal additive manufacturing, or 3D printing, is known as direct metal laser sintering (DMLS) or selective laser sintering (SLS). It is utilized for both bulk production of metal parts and quick prototyping. Although the process is extremely similar to selective laser melting (SLM), also known as direct metal laser melting (DMLM), the powder is merely sintered, not melted, together at the molecular level. Compared to melting, this produces less porous pieces.
The benefit of this is that alloys containing components with various melting points are simple to print from. Even materials made of metal and plastic can be combined. The metal powder is heated by SLM until it fully transforms into a liquid. Less energy is required since DMLS does not melt the metal powder. Particles are sufficiently heated during sintering for their surfaces to fuse together.
Prototyping molds for diverse purposes like pilot runs, bridge tooling, and the production of low-volume products are only a few industrial uses for prototype molds. The best technique for creating a prototype mold is injection molding. It works well with many different color and material formulas. The quick turn-around time, excellent reproducibility, and material variety of such a prototype mold are its key benefits. Most of the machinery used to produce these moldings is economical.
Molds made of steel, ceramic, or aluminum are used during the injection molding process to create shapes. Because there are no heating or cooling lines involved, the duration between cycles is typically rather long. Monitoring of the fill pressure and component quality is aided by the lengthy period. Pellets of resin are first loaded into the barrel to begin the process. Then they'll be melted, compressed, and injected and then the resin pellets are injected into the mold's runners. Through the gates, heated resin will be poured into the mold chamber, where the part is formed. The mold for the prototype slides into a feeding pin. The molded parts are sent and delivered to the clients soon after the run is finished.
Plastics can be formed using a variety of techniques, including vacuum forming, thermoforming, and pressure forming. There are differences between each type, but they all involve heating a plastic sheet and draping it over a mold while shaping the sheet with male plugs and air pressure. Almost all thermoplastics are available as sheets that can be utilized in the forming process. However, because forming is a single-sided operation, the tool surface can only exert control over one side of the plastic sheet. In general, the cost of tooling for forming procedures is less than that of injection molding, particularly for larger products of simpler design.
On-demand manufacturing has a considerable benefit for smaller manufacturers. However, as far as larger manufacturers are concerned, the current structure is most beneficial for them.
The development of technologies like 3D printing has made it feasible to produce materials in increasingly smaller quantities at a lower cost. Large minimum order quantities appear to be a thing of the past. It's also critical to be aware that the era of lead times is ending. On-demand manufacturing is effective when the vendor and customer systems are connected. Only when orders can be placed quickly does the system function.
As a result, both big and small businesses are currently present in the on-demand manufacturing sector. Now that they compete, the smaller businesses risk being quickly suffocated by the larger ones because of their larger networks, superior technology, and increased financial capability and size. Larger organizations also have better quality control, relationships, and broker liability.
Some of the industry players in on-demand manufacturing include:
One of the top firms for rapid prototyping is 3ERP. Specializing in CNC machining, vacuum casting, quick tooling, and sheet metal fabrication, 3ERP ensures that business designs and ideas become a reality in just a few days. Before their product is sent off for mass production, customers will have the chance to examine it in person to ensure that it is both functional and appealing. The knowledgeable staff at 3ERP also assists customers with every stage of product development, from design optimization to helping customers identify the best route for their particular manufacturing requirements. 3ERP prides itself on its expertise in rapid manufacturing, cutting-edge rapid prototyping technology, and infinite variety of materials.
Fast Radius is on a quest to improve logistics and production. They have integrated a Cloud Manufacturing Platform with their experienced workforce to make the entire process simpler and smarter. In addition, they are making their own new manufacturing technologies available so clients can make new things possible for the world.
Their factories offer production quality and speed on demand. To assist customers in producing better components faster, Fast Radius has an established infrastructure. Customers always have access to the resources, experience, and manufacturing partners they require to successfully complete their tasks, thanks to US production centers, microfactories, and partners worldwide.
Fictiv provides clients with access to a wide variety of capabilities through a single, user-friendly platform to free up more time for design innovation and spend less time on part procurement.
Fictive is capable of:
Hubs have a huge range of production capabilities and support both one-off prototyping and low-volume production, thanks to the hundreds of manufacturers in their network. They take pride in being the go-to supplier for intricately shaped parts or highly aesthetic components.
Hubs works closely with suppliers who have a track record of producing high-quality products thanks to the efforts of their local and international procurement teams. Order parts are immediately put into production at the most competitive pricing because their global network offers practically infinite capacity.
