Digital Technologies Help Manufacture Hear Better Results - IndustryWeek

A big part of creating a competitive advantage? Being able to repeatedly deliver cutting edge products in a timely manner. Understandably this is not an easy task in an environment where digital technology runs rampant. After all, the manufacturing industry is undergoing a significant transformation; fueled by seamless access to data as well as powerful manufacturing tools such as additive manufacturing solutions.

ACS Custom, a UK-based digital production house for custom hearing protection, in-ear monitors, and other communication devices is a prime example.  ACS has revolutionized its workflow with 3D Systems’ Figure 4 direct digital solution. ACS Custom’s bespoke solution – comprised of Figure 4 PRO-BLK 10, Figure 4 standalone, 3D sprint software and application engineering services – is accelerating its product development cycle for enhanced time to market and competitive advantage. As a result of this direct digital production workflow, ACS has realized a 4X increase in capacity and 2X increase in efficiency while reducing material consumption by 50% and labor cost by as much as 80% on one part.ACS produces this two pin comms adaptor for in-ear communication headsets using 3D Systems’ Figure 4 Direct Digital Production solution. The part comprises a central body and two end caps - one houses a 3.5mm stereo socket, the other includes spring contacts to work with the two pin connector from the radio. A very fine pitch metric thread is printed into the parts and they are functional without any special post-processing or thread cutting required.ACS Custom

“Figure 4 technology has been an integral part of our workflow for the past two years,” said Andy Shiach, managing director, ACS Custom. “Through collaboration with 3D Systems’ team, we’ve been able to maximize the technology’s role in our business and have elevated our company to a whole new level. The unique solution was designed specifically for our application and has helped us dramatically increase production capacity and efficiency as well as unparalleled surface finish to deliver high-quality products to our customers.”

ACS built its business around a 100% digital workflow that provides customers with quick access to one-of-a-kind articles. 3D Systems’ team worked closely with the team at ACS Custom to understand their specific application needs which resulted in a direct digital production solution.

At the core of this solution is 3D Systems’ Figure 4 PRO-BLK 10 material – the company’s first photopolymer for additive manufacturing that exhibits thermoplastic behaviors, providing a combination of speed, accuracy, strength, and durability previously only associated with injection molding output. This material has unique and compelling properties that represent significant improvements in first-time print yield, heat deflection, UV stability, durability, flexibility, and impact strength, while also enabling new biocompatible and direct digital production workflows such as the one designed for ACS. Figure 4 PRO-BLK 10’s material properties – which include being biocompatible capable per ISO10993-5 and ISO10993-10 - results in a long-wear device that enables enhanced sound transmission and quality.

ACS Custom is using 3D Systems’ Figure 4 Standalone 3D printer to take products from concept to prototype and final product. The Figure 4 platform is well-suited to these types of custom production applications that require rapid turnaround. The combination of Figure 4 PRO-BLK 10 and Figure Standalone enables fast print speed up to 62 mm/hr at 50 micron layer thickness to deliver new levels of productivity to ACS.

Figure 4 Standalone also includes 3D Sprint software. An all-in-one additive manufacturing software, 3D Sprint enables file optimization, preparation, and printing with a suite of advanced features for design, file correction, analysis and more.

“3D Sprint is very intuitive in terms of layout, and the support features are really good,” explained Dan Bennett, technical director, ACS Custom. “When the outside surface quality is important, we can reduce the touchpoint size and position of supports with precision. This allows us to produce a final product that is comfortable for the customer.”

In addition to direct production applications, ACS Custom uses its 3D printers for eggshell casting. This technique takes advantage of the ability to print ultra-thin walls with Figure 4 to create molds for injecting silicone with Figure 4 EGGSHELL-AMB 10 material. Once injected, the 3D printed mold can be broken and peeled away like an eggshell to reveal a silicone part that ACS Custom post-processes, marks, and finishes.

“3D Systems’ customer-centric solutions approach to innovation underlies everything we do – from understanding the customer workflow and application through to complete solution development,” said Scott Anderson, VP & segment leader for manufacturing & prototyping, 3D Systems. “This highly market-driven approach allows our team the opportunity to engage unique applications for each customer and deliver solutions that propel their innovation and customer value to the next level. Our collaboration with ACS Custom showcases how the Figure 4 solution (hardware, software, and materials) enables direct and indirect digital production to increase efficiency, capacity, and flexibility, while concurrently offering superior end-part quality. This reinforces how additive manufacturing solutions can truly drive competitive advantage.”

