CNH Industrial is leading the way in the innovative use of 3D printers to manufacture components and spare parts, providing its customers with rapid availability and support throughout the product’s lifecycle.
As part of its continued drive to streamline manufacturing processes, enhance productivity and find more sustainable ways of working, CNH Industrial N.V. has taken a significant step in the implementation of Additive Manufacturing technology by producing its first 3D printed spare parts.
Additive Manufacturing, a synonym of 3D printing, is the process by which components are created from a digital file to build layers of material under computer control. Once printed, each part undergoes stringent testing to ensure it meets CNH Industrial’s requirements and specifications.
One of the main benefits of 3D printing is that it enables the local, on-demand manufacturing of spare parts. This is especially advantageous when only a small quantity of parts are required to satisfy specific urgent orders and also leads to smarter overall management of stock and increased availability.
Each product can be printed within 24 to 36 hours with the optimal amount of resources. Unlike traditional subtractive manufacturing, where raw material is removed or cut away, Additive Manufacturing is a precise process which creates less waste and leftover material while at the same time minimizing machine downtime. This, in turn, provides customers with enhanced total cost of ownership (TCO).
The first components created by this new process include four parts for use on buses and agricultural equipment. All parts are manufactured in plastic and the company is conducting further tests which will enable the future production of metal components using this technology.
