Various companies are now using the characteristic feature of additive manufacturing and, together with Späh, are designing their individual components from a single cast, which are possible without any restrictions in terms of geometry.

The reputation of additive technology as only being suitable for prototypes is long outdated. Today, quantities of 20,000 to 50,000 units per year are feasible, depending on the component. Thanks to the dynamic process, design changes can also be made during series production without great effort. 3D printing does not incur any set-up or tooling costs, which is a major advantage. The properties of the materials are also absolutely comparable to those of conventional manufacturing processes. Depending on the desired material, the individual product is weather and UV-resistant, stable and impact-resistant.

An additional added value of this process technology is created by adapting the design. In its customer projects, Späh has saved up to 50% material and reduced the weight of the component by up to 60% through design optimization and material changes – with improved functionality and the same stability. This adaptation has made the components 30-50% more cost-efficient on average.

There is also increasing pressure on companies to produce more sustainably. One option for improving the carbon footprint in the long term would be to switch to additive manufacturing. This is because it already has sustainable characteristics as a production process. For example, 100% of the surplus base material is reused with the addition of new material. Other aspects include regional procurement, shorter delivery times, short transportation routes and low stock levels (on-demand production).