But printing of the parts is only one part of the puzzle that the trial with Boliden is trying to solve . Another is working out the future business model for 3D-printed parts .
Who does the printing – the OEM , the miner , or a third-party printing company , and what will the costs be ? What about intellectual property rights , warranties and liabilities ? All these elements , and more , need to be resolved in the development of a 3D printed future . But the omens are favourable .
“ If you ask me , it ’ s the most exciting thing that ’ s happening in the supply chain ,” added Hamerslag . “ Its efficiency , speed and climate friendliness mean that we have to investigate additive manufacturing closely . We are only at the proof-of-concept stage with Sandvik right now , but it ’ s already clear that it could become a game-changer for the spare parts business in mining – for both miners and equipment manufacturers .”
3D printing is a very small part of the metals industry , but it is growing rapidly and this market is expected to be worth as much as $ 10bn by 2030 to 2035 , according to McKinsey .
By 2020 , 40 years after the development of the first commercial machines , analysis of the AM sector showed it had grown to a € 13.4bn industry , with a 22 % annual growth rate . The sector remains extremely dynamic , with more than 200 players competing to develop new hardware , software , and materials .
“ After decades as a bit player , additive manufacturing is on the cusp of stardom ,” concludes a recent McKinsey paper . “ Faster machines , better materials , and smarter software are helping to make AM a realistic solution for many real-world production applications .”
Already , the technology is being used to produce nickel , nickel alloys , and other highvalue metals .
40 May 2022