Setting up an Additive Manufacturing (AM) pilot factory
Setting up an Additive Manufacturing (AM) pilot factory
Sustainable value created
- An in-depth look at the local and global developments of the AM metal industry
- An understanding of the barriers and needs of the AM metal industry’s stakeholders
- Long term vision and clear roadmap with milestones for the pilot plant’s start-up
- Identification of key partnerships, key plant leaders, and appropriate investors
Project Scope
Several governmentally supported parties collaborated to set up an Additive Manufacturing industrial vision. This initiative sought to promote AM certification as well as accelerate industrialization and integration. The Hudicor team provided supportive consultancy to achieve this.
The challenge
It is clear that stimulation is needed in the manufacturing industry in Flanders as most of it shrank in the first 15 years of the 2000s. In order to meet this need, efforts are being made today to develop Industry 4.0 and in particular Metal AM, which has the potential to affect a wide range of industries.
The current landscape of 3D printing activities is very scattered and end users perceive the Metal AM market segment as very fragmented and closed. The challenge is to create an open metal AM ecosystem by developing a vision and strategy en Center of Excellence Pilot Factory for metal additive manufacturing.
Hudicor’s approach
The first step in the Hudicor’s process was to explore the current metal 3D printing practices and challenges for the larger industrial manufacturing companies. The team also conducted many interviews with various stakeholders within the AM industry to gain a good understanding of perceived barriers and needs.
Using this information and Hudicor’s experience in industry 4.0, a roadmap was developed to take it to the next level: the concept of a pilot factory the plant, including the funding sources, key partnerships and capabilties needed.
It is a privilege to have the opportunity to help accelerate the introduction of Metal Additive Manufacturing in the Belgian industrial sector.
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