HP and Deloitte join hands on 3D printing for the manufacturing industry. In doing so, the companies want to bring Industry 4.0 all the way to life.
Major manufacturers help
Hardware vendor HP and consulting firm Deloitte have entered into the unique partnership to accelerate the digital transformation in the global manufacturing industry. The aim is for HP's 3D printing systems to be implemented in the large-scale manufacturing environments of Deloitte's clients, bringing more speed and efficiency to product design and overall production.
Deloitte and HP aim to initiate global change by integrating Jet Fusion 3D printing technology. The companies expect the collaboration to yield many benefits: an increase in innovation, faster delivery to the market, reducing costs and waste and, in particular, strengthening the position of large manufacturing companies in the global economy.
Radical transformation
"The fourth industrial revolution is upon us," said Dion Weisler, CEO of HP in a press release. "No sector in the global economy is undergoing a more radical transformation than the manufacturing industry, and companies that invest in digital redevelopment will be one step ahead of their competitors. By working with Deloitte to build our revolutionary 3D printing technology, we are focused on helping customers transform and succeed in this new era."
"The digitisation of manufacturing activities will affect businesses and consumers worldwide," adds Deloitte CEO Punit Renjen. "3D printing will play an important role in fundamentally changing the manufacturing industry as we know it today. This collaboration brings together HP's leading 3D printing platform with Deloitte's experience in digital manufacturing and global customer reach."
The HP Jet Fusion was presented by the hardware vendor last year, during RAPID 2016, as the first production-ready 3D printing system. It began initial sales in December and for a few months now the printers have actually been in use at manufacturers. That includes some big international companies, such as BMW Group, Johnson&Johnson and Nike.
Progress
Apart from the fact that HP obviously wants to make a commercial impact with its 3D printers, it says it really wants to take the manufacturing industry to the next level. The company is making great strides in this.
Earlier this year, a new Global Head of 3D Printing Commercial Expansion & Development, Michelle Bockman, was appointed for the sake of progress. Trained as an engineer, Bockman said in an interview with 3Dprint.com, among other things, "HP as a brand is more innovative than ever. With my background in mechanical engineering and bringing technologies together, it's a perfect digital and industrial fusion."
She also notes that partnerships are very important for HP when it comes to the growth of 3D printing, as is now happening with Deloitte. "I will continuously look for new applications and new industries that we can expand into. My job is to help companies understand what the factory of the future will look like and exactly what it will mean for them. I will find out what these companies need and make sure it gets to them, whether it is scaling up production, creating new markets or accelerating innovation. Getting there varies from company to company and in that quest we will be an important partner for them."
The collaboration between HP and Deloitte will first take shape in the United States and then expand to other parts of the world.
By: Kelly Bakker
Source: Deloitte/HP/3Dprint.com
