The Rise of LFAM Microfactories: Lights-Out Production

This article was originally published on AdvancedManufacturing.org.

In the light of the digital revolution, automated large-format additive manufacturing (LFAM) technologies are rapidly taking over traditional manufacturing methods. Central to this shift are LFAM microfactories—small-to-medium modular manufacturing facilities, first ideated by industry experts Peter Wells and Paul Nieuwenhuis, that integrate automation and other advanced technologies to optimize operations.

Microfactories provide manufacturers with a distinct competitive advantage, tackling the challenges of traditional manufacturing while aligning with the demands of today’s evolving market. Such facilities have proven to be essential components of Industry 4.0, offering new levels of scalability and flexibility, driving sustainable growth across various industries. CEAD B.V., headquartered in the Netherlands (Delft), together with Detroit-based CEAD Group Inc., is pioneering the manufacturing of automated LFAM solutions, including microfactories, to efficiently produce large-format composite parts.

The Flexbot Maritime system manufacturing a boat at Al Seer Marine. Photo credits

Addressing Key Challenges

As skilled manual labor becomes increasingly scarce and production costs continue to rise, manufacturers face more and more challenges. Traditional manufacturing often requires specialized tooling, molds and fixtures for production, which depend on highly skilled engineers for design and creation. Many of these skilled pattern/tooling makers are retiring and not being replaced by younger generations.

In addition, once a tool is created, changes to product design often require new tooling. Design iterations are, therefore, time consuming and expensive, especially in the case of intricate tooling designs. Advanced CEAD LFAM microfactories, consisting of multiple robotic-based “Flexbots,” address these issues by enabling end-to-end production in an automated and streamlined workflow.

By combining LFAM and CNC post-processing technologies such as milling, CEAD’s systems can produce large composite tools and/or parts directly, eliminating the need for intermediate steps. Iterations can be implemented in digital CAD models that translate directly to a physical part via 3D printing. This flexibility dramatically reduces the time involved in production processes, accelerates the time-to-market of parts and encourages overall innovation.

Intelligent Integration

By integrating Industry 4.0 technologies such as automation, IoT, AI and machine learning, these machines become data-driven systems where processes operate autonomously with minimal human intervention. CEAD’s long-time focus on automation and integration of software solutions, such as its data-logging platform, has led to LFAM being deployed in light-outs production processes across industries.

CEAD’s data-logging platform embodies Industry 4.0 principles by enabling real-time monitoring and the collection and analysis of machine-generated data. Utilizing these insights ensures each production run is more efficient and reliable than the last. It also enables predictive maintenance to prevent machine downtime. In comparison to traditional manufacturing, this approach relies on dependable, continuous operations, maximizing production uptime and enabling high-volume demands to be met without additional labor time and costs.

Adapting to Growing Demands

LFAM microfactories can be defined as space-efficient units that can be easily and quickly scaled to adapt to market demands. Specifically designed to fit in localized environments, microfactory layouts can be configured with multiple or customized LFAM. Haddy, a 3D-printed furniture manufacturer based in Florida, exemplifies how growing production demands can be facilitated with scalable solutions.

Haddy’s founding team comes from Local Motors, a pioneer in autonomous electric vehicles that also leveraged the power of factories. Over the past 18 months, Haddy has upgraded from two Flexbots with a print area of 4 meters x 2 meters to eight Flexbots with a print area of 14 meters x 2 meters to increase production capacities. Haddy utilizes these large-scale robotic 3D printers to sustainably print complex furniture designs.

Source Al Seer Marine & ceadgroup.com

In other cases, such as with Al Seer Marine, setups can be configured to facilitate the production of large parts, such as boats. The company recently printed the world’s first electric Abra (wooden boat) for Dubai’s Roads and Transport Authority. The 11-m-long, 3.1-m-wide Abra has been printed on the company’s custom Flexbot system, a setup featuring two robotic arms on 40-m tracks.

Before this, Al Seer Marine had created what’s described as the largest 3D-printed boat in collaboration with Abu Dhabi Maritime. Printed in less than six days, this demonstrates the speed at which the 11.980-m-long and 3.594-m-wide water taxi came to life.

The advantage of modular solutions such as the Flexbot is that they allow customers to select the features needed for their specific application, avoiding unnecessary investments while retaining the flexibility to upgrade over time. CEAD develops technology platforms to support the process of building microfactories—from initial sketches and design phases to manufacturing, installation and final rollout—ensuring guidance every step of the way.

Think Globally, Produce Locally—On-Demand

The furniture industry and others have long been reliant on traditional manufacturing, third-party dependence and large import requirements for materials or finished products. This makes them slow, unresponsive and a major contributor to pollution due to carbon emissions associated with extensive production steps and imports. Haddy envisions Flexbot microfactories strategically placed around the globe to localize furniture production, reducing shipping and import costs while significantly enhancing production-to-delivery time.

Another approach by Fab.pub, a mobile factory franchise model, includes a robotic arm with integrated CEAD technology installed inside a shipping container that enables the seamless relocation of entire production units. Alternatively, CEAD’s Flexcube is designed to fit fully assembled into a shipping container, allowing for rapid on-site installation and operation of microfactories. This approach is particularly advantageous for sectors such as defense, where the ability to quickly establish localized solutions is essential for accelerating lead time and adapting to real-time requirements.

Another advantage of LFAM microfactories is that they almost exclusively use thermoplastic pellet materials for the creation of parts. The manufacturer reduces reliance on diverse raw material sources or prefabricated components that tend to lengthen lead times, especially during turbulent periods. Additionally, as production can be initiated on-demand, companies don’t require large, expensive stock inventories of either molds or finished end parts, ensuring responsiveness to market demands.

Driving Sustainability

Localizing production is only one aspect of how LFAM microfactories reduce carbon footprints. Through data collection and analysis using platforms such as data logging, manufacturers can identify inefficiencies and predict potential failures. Proactively addressing these issues before starting a print helps reduce waste material by minimizing print failures.

Prints that have become obsolete or components that are left unused due to design iterations or evolving client needs can be recycled, contributing to a circular manufacturing process and sustainability goals. Haddy, for example, incorporates near-field communication tags, helping to identify printed pieces and allowing customers to return them so the materials can be repurposed into a new piece of furniture, fostering a closed-loop system.

It’s clear that LFAM microfactories effectively incorporate the principles of Industry 4.0 to offer scalable, flexible and sustainable manufacturing solutions. CEAD itself is continuously developing its LFAM microfactories and their applications. The company recently opened the Maritime Application Center, an innovation hub where material research and software developments will be integrated to drive progress in creating advanced applications for the maritime industry. By enhancing operational efficiency through automated LFAM, companies can maintain their competitive edge and produce sustainably in this ever-evolving manufacturing landscape.