How bridge manufacturing provides critical parts on-demand

Optimizing the supply chain is a huge lever and potential for Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) to increase profitability. Reducing inventory costs by just-in-time delivery has been, for many years, the main focus of supply chain management.

However, the outbreak of the COVID 19 pandemic in the early 2020 and the subsequent closing of boarders have clearly revealed the limits of planning scenarios. Well balanced global supply chains were affected severely and achieved cost-benefits were quickly eaten up by last minute air freight tariffs to supply a key customer or other emergency measures. A solution is needed that allows higher flexibility of supply chains without loosing the hardly achieved efficiency.

A solution to potential future disruption lies in so called bridge manufacturing. Using additive technologies, needed parts can be produced to bridge the gap during times of shortage or between protyping and product launch. By this, companies can increase flexibility and agility while in the same time reducing costs.

In this whitepaper, three different ways of bridge manufacturing are discussed in more detail. To successfully integrate bridge manufacturing into your supply chain,  you will learn more about useful technologies and how to estabilish 3D printing, also known as additive manufacturing, as an digital and on-demand manufacturing technology.