WE’RE IN THIS TOGETHER
As you are likely aware, the Governor of California issued an Executive Order in response to the COVID-19 global pandemic. The California Department of Public Health has ordered all individuals living in the State of California to stay home or at their place of residence except as needed to maintain continuity of operations of the federal critical infrastructure.
AS OF MARCH 20, 2020, OUR cARLSBAD ca MANUFACTURING SITE REMAINS FULLY OPERATIONAL AS A CRITICAL INFRASTRUCTURE MANUFACTURER
FAQs
Has GKN Additive (Forecast 3D)’s production capability been impacted by the coronavirus?
GKN Additive (Forecast 3D) produces exclusively in the U.S., so our capacity has not been impacted by this virus.
My supplier is not able to manufacture right now. Can you produce product for me?
With 30 production machines, we have the capacity to manufacture injection molded products for customers that need a quick-turn solution.
How quickly can you supply product for me?
Delivery time is dependent on project requirements. We have been able to successfully complete projects with one business day turnaround times. The best way for us to determine how quickly we can get your parts to market is to request a quote and uploading your design files.
Is production really impacted during a pandemic or disaster?
Yes! In fact, during the most recent coronavirus pandemic, major companies didn’t meet their quarterly numbers due to supply chain issues – entire industries were impacted. Imagine the competitive advantage you’d have if you were the one company in those industries actually prepared before disaster hit! Want to reach more? Here are just a few articles about the impact of the coronavirus on companies and markets (link to Forbes and CNN articles.)
- https://www.forbes.com/sites/annashedletsky/2020/02/07/coronavirus-hits-electronics-manufacturing-hard-companies-are-scrambling/#74c41250369c
- https://www.forbes.com/sites/willyshih/2020/02/10/coronavirus-and-china-manufacturing-restarting-production-is-hard/#59246b8966f9
- https://www.cnn.com/2020/02/09/business/china-coronavirus-global-auto-industry-impact/index.html
How do you recommend I prepare for risks in the future?
Pandemics, natural or manmade disasters, and other risks to your supply chain can stop your production line in it’s tracks, even on non-essential parts. Once the specific event is over, manufacturers will still be dealing with production backlogs, staffing changes and shipping time – which means it may take weeks or months for production to come up to normal. We recommend having a local provider ready and on your approved vendor list for quick-turn manufacturing need.
Is additive manufacturing a viable second source during a pandemic or other disaster?
Yes. Additive manufacturing doesn’t require you to source or keep a second set of tooling, which can be expensive and time-consuming. As long as you have an additive manufacturer on your approved vendor list, you can often be up and running with production in just a few days.
What products and applications are most suitable for moving to additive manufacturing? Are there restrictions?
First, it’s easiest to move if you have a supplier already. But, in general, any part that would generally use injection molding is a candidate for additive manufacturing. The parts should be no more than 32” in size, have a CAD file available, and need between 1 and 50,000 parts.
