The UK's definitive additive manufacturing event returns to the NEC Birmingham next week. TCT 3Sixty will deliver hands on demonstrations with around 200 3D printing products, and a free two-day conference programme featuring insights on AM adoption in defence, aerospace, healthcare and more. Here, we put some questions to Sherri Monroe (SM), Executive Director at the Additive Manufacturer Green Trade Association who will be speaking on the Innovation Stage about framing additive manufacturing and sustainability across the enterprise.
Sherri Monroe
TCT: Hi Sherri, you’ll be sharing approaches to evaluating environmental, economic, and strategic advantages of AM practices when integrated across the entire business enterprise. Why is now the right time to be having this conversation?
SM: The uncertainty of the last few months and really since the pandemic have really put a spotlight on new technologies and new business practices. The need has never been greater for more flexible, more nimble, and more resource efficient manufacturing and distribution. Organisations are focused on gaining more control over supply chains and enabling more circular practices for key materials. The set of technologies enabled by 3D-printing (additive manufacturing) are driving new strategies to better manage standing inventories, bring new designs to market sooner, be more responsive to shifting demand, reduce environmental impacts, and produce better economic performance.
TCT: You rightly point out that AM is not the answer to every manufacturing need but does provide significant potential when leveraged for its unique capabilities. Does prescribing AM value in terms of sustainability require a new way of thinking?
SM: Too often “sustainability” is viewed as a cost or a trade-off to economic viability - as a zero-sum game. When viewed as “resource efficiency” there is often a different perception. For manufacturing the resources to manage include material energy, and waste, but also time, capital, risk, and opportunity. Managing those resources successfully leads to both improved environmental AND economic outcomes. New business strategies that are not tied to traditional manufacturing constraints will take some time, more illustrative use-case studies, and more communication across the enterprise.
TCT: The AMGTA has been around for five years now. What would you say has been the most significant outcome so far?
SM: Yes! AMGTA is now five years along and making gains around the world and across industry sectors. Our membership has grown globally and includes additive technology developers and additive technology users. Through use-case studies, industry forums, engagement with our membership. And engaging both the AM sector and the broader manufacturing world we are reframing the understanding of how additive practices enable greater resource efficiency, better environmental outcomes, and increased economic viability.
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Exhibit at the UK's definitive and most influential 3D printing and additive manufacturing event, TCT 3Sixty.
TCT: What’s the most common sustainability misconception regarding AM that you continue to come up against?
SM: A mistake a see across the AM sector, whether comparing cost or environmental impact, is getting tied up in a part-to-part comparison. These comparisons nearly always only measure a portion of the lifecycle or fail to include adjacent impacts. For example, if a printed part costs 10% more than the traditional part but the traditional part has a minimum order or production quantity of 100, does the one part in comparison include the cost of all 100 or at least a portion of the cost to warehouse the other 99? Does it include the eventual obsolescence of some of those warehoused parts? Often the savings is not in the part produced and used, but in the parts not (over)produced and scrapped
TCT: In one sentence, why should visitors come to this talk?
SM: Whether sustainability is a primary focus or a fortunate unintended consequence of better practices, it can be an important aspect of the value proposition whether selling AM technologies and materials or advocating for greater adoption within an organisation. Better understanding and communicating those enterprise-wide benefits is how we will see greater adoption of AM and better outcomes. Let’s continue the conversation!
TCT 3Sixty will take place on 4-5th June at the NEC Birmingham. Register for your free ticket and start planning your agenda with the TCT event app.
