Frequently asked questions
Is digital distribution really cost-effective?
When helping clients adopt a digital distribution strategy we typically find that approximately 50% of procurement costs stem from storage and transportation. These costs can be reduced significantly by switching to digital inventory and local manufacturing solutions.
On-demand production is still more expensive than centralized manufacturing at volume. However, it is not unusual to find total savings greater than actual cost when downtime and other factors are considered. We’ve also seen plenty of cases where entire equipment systems must be replaced due to lack of available parts. Virtually storing 3D files of these unavailable spare parts can result in longer use of equipment.
Is 3D Printing the only solution for digital distribution and distributed manufacturing?
While 3D Printing plays a central role in digital distribution, other manufacturing technologies, such as CNC milling or injection molding are also used. Digital distribution is the term used to describe the storage and distribution of files rather than physical parts. Distributed manufacturing refers to the local manufacturing solutions.
Why should I adopt a digital distribution strategy now?
On-demand manufacturing technologies are getting faster, cheaper and better all the time. We are at a tipping point. Digital distribution is so cost-effective and adaptable that parts stored digitally and produced locally on-demand are more cost effective than traditional manufacturing and inventory systems.
If the technology is quickly deployable anywhere in the world, setting up the digital distribution strategy, from qualifying your products for on-demand manufacturing, digitizing these products and adapting your procurement systems for digital distribution, takes time. This is why now is the time to get started.
I don’t have access to complete datasets. Can you still help me?
Absolutely! Although the more data you have, the better, we can get you started even with limited procurement and product data. Ivaldi offers formatting and digitization services to build personalized digital warehouse solutions. We focus on part specifications and optimizations for on-demand manufacturing. 2D drawings are not required.
Most of our spare parts require certification. Can Ivaldi still help?
Yes. Ivaldi is ISO 9001:2015 certified. We work with class and certifying authorities across heavy industry to develop standards. Our team collaborates with key industry partners on cutting-edge part certification protocols by focusing on each part’s digital twin instead of the physical part. Our recommendations utilize the industry guidelines we helped build.
My data is sensitive. Can I trust that it will be safe?
Yes. We make sure that any shared data is saved securely. A strong TLS standard encryption is used to protect all files and documents. The encryption keys used to encrypt data are also encrypted. We do not share data with third parties.
How do I get started?
Glad you’re asking! If you are new to digital distribution and never looked into what products of your inventory might make sense for 3D printing and additive manufacturing, we recommend you start with our free procurement data analysis tool.
If you’ve already looked into your data and have a good understanding of how 3D printing can help your business, contact us for a free assessment based on the reality of your business and next steps in the digital distribution strategy implementation.
General
Why Ivaldi?
OEMs and end users want to reduce inventory, reduce logistics, retain customers and increase margins while improving uptime, reducing total costs, reducing bureaucracy and being good corporate citizens. Ivaldi’s Turn-key solution provides parts optimized for printing, grey market data, total cost of ownership and usage data while providing data formatted for printing, technical parameters, risk parameters, production parameters, and global delivery/access.
What is 3D Printing?
Three dimensional printing is an additive process that allows us to create a physical 3D object out of digital information provided by a software that divides a 3D model file into layers or images. The quality of the printed part will be determined by the printer technology, the printing software and the amount of layers or images needed.
I don’t have access to 2D drawings, can Ivaldi still help me?
Yes. Although the more data you have, the better the results will be, Ivaldi offers digitization services to build a personalized digital warehouse. We focus on part specifications and use to optimize designs for additive manufacturing.
Most of our spare parts require certification. Can Ivaldi help with that?
Yes. Ivaldi is working with partners and major players in the industry to revolutionize part certification by focusing on each part’s digital twin instead of the physical part. We have been working with class and certifying authorities to develop standards and base our recommendations on the industry guidelines we helped build.
How do we build trust especially in conservative industries?
We start off by proving the concept with low criticality parts or “low hanging fruit” . We try to build the foundation first to show how continued work will only increase ROI and open the door to new opportunities. Traditional manufacturing is trusted because there is so much data available and because we’ve been using it for so long. The only way to accurately compare AM is to shift the thinking to something innovative that will benefit everyone in other ways as well. We have spent time writing standards which are or will be published in the industries as a starting point for wide scale adoption. We are part of a number of joint industry projects to prove the benefits of on-demand manufacturing and digital distribution while including players across the ecosystem.
If we're technology agnostic, how do we choose the right technology in our analysis?
Technologies are assessed based on a number of variables. We have spent the last 4 years building datasets specific to Am and other on-demand technologies which include process and machine limitations.
Services
I want to create a more efficient workflow. Which product offering is right for me?
Our product offerings are designed to build on one another. Starting with screening of your data to get a general idea of the possibilities and savings. We then conduct a deep analysis of the data and work with your team to determine how to reduce waste and where to implement Ivaldi’s solutions. In order to accurately assess the best fit for you, contact our sales team.
Do we set size limits for AM and how do we factor that into the cost calculator?
Limits are set based on the specific machines included in our databases. This is ever changing as we onboard new manufacturing partners.
What have we developed that helps to understand the entire product lifecycle not only from a cost perspective but also an emissions and social perspective (carbon calculator with TCO and local impact)
We are constantly developing our software. While many features are under development, they all start as stand alone tools which are tested by our qualified engineering and design team. Currently datasets for AM are missing in available LCA software, so we built our own based on experience and available data.
Are there any shape limitations in terms of what geometries the printers can print?
Overhangs are typically possible up to 45º. Anything above that, requires support material. Sizes are limited by printer volume. We can manufacture bigger parts by gluing or welding parts together.
How does resolution affect print time?
The higher the resolution, the more print time. The calculations are associated with travel time on the printhead plus the number of layers for FDM and SLA.
Is post processing necessary? When does this have to be done?
For plastic parts that have overhangs and therefore need support material, post processing is necessary. All metal parts must be post processed. SLA parts require a quick wash as a finishing process.
What do we get out of the analysis process? What results/insights?
The analysis gives a high level overview of your data. What should be manufactured on demand. The results will be displayed in a dashboard showing the total spent on all products and the total spent on all products within an identified category. Lead time comparison, top candidates based on price, overview of potential CO2 savings. Option for deeper die into the business case for individual parts and further analysis.
Can we try out the software before purchasing a license?
We provide free demos of the software to give potential customers the opportunity to see it in action and ask questions. We also run campaigns at various times of the year where we offer the initial screening free of charge up to a certain amount of data.
What is the plan for implementing new features into the software? When can we see updates/changes?
New features and updates are always in development. We take customer feedback and incorporate it into our product roadmap. Upon request, we can discuss in more details the features that will be made available in the short term.
Data and IP
My data is sensitive, can I trust that it will be safe?
Yes. We make sure that any shared data is saved securely. We do not share data and it is used solely for your account.
What sort of data and in what format is the data required to get an accurate result?
During the full screening process, we will ask you a number of questions to determine the type and amount of data you have available. From that response, we will send a template outlining the information needed to drive the full data driven screening process. For some companies, the advanced screening process is more valuable because it includes interviews to gather data and Ivaldi will make sure to put it in the correct format.
How do we handle IP?
We analyze all procurement data. After the analysis results, we go into a deeper dive of select parts where we determine any restrictions on parts. We start with generic parts to avoid the IP issues. When we have parts that are protected, we have the option to bring OEMs on board or to license the designs for our customers and network.
How do we get OEMs on board? How do they feel about this business model?
It’s all about opportunity. There will always be OEMs who are satisfied with where they are and don’t want to spend the time with anything new. We believe these companies will eventually be left behind. We do not believe in being a pirate bay and therefore focus on profit sharing with all parties involved. Our goal is to prove how our solution is mutually beneficial.
What warranty do you offer?
Liabilities are the same as with traditional supply chains and follow standard practices. They depend and are built with the customer as needed.
Certification
How does Ivaldi handles certification?
Ivaldi is working with partners and major players in the industry to revolutionize part certification by focusing on each part’s digital twin instead of the physical part. We have been working with class and certifying authorities to develop standards and base our recommendations on the industry guidelines we helped build. Ivaldi is ISO-certified and ISO-processes are followed in all our work with parts, processes and print providers. We develop performance envelopes according to established industry standards that again set the requirements for the parts and the print providers.
Warranties and risk sharing depend on it being a generic or OEM part.