All manufacturing industries rely on spare parts, and they’ve all seen massive changes in the shift to 3D printing spare parts.
Scanning: Older machines that need long-discontinued parts can keep operating through 3D printing & scanning. 3D scanners can make a digital version of an existing part to then reproduce using 3D printers. This has applications for older industrial machinery, transit fleets of older vehicles, and classic car hobbyists. 3D scanning can also reproduce parts that would otherwise need expensive casting moulds.
Stock management: With 3D printing, you can shift to digital inventory (3D models stored on servers) and simplify your spare parts management system. This reduces your costs for physical inventory storage. 3D printing can also synchronise with other inventory management techniques like computerised maintenance management systems (CMMS), which automatically order product inventory based on demand.
Faster, smaller orders: 3D printing enables rapidly faster production times and makes smaller batches more economical. This improves the costs, customisability, and lead times of orders.
Versatility: 3D printing can make shapes and features that are otherwise exceedingly expensive, or even impossible, to produce with traditional manufacturing. This can mean creative ways to restore life to machines.