As the saying goes “Necessity is the mother of invention”, and there have been few other periods in living memory when manufacturers have felt as much need to be inventive than during the COVID pandemic. Such has been the scale of the disruption to supply chains, staffing levels and consumer preferences that businesses worldwide have been forced to make stark choices, to adapt quickly to survive.
The disruption to supply chains has perhaps had the biggest impact on a global scale, as even countries that had managed to avoid the worst impact of the virus itself, still found themselves unable to source components from their usual suppliers.
One technology that has helped manufacturers overcome some of these unprecedented challenges is additive manufacturing. The unique ability to bypass supply chains and create the component at the location it is required has proven hugely valuable during a time when movement and logistics have been severely restricted.
While additive manufacturing has existed for decades, its use outside prototype applications has been slow to develop, but the past two years have provided some impetus and highlighted additive manufacturing’s readiness for industrialisation.
At Formnext 2021 in Germany, Hexagon launched the ‘I AM’ campaign, which stands for Industrialising Additive Manufacturing. It was an opportunity for us to showcase our end-to-end solutions for industrialising additive manufacturing and also speak with thought leaders within the industry on topics including the impact of COVID, as you can see in the video below:
We have also published a new whitepaper which provides a clear snapshot of where AM technology is right now and where it can be taken next with the introduction of smart manufacturing technology. Download it here and discover how Hexagon’s solutions can transform the industry and your manufacturing.
