DiSC: Digital supply chains through additive manufacturing

The challenge

Many companies struggle with the challenge of identifying tangible and realistic business models that effectively reduce costs, shorten lead times, and enhance sustainability within their supply chains. This often involves navigating complex logistics, integrating new technologies, and and rethinking traditional manufacturing processes – all while maintaining operational efficiency. Finding effective solutions in these areas is crucial for maintaining competitiveness and driving long-term success in a rapidly evolving market.

The solution

For many years, RISE has been at the forefront of supporting companies with business cases and scenarios within the digital supply chain. We have expertise in qualitative methods to create realistic and relevant decision scenarios, facilitating the transition from physical transport to a more digital demand-driven supply chain.

Today, additive manufacturing is maturing rapidly from being a tool for visualization and prototyping to industrial manufacturing of components and products. The shift towards large-scale industrial additive manufacturing presents opportunities for new business models and enhanced supply chains, transportation, and logistics. Additive manufacturing enables a demand-driven circular production process that can be relocated closer to the customer through distribution centers, regional hubs, dealers/workshops, or factory-in-a-box concepts.

Six levels of transport digitalization

RISE has identified six levels of transport digitalization, each with unique characteristics and implications for the supply chain. Leveraging our proven methodology and simulation tools, we calculate the value of these scenarios in terms of time, cost, and sustainability.

To determine which products are suitable for additive manufacturing, it is essential to consider both technical and business selection criteria. Currently, technical criteria often dominate, such as complexity of design, the need for reduced weight, and potential for component consolidation. RISE will provide the technical expertise necessary for this selection process.

To achieve the objectives the following main tasks will be executed:

1. Build joint team and share knowledge
2. Identify spare parts with AM potential
3. Supply chain analysis
4. Calculate business case and sustainability gains
5. Recommendation and next step

The delivery

The main delivery will be a dedicated business case with realistic and relevant decision scenarios, showing:

• 1-3 components from your company's spare part catalogue suitable for 3D printing
• A supply chain scenario with regionalised printing for selected spare parts
• A business case including sustainability benifits for the selected spare parts and potential for identified spare part categories
• Suggested next step

Are you interested?