EOS, a leading supplier of industrial 3-D printing solutions, has successfully completed a project it has undertaken with
Atlas Copco. By transitioning to in-house polymer-based additive manufacturing (AM) supplied by EOS, Atlas Copco has cut production costs by 30% and lead times by 92%. This has brought AM serial production of part manufacture in-house, shortened Atlas Copco’s supply chain and lowered its environmental impact.
Atlas Copco is a global leader in providing innovative technology, products, and solutions to many industrial sectors, including automotive, where it designs and produces over 70 types of self-piercing rivets, associated tooling and equipment for a range of automotive manufacturers. The company decided 18 months ago to ‘revolutionise’ its production by taking advantage of new market opportunities in sectors such as electric vehicles (EVs), by adopting 3-D printing technologies.
Jason Edwards, technical manager at Atlas Copco, said: “We wanted tighter control over our manufacturing that would lead to shorter lead times, lower costs, and the ability to rapidly prototype new products. Working with EOS’s Additive Minds division has given us a turnkey solution, and helped us adapt our processes such that we are now in serial production with several components, are rapidly prototyping hundreds more, and achieved return on investment (ROI) in only 18 months.”
EOS’s Additive Minds, which specialises in providing expert guidance, training, and education related to AM, was selected early for the project and worked closely with Atlas Copco’s team to provide a full solution beyond the physical machine, including cost per part analysis and data preparation. Consultation was provided on the best machine and workflows to support Atlas Copco’s current and future needs, including powder selection, colouring, design transfer and post-processing techniques.
EOS’s partner network gives customer access to certified partners that can support specialist aspects of their production lifecycle. Training programmes were also developed for all staff, as well as assisting with the transition and ramp-up to full polymer-based AM serial production.
High quality part productionAtlas Copco required a 3-D printer that would ensure reliable and repeatable high quality part production, and selected the EOS P 396 mid-size 3-D printer, a machine known for its flexibility, excellent mechanical properties and dimensional accuracy. With the ability to handle 14 materials and 26 parameter sets, it will support Atlas production today and new product designs far into the future.
This was combined with a DyeMansion DM60 colouring solution, selected through the EOS partner network, which allows powder material to be coloured for certain products. This would be used to highlight, for example, where certain safety equipment should be used by operators on automotive production lines.
The move to in-house 3-D printing has meant Atlas Copco needs fewer third party components and is no longer constrained by supply chain lead times and transport delays. This has cut Atlas Copco lead times from 6 to 12 weeks, down to three to four days (a massive 92% reduction), as well as reduced its environmental impact, as less transport is required to produce and deliver final components. It can also more precisely control production schedules, allowing it to be flexible and agile in helping customers with unplanned orders and urgent turnaround requirements.
AM serial production has made component production faster by reducing the supply chain, person-hours involved, and eliminating retooling delays. Atlas Copco has also cut waste from approximately 7% to near zero, due to the component accuracy and reliability, possible with the EOS P 396, something that could not be achieved with its previous traditional manufacturing methods. All in, this has reduced production costs by 30%, helping Atlas Copco to be more competitive and invest more time in new product innovations.
Costs less to manufactureAtlas Copco is now using an iterative prototyping process to transition its product inventory, while also developing new products, with a design freedom it has not experienced before. The team have weekly meetings to discuss design changes that can then move immediately to 3-D printed prototypes for testing. AM is also helping the team simplify products. One example is a spool carrier, which was previously a casting that had to be machined and assembled. The new design is now a considerably lighter single 3-D printed component that costs less to manufacture.
EOS’s Additive Minds has spent decades refining the processes that de-risk the transition to AM for companies. Through cost-analysis, product design support, training and deep experience across manufacturing in a wide range of vertical markets, EOS makes it possible for companies to free themselves from the shackles of traditional manufacturing methods.
Nathan Rawlings, sales manager at EOS UK, said: “This project shows how important the trust and collaboration is between all parties if a company is to embark on such a dramatic change to its core manufacturing business. No company should feel that it cannot transition to AM, and EOS helps organisations to make sure it is a success through strong communication, cooperation and a unified team spirit.”
Mr Edwards concluded: “AM has been transformative for us. We are winning new contracts around the world, because we can supply directly, at lower cost, and with shorter lead times. In EOS, we have a partner that has supported us throughout our transition, offers us rapid support, and continues to advise us on designing components to achieve the best result with our 3-D printer.”