UPS Boosts Commitment to 3-D On-Demand Printing
May 18 2016 - 12:30AM
Dow Jones News
By Laura Stevens
United Parcel Service Inc. is stepping up its entry into the 3-D
on-demand printing market, linking its network of printers and
joining forces with software provider SAP SE to create an
end-to-end industrial manufacturing process.
UPS last year rolled out 100 industrial-grade 3-D printers to
make everything from iPhone gizmos to brackets for paper towel
dispensers at its major air hub in Louisville, Ky., in partnership
with 3-D manufacturer Fast Radius. The strategic location allows
items to be printed, walked across the runway and sent overnight to
customers -- a process that can take less than 24 hours.
In a deepening commitment to that program, UPS is linking the
3-D printers in more than 60 of its UPS Stores with its hub in
Kentucky, creating a "digital manufacturing network," according to
Alan Amling, a vice president with UPS Supply Chain Solutions.
Integrating with SAP's supply chain software will make it easier
for big industrial companies to order parts. It will allow them to
automatically determine whether a part is 3-D printable, and, if
so, whether it makes financial sense to print it.
After that, the part will be printed at the best location within
UPS's 3-D printing network. For example, a prototype for a
customized iPhone case would likely be printed at the store closest
to the manufacturer, while a big batch of industrial replacement
parts would likely go to Louisville.
UPS is providing "added flexibility into the network to send
that manufacturing request to the most appropriate place," Mr.
Amling said.
UPS has said it expects 3-D printing to grow quickly from what
is now a niche manufacturing segment, allowing companies to test
out prototypes, develop new designs or order a handful of
replacement parts out of production.
Mr. Amling said UPS still plans to expand its industrial
printing capabilities internationally as soon as this year.
Write to Laura Stevens at laura.stevens@wsj.com
(END) Dow Jones Newswires
May 18, 2016 00:15 ET (04:15 GMT)
Copyright (c) 2016 Dow Jones & Company, Inc.
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