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Developments in rapid prototyping
technologies are moving quickly with several different processes
now commercially available.
The technology which speedily
transforms three-dimensional computer-aided design models into
physical models began in 1988 with stereolithography. Now tooling
can be manufactured without using secondary processes for more
functional prototypes. And by 2010 it should be possible to manufacture
metal components directly, removing the need for tooling.
The technology has tremendous
strategic potential, with the possibility of eliminating production
tooling and providing effective alternatives to traditional machining
processes such as milling.
Stereolithography and other
rapid prototyping processes are beginning to be used more in
industry to reduce the time and cost involved in creating prototype
components and tooling. Reported time savings range form 60 to
80 percent, depending on the complexity of the parts.
Over the past eight years,
annual world wide sales of rapid prototyping units have grown
to over 700 units per year. Annual unit sales are predicted to
grow even more significantly over the coming years as more manufacturing
companies begin to understand what the technology can offer.
Applications of these new technologies
has found favour in both large and small firms. Many small companies,
and some of the larger ones, gain access to the technology through
the use of rapid prototyping bureaux, which make up a large share
of the market for new rapid prototyping machines.
New information and manufacturing
technologies are often perceived as a means of improving upon
current practices, for example, by saving time or reducing costs.
Rapid prototyping technologies are no exception to this rule.
However, over the past 15 years,
many new technologies that have often provided the opportunity
to radically modify accepted business practices or they have
offered the potential to enable entirely new approaches. The
internet and the world wide web are a more recent example of
this phenomena.
Commonly, innovative aspects
of new technology have not been fully exploited, or they have
been slowly understood by firms. Rapid prototyping processes
are examples of new manufacturing technologies that give industry
with the potential to break with accepted practices, and an opportunity
for firms to innovate and gain a competitive advantage over their
rivals.
Several business objectives
can be significantly improved by using the technologies. These
include time to market for new products; product quality; customer
focus; manufacturing flexibility; new product development and
manufacturing costs; and manufacturing lead times.
But the key to applying these
technologies for competitive advantage lies in innovative use.
This involves using the technologies not only to deliver improvements,
but also to enable new things which previously might have been
impossible or uneconomic.
Whilst the pursuit of time
and cost reductions are both clearly necessary business objectives,
it is evident that by using rapid prototyping in more innovative
ways, firms can derive more significant benefits.
Included in these innovative
applications are: the development of new analysis and testing
procedures; manufacture of production tooling; improving communications
across product divisions; and supporting customized manufacturing.
Rapid prototyping technologies
must be viewed as enablers of new business strategies. Firms
should therefore be looking at fundamental issues and addressing
how they can apply the technologies to support expansion into
new markets, to increase market share, to differentiate from
competitors, to modify the basis of competition, and to develop
more innovative products.
These innovative applications
are important to the successful and cost-effective use of the
technologies. But, given the high capital costs of some rapid
prototyping machines, and the hidden costs such as maintenance
agreements, organizational changes, CAD system upgrades, etc,
it may be the case that it will be seen as financially viable
only when these wider potential benefits are taken into account.
Technology can no longer be
viewed just as a means of implementing strategies. All new strategies
need to be formulated while taking into account the potential
of new technologies. This is a two-way relationship, and not,
as we have often viewed it before, a one-way street.
Any company contemplating investing
in these new technologies should undertake strategic, technical
and organizational assessment so that they better understand
the issues, the actual costs and the full range of potential
benefits. The strategic and supply chain management issues surrounding
the use of rapid prototyping bureaux also need to be explored.
The process used to evaluate
and implement the technologies needs to be responsive to the
continuing technological change in this field. The technologies
and organizational structures selected and implemented must be
easily reconfigured to accommodate new developments.
Companies that are already
using these technologies would benefit from reassessing the strategic,
organizational and supply chain management issues surrounding
their current applications.
The strategic, organizational,
cost/benefit and implementation issues surrounding rapid prototyping
are explored in detail in a management
report to be published this month. For further details contact
Paul Kidd, Phone: +44 (0)1625 619313; Fax: +44 (0)1625 619060;
e-mail: enquire41@cheshirehenbury.com |