Siemens has announced the official launch and general availability of the Siemens Additive Manufacturing (AM) Network, following pilots and successful implementations with customers and partners, including Decathlon, Siemens Gas & Power, Siemens Mobility, HP and Materialise. The Siemens AM Network provides an advanced cloud-based solution to foster collaboration and process orchestration between engineers, procurement and suppliers of 3D printed parts. Providing an end-to-end digital process that connects the demand for parts with a supplier network helps enable globally distributed manufacturing. The Siemens Additive Manufacturing Network will be featured at Formnext 2019 in Frankfurt, Germany. 

Siemens’ AM Network is designed for enterprises, suppliers and partners that are looking to accelerate the adoption of AM for industrial processes and applications. It digitalizes the order-to-delivery process by aligning the engineering and commercial processes for high-quality AM functional prototypes and serial production parts. The system connects buyers with a global supplier network which streamlines the process, fosters collaboration and engagement, and orchestrates the workflow to increase throughput and reduce operational costs. As part of the Siemens’ suite of Software as a Service (SaaS) solutions, the AM Network meets the most stringent requirements for security, availability and regulatory compliance.

“Siemens’ additive manufacturing experts and industry veterans have developed the additive manufacturing network based on a clear understanding of the complexities and needs of the industry, fostered by a sincere passion to promote the adoption of AM in the industrial domain,” said Zvi Feuer, senior vice president manufacturing engineering at Siemens Digital Industries Software. “As buyers, sellers and partners continue to plug into the ecosystem, they will find a streamlined, modular solution that can grow with each company’s individual needs.” 

Early adopters are already realizing the benefits of the AM Network. Decathlon, the largest sporting goods retailer in the world with over 1,500 stores in 49 countries, uses the AM Network to manage their Additive Manufacturing ordering process and control production progress as part of their strategy to scale their use of 3D printing globally and ramp up production, while maintaining high standards of quality. At Siemens Gas & Power, the AM Network is helping the business be more agile and respond to inquiries in real time to help ensure customers get exactly what they ordered, on time.  

“We have full confidence in the AM Network to help us facilitate a smooth flow of information among the various functions within the organization,” said Andreas Graichen, group manager, AM industrialization and digitalization, Siemens Power & Gas, Service Distributed Energy. “It will also allow us to effectively connect to our external customers, while providing a detailed outlook on costs and production time from beginning to end.”