Getting Ideas to Market Using Direct Digital Manufacturing Technology

21 Apr 08

No longer just for visual representations, Direct Digital Manufacturing is now a viable solution for rapid manufacturing, taking ideas to market faster and at a lower cost.

“Getting an idea to market isn’t easy, however the experience doesn’t have to be off putting for people without Marketing, Engineering or Manufacturing resources. Rapid Prototype technology for DDM is often a viable solution for production”, says Colin Redmond, Director of Plastic Ink (editors note: Plastic Ink have now closed), who has personally been involved with the release of over 1300+ products prior to starting Plastic Ink. “While people outside the industry tend to perceive the machine as a plug’n’play investment, our experience suggests they require experienced operators to insure a profitable cost centre”.

About Direct Digital Manufacturing (DDM)

Direct Digital Manufacturing is broadly defined as the ability to produce a fully functional part, direct from 3D CAD data. DDM gives designers, marketeers and engineers the freedom to design virtually any shape for production. The latent capabilities from such a resource are set to revolutionise the manufacturing and design industry. Many educational institutions are only now teaching students the skills required for using DDM technology. The most immediate gain for any manufacturing business is cost savings. If DDM is suitable for a project, then the upfront tooling cost is negated. This can be a saving of up to $1,000,000. The secondary advantage is speed to market and accelerated product development. Long term gains include; reduced inventory, faster product updates, increased quality control, lower overheads and reduced assembly production times. Although DDM isn’t suitable for all products, it does have broad applications in the Automotive, Agricultural, Industrial Electronic, Marine and Aeronautic fields. Conventional theory says DDM is limited to small volume, however overseas applications have shown success with large volume over 20,000 units per year. DDM is especially suited to the needs of small companies with limited resources. To start the process a 3D CAD file is needed, Plastic Ink can assist with this if necessary. Plastic Ink utilises the ASIT approach to develop viable solutions for companies considering using DDM. ASIT is a systematic approach to lateral thinking and problem solving.