Atlas Copco brings 3D printing in-house with EOS’ P 396
Reducing production costs by 30%, and lead times by 92%
Atlas Copco has reportedly reduced its production costs by 30%, and lead times by 92%, after transitioning to in-house polymer-based 3D printing with EOS’ P 396 technology. Atlas Copco is a global provider of innovative technology, products, and solutions to many industries, including automotive, where it designs and produces over 70 types of self-piercing rivets, associated tooling, and equipment for a range of automotive manufacturers.
18 months ago, Atlas Copco began a sprint project to evolve its production and take advantage of new market opportunities in fields such as electric vehicles, by bringing 3D printing in-house. The company wanted to insource 3D printing to be more agile and reduce lead times for customers.
“We wanted tighter control over our manufacturing that would lead to shorter lead times, lower costs, and the ability to rapidly prototype new products,” said Jason Edwards, Technical Manager at Atlas Copco. “Working with EOS and Additive Minds has given us a turnkey solution, and helped us adapt our processes such that we are now in serial production with several components, are rapidly prototyping hundreds more, and achieved ROI in just 18 months.”
EOS and Additive Minds worked closely with Atlas Copco’s team to provide a full solution beyond the physical machine, including cost-per-part analysis and data preparation. Consultation was provided on the best machine and workflows to support Atlas Copco’s current and future needs, including powder selection, coloring, design transfer, and post-processing techniques. The EOS partner network gives customers access to certified partners that can support specialist aspects of their production lifecycle. Training programs were also developed for all staff, as well as assisting with the transition and ramp-up to full polymer-based AM serial production.
Atlas Copco needed a 3D printer that would ensure reliable and repeatable high-quality part production. The choice was the EOS P 396 mid-size system – known for its flexibility, excellent mechanical properties, and dimensional accuracy. With support for 14 materials and 26 parameter sets, it is expected to support the company’s new product designs far into the future. The system was combined with a DyeMansion DM60 coloring solution – selected through the EOS partner network – which allows powder material to be colored for certain products. This is used to highlight, for example, where certain safety equipment should be used by operators on automotive production lines.
The move to in-house 3D printing has meant Atlas Copco needs fewer third-party components and is no longer constrained by supply chain lead times and transport delays. This has cut the company’s lead times from 6-12 weeks, down to 3-4 days (a 92% reduction), as well as reduced its environmental impact, as less transport is required to produce and deliver final components. It can also more precisely control production schedules – being more agile in helping customers with unplanned orders and urgent turnaround requirements.
AM serial production has made component production faster by shortening the supply chain, reducing the labor hours involved, and eliminating retooling delays. Atlas Copco has also cut waste from approximately 7% to near zero – thanks to the component accuracy and reliability of the EOS P 396 and has reduced production costs by 30%.
Atlas Copco is now using an iterative prototyping process to transition its product inventory, whilst also developing new products, with a design freedom it has not experienced before. The team has weekly meetings to discuss design changes that can then move immediately to printed prototypes for testing. AM is also helping the team simplify products, with one example being a spool carrier, which was previously a casting that had to be machined and assembled. The new design is now a single printed component – considerably lighter, and cheaper to manufacture.
“This project shows how important the trust and collaboration is between all parties if a company is to embark on such a dramatic change to its core manufacturing business. No company should feel that it cannot transition to AM, and EOS helps organizations to make sure it is a success through strong communication, cooperation, and a unified team spirit,” said Nathan Rawlings, Sales Manager at EOS UK.
“AM has been transformative for us. We’re winning new contracts across the globe because we can supply directly, at lower cost, and with short lead times. In EOS, we have a partner that has supported us throughout our transition, offers us rapid support, and continues to advise us on designing components to achieve the best result with our 3D printer,” said Jason Edwards.
