EOS launched their own manufacturing network this week.
It’s called the “EOS End-To-End Production Network”. The idea is to provide their clients with a way to obtain proper manufacturing services when needs exceed in-house capacity. This is particularly important when a company has developed a product or part and subsequently requires larger scale production. Scaling up is a costly affair, and might be too risky for some operations, making an outsourced solution ideal.
The concept of a manufacturing network is to link together a series of participants that provide the actual making services. Build requests are routed through the EOS network and land on the most appropriate partner, which fulfills the order.
EOS said the first partner in their new network is Prototal, a Swedish company offering vacuum casting, injection molding and of course, 3D printing services. They operate as a contract manufacturer for clients, able to make as many parts as required, well beyond the capacity of their clients’ own equipment.
The EOS network will be recommended by EOS as opportunities arise among their clients. They explain:
“From start-up businesses, to SME and OEM organizations, bringing products to life at scale can be a demanding experience, particularly if working in a certified industry or wanting high volume production that does not compromise on the quality of the final product, or global distribution. Once the right AM solution is identified, one of the biggest hurdles can be finding the right manufacturing method and deciding how to organize part production.
EOS not only enables companies by identifying the best application and technology framework, but also consults companies on in-house vs. external production. If a third-party production partner is the best choice, then there are other important considerations. Businesses not only need partners that are solidly positioned and can produce high-quality 3D-printed parts at scale, but which also share the end-customer commitment to creating the right product and have the experience needed to bring products to the market.”
EOS requires members of the network to undergo a rigorous certification process, which should ensure clients have good experiences with larger-scale part production.
Note that Prototal provides more than just 3D printing, as it is often the case that larger-scale production could require alternative making techniques. This is frequently a decision made early on, where the economics and technical aspects are considered. A typical approach might be to first 3D print a prototype, and then produce it en masse via injection molding.
What’s behind this move by EOS? I think there are several reasons.
First, it provides EOS clients with a bit more comfort as they know there is an outlet for production, should the need arise. This could make them more confident in working with EOS and may result in additional equipment sales.
Secondly, it may be that EOS wants to get into the manufacturing network business on a larger scale. Today there are several very high profile manufacturing networks making good progress, including Hubs, Shapeways, Xometry and Protolabs. Xometry is in fact in the top position on our weekly leaderboard of the biggest companies in 3D printing. Perhaps EOS recognizes the value in providing that kind of service.
By establishing this new network, and leveraging their client base, reseller network and expertise, EOS could become a formidable competitor to these manufacturing networks.
Who knows, maybe this could become the biggest part of EOS in the future.
Via EOS
