What is traditional vs on-demand manufacturing?

Traditional manufacturing typically involves producing goods in bulk quantities through a set production process. The process usually involves the creation of a physical prototype, followed by mass production in a factory. This type of manufacturing is often associated with economies of scale, where the more products are produced, the lower the cost per unit. Traditional manufacturing also involves long lead times, as the production process requires significant planning and set-up time.

What is an example of on-demand manufacturing?

3D printing is an example of on-demand manufacturing. With no minimum order, it is possible to print the exact amount of parts you need when you need them. You will have access to a wide range of technologies and 3D printing materials.

What is on-demand manufacturing?

On-demand manufacturing is the creation of products in response to the market’s demand when companies usually manufacture large quantities and stock them to sell them later. This approach of on-demand manufacturing is more agile, responsive and efficient, becoming a game-changer for businesses of all sizes.

The “FlexEco” Production Mode

The most cost-effective option if you have regular 3D prints of identical pieces.

FlexEco was designed to minimize the cost and environmental impact of your small parts produced in large quantities. Rather than printing everything at once, this approach spreads batch production over several weeks. This strategy allows us to utilize unused space in our daily print jobs, resulting in more items being printed simultaneously while reducing material waste and energy consumption.

What exactly is FlexEco?

Sculpteo’s FlexEco mode is an option that allows you to save on the unit price of your small parts (for bulk orders) in exchange for flexibility on delivery times.

Which orders are eligible?

Example of two eligible parts for FlexEco printing

Unit price* with standard mode: 3,34 €

Unit price* with FlexEco mode: 0,91 €

*price for 1000 parts

73 % savings!

Unit price* with standard mode: 4,50 €

Unit price* with FlexEco mode: 1,60 €

*price for 1000 parts

65 % savings!

An initiative towards greater sustainability

Why We Recommend This Manufacturing Method

This approach allows us to significantly boost production efficiency. Our goal is to make the most of the unused space in our print jobs, especially when larger components are being produced. We optimize the entire print volume by incorporating your smaller pieces into these available spaces. By maximizing the nesting of parts—strategically arranging them within the print area—we can produce more items at once, reducing material waste and conserving the energy needed for printing.

What Advantages Can You Gain?

By accepting flexible delivery times, you can benefit from a significant price reduction and a more environmentally friendly production approach.

Your small parts, designed to fill empty spaces, are integrated into already scheduled print jobs rather than a specific job. This allows us to make our production more environmentally friendly and resource-efficient, and you are sharing the environmental impacts associated with the manufacturing of your parts with other clients.

We are committed to delivering your parts within an agreed-upon timeframe (~30 days). Unless you specify otherwise, your parts will be delivered in a single shipment.

Share the ecological impacts associated with the production of your parts

When you opt to print your parts using FlexEco, you combine their environmental footprint with that of other parts from various customers produced in the same batch. This approach allows the ecological impact of manufacturing to be shared across a greater number of items. Think of it like a car: the more passengers onboard, the smaller the impact for each individual.

Consider this example:

We need to manufacture seven car headlights, each with a volume of 438 cm³, in our regular production. While this occupies some space in the printer, there is still available capacity.

Above, we see the nesting for scenario one, which does not utilize the FlexEco command.

Below, in scenario two, our technicians enhance the nesting process by implementing a FlexEco order for 250 identical small parts.

To produce the headlights, approximately 3,080 cm³ of material is sintered, and the 250 added pieces represent an additional 875 cm³. Using a mass allocation logic, this reduces the overall environmental impact of the parts by -22%!

(*indicative data)

Are you interested in this option?

Due to its nature, this production method isn't available directly online. You'll need to contact us to discuss delivery options and receive a much more attractive printing rate than the online price.

Reach out to confirm your eligibility