The IEN editorial team recently returned from a full week at IMTS, the International Manufacturing Technology Show, in Chicago. The bi-annual event – produced by AMT (the Association for Manufacturing Technology) – brought in more than 89,000 registered attendees and thousands of exhibitors.
And while hot topics covered everything from robotics and machining to software and AI, a whole range of solutions around additive manufacturing (or, 3D printing) dominated the display floor.
It can be hard to tell the full story behind the value evolution of 3D printing, but a recent report from Ford and additive manufacturing technology firm – FormLabs – does a good job of detailing an application with immediate ROI.
The two firms teamed up to incorporate new tools in the design process – specifically relating to the development of the new Explorer model in Cologne, Germany.
FormLabs says increasingly shorter development cycles have led to Ford leveraging its PD Merkenich’s Rapid Technology Center, in creating rapid prototypes for product development.
Sandro Piroddi, Supervisor of the Rapid Technology Center, Ford, said that vehicle development with electrification in mind means timelines are getting shorter. “That means the time you have to develop parts and verify parts of vehicles is getting shorter and therefore it’s very important to have this technology in the development process. It makes you much more competitive compared to competitors,” said Piroddi.
Using Formlabs’ latest MSLA 3D printer, Ford’s development team has used additive manufacturing to quickly validate the design of many exterior and interior parts.
“Some years ago it was days, now we are just printing parts in some minutes,” said Bruno Alves, Additive Manufacturing Expert and Tooling Specialist at Ford. “So the engineers are not afraid to make new designs, new iterations, because they know now that they will get the parts very fast.” The workshop also operates a large suite of SLS 3D printers that are used for testing mechanical parts.
Leveraging 3D printing might have further payback beyond speeding development time. Countless studies have suggested that the youngest generation of workers are inclined to prioritize careers in which they are able to utilize the latest technologies. Not to mention, bottlenecks are a big no-no: According to the Workforce Institute, a third of Gen Z employees come in with the expectation that their organizations provide them with modern technology. And one in five say they won’t tolerate bad experiences at all.
Taken in the context of the manufacturing industry’s stubborn worker shortage: you might not have a chance to explain why your processes omit the most modern tools; these young workers, perhaps, won’t give you a second look.
This year, IMTS said nearly 70 exhibitors created education-oriented booths and interactive events for students attending the show. For many years, IMTS has invited local student groups to attend for free, but more recently it’s built upon a program – in partnership with SME – called the “Smartforce Student Summit.” IMTS says, as an increasing number of the nation’s youth consider manufacturing careers, the Summit serves “to inspire students to seek an education in STEM that leads to a career pathway in manufacturing.” Displays emphasize interaction, and heavily focus on digital manufacturing technologies, in an attempt to appeal to students ages K-16.
According to Greg Jones, director of strategic programs and partnerships, SME, “This year, we designed the experience to provide students with a sense of belonging in our industry, providing them with engaging, hands-on exhibits that will encourage them to seek an education in STEM and career pathways in our industry.”
Gen Z is here, and their expectations are high, which means these career pathways must also be enticing, fulfilling and low-stress.
What better way to appeal to the new generation of workers than modifying a process that once took months so it now takes days?
Just ask Ford.
The company recently published its “Further with Ford” report – an annual survey of trends the automaker uses to understand the evolution of consumer and business trends.
They said that while the majority of survey respondents report feeling connected to their roles at work, they “acknowledge that a stressful job simply isn’t worth it.” To this end, they say they’d trade 20% of their pay for better work-life balance.
And as IMTS hoped to impress upon its youthful attendees at this year’s Smartforce Student Summit: better work-life balance starts at work. For the Fords of the world, intent on making work processes better, there may be more ways than one to measure success.