October 20th marked SDI’s Inaugural Open House – a quarterly event hosted by SDI and strategic partners. This time, we partnered with UPS and their industrial 3D printing partner FastRadius to talk about Innovative Disruption in the MRO Supply Chain. Additive manufacturing, compressed product life cycles, and changing consumer expectations are forcing manufacturers to transform their operations across all industry segments. Disruption is underway and many manufacturers are moving beyond their traditional view of core competency and primary industry to redefine their value proposition and reshape their business models.
SDI’s Open House brought together clients, prospective clients, and friends alike to discuss this game-changing technology. Unlike a traditional trade show or conference, the Open House is designed to spark interactive discussion, with a spirited panel and hands-on demonstrations.
SDI’s Corporate Engineering Specialist, Rob Weimer, and VP of Engineering, Chuck Wallace, demonstrated how SDI uses 3D scanning technology to reengineer machine parts, improving design and production line reliability in the process. Industrial Manufacturing Marketing representative from UPS, Tim Greene, reviewed the results from a recent third-party study about Industrial Buying Dynamics. While Bret Sanders from Fast Radius chatted with guests about 3D printing technology and the various ways this technology enables a faster indirect materials supply chain.
All four sat on the panel to discuss the three stages to reimagining the supply chain and the repair process. From reengineering, to retooling to replenishment. The discussion was facilitated by SDI SVP of Business Development, Jim Owens, and included a brief history of the industry, a poignant talk on how the industry has evolved to the point that we are now in the next industrial revolution.
The next Open House event will include partners from UPS and Penn State’s Center for Supply Chain Research to explore the emerging intersection of asset management and supply chain management.