The EV market has a lot of players in it. In addition to the traditional manufacturers dipping their toes in the water, tech-focused firms like Nikola, Tesla and Lordstown are each finding ways to differentiate their offerings and capture valuable market share. Of course, the market continues to grow as UK-based Arrival is emerging from its stealth mode. But, what really makes Arrival different?

Simply put, the company's leadership team is adamant about reimagining the entire electric vehicle production process -- building from a blank slate rather then trying to force EV into traditional designs.

Arrival's fresh take is evident in its micro factory strategy. “Automotive manufacturing tends to work with long lead times, often building massive facilities designed to build one vehicle. That approach isn't very adaptive,” says Tracey Yi, Chief of Procurement and CEO of Arrival Elements. Arrival's micro factories are significantly smaller in footprint (at approximately 10,000 square meters) resulting in a much more abbreviated build time often around 6 months. The goal is to quickly build micro facilities near big cities and key customers, giving Arrival a level of agility that bucks the traditional approach to auto making."

Arrival's Tracey YiArrival is also vertically integrated. "Often out of necessity, automotive companies use branded core componentry. They often work on co-developed products, which they don't really own the IP on even if they may negotiate to put their brand on the device. This approach really paints the automaker into a corner with negotiated prices for the life of the product," she says. Instead, Arrival has focused on bringing some of the "coolest engineers" into the fold. More than half of the company's 800+ employees are software engineers. "Together with the hardware engineers, they have designed a lot of our core componentry -- including our own chassis, powertrain, body and electronic controls. Obviously, we have a long roadmap of other products that we plan to develop. As a result, even at the very start of production for our vans about 60% of all the parts in the vehicle are vertically integrated. It's designed by us, made by us and controlled by us."

Arrival Dual Gearbox MotorArrival's core components are very modular, meaning they all plug-and-play and fit within the 10 by 10 skateboard style design grid. This approach empowers robotic assembly. A lot of the core components also crossover throughout Arrival's vehicle portfolio resulting in standardization crucial to keeping long term ownership and maintenance costs low.

Target market

Arrival is initially focused on the commercial market -- and for good reason. A quick look any major highway across the world, it is easy to see that commercial vehicles are quite prevalent. Buses, delivery vans, garbage trucks -- all things that need to go in and out of city centers.

Every major city, every major company has goals of becoming much more green – and there has been progress, explains Yi. "But the current environment has really accelerated shareholders appetite for more concrete plans. As an individual you can make a choice to willingly pay 40- 50% more for an EV for any host of reasons. However, having worked in companies where we bought fleets of traditional internal combustion engine petrol or diesel vehicles, it's much harder to justify the costs when EVs cost double and you are spending shareholder money," she says. “This was the biggest challenges our founders faced in creating the company: How do we develop really cool, beautiful commercial vehicles at price parity? That's what has driven our approach, and it's made people take notice.”

Who's noticed?

Earlier this year, UPS announced a minority investment in Arrival as well as a commitment to purchase 10,000 electric vehicles to be purpose built for UPS with priority access to purchase additional electric vehicles.

UPS will collaborate with Arrival to develop a wide range of electric vehicles with Advanced Driver-Assistance Systems (ADAS). The technology is designed to increase safety and operating efficiencies, including the potential for automated movements in UPS depots. UPS will initiate testing ADAS features later in 2020.

“UPS continues to build an integrated fleet of electric vehicles, combined with innovative, large-scale fleet charging technology,” said Juan Perez, UPS chief information and engineering officer. “As mega-trends like population growth, urban migration, and e-commerce continue to accelerate, we recognize the need to work with partners around the world to solve both road congestion and pollution challenges for our customers and the communities we serve. Electric vehicles form a cornerstone to our sustainable urban delivery strategies. Taking an active investment role in Arrival enables UPS to collaborate on the design and production of the world’s most advanced electric delivery vehicles.” 

Hyundai and Kia also invested in Arrival early in 2020 to the tune of €100M. Through the course of the partnership, Arrival, Hyundai and Kia will use Arrival’s flexible skateboard platforms and technologies to create new purpose-built EVs across multiple vehicle categories. Hyundai and Kia will leverage Arrival’s novel micro factories and software innovation whilst Arrival will benefit from the OEM’s global footprint and economies of scale. This will help accelerate the ‘Two Track’ strategy adopted by Hyundai, to bring zero-emissions battery and fuel cell technologies to the commercial vehicle market.

Current progress?

Arrival is currently outfitting its micro factory north of London, which will focus on building vans. Arrival also has plans to open its first US micro factory, which will focus on the company’s bus offering, including an array of configurations to help with social distancing concerns. When it does open in the states, it plans to work heavily with US suppliers. "We are very mindful of ensuring that our supply chain isn't disrupted," says Yi. 

Arrival

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