The Road to One Million Custom Parts Per Month: Automated Production Pipelines for Customized Products at Scale
Interview with Ruiqi Chen & Andrew Sink of Carbon
Could you start by giving us an overview of what you’ll be presenting at CDFAM? What are the key points or breakthroughs you plan to highlight during your session?
We’ll be presenting on the topic of custom workflows at scale, specifically in the context of additively manufactured parts. As a company, Carbon has focused on approaching this problem from three angles: hardware, software, and material science.
In our talk, we’ll discuss how our approach has allowed us to produce over 4 million latticed parts to date, with an ambitious goal of reaching 1 million custom parts per month by the end of 2024.
Scaling Production with AM
How does your team assist customers in scaling up to mass production using additive manufacturing? Could you share some examples or strategies that have been particularly effective?
We own every step of the process from the initial printable file all the way through production hotfixes.
We work closely with our contract manufacturing partners, who have fleets of Carbon 3D printers, to identify potential problems in pre-production so they are able to rapidly fulfill orders.
We have developed an internal design validation process that allows us to test the printability of a 3D model and probe for design-related defects before the part is submitted for production.
This ‘Stress Test’, developed over time, allows us to differentiate between design-related defects and print-related defects, something that can be valuable when problems appear during production.
Educational Support on Computational Design
Is there a need to educate your clients on the computational approaches used in designing systems for producing products with variability? How do you approach this educational aspect?
This is an area that we spend a significant amount of time on, especially in markets where we are replacing foam as an incumbent material. Potential clients can come to us with varying degrees of CAD/CAM/CAE proficiency, and the upfront discussions of what is possible, manufacturable, and viable can be lengthy. We’ve spent a significant amount of time and energy on Carbon Academy, our online learning platform, and also encourage potential clients to engage in design workshops at our office to quickly iterate through multiple ideas quickly. Furthermore, we try to develop software/hardware solutions that cover the most common use cases without having to have in-depth knowledge of computational geometry or finite element analysis, so that our platform is accessible to a wide range of customers.
Software Solutions
Regarding the software solutions provided by Carbon, how much is ‘off the shelf’ versus bespoke for individual clients? What factors determine the customization of these solutions? How does the software work with manufacturing processes outside of your own?
Like most software solutions, there is a gradient between off-the-shelf, optimized, and full bespoke.
Carbon provides a full end-to-end software workflow that can start with a solid CAD model and end with a parameterized workflow for custom part production.
Using our automation tools built into Design Engine as well as the Carbon DLS API, customers can quickly set up full bespoke solutions that integrate with their existing design software and computer infrastructure.
Partnership Readiness
For potential clients considering a partnership with Carbon, what indicators or criteria would suggest they are ready to bring their product to market using your technology?
We are experts in our domain (additive manufacturing), and we want to work with partners that are experts in their domain.
We encourage our partners to define the metrics they use for success, which allows us to focus on how we plan on achieving it. When we have a mutually shared vision as well as a clear, achievable goal, we’re able to define a successful outcome and execute to achieve it.
Expectations from CDFAM
What are you most looking forward to at CDFAM? Are there particular sessions, technologies, or collaborations you are eager to explore or take away from the event?
It’s always exciting to get a look at the future of computation and generative design, and CDFAM allows us a glimpse of what’s coming next while also celebrating what we, as an industry, have already achieved.
