ACAM and Werk24 Whitepaper Discusses Technical Drawings as a Golden Source for Identifying 3D Printing Opportunities
Aachen Center for Additive Manufacturing (ACAM) together with their research partner Digital Additive Production (DAP) and Werk24 have announced the release of an in-depth Whitepaper that positions technical drawings as the golden source for identifying opportunities in 3D printing spare and obsolete parts.
Munich, 23. November 2023 – We proudly announce the release of a comprehensive whitepaper, written by Werk24 and Aachen Center for Additive Manufacturing (ACAM) in cooperation with Digital Additive Production (DAP), titled "Technical Drawings: Golden source to identify opportunities for 3D printing of spare and obsolete parts" has been published.
The whitepaper examines the significance of 3D printing on spare parts within supply chains, highlighting how digital tools, like the potential of Artificial Intelligence automation, can pave the way for a more resilient spare part supply. The research underscores the persistent challenges that industries face in spare part supply chains, notably part obsolescence, supply chain disruptions, long lead times, costly and complex stock management, etc. According to the whitepaper, the advantages of 3D printing can be utilized to establish an efficient spare part production; however, it also poses several challenges to 3D printing, as detailed in the use case of Deutsche Bahn AG. In addition, the paper outlines the systematic approach to identifying parts suitable for Additive Manufacturing (AM) step by step, including technical and economic assessment.
Digitalization Plays a Major Role in 3D Printing Spare Parts
As companies face the challenges of spare parts, it's essential to understand that data extraction from technical drawings is pivotal in determining a part's suitability for 3D printing. While this used to be a lengthy task, digital tools now offer a faster solution through automation. Before advanced digital tools, the primary method was using Optical Character Recognition (OCR) technology, which was limited to extracting text from images and couldn't fully grasp a technical drawing. Our whitepaper highlights these limitations and introduces Werk24's TechRead API, which employs machine learning and AI to automatically extract vital information from drawings, recognizing multiple languages, material standards, symbols, and more. A notable section in the paper sheds light on a semi-automated reasoning process that blends computer intelligence with human expertise to identify 3D printable parts optimally. A case study titled "Part Identification for Additive Manufacturing using Technical 2D-Drawings" further demonstrates how parts' requirements are paired with the appropriate 3D printing technology. This includes a comprehensive look at the entire production chain, post-processing methods, costs, and ensuring all application needs are satisfied.
“OCR only extracts the raw text – Werk24 puts it into context and adds the domain knowledge of a trained engineer.” Dr. Jochen Mattes, CEO of Werk24
Beyond the technologies, the whitepaper charts out a holistic pathway for sectors aiming to integrate 3D printing into the spare parts supply chain fully. It elucidates the importance of systematic identification, the value of collaboration with Additive Manufacturing (AM) experts, and the potential benefits of crafting a comprehensive ecosystem.
The complete whitepaper is accessible here: ACAM and Werk24 Whitepaper.
For detailed inquiries or discussions related to the research, please schedule a meeting.
About Werk24
Werk24 (W24 Service GmbH) is a Munich-based company specializing in using Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning to process technical drawings automatically. By leveraging AI solutions, businesses can extract essential manufacturing information from various technical drawing formats, such as PDFs, JPGs, PNGs, and TIFs. The company's innovative technology can also convert drawings into machine-readable JSON files or Excel Sheets, leading to considerable improvement in data quality. These solutions allow manufacturers to automate the reading of technical drawings, freeing engineers to focus on innovation. The company processes 100 - 120,000 drawings monthly and offers a range of APIs to support the digital transformation of businesses across a wide range of use cases, such as automated feasibility check of incoming RFQs, the extraction of master data records, and the part selection for additive manufacturing.
About ACAM
ACAM Aachen Center for Additive Manufacturing, based on the RWTH Aachen Campus, pools resources and facilitates industry’s access to the Additive Manufacturing expertise of leading scientific and research institutions. ACAM is the one-stop-shop for Additive Manufacturing, covering the entire process chain, from design stage through to quality control and focuses on topics such as process chain automation, the development of customized materials, increasing productivity and reducing turnaround times. Additionally, ACAM offers opportunities for joint research and development, a sophisticated training and education program, as well as an online platform enabling industry members to build business connections and exchange practical knowledge.