How to digitalize spare part business
Kousa, Janne (2019)
Julkaisun pysyvä osoite on
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:amk-2019051510050
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:amk-2019051510050
Tiivistelmä
This Master’s Thesis concentrates on explaining the possibility to utilize 3D printing in Small or Medium size Enterprises (SME) and by that to digitalize the spare parts process.
This Thesis is focused on mainly 3D printing of metal parts from which the author has most experience and on the other hand which has not been researched as much as 3D printing plastic parts.
Traditionally 3D printing has been seen only as prototyping method and something that needs specific Engineering practises. This Thesis is explaining that it is also possible to perform analysis to existing parts as well and not only to be bound to new parts that are created originally for 3D printing as manufacturing method.
Even if the results for finding partnering companies and to print a sample part for them, it was clearly seen during the interviews that the topic is interesting, and it raised a lot of questions inside companies that are producing small batch size parts with special requirements either from material or technological side.
The practical result from the Thesis is one 3D printed part as sample and discussion on its economical feasibility. It is clear that not every part can be realistically 3D printed, but there are already real-life samples that show the potential of 3D printing as suitable manufacturing method with economical feasibility.
As a final closure, there is a chapter which explains possible scenarios on creating business proposal on 3D printing spare parts, and this is also the area where future research should also be concentrated on.
This Thesis is focused on mainly 3D printing of metal parts from which the author has most experience and on the other hand which has not been researched as much as 3D printing plastic parts.
Traditionally 3D printing has been seen only as prototyping method and something that needs specific Engineering practises. This Thesis is explaining that it is also possible to perform analysis to existing parts as well and not only to be bound to new parts that are created originally for 3D printing as manufacturing method.
Even if the results for finding partnering companies and to print a sample part for them, it was clearly seen during the interviews that the topic is interesting, and it raised a lot of questions inside companies that are producing small batch size parts with special requirements either from material or technological side.
The practical result from the Thesis is one 3D printed part as sample and discussion on its economical feasibility. It is clear that not every part can be realistically 3D printed, but there are already real-life samples that show the potential of 3D printing as suitable manufacturing method with economical feasibility.
As a final closure, there is a chapter which explains possible scenarios on creating business proposal on 3D printing spare parts, and this is also the area where future research should also be concentrated on.