Software Platform, Supply-Chain Solution for AM

As part of a presentation with HP Inc. at AMUG 2019, Lou Rassey, CEO of Fast Radius, detailed his company’s technology platform and manufacturing footprint, which helps customers bring new additive manufacturing (AM) products and supply-chain models to market. The software platform, Fast Radius Operating System, supports customers across the product lifecycle, helping them identify potential applications, conduct engineering and economic evaluations, accelerate new product development, and ultimately manufacture industrial-grade parts in Fast Radius factories at scale with the latest additive technologies. The factories make use of various 3D printing technologies, including HP Multi Jet Fusion machines.

Though Fast Radius currently does not inhouse print with metals, it does provide all of services, including delivery of metal parts through partners, to the metal AM community.On hand at the AMUG presentation were representatives of Yanfeng Global Automotive Interiors and the U.S. Marine Corps, who provided details on AM assistance provided through Fast Radius’ Application Launch Program (ALP). According to Rassey, a gap exists between AM technology and demand from end users, essentially a lack of an industrial supply chain. The company aims to fill that gap by building a technical solution, assessing and refining a business case for AM to deliver needed products, and determining and organizing departments within affected companies deemed integral to success of AM projects.

The presentation highlighted the HP-Fast Radius ALP.The collaboration has delivered a number of developments. Husqvarna Group, a manufacturer of outdoor power products, is moving parts in its spare parts catalog to the Fast Radius Virtual Warehouse, where they can be produced using HP’s Jet Fusion 3D printers and shipped on demand as needed. And, Yanfeng is employing AM and HP Multi Jet Fusion technology to make advances in the driver’s experience in the vehicles of today and tomorrow. Also, the U.S. Marine Corps reports significant strides with AM , including HP Multi Jet Fusion technology, to enhance its readiness-now capabilities.In addition, Rassey offered a case study where Fast Radius employed Carbon print technology to deliver lattice-geometry arm caps for Steelcase furniture. Here, from development to design to deliver totaled only 8 weeks as compared to the typical timeline of 18 months.Also at AMUG, Fast Radius announced $48 million in Series B funding led by UPS, allowing the company to continue scaling up its global manufacturing footprint as well as its software-development, application-engineering and sales teams.

Headquartered in Chicago, IL, Fast Radius has offices in Atlanta, GA, and Singapore, as well as a production hub onsite at the UPS Worldport facility in Louisville, KY.  “AM increasingly is becoming the logical direction for future supply-chain strategies, blurring the lines between physical and virtual warehousing for products in many industries,” says Scott Price, UPS chief strategy and transformation officer. “Fast Radius’ technology platform and AM design processes are bringing the virtual warehouse vision to life for their customers, complementing UPS’ global time-definite logistics expertise."