Digitalisation of Supply Chain in Swedish Additive Manufacturing

Additive manufacturing facilitates the manufacture of complex products with greatly reduced weights, the consolidation of subcomponents and increased production flexibility, including through shorter retooling times. Digitisation in combination with additive manufacturing opens up new possibilities for digital inventory, for example spare parts, real-time quality assurance monitoring and increased automation, as well as digitalisation along the full length of the value chain. Project results will be visualised, including in the form of a number of demonstrators during the project period.

Production in DiSAM will primarily take place using the following facilities and techniques:

• RISE IVF – SLM
• RISE KIMAB – EBM
• Chalmers University of Technology – SLM
• Halmstad University – FDM, SLA
• University West– DED, EBM
• Digital Metal – Binder jetting

Through DiSAM, companies will be able to evaluate additive manufacturing as a production method with the potential to reduce lead times, provide quick and easy adaption, create innovative products and maintain traceability throughout the manufacturing chain.

Background

Despite the level of activity in the field of additive manufacturing over recent years, both for the development of prototypes and for production equipment and end products, current applications are relatively limited. In order for the technology to make a major impact, escalation is required in a number of different industries/sectors where it can offer major advantages and have a positive impact on the competitiveness of Swedish industry. In order to establish additive manufacturing as a production method, a testbed is required where companies can evaluate the technology prior to implementing it in their own production processes. DiSAM creates just such a platform, where various experts contribute their facilities and competences in order to jointly meet industry requirements.