All components are thoroughly tested twice after production: Once at their manufacturing partners' facilities and once again at the Hubs quality control center in either Chicago or Amsterdam. Parts are passed through customs and dispatched from their facility to their destination within a 24-hour period. All 3D printed components are made locally, and only the manufacturing partner performs inspections. These transport directly to their target.
JawsTec is a firm that offers services for metal fabrication, CNC machining, and additive and subtractive manufacturing. They make quick prototyping accessible to inventors, engineers, and company owners while supplying huge corporations with parts through high-volume manufacturing. With partnerships with organizations like Tesla, Apple, BMW, Ford, Delta, and SpaceX, to mention a few, JawsTec has been able to make components for a variety of sectors.
After submitting their 3D model file, buyers may get real-time pricing from their rapid quotation engines. They take great pleasure in their rapid manufacturing, with most orders having turnaround periods of 4-5 days. We have some of the top industrial machinery in the business, able to create the highest quality components, thanks to their partnerships with HP, EOS, and HAAS.
By fusing basic elements, manufacturers produce things that are more than the sum of their parts. And at Katana, they envision a world in which people value software just as highly as the things they create. As facilitated by Katana, businesses are utilizing a combination of D2C and B2B sales channels to bring their manufacturing near to customers instead of outsourcing it to distant manufacturers. These contemporary firms are moving past traditional mass production, thus they want an operating system that accomplishes the same.
Currently, Katana is the only manufacturing ERP chosen to be a Shopify Plus certified partner and has secured $16 million from prestigious international VC investors that, like them, believe the sector deserves more respect. That respect is all about relieving lots of pressure away from manufacturers. They accomplish this with first-rate customer service, simple onboarding, and company software that advances businesses rather than restricts them.
One of the Southeastern United States' most rapidly expanding product design, engineering, prototype, and manufacturing firms is Kickr Design. Kickr Design provides free consultations and a free project estimate so clients can discreetly discuss their project with a qualified lead engineer and create the best strategy for getting what they need.
Protolabs' goal is to enable businesses to commercialize novel ideas by providing the world's quickest and most complete digital manufacturing solution. Protolabs takes pride in being one of the fastest sources in the world for rapid prototyping and on-demand production parts. Protolabs can produce commercial-grade plastic, metal, and liquid silicone rubber parts in a matter of days, thanks to their automated quoting and manufacturing processes. A manufacturing partner emerges as a result, helping companies hasten time to market and intelligently control demand fluctuations over the full product life cycle.
Thus, Protolabs leverages the digital market to:
They take pleasure in their capacity to satisfy their clients' manufacturing demands, regardless of the size or deadline of the project, as the creators of a comprehensive digital manufacturing platform that offers on-demand additive and traditional manufacturing services. And their commitment to innovative technology and fresh materials confirms their position as SLA and SLS pioneers. They deliver manufacturing services at the pace clients want and the quality clients demand, backed by their heritage and thorough understanding of the sector.
On-demand manufacturing is made simpler and faster via Rapid Direct. They provide on-demand, high-quality custom parts with expert prototyping and production capabilities. Online fast quotes, automated DFM analysis, and the delivery of high-quality parts all take place within seconds.
Rapid Direct can produce custom parts in huge volumes and on demand, and it can also produce parts with intricate geometrical patterns and demanding cosmetic specifications.
Choosing companies that not only have strong manufacturing skills but also quickly, effectively, and intelligently build complicated end-use parts is essential for maximizing the benefits of any on-demand manufacturing services. Rapid Direct meets these requirements.
Some of the biggest businesses in the world rely on Stratasys to help them stay one step ahead of their rivals. Global leaders in the automotive and aerospace industries, as well as cutting-edge medical startups and tech behemoths, can all operate more quickly, creatively, and affordably thanks to our tested technology. They offer decades of experience, consultancy, training, industry-leading printers and materials, end-to-end support, and workflow management.
Stratasys doesn't stop at the 3D printer itself because they offer end-to-end support. In addition, they offer a market-leading selection of materials, clever software integrations, and professional advice. Even items on demand can be printed for clients by their Stratasys Direct team.
Techpacker simplifies the process of creating samples enjoyable, simple, and inexpensive. How? by producing techpacks, a type of standard industrial document that firms utilize to grasp the precise specifications for a design. An online tool that enables budding fashion designers to quickly and accurately order samples from global factories With the aid of their technology, designers can quickly prepare their ideas or mock-ups for manufacture, collaborate with factories, and track progress.
