Jabil, one of the world's largest manufacturing service providers, uses cost-effective Ultimaker 3D printers to overcome production challenges.
By integrating Ultimaker into its workflow, the team at the Auburn Hills plant was able to reduce production time by 80% and lower tooling costs by 30%.
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Engineers at Jabil's Auburn Hills plant realized early on that if a machining facility takes three weeks to produce tooling for a complex part, the total time would be two months. This significantly hampered their ability to manufacture custom products in a timely manner. To provide better service to their healthcare and industrial clients, they needed to find a way to accelerate production time while reducing costs.
Furthermore, Auburn Hills engineers frequently needed to produce one-off products and tools, which were unnecessarily expensive when outsourced and presented issues with sharing client design information with external suppliers.
Jabil's additive manufacturing team, committed to implementing the latest technologies, realized that 3D printing was the solution to these challenges, allowing them to achieve higher volumes and longer product lifespans.
Low-cost, High-quality Solutions
When they integrated Ultimaker into their process, the Jabil Auburn Hills team saw the benefits of 3D printing firsthand. After a simple setup process, they could print spare parts on the same day and immediately notice the quality.
Tim DeRosett, Director of Additive Manufacturing Product Management at Jabil, said: "Ultimaker's 3D printers enable Jabil to produce molds, fixtures, and manufacturing aids in-house."
"We were attracted to Ultimaker's low cost, ease of use, and high-quality output. It allows us to accelerate new product launches and deliver better results for our customers."
The decision to use Ultimaker as an affordable and professional way to replace traditional manufacturing methods reduced production time from several weeks to just four days.
Now, they can quickly create the parts and tools they need at a fraction of the cost of outsourcing to a machine shop.
Enhanced Production and Design Versatility
With design freedom and flexibility, engineers at the plant can quickly adapt and optimize machines to meet greater production demands.
The seamless integration of 3D printing allows their designers to obtain CAD models of client products and create tools, preparing in advance and shortening the production process.
Their first successful 3D printing and CAD design project was for a medical technology client aimed at improving the efficiency of mobile imaging systems. With Ultimaker's ability to quickly model and print tools, Jabil engineers found it easier to ensure quality and part performance during the product testing phase.
Within hours, engineers created a verified working assembly and demonstrated the process to the client, a task that previously would have taken the team months to complete.
As they continue to integrate 3D printing into their workflow, Jabil is excited to see the future development of additive manufacturing. John Kawola, General Manager of Ultimaker North America, is also excited to see how Jabil continues to grow in the 3D printing field.
"As one of the world's leading manufacturers, it's great to have Jabil as an important partner in the adoption of desktop 3D printing beyond prototyping. We're delighted that they are benefiting from our products, and we've learned a lot from their use and applications."
Download Jabil's case study to learn how 3D printing is transforming their Auburn Hills facility.
Original source: https://ultimaker.com/en/blog/52523-jabil-auburn-hills-sees-80-reduction-in-production-time-with-ultimaker