e-Manufacturing – Making Extreme Mass Customization Real by Laser-Sintering

e-Manufacturing means the fast, flexible, and cost-effective production directly from electronic data. Laser-sintering is a key technology for e-Manufacturing. With these systems, a complex design idea can be turned into reality directly by solidifying plastic or metal powders or foundry sand. This allows for manufacturing almost any shape, at any stage of the product life cycle in any industry. With e-Manufacturing shall provide competitive advantage in a business environment that is dominated by ever-decreasing product life-cycles and increasing numbers of product variants. By adding freedom of design and flexibility, laser-sintering helps making products convincingly attractive, both from the manufacturers' and the customers' points of view. The technology allows for designs that are sheer impossible with other technologies – including living hinges. This value-add stems from increased functionality, vivid design, and reduced delivery times. At the same time, laser-sintering allows for manufacturing customized products at fewer costs than with conventional manufacturing methods. Saving on molds reduces time and costs. Economies of scale are fading thus liberating manufacturing decisions from lot size optimization, forecast accuracy and break even points. The article provides an introduction into the technologies behind laser-sintering and shares results from a number of use cases in various industries.