Bright AM Reading Time: 3 minutes
Tracking down quality control issues to improve products, manufacturer market position, and customer satisfaction.
The past year has been one of the biggest on record for the Additive Manufacturing (AM) industry. Fueled by the pandemic and the havoc that COVID-19 has wreaked on the global economy, AM and automated work has brought the use of robots and remote manufacturing to the forefront. 3D printing has long been viewed as a transformative technology, but it may have finally reached its inflection point, where it begins taking a sizable chunk of the market share away from traditional manufacturers. No longer just for rapid prototyping, Additive Manufacturing is now being used for end products like sneaker midsoles, aeronautical parts, and medical devices.
Because AM is a hyper-growth industry, it is also a hyper-competitive world industry, where companies are constantly trying to one-up each other and set themselves apart from the crowd. They can do this by upgrading their 3D printing equipment to increase their output capacity or factory offerings, but there’s another way that doesn’t require a massive investment in new machinery: making a conscientious effort to provide the best possible customer experience. Giving clients real-time tracking data on their order is one of the top features that Additive Manufacturers should look for in a customer-service platform.
Real-time tracking data can be extremely valuable for AM clients because it adds substantial value to their business. Providing this data improves manufacturer market position because it gives clients added peace of mind and shows that you are dedicated to taking care of their needs. Bluestreak | Bright AM, a leading MES/QMS focused entirely on the Additive Manufacturing industry and the needs of emerging leaders in the field, knows the inherent value of traceability and tracking. Our software platform, built specifically for Additive Manufacturers, helps them position themselves ahead of their competitors with a phenomenal customer experience. Quality issues can also be tracked quickly and remedied immediately.
Bluestreak | Bright AM’s Customer Connector module gives Additive Manufacturers the ability to open up their customer service with 24/7 access. This is one of the best ways to improve manufacturer market position because it offers something that competitors do not. Manufacturers who elect to utilize the Customer Connector are given complete control of which data sets customers can see and access, but that access is constant and available at the press of a button. It thus becomes easy to forge long-term relationships built on a foundation of trust and transparency.
Quality tracking is another selling point of Bluestreak | Bright AM because it allows manufacturers to stand out and improve their market positioning. The platform’s powerful quality-tracking tools lead to substantial reductions in rework, less wasted material, and ultimately, customers getting exactly what they ordered. Quality tracking is a key differentiator for manufacturers who trust Bluestreak | Bright AM to help overhaul the way they operate.
The Production Pathway can get your business where it needs to be when it comes to quality tracking. Virtually every task and assignment required to complete a work order can be tracked, down to the individual operators and pieces of machinery on the floor. You can monitor all work that’s in process and make adjustments on the fly to optimize production.
Your clients don’t need to know everything about the software platform that you’re using to manage their order or track its path through production, but they’ll immediately see the results when you use Bluestreak | Bright AM. They’ll know exactly what’s being done, thanks to increased traceability and tracking of their order.
The manufacturing industry continues to trend toward complete digitalization, where transparency and traceability will help determine the ultimate winners and losers. Communicating and engaging with customers must be top of mind for Additive Manufacturing leaders because that is how clients will be won and retained for long-term relationships.
Despite the rapid growth in the Additive Manufacturing industry over the last year, it is still in the early innings of transforming the way that things are made and delivered. There will be bumps in the road for key players in the industry, but the potential to build massively successful companies remains wide open. The biggest winners at this stage will be those who can successfully navigate the transition from traditional manufacturing to 3D printing by wooing clients with top-notch customer service.
Bluestreak | Bright AM is designed exclusively for the Additive Manufacturing industry. Our best-of-class MES and QMS solutions bring quality control management to new levels. Contact Bluestreak | Bright AM today for a free demo!