3D printing service provider Shapeways has announced the growth of its Enterprise Manufacturing Solutions division. It has been awarded contracts from two Tier 1 suppliers in the automotive and transportation industries, signaling substantial growth for the company.
The recently acquired contracts for Shapeways are in support of long-term production programs, which are anticipated to generate over $2.8 million in annual revenue for the next seven years. This move serves as evidence of Shapeways’ dedication and expertise in collaborating with Tier 1 manufacturers to facilitate high-volume production for original equipment manufacturers (OEMs), says the company.
“Shapeways’ readiness to embrace and invest in emerging technologies and processes, tailoring solutions to meet our customers’ unique needs and requirements, sets the company apart,” said John Tenbusch, Sales Director, Automotive Vertical for Shapeways. “This commitment sends a clear signal to our partners that we’re more than a supplier – we’re a true partner sharing in their vision for the production of quality, high-performance parts.”
Production of injection molded parts
The first Tier 1 supplier contract was awarded by a major commercial trucking OEM to assume responsibility for producing injection-molded cab trim components. Regardless of possessing similar in-house capabilities, the OEM encountered capacity challenges, prompting it to select Shapeways to address its production needs.
The second Tier 1 contract was awarded by a leading global automotive OEM. Under the terms of the contract, Shapeways will be responsible for manufacturing interior paneling and trim for a specific line of medium-duty trucks. The decision to award the contract was driven by several key factors, including the supplier’s demonstrated commitment to obtaining the required equipment and its capacity to meet the production requirements, and strict deadlines associated with the production of injection-molded parts.
“Our emphasis on relationship building and responsiveness to customer needs has been the key to our success in these projects,” said Aidan O’Sullivan, General Manager of Enterprise Solutions for Shapeways. “The trust we build with our customers, through measures like sending our experts to visit their sites, ensures alignment and open communication, driving productive partnerships.”
Injection molding applications
Prototyping company Quickparts announced the introduction of a service that offered shipping as fast as same-day delivery. This achievement was made possible by leveraging novel manufacturing technologies, such as Nexa3D‘s high-speed resin 3D printers featuring Lubricant Sublayer Photo-curing (LSPc) technology. Quickparts also incorporated advanced injection molding technologies and CNC to enhance its service offerings. Ziad Abou, CEO of Quickparts said, “We are excited to bring our customers the speed and quality they need to meet today’s market demands.”
San Francisco-based manufacturing bureau Fictiv incorporated 3D visualization into its injection molding Design for Manufacturability (DFM) system. Fictiv claimed that its Digital Manufacturing Ecosystem delivered high-quality parts at unprecedented speed. According to the company, this improved software enabled complete automation of injection molding workflows, allowing clients to expedite new product design and reduce manufacturing risks and delays. The enhanced system integrated digital manufacturability issue tracking, part version control, and communication tools. The utilization of 3D visualization also significantly sped up the process of requesting, assessing, and reacting to injection molding DFM input by engineering teams and approving parts for production.
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Featured image shows Shapeways company logo. Image via Shapeways.