They are not another factory-listing directory service but rather their goal is to provide the most cutting-edge collaboration tools possible, which can be easily used and connected with a variety of platforms. This enables designers to reliably rely on companies all across the world to produce high-quality samples of their innovative concepts.
WayKen is a quick manufacturer and prototyping business based in Shenzhen, China. It specializes in rapid prototyping and low-volume production of plastic and metal components, offering a one-stop shop from prototype to production.
WayKen has consistently maintained a strong competitive advantage because of cutting-edge production technologies and a highly qualified staff. Their manufacturing services, which include CNC machining, 3D printing, vacuum casting, fast tooling, and injection molding, are tailored to client unique product design requirements.
Users can instantly upload CAD models to Xometry Europe's Instant Quoting Engine to receive quotes and access a sizable global network of manufacturers. The largest custom manufacturing marketplace, Xometry, uses its own proprietary AI algorithms to match consumers with the best manufacturing demand solutions. From startups to Fortune 100 corporations, Xometry serves a diverse customer base by offering demand manufacturing and industrial supply materials.
With a global network of over 5,000 supplier manufacturing facilities, Xometry can provide a wide range of capabilities, including CNC machining, 3D printing, sheet metal fabrication, injection molding, die casting, stamping, extrusion, assembly, and urethane casting, all while maintaining consistently short lead times. BMW, Bosch, Dell Technologies, General Electric, and NASA are a few of Xometry's clients.
Thomas, a company focused on product procurement, supplier selection, and digital marketing, has announced that it would be acquired by the digital manufacturing marketplace Xometry (NASDAQ: XMTR). The $300 million purchase would enable Xometry to expand both its buyer and seller bases. Commenting on the acquisition, Randy Altschuler, the Xometry CEO said “Xometry and Thomas share a common mission of championing the digital transformation of the manufacturing industry, one of the largest sectors of the global economy and the foundation for innovation everywhere”. Tony Uphoff, the CEO of Thomas also stated that “In joining forces with Xometry, we’re uniting our products with the power of the Xometry marketplace so we can do even more for industry together.”
As of Q3 2021, Xometry reported having 26,187 active buyers, including over 30 Fortune 500 organizations. Now that it has its own internal marketing and data services, Xometry may expand the range of products it offers by including fintech and digital marketing items. This combines with the fact that it sells tools, which is unusual for a digital manufacturing marketplace, to make it a one-stop shop for products and services. In all likelihood, Xometry will end up becoming the Amazon of digital manufacturing. Additionally, Xometry provides raw materials and manufacturing equipment.
With its patented project management tools, technology, and teams, Zetwerk's Production Operating System promotes automation, transparency, and quality throughout the manufacturing process. Regardless of the product, specification, scale, or location, Zetwerk can double production demands overnight. In addition, its partner facilities and global supply network allow for fast scaling up and down of production.
A global industrial network called Zetwerk seeks to maximize effectiveness, quality, and value. Customers can lower the cost of new and used production parts, maximize the number of suppliers, and complete high-quality production more quickly thanks to its manufacturing capabilities. With real-time information consolidated for clients across project levels, Zetwerk gives customers total control over ongoing projects.
Additionally, consumers may easily access data on shipments, tracking, images of each project step, tax compliance, shipping documents, past-due or forthcoming payments, inspection reports, and in-depth analytics and insights into each stage of production. Zetwerk provides a wide variety of production solutions that guarantee the proper match for specifications at reasonable costs and lead times for everything from clothing to aviation engines. Zetwerk maximizes capacity, synchronizes capability, and transforms markets regardless of the demand for capital goods, consumer goods, or precision parts.
This chapter will discuss the advantages and disadvantages of on-demand manufacturing.
Nevertheless, the advantages of manufactured demand far outweigh its disadvantages.
Manufacturing on Demand (MOD), also referred to as on-demand manufacturing, is a concept that has only recently gained traction in the manufacturing sector. Products are only manufactured as needed and in the required quantities in an on-demand manufacturing system. It results in a big change in how engineers and buyers interact with suppliers, especially when it comes to products that are specially made for them.
The manufacturing industry's landscape has changed with the rise of cloud-based platforms and technologies. These platforms and technologies have the potential to eliminate quote delays, increase supplier management productivity, and improve order visibility throughout the supply chain—all managed in a convenient online platform that is accessible from anywhere.
Because of its improved flexibility and ability to make one-off orders, on-demand manufacturing typically removes the need to keep expensive inventory. It offers more possibilities for creating specialized, one-of-a-kind things.
It is vital to understand the merits and demerits of on-demand manufacturing in relation to an industry’s characteristics and capabilities in order to be effective and efficient.
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