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SOLide has moved into a new building.
The new address is:
Hoge Bakstraat 7
3311 WV Dordrecht
Tel: +31 (0)6 - 54 63 74 85
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*AANHEF*,
This is the fourth SOLide newsletter. This newsletter appears twice a year and describes the various things that SOLide is working on. It also discusses developments that are relevant to the manufacturing industry. In case you no longer wish to receive the newsletter, then you can unsubscribe via the link at the bottom of this newsletter.
In this newsletter:
Many important developments are currently taking place. Some are a threat to us, yet others offer new opportunities. Some developments reinforce each other. People can, for instance, communicate more intensively with each other via the Internet. Their in-between distance no longer affects the communication at all. They can make complex and tangible objects more and more easily, even complete products. These two developments together also present unprecedented possibilities and opportunities. SOLide is very familiar with both of these, and can help you tackle them!
A growing number of entrepreneurs set up their enterprise as a lean company, certainly in times like these. Lean is not a new concept. For a long time already, more effectivity and efficiency has been reached by eliminating the surplus. More efficiency can be reached by means of the newest technical tools, which also benefit the customer much more. A result is the development of an increasing amount of small companies that involve others for aspects outside of their own core business. These are sometimes companies that develop, create and sell products together, whilst located thousands of miles from each other. These distances may not seem very lean due to the transport, but thanks to the Internet this is no longer an issue. Besides this, even complex products are easier to make in the place where they are actually needed. These parts are printed three-dimensionally. Which is about as easy as printing via the office printer, which everyone has access to!
Due to layer manufacturing technologies (building up objects in layers), even complex shapes can now easily be printed three-dimensionally, including in metal, via 'File' followed by 'Print...'. Being able to print random shapes offer unprecedented possibilities, also for big companies. In this context, (mass) customization and (mass) personalization are two important concepts. These concepts mean that, for instance, each (individual) consumer can design 'his' object on a producer's website. Crowns (dental) and housings of hearing aids are already being printed in numerous places. The consumer is already able to autonomously 'design' the color scheme of his new sports shoes on websites of several well-known manufacturers. More experiments are taking place with three-dimensional printing of objects, as designed by the consumer.
At the same time, similar printing methods can be cleverly applied in collaborations. Certainly when the in-between distance is great, as everyone can print objects that have been designed elsewhere, which in itself offers great opportunities. The machines for this are also getting better, faster and less costly all the time.
Products for which there are few interested parties, can now therefore be made reliably, as the non-recurring costs can amount to much less than before. Entrepreneurs that anticipate this can use it to their advantage and increase their return!
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SOLide has been advising companies about the layer manufacturing technologies since 1998. Rein van der Mast also writes about relevant developments and conventional solutions for several technical monthly magazines, which by now include several hundreds of his articles. He acts as the chairman during conferences on this subject. He initiated and organized the international Rapid Manufacturing & Mass Customization conference last year. Mass customization and co-development (in which people on the same level realize products together) have become important focal points for SOLide. For the past decade, he offers software products under the name of Duxx, for which he employs several people in Eastern Europe.
ICT, co-development, mass customization and layer manufacturing technologies together form a more and more important entity of technical solutions, which will present you with all kinds of opportunities.
SOLide works together with, amongst others, Syntens, TNO Science and Industry, and Simon Minderhoud of Philips Applied Technologies. Rein van der Mast also works as an advisor in the development of a facility for education in Holland, Rotterdam area, Leonardo Experience, in which the abovementioned issues play an important role and will also fulfill an informative future role in regional business.
SOLide analyzes the company and its environment, and advises the entrepreneur about the findings. This has already led to all kinds of successful implementations of various (new) technical solutions, partly due to SOLide's level of knowledge and the manner in which SOLide transfers this knowledge to customers. This helps them to make the correct (strategic) decisions and, if desired, they can set up a plan with SOLide for further research or implementation.
Clockwise: Centrifuge The German Hettich produces laboratory centrifuges. The rotors 'additively' originate in some versions. This enables Hettich to attune several important features to the wishes of each individual 'consumer'. The features include the number of holes for test tubes, the diameter of the tubes that are to be used and the angle of the tubes in relation to the radial area. This also depends on where the centrifuge will be used, including not only the specific region, but also the way it will be used. Hearing aid The housings of several types of hearing aids are 'additively' created at the Swiss company of Phonak. The company would prefer scanning the ears of the user, after which the product realization would take place mainly 'digitally'. This is however not yet feasible. The three-dimensional 'printing' of the housings does nevertheless offer great benefits when compared to the conventional production way, in which the product is tuned mainly to the individual. Crowns More and more (dental) crowns originate additively, especially in Germany, which are then enameled. This yields similar advantages as the use of additive fabrication by Phonak (see above). A large variety versus low labor costs play an important role. Valves The interest in 'additive fabrication' is continually increasing. The advantages are in some cases significantly greater than the disadvantages, which is revealed in the previous examples. Sometimes the disadvantages are greater, for instance in the case of Festo. This well-known German supplier of pneumatic valves set up an investigation into whether the metal housing of not very standard and customized products are available as 'additive'. The 'additive' fabrication of metal parts was however (still) too costly and too slow.
A 'SOLide' approach (an example)
 SOLide closely follows multiple developments, especially in the area of additive fabrication and new forms
of interaction between producer and consumer, and also between individuals that form communities together.
SOLide searches for opportunities for the manufacturer based on an accurate analysis of the company and its market.
SOLide communicates extensively with the manufacturer about the findings.
SOLide realizes widely accepted proposals by means of creative sessions at the company.
SOLide coaches the evaluation of the proposals and the implementation of the proposal decided upon.
SOLide evaluates the entire process.
When applicable, SOLide will suggest the possible involvement of professionals in other fields as well, depending on the need for this.
Is this perhaps something for you? Then please do not hesitate to contact SOLide.
Also read: The developments from a historical perspective: http://www.solide-tct.nl/perspective
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It has already been mentioned above: various combinations of new solutions present prominent opportunities in many areas. An example: The Internet has boosted the development of customer groups (communities). There are now communities that tell manufacturers what they do and do not want. This has led to the fact that these producers themselves spend less time on product development (saving in costs) and have a better idea beforehand of the demand for a product that is still to be made (risk reduction). Besides these factors, communities come into existence that design, make and use objects irrespectively of manufacturers (whether or not in combination with layer manufacturing; see Democratizing Innovation by Erik von Hippel). After a while these communities present their best products to third parties, for instance to producers. Or they may further develop their products solely for themselves.
According to researcher Erik de Bruijn, connected to the University of Tilburg, manufacturers can also gain their advantage elsewhere with communities, by developing their newest products within such a community and to offer the product here first. This is a must-have for trendsetters! (please see various publications from Frank Piller)
Customization The consumer can get M&M's printed as he/she desires: mass customization.
Customization Mass customization once again, but this time concerning Labello chapsticks designed by the consumer.
Customization and Community The community decides, in this case for the American Threadless.
Assortments can increase a great deal by applying both layer manufacturing, whether or not used hybridly, as well as customization. People that put a book on the American Amazon website, are immediately seen as publishers. As soon as an order comes in, one copy is printed. New techniques can print books profitably without films and other factors that, with only a few cost bearers, are far too expensive. The same applies to layer manufacturing: small series are comparatively inexpensive!
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SOLide assists companies in the manufacturing industry in optimizing their product and production development. This includes looking towards technological developments and developments in the market, the organization as such and its interaction with other organizations, such as suppliers. The results are usually recommendations on the company processes, and in some cases may even include new business models.
SOLide was founded over ten years ago by Rein van der Mast. Since then he has been, amongst other things, involved with projects in the medical and automobile industries. His articles are frequently published in various magazines and he organizes training and lectures.
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