Additive Snack - Building the Future: The Journey of The LEGO Group in AM

Building the Future: The Journey of The LEGO Group in AM

09/05/23 • 34 min

Additive manufacturing (AM) has forged a foothold in countless manufacturing applications due to its versatility and design freedom, but it is not always the all-in, right fit, right now for some industries. One example being manufacturing millions of end-use products for the consumer goods industry. Still, AM’s digital supply chain advantages have secured its place in the consumer goods value chain.

Today, joining Host Fabian Alefeld is Ronen Hadar, the Senior Director of Additive Design and Manufacturing at The LEGO Group. Ronen has a unique perspective on the advantages and challenges of working with AM in the consumer goods industry. He shares the long history of AM within the LEGO Group, how the famous ‘duck’ project came about, and how a limited talent pool may affect new digital technologies.

Comments about the show or wish to share your AM journey? Contact us at [email protected]. The Additive Snack Podcast is brought to you by EOS.

Key Takeaways:

[:46] In 2010, Ronen began exploring how AM could alleviate supply chain challenges at the LEGO Group.

[3:29] From prototyping to on-demand final designs, Ronen explains how the LEGO Group was one of the initial companies to adopt 3D printing for multiple applications.

[10:59] Ronen explains why he asserts that AM is not a replacement for injection molding.

[12:52] While scouting new technologies, the LEGO Group’s now famous duck was an application to highlight the advantages of AM.

[21:05] For the consumer goods industry, Ronen shares what he sees as the biggest challenges for the adoption of AM as an end-user technology.

[28:25] How does the LEGO Group handle the small talent pool available to work in AM applications?

Comments about the show or wish to share your AM journey? Contact us at [email protected]. The Additive Snack Podcast is brought to you by EOS.

Key Takeaways:

[:46] In 2010, Ronen began exploring how AM could alleviate supply chain challenges at the LEGO Group.

[3:29] From prototyping to on-demand final designs, Ronen explains how the LEGO Group was one of the initial companies to adopt 3D printing for multiple applications.

[10:59] Ronen explains why he asserts that AM is not a replacement for injection molding.

[12:52] While scouting new technologies, the LEGO Group’s now famous duck was an application to highlight the advantages of AM.

[21:05] For the consumer goods industry, Ronen shares what he sees as the biggest challenges for the adoption of AM as an end-user technology.

[28:25] How does the LEGO Group handle the small talent pool available to work in AM applications?

Previous Episode

Step into the Future: Doc Sols’ 3D Printed Revolution in Podiatry

Additive manufacturing (AM) has the potential to reshape industries and enhance lives – complete from head to toe. Podiatry is an area where inspiration and innovation help customize an end-user product by blending AI, a platform-based business model, and additive manufacturing technology to create a medical application that enhances people’s lives.

Today, Host Fabian Alefeld is joined by Travis and Nathan Eadie who called in from the Australian Podiatry Conference. Travis and Nathan are an innovative brother duo behind the company Doc Sols, a revolutionary company making strides in podiatry with their additively manufactured orthopedic insoles. This episode promises a riveting discussion about their journey, their challenges and triumphs, and their vision for the future of AM in healthcare.

Comments about the show or wish to share your AM journey? Contact us at [email protected]. The Additive Snack Podcast is brought to you by EOS.

Key Takeaways:

[1:09] How Nathan, a sports podiatrist, and his brother Travis, a tradesman began creating custom insoles 25 years ago.

[6:51] Nathan and Travis describe the full-process chain, from the app to the 3-D printed end product.

[10:36] How does additive manufacturing mixed with AI benefit customers of insoles who have different orthopedic needs?

[18:06] What major challenges have Nathan and Travis experienced that stifled their progress of using AI with additive manufacturing?

[24:42] What does the Doc Sols platform-based business model look like five years out?

Next Episode

Unlocking the Potential: 3D Printing’s Impact on Medical Innovation and Beyond with Laura Gilmour

Additive manufacturing (AM) has transformed medical devices such as hearing aids, dental procedures, and implants. There is further opportunity to expand and innovate the space, but are the regulatory bodies and insurance companies ready to adopt the technologies?

Host Fabian Alefeld is joined by the founder and principal consultant of LG Strategies, Laura Gilmour. Laura has extensive experience in additive manufacturing and in particular in the medical market. Laura offers a comprehensive overview of the medical industry as a whole and discusses the challenges of its adoption of additive manufacturing and the current medical industry trends where additive manufacturing is making a big impact.

Comments about the show or wish to share your AM journey? Contact us at [email protected]. The Additive Snack Podcast is brought to you by EOS.

Key takeaways:

[:54] Laura shares her unique AM journey within the medical markets industry.

[3:12] Laura describes the medical sectors AM is helping to revolutionize including hearing aids, hip implants, and digital dental applications for the medical implant industry.

[11:15] When implementing AM in the medical space regulatory reviews and insurers can be the biggest hurdles.

[16:04] The risk versus benefits requirements of the primary regulatory bodies.

[21:21] How IQ, OQ, and PQ processes apply to the medical device industry.

[24:41] Laura highlights trends in the medical industry with regard to the benefits of additive manufacturing innovations.