Need Parts? These Additive Manufacturers Are Ready to Help
Disrupted supply chains are just one more effect of the coronavirus pandemic. These 3D printing service providers are ready to help fill production gaps with parts, tooling and prototypes.
Share
Read Next
The coronavirus pandemic is now having an effect on daily life in the United States. Many states are implementing emergency measures, postponing elections, closing restaurants and other gathering places, and asking citizens to adhere to social distancing guidelines. In the additive manufacturing world, we’ve seen travel restrictions, businesses limiting visitors and reducing numbers of on-site staff, and AMUG and RAPID postponed.
But for many U.S. companies, production needs to continue — in spite of new personnel restrictions and in light of potential supply chain challenges that may be ongoing. OEMs and businesses that can’t receive parts or don’t have access to tooling to make products in the U.S. could face shortages and experience production gaps, on top of everything else.
Fortunately, 3D printing can be part of the solution. A 3D printer requires only the file (which can cross borders easily) and the right material to make a part. There is no tooling necessary, and therefore no retooling. It may not be a 1-1 match for the original part, but 3D printing can be a speedy, local solution to potential supply chain gaps.
If you need parts, tooling or prototypes, consider reaching out to a 3D printing service provider near you. Many of these companies have reverse engineering capabilities to help even if the needed item is a spare or broken component. Additive Manufacturing has a supplier directory (see the tab at the top of this page) that includes parts and tooling services; I recently used this data to create a public Google Map that shows service providers across the United States. You can access the map here or embedded below.
(While this project started with information from our website, service bureaus can now submit their own information through an online form. If you see something missing, please fill in the Google Form here. I will update the map with new information as frequently as I can.)
Related Content
-
How to Build 10,000+ Shot Molds in Hours
Rapid tooling isn’t so rapid when it takes days to 3D print a metal mold, and then you still must machine it to reach the necessary tolerances. With Nexa3D’s polymer process you can print a mold in hours that is prototype or production ready and can last for more than 10,000 shots.
-
How Siemens Energy Applies Additive Manufacturing for Power Generation and More
At an applications center in Orlando, Florida, a small team of AM specialists is spanning industries by 3D printing parts to support both Siemens Energy power generation systems and external customers.
-
New Electric Dirt Bike Is Designed for Molding, but Produced Through 3D Printing (Includes Video)
Cobra Moto’s new all-electric youth motocross bike could not wait for mold tooling. Parts have been designed so they can be molded eventually, but to get the bike to market, the production method now is additive manufacturing.