Velocity is now a top quality metric and additive manufacturing for {hardware} improvement is a key driver. In {hardware}, day-after-day and week of delay means missed income, misplaced benefit and rising prices. Engineering groups are beneath stress to maneuver quicker, construct smarter and keep resilient in a risky provide chain. The query shouldn’t be whether or not to innovate — it’s easy methods to do it with out including danger, overhead or delay.
That’s the place we are available in.
The start of accessible 3D printing
The primary iPhone was launched in 2007 and instantly reshaped cell telephony, cell computing, digital pictures and music consumption. Quick ahead to 2025 and the most recent iPhone continues to be clearly a part of the identical household. The shape is acquainted… however the capabilities are unrecognisably superior.
Additionally in 2007, within the Incubator at Philips in Eindhoven, we have been prototyping one thing of our personal. That prototype formally launched as Shapeways in 2008. Identical to the iPhone, our origins are nonetheless seen in what we do at the moment. At launch our tagline was “Enthusiastic about creating” — and that is still as true as ever.
Again then, what individuals created regarded very completely different: a world away from what we’d name additive manufacturing for {hardware} improvement. In 2008 many shoppers customised so-called ‘gentle poems’ by the Shapeways Creator, or uploaded fashions in-built Blender and Google SketchUp. Designs have been easier, the processes simpler — even the renderings regarded primary by at the moment’s requirements. However the essence was there: a brand new means of making, open to anybody.
Classes realized from thousands and thousands of elements
Within the years that adopted we manufactured thousands and thousands of elements, throughout each conceivable class of utility. Simply because the iPhone developed from a novelty system into the central instrument of recent life, our platform grew from an early experiment into an engine that powers severe {hardware} programmes.
Each half that we’ve constructed has taught us one thing about course of management, design for manufacturability and high quality assurance. We realized easy methods to function on the velocity of our shoppers, guarantee repeatable output and ship anyplace on this planet. Every iteration sharpened our understanding of the place variability hides so we are able to remove it or account for it. Briefly, it’s set us as much as lead manufacturing of the subsequent era of {hardware}.
What started as a platform for makers has developed and diversified. By way of Thangs, our expertise and fervour continues to be dropped at bear for designers and customers, with a greater expertise than ever earlier than. However we’ve additionally grow to be a trusted companion for world engineering-led companies. Right now as Shapeways we focus squarely on serving to {hardware} firms convey merchandise to market quicker with much less danger and decrease value.
This implies industrial-grade requirements, dependable documentation, programme-level help and a group devoted to serving to firms transfer from prototype to manufacturing with confidence. It means being within the particulars of producing so that you simply don’t must be.
The 4 pillars of additive manufacturing for {hardware} improvement
Our evolution is anchored round 4 core pillars that instantly deal with the wants of recent {hardware} companies.
- Manufacturing and provide chain agility
Risky demand and provide chain disruption at the moment are the norm. Merchandise have compressed lifecycles, with extra SKUs and shorter in-use lives. By way of versatile routing throughout a number of applied sciences and entry to distributed manufacturing choices, we assist firms reply quicker, scale back stock and reduce lead occasions dramatically. - Mass customisation
The explosion of SKUs and demand for customer-specific variants makes conventional tooling inefficient. We allow configure-to-order merchandise with out the burden of tooling or minimal order portions. Digital workflows and digital stock make mass customisation commercially viable. - Lifecycle administration
At each stage of the product lifecycle, we offer well timed options that allow you to deal with your online business — from prototyping to short-run manufacturing, scaling as much as collection manufacturing and administration of spare elements for in-service {hardware}. - Sustainable sourcing
Sustainability is barely sustainable when it’s tied to enterprise targets. With tool-less manufacturing, materials effectivity and the flexibility to digitise spare elements, we help lowered waste, smarter logistics and the pliability wanted to handle industrial and environmental sustainability.
“Make what you want, while you want it, the place it is smart.”
Proof in observe
- Quicker validation: we assist engineering groups compress prototype cycles, lock designs earlier and save weeks of delay
- Digital spares: we allow firms to digitise long-tail SKUs, probably eliminating expensive tooling whereas bettering service ranges
- Customized enclosures and fixtures: our workflows help customised elements that scale back meeting occasions and streamline operations
Throughout industries the outcomes are constant — shorter timelines, decrease prices and extra resilient provide chains.
What this implies for producers now
For engineering and operations leaders, the message is easy: you do not want to personal machines to entry industrial grade additive manufacturing for {hardware} improvement. Begin with a single programme — whether or not it’s a prototype-to-pilot run or digitising spare elements — and scale as confidence and information accumulate.
Formnext is the proper second to discover what that would imply for your online business. Meet us there and let’s discuss your subsequent era {hardware} and discover how additive manufacturing may also help ease your product improvement.
Our management group can be on the present flooring for the occasion. If you’re discovering that conventional manufacturing is not serving your initiatives, e book time with our CEO or COO to debate a quicker, extra versatile future.
E book at assembly with us right here.
Seventeen years on from our launch, you possibly can nonetheless see our roots — however identical to the iPhone, our capabilities are wildly completely different. The objective stays the identical although: to make creating simpler, quicker and extra highly effective than ever earlier than.
