module_11_projects_McFadden

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Industrial Engineering

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Feb 20, 2024

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Module 11 Project 3: Supply chain management, or SCM, is a field that serves to gain immensely as a result of the introduction of both 3D printing and 4D printing. 3D printing, which stands for three- dimensional printing, is a manufacturing process that takes a digital model of an object and turns it into a physical product. This is done by breaking the model down into layers that are then created and built on top of each other. 4D printing is simply a more complex form of 3D printing. The objects assembled in 4D printing are programmed to be able to change due to external factors. Supply chain management benefits from 3D and 4D printing through a multitude of ways, for example, manufacturing times are reduced, designs can be created and tested quicker, and the resources used are for the most part, reusable. All three of these are very useful when it comes to managing the resources and goods of a company, which makes it very tightly linked with the supply chain. Products will get out quicker due to the reduced manufacturing time and less resources will be needed due to quicker design processes and resource reusability. Two companies now using 3D printing in their manufacturing are Volkswagen and Medtronic. Volkswagen has used 3D printing primarily in the production of parts. They even go as far as to use newer, less conventional forms of 3D. The primary form they use is known as binder jetting which uses an adhesive in the binding process to allow the metal to be heated and bent into the intended shape. Doing so allows them to create parts using cheaper resources and less energy. Besides 3D printing being cost-effective for the company, another advantage is that the parts weigh less than ones made using traditional sheet streel. This allows for the cars to be more fuel efficient. As a result, this saves both the consumer and the company money allowing for two key advantages to come out of Volkswagen’s use of 3D printing. Another company benefiting from 3D printing is Medtronic. Although a lesser known brand than Volkswagen their

impact is quite large. Medtronic’s primary use of 3D printing technology is the creation of titanium implants and tools for surgeries. Titanium implants cannot be produced in large quantities. Everyone’s bodies are different and need different sizes and shapes of implants made specifically for them. This makes 3D printing perfect for the job. 3D printing can create implants with speed and precision, greatly reducing the overall stress on the company’s supply chain that would get bogged down with large and timely orders. The other benefit that Medtronic sees is that of the creation of surgical models for practice. Ordering these can be expensive and creating them can be time consuming. 3D printing allows for more of these to be created and for more people to be able to practice on them. As seen in the two example companies that I shared, 3D printing affects a wide range of company’s and aids them greatly in not only SCM but everyday operations. 4D printing is a growing type of 3D printing that so far has very restricted use cases which usually sticks to research done by universities and medical centers and to military developments. The applications of 4D printing by universities and medical centers mainly centers around the creation of realistic, life-like tissues that closely resemble human tissue. This tissue allows researchers to sustainably and humanely source accurate research materials in ways that were not accessible before. This allows for future doctors and nurses to have more in-depth, hands-one experience and it also clears up ethical concerns. The military on the other hand has been very applied in the research of 4D printing and using it. One advantage they have using 4D printing is discovering better ways of creating ventilation to protect against toxic gases. They can manufacture materials that better filter these harmful toxins to help our soldiers have the upper hand in a combat scenario. One of the most highly publicized use-cases by the military is that of self-altering camouflage. Although not fully created yet, the military aims to fund research that

intends to create a type of camouflage that changes depending on the environment that it is in. This would of course take a lot of money to implement, but it could save money in the long run and reduce the need for a multitude of different uniforms with different camouflage types.

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