Optimizing inventory management with XYZprinting’s SLS solutions
Azoth’s TOMO™: Inventory made Digital
Azoth is a branch specialized in Additive Manufacturing and part of EGC, a group that provides various services to large industrial manufacturers.
The company has developed an innovative production and inventory management process, the TOMO™ system. Short for “Take One Make One”, the system stores digital twins of a business’s physical inventory and dynamically produces a new unit each time that a part is taken out of the inventory.
Such a responsive approach enables significant reductions in terms of inventory levels all while allowing engineers to iterate their designs, generating little to no waste or obsolescence.
The TOMO™ system is a flexible process requiring a production system that is equally flexible and powerful, as Cody Cohran – Key Account Manager at Azoth – explains:
“The TAKE ONE MAKE ONE process is reliant on equipment that has high output capability and excellent material flexibility with a low total cost of maintenance. The MfgPro230 xS SLS machine exemplifies this approach for us.”
Cody Cohran, Key Account Manager at Azoth
The MfgPro230 xS: a powerful system designed for production
The MfgPro230 xS is an SLS 3D printer, SLS standing for Selective Laser Sintering. This Additive Manufacturing technology consists in depositing a layer of thermoplastic powder onto the print bed and using a laser to fuse the particles together. Layer after layer, the final part is produced.
SLS 3D printing technology is suitable for demanding applications as it allows professionals to produce almost-ready-to-use parts. Highly complex geometries can be achieved without the need for any supports, and limited post-processing is required.
Furthermore, the MfgPro230 xS offers a large build volume that is cut out for the production of large parts or even batches of small parts. The printer also features a removable tray that facilitates the process of cleaning, changing, and recycling the powder, for substantial time and material savings.
XYZprinting MfgPro230 xS main features:
- Build volume: 230 x 230 x 230 mm
- Build speed: Up to 20 mm/hour (geometry dependent)
- Printing materials: PA 12, TPU
A flexible system for extensive applications
The MfgPro230 xS is an open-source system, meaning that its powerful 30W CO2 can print with any powder that’s available on the market. Hence, users can experiment with different types of Nylons and TPU materials, and even light-colored ones, which is not the case with entry-level SLS printers.
XYZprinting’s slicer, XYZprint AMSLS, also contributes to making the printing process smooth and flexible. Unlike some other slicers, it only handles the external pattern and infill functions while all other material-specific parameters are handled directly via the printer’s interface. This makes it possible to print a model in various materials without having to re-slice the part.
Tools such as XYZprinting’s SLS solutions allow users to overcome former challenges such as inventory management problems and implement modern and efficient digital solutions.