By Andrei Kharatsidi, CEO and Co-Founder, SprutCAM Tech

Andrei Kharatsidi

Get a glimpse into the future of the CAM market and technologies with SprutCAM Tech’s forecast for 2023.

The Covid-19 pandemic has not only disrupted supply chains globally, but has also accelerated the consolidation of the CAM market. There are very few independent developers left in the market, and it is possible that at least one of them will be acquired by a larger corporation by the end of 2023 due to the current economic and political challenges in Europe. Furthermore, major tech companies continue to have plans, resources, and interest in acquiring intellectual assets from smaller players in the industry. The competition for dominance in the CAM market is intensifying.

The potential for artificial intelligence and machine learning to enhance the computer-aided manufacturing process is an interesting possibility to consider. While some CAD/CAM software already uses AI to streamline menus and commands, the concept of a CAM system that can independently program the machining of parts is a promising one. However, developing such a system is likely to be a complex and time-consuming process, requiring the integration of various advanced technologies and the ability to learn and adapt using large amounts of user data.

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By Alexander A. Hussain, Co-Founder / CEO, 3DChimera

Alexander A. Hussain

3DChimera helps companies select and implement advanced manufacturing technologies, including 3D printing, 3D scanning and 3D CAD.  As we enter 2023, all the supply chain & logistics challenges that began with the start of the pandemic continue to plague just about every manufacturing business operating in the US.  Fortunately, advanced manufacturing can give companies a creative and cost-effective method to take back control of their manufacturing.

In 2022, we saw a sharp shift in the focus of our customers – from prototypes to manufacturing.  The latest advances in powder bed fusion and resin-based 3d printing technologies have poised additive manufacturing as a legitimate technique to reduce risk, provide agility and speed products to market – especially when compared with traditional outsourced manufacturing overseas.  Across every industry, we are seeing companies who are ready to expand their manufacturing capabilities into industrial production with additive manufacturing.  We predict exponential growth in the number of companies who will utilize additive manufacturing to produce end-use parts in 2023.

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By Paul Van Metre, Co-Founder, ProShop ERP

Paul Van Metre

I predict that 2023 in the machining/manufacturing sector will be record-breaking for some and very difficult for others. A year where some companies are drowning in opportunities, and others are scraping the barrel to find any work to keep their equipment busy. There are several variables that feed into my prediction.

1. The gap between sales-driven companies vs. those that are not will be highlighted as the economy softens because of increased interest rates and competition. I’ve already started seeing this in the past several months, where many shops I know are slammed with record-setting volumes of work, and others are scraping to get by. The busy shops have decided to be sales and marketing driven. They are proactively investing in their future sales opportunities. Many shops will go out of business in 2023 if they don’t become sales-driven organizations.

2. Cybersecurity will become a make-or-break topic for many shops. CMMC is coming in 2023 for companies in the government and defense supply chain. Even before the requirements are written into contracts and RFQs, OEMs are already starting to filter out companies, not in compliance with or aggressively pursuing the regulations for NIST 800-171 and CMMC. Companies can’t keep their head in the sand any longer.

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The last two years have highlighted systematic challenges within the manufacturing industry. These affect all parts of the supply chain, from those who need things made to the manufacturers and supporting industries. Standard sourcing puts the burden on the buyer, leading to time-consuming back and forth, vulnerabilities with single points of failure, and a generally opaque market where the right supplier may exist but just isn’t visible. Procurement challenges affect all projects, from a quick prototype to critical component supply for medical devices, and the market is looking for solutions.

Digital manufacturing marketplaces have demonstrated success through distributed manufacturing and building technology-driven connections. In 2022, we predict these platforms will continue democratizing access to manufacturing and reduce disruptions to supply. Marketplace platforms like Xometry will act as a digital twin, seamlessly connecting manufacturers with relevant projects.

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Surprisingly all activities have been on the cutting edge of technology, including ship design, real-time control, robotics, simulation, computational modeling, crash analysis, advanced composite design, and material characterization and testing. The common thread throughout has been the efficient utilization of materials and personnel to achieve optimal results on time and on budget. Dr. Miraj has developed an acute eye for opportunities both in the long term and short term through research, collaboration, and direct market sales, which has been supplemented by an innovative sense of marketing, outreach, branding, positioning and packaging.

About Author:

Dr. Miraj has been a practicing engineer for almost four decades and has worked in academia, civil infrastructure, automotive, aerospace and defense sectors.

The manufacturing industry was one of the bright spots for 2021 in North America. 2022 will see continued growth as supply chains get shorter and closer to home! Modern cloud-based ERP will continue to be a critical tool for making those supply chains more efficient, and the early adopters will continue to outpace the laggards. Those early adopters will continue to lead the critical resurgence of manufacturing in North America.

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Ric Fulop CEO and Co-Founder

Ric Fulop is the CEO and co-founder of Desktop Metal, a company committed to accelerating the transformation of manufacturing with an expansive portfolio of 3D printing solutions, from rapid prototyping to mass production. Prior to founding Desktop Metal in October 2015, Ric was a General Partner at North Bridge, a VC fund with $3 billion under management, for five years following a fifteen-year career as an entrepreneur. Fulop is the founder of six technology companies, including A123 Systems, Boston’s largest IPO in the past decade and one of the world’s largest automotive lithium ion suppliers with revenue exceeding $500M in 2016. At North Bridge, Ric led the software and 3D investing practices and was an early stage investor and board member in Dyn (acquired by Oracle for $600 million), Onshape, MarkForged, Salsify, Lytro and Gridco. Ric is a former Board Member of the Electric Drive Transportation Association and holds an MBA from the MIT Sloan School where he was a Sloan Fellow.

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In 2021 many companies were plagued with global supply chain issues and shipping delays, which will continue to play out over the next several years.  With an eye to the future, the most innovative businesses have turned to additive manufacturing to supplement their production via outsourced service bureaus or with the acquisition of new 3d printing equipment for in-house production.

Alexander Hussain, Co-Founder/CEO  of 3DChimera

Alex is a Co-Founder & CEO @ 3DChimera, a Miami-based supplier of Advanced Manufacturing Equipment including 3D printers, 3D scanners and 3d software. Alex’s company, 3DChimera, was selected as one of the Top 10 3D Printing Service and Consulting companies in the USA by Manufacturing Technology Insights in 2019 & 2020. 3DChimera has helped organizations around the US to select and utilize Advanced Manufacturing Equipment across many different industries having worked with 1000+ Businesses and 100+ Universities since its inception in 2013. Some notable clients include Adidas, Bosch, Toshiba, MIT, Sandia National Laboratory, Hewlett Packard, the US Army, Boeing and the Harvard Design School.

In 2022, we expect to see more companies adopting additive manufacturing as a practical alternative to traditional manufacturing methods like injection molding or CNC.  With strong parts, fine details, quick turnaround times, onshore production, and the elimination of tooling expenses additive manufacturing gives companies an opportunity to produce better products more quickly and efficiently than ever before, without the inherent risks of global supply chain and shipping delays.

At 3DChimera, we have already begun to see engineers and executives alike inquire about the additive manufacturing technology and materials to find the best fit for their applications, and we expect to see this demand soar in 2022.

We also expect to see growth in Design for Additive Manufacturing (DfAM) training and in automated post-processing equipment for 3D printed parts. These new skills and tools will help to make a smooth transition to Additive Manufacturing for companies that are adopting this technology at scale